AI is changing the economics of cyber extortion
Updated: Aug 15
Much of the discussion around AI and cyber-crime has focused on how it enables attackers write malware, create more convincing phishing campaigns, or identify and exploit software vulnerabilities. My recent LinkedIn posts have touched on these topics and the risks are very real.
However, I recently came across a more subtle use of AI that I think deserves a bit of attention.
Traditionally, when cyber criminals have been able to steal large volumes of company data, they faced a challenge. Downloading terabytes of files, emails, databases and customer records was one thing. Understanding what they had stolen, identifying what was genuinely valuable and turning it into leverage required time and expertise.
Large Language Models have fundamentally changed that equation.
Threat intelligence researchers have observed criminal groups using AI to analyse stolen data, map relationships across complex databases and identify the information most likely to pressurise an organisation into paying a ransom.
Rather than simply threatening to leak stolen data, attackers can now explain exactly what they’ve found (in very compelling language!), why it matters and the potential commercial, legal or reputational consequences of its disclosure. AI is becoming a force multiplier for cyber extortion.
For business leaders, this changes the conversation.
Cyber resilience is no longer just about preventing attackers from getting access to your systems. It's also about understanding your own data before someone else does. Where’s your most sensitive information? How easily could seemingly unrelated datasets be connected? Are you holding information that could significantly increase your exposure if it fell into the wrong hands?
I've always believed that data is the real asset for an organisation and that cyber security exists to protect it. What AI appears to be changing is the balance of that conversation. Understanding what data you hold, how it relates to other information and the impact it could have if exposed is becoming just as important as keeping attackers out in the first place.
It’s an interesting shift in thinking and one that I’m sure we’re going to hear much more about in future. It's certainly something I'll be reflecting on as AI continues to reshape the cyber landscape and I work with organisations to help them navigate these emerging challenges.
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