AI powers new wave of cybercrime

Shafaq News – San Francisco

Cybercriminals are rapidly weaponizing artificial intelligence to carry out more sophisticated attacks, according to a new report from AI firm Anthropic.

The report reveals that models like Claude are being misused in extortion schemes, fake recruitment scams linked to North Korea, and even ransomware development by users with little technical expertise.

Anthropic warns that “agentic AI” can now autonomously execute cyberattacks—shifting from advisory roles to direct action—which significantly lowers the barrier for unskilled actors to launch complex operations.

The firm found AI tools embedded across nearly every layer of cybercrime, from identifying targets and stealing data to forging identities and scaling fraudulent campaigns, noting that bad actors continue to test and bypass new safeguards.

Analysts caution that this trend could escalate global cyber threats, enabling both state-backed and independent groups to inflict widespread damage at unprecedented speed.

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