McAfee
has released its predictions for 2024. The report highlights the potential issues that consumers may face as cybercriminals continue to exploit rapidly advancing
AI
technology to carry out dangerous
deep fakes
, identity theft, and increasingly sophisticated
cyber scams
.
Rise in deep fakes
AI-generated voice, video, and photo scams are on the rise and make filtering through misinformation a challenging task.
Deepfake technology has the ability to wreak havoc on the lives of its victims, making it important to be vigilant against such malicious acts.
AI scams on social media
Heading into 2024, AI will help cybercriminals manipulate social media and shape public opinion like never before. People should brace for celebrity and influencer names and images being used by cybercrooks to endorse scams, and local online marketplaces that could become hotspots for AI-driven trickery.
Cyberbullying
The report warns that cyberbullying will likely take a dark turn with the help of deepfake technology. Young adults can now use this advanced tool not just to have fun, but to create disturbingly realistic fake content. The escalating intensity of these false images and words can pose significant, lasting harm to kids and their families, harming their privacy, identity, and well-being.
Charity fraud
Scammers make use of our deepest emotions and take advantage of empathy, fear, and grief. In 2024, the prevalence of charity fraud is likely to surge, particularly those related to highly visible conflicts and humanitarian crises.
New strains of malware
The report highlights that AI is a powerful tool for creating advanced malware and malicious websites at an alarming pace. This extends to the creation of deepfake video, photo, and audio content aimed at deceiving unsuspecting targets and scamming them out of money.
Olympic-sized scams
Cyber-scammers will exploit consumer enthusiasm around the 2024 Olympic Games, targeting fans who are eager to buy tickets, book travel, access hot content, and participate in giveaways. This presents a golden opportunity to trick people into compromising their personal information and payment details.
“As AI continues to lower the barrier to cybercrime and ushers in a new era of AI-powered cyberthreats, scams will become more sophisticated and more difficult to distinguish from legitimate messages and sites. From phishing emails so real that even the experts will have trouble telling fact from fiction to deepfakes that could impact everything including the future of our children, and beyond, it has never been more important for people to be educated about the threat landscape,” said Steve Grobman, Chief Technology Officer, McAfee. “McAfee is committed to continuous innovation to better protect privacy, identity and personal information while bringing truth, trust, and transparency to the forefront of your online experience, making it more enjoyable and secure for everyone.”
English (US) ·