With the advent of cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools such as Dall-E 2 and ChatGPT, a lot of our tasks have become simpler. Unfortunately, this convenience comes with a dark downside: cybercriminals have also been empowered with these sophisticated technologies, making it much easier for them to wreak havoc in the virtual realm. A report from McAfee shows highlights that these tools are being used to trick or defraud consumers in growing numbers. Some of the many newly-available AI-based image generator apps on app stores may be malicious and looking to capitalise on AI trends. Such apps may deliver some legitimate functionality, but the firm warns that just because they work, it doesn’t mean they’re not hiding ulterior motives. Criminals may also use encryption to hide malicious code from reviewers, allowing such apps to be uploaded on the Play Store/App Store. But image generator apps aren’t the only way criminals can sneak malware into your device. 6.2% of the threats identified on Google during 2022 by McAfee were in the "Communication" category, mainly masqueraded as SMS apps. Legitimate apps also present an opportunity for scammers. While fraudulent messages to trick consumers into clicking on a malicious link were previously easier to identify due to spelling or grammar errors, AI chatbots are helping scammers eliminate these. This makes it tougher to spot messages by mistakes in the content. Clicking on malicious links can eventually fetch scammers your login credentials, account numbers, or personal information. AI chatbots also help a certain category of cybercriminals called romance scammers in a similar way. Cybercriminals often engage in long conversations to appear legit and lure unsuspecting victims, a previous McAfee report highlighted – and AI chatbots like ChatGPT can make that job easier by generating texts for the bad actors. AI tools aside, hackers may also use more traditional means to install malware on your phone. 23% of threats identified by McAfee were in the “Tools” app category. Apps like PDF editors, VPNs, messaging managers, document scanners, battery boosters, and memory cleaners are targeted for malware because people expect them to require permissions. Granting permissions like storage, messaging, calendars, contacts, location, and system settings enables scammers to retrieve all sorts of work-related information. 9% of threats McAfee identified were from games spanning Casual, Arcade and Action categories. The most common type of threat detected within these categories was aggressive adware. How to say safe against mobile malware McAfee recommends consumers do the following to protect themselves and their families: “Be suspicious of unsolicited emails, texts, or direct messages and think twice before you click on any links. Remember that most of these scams work because the scammer creates a false sense of urgency or preys on a heightened emotional state. Pause before you rush to interact with any message that is threatening or urgent, especially if it is from an unknown or unlikely sender. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Ensure that your mobile device is protected with security solutions that includes features to monitor and block potentially malicious links.”
