Cybersecurity: threats are evolving with AI, and how to protect yourself

Artificial intelligence is reshaping daily life, including the world of hackers. It has become both a powerful tool for strengthening security and a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands. Here is a clear overview of the new AI-driven risks, and, more importantly, how businesses and individuals can stay one step ahead.

AI: a new ally for cybercriminals

Recent reports show an explosion of AI-assisted attacks (up 135% in 2023, according to Check Point). Cybercrime is shifting into a higher gear, with AI used to create deepfakes, launch hyper-targeted phishing campaigns, write evasive malware, and automate large-scale attacks.

• Deepfakes: ultra-realistic video and audio manipulations make identity fraud strikingly convincing. In 2024, a Hong Kong company lost $26 million after being tricked by a rigged video call in which fraudsters impersonated executives.
• Next-generation phishing: obvious spelling mistakes are a thing of the past. Advanced language models craft emails that perfectly mimic the tone of a legitimate company and use your public information to personalize each message. Google observed a 78% increase in the success rate of AI-assisted phishing attacks.
• Intelligent malware: AI-driven polymorphic malware constantly rewrites its own code to evade antivirus detection, making traditional defenses nearly useless.
• Automated large-scale attacks: armies of bots scour the web for vulnerabilities. AI industrializes cybercrime, launching complex attacks in series.

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In short: AI innovations give criminals new superpowers. Fortunately, the same AI also offers unprecedented countermeasures and ways to fight back.

Staying protected in 2025: the right habits

Faced with these threats, businesses and individuals alike should strengthen their defenses, combining technology with basic caution.

For individuals

• Double verification: when faced with an unusual request (an urgent transfer, a one-time code), confirm it through a separate channel. Hearing a familiar voice is no longer enough to verify someone's identity.
• Account protection: use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.
• Updates and antivirus: many attacks exploit known vulnerabilities that patches already fix.
• Caution online: think before clicking a link or opening an attachment. When in doubt, don't click.
• Regular backups: essential against ransomware, ideally stored on a disconnected medium.

For businesses

• Employee awareness: humans remain hackers' favorite weak link, but also your strongest asset. Train your teams regularly on new AI-driven scams.
• Immersive drills: Riven developed a real-time multiplayer cyberattack simulation for IMD (in Lausanne), designed to build the right reflexes under crisis conditions.
• Advanced monitoring and detection: AI-powered solutions pick up weak signals that humans would miss and can stop an attack before it gains traction.
• Systematic verification policies: require confirmation through a second channel before any sensitive operation, even if the request appears to come from a senior executive.
• Access and data management: apply the principle of least privilege, segment the network, and encrypt sensitive data.

Conclusion: AI as threat or shield?

While AI amplifies attacks, it also delivers powerful tools to counter them: predictive analytics, automated incident response, and stronger authentication. Staying secure will require a smart combination of technology and human judgment. Your vigilance and common sense will always make the difference.