Ransomware’s AI-powered future: Although CrowdStrike’s latest survey doesn’t provide a full picture of AI’s use by ransomware gangs, the fact that generative AI is proving highly effective in crafting phishing emails that lead to ransomware infections shows the tip of the iceberg CISOs face.CrowdStrike Field CTO Cristian Rodriguez tells CSO, “We’re seeing AI touch every stage of the ransomware attack chain and it starts with phishing. Still the No. 1 entry point, AI-powered phishing campaigns are tricking employees into opening the door to corporate networks. The next wave will be even more deceptive, as AI-generated deepfakes emerge as a major driver of future ransomware attacks.”According to Rodriguez, the ability to use AI to create malware is also rapidly evolving. “We’re increasingly seeing ransomware-as-a-service providers leverage AI-developed malware to deploy and disrupt systems,” he says. “So, AI is pervasive across the ransomware threat lifecycle, and it’s only accelerating.”In the AI era, speed is the new battleground. Attackers move from intrusion to encryption in minutes, not hours. “The data really reinforces that speed is the biggest challenge,” Rodriguez says. “Ransomware has always been a race to contain and neutralize, but AI has taken it to another level, attackers are moving from intrusion to encryption in minutes, not hours. The pace of today’s adversaries is what makes speed in modern security so important.”Analysis from managed detection and response firm Huntress earlier this year showed the average “time to ransom”, from initial access to extortion, to be 17 hours, with some groups narrowing that window to 4 to 6 hours. But that was eight months ago in a rapidly advancing field.
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