Voice phishing attacks have soared over the past year, with cyber attackers increasingly using AI technology, according to Microsoft's digital defence report. Malicious voice phishing attacks through Teams jumped by 502% year-on-year, the data showed.
Government Agencies Targeted
Security experts at Microsoft said more than a quarter, 27%, of cyber threat activity was aimed at government agencies or services, pointing towards growing concerns over cyber warfare. The report also detected more than 46 million business contact impersonation attacks in the past 12 months, where hackers impersonate business contacts to gain information or access to services.
AI Changing Attack Methods
The report found that growing use of AI is changing how “vulnerabilities are identified, how attacks are developed, how defenders prioritise risk, and how organisations respond to emerging threats”. Rapid technological developments mean the time needed for attacks is “compressing” and the cost of these is “falling”.
AI is being used for real-time voice modulation during video calls and phone interviews to mask accents. The research also found that AI tools have been used to produce counterfeit identity documents that pass standard visual checks.
Attacks on AI Systems
The research also found that attackers are targeting AI systems themselves, with threats attacking machine learning models, prompts and training data rather than just computer hardware.
Mike Yeh, vice president for customer security and trust at Microsoft, said in a blog accompanying the report: “The implication for governments is clear. Security in the AI era is no longer simply about preventing individual intrusions. It is about ensuring institutions can operate effectively in an environment where risks are interconnected, threats move faster, and attackers remain hidden longer. Public-private partnerships are also more important than ever for securing critical government infrastructure and developing the policies and regulations needed for emerging technologies.”
