The threats of crimes and malicious practices on the Internet have skyrocketed in recent years as all the technology related to the network has advanced and especially with the arrival of artificial intelligence software such as ChatGPT. What before seemed like something that only affected those who browsed strange pages and downloaded content without guarantees, has now become a global alert for any user.
In addition, individuals who surf the Internet are only a small target for cybercriminal attacks, since companies are the big pie that criminals and fraudsters are dividing up on the Internet. Within this whole world of illegal practices that can ruin an entire company, one more and more stands out above the rest: phishing.
But what is phishing? “It is a type of cyberattack, usually perpetrated through email, through which the user is intended to deceive them into clicking on a link in the email and accessing, under deceit, a fraudulent website. In it, it will provide relevant information that can be monetized by criminals, such as application access and/or payment credentials, for example”, explains Miguel López, general director of Barracuda Networks -a company dedicated to cybersecurity-.
The growth of phishing attacks is not a subjective sensation: A Zscaler report indicates that phishing attacks have increased by 50% in the last year, which for Miguel López is a complex phenomenon: "The general trend in what refers to most cyberattacks is clearly bullish. I don't think it's possible to identify a single cause for it,” he stresses.
The director explains that the growth of cyberattacks "rather is due to the confluence of multiple elements, such as the constant increase in digital transactions and, in general, in the use of resources and services over the Internet, both by companies and Public Administrations, as well as by end users”.
As if that were not enough "in recent months, the increase in teleworking, as well as international tensions and conflicts have only added gasoline to a fire that was already out of control." However, López believes that AI could have been decisive in this growth: "In the case of phishing attacks, their growth is indeed notable and to explain it, it is likely that the arrival of ChatGPT and other tools can be added to the above elements. of AI”.
And it is that artificial intelligence "allows cybercriminals to create phishing emails in a faster, more efficient and credible way, with a more natural language (in multiple languages)", in addition to being able to add "images that give the email greater credibility, increasing their chances of success when it comes to deceiving users and thus achieving more interesting rates of effectiveness and return”.
Thanks to ChatGPT, there are new tools incorporated into the "cybercriminals' arsenal" that have put many companies in check, explains López, which "multiplies the capabilities of the cybercrime industry and its ability to affect society, forcing Companies, Public Administrations and citizens to reassess whether their current levels of investment in cybersecurity are adequate or sufficient”.
Added to these new possibilities for cybercriminals, is added the ignorance of a large part of the population: "In general, I think there is a lack of awareness about cybersecurity at all levels, both at a professional level in the field of companies and Public Administrations, as well as in the case of citizens, who tend to 'hide their heads' in the face of this problem and hide behind the typical 'who is going to attack me…'”, reflects López.
Along with these tips, all training can be decisive in facing the new dangers on the Internet that are multiplying thanks to different trends, such as the emergence of artificial intelligence for widespread use.
The IMF Smart Education Master's Degree in Cybersecurity will help you train in topics such as cyberintelligence, malware, ethical hacking or monitoring. It is aimed at both recent university graduates in technical areas who want to focus their professional career in the field of computer security, as well as professionals in the sector who need a higher level of specialization.
On the other hand, with UNIR's Master's Degree in Cybersecurity you will learn the use of the most avant-garde tools in the Information Security sector such as Kali Linux, Fortify, Sandas GRC, Foca or eMarisma and you will be able to conclude your master's degree with a double degree, specializing in Industrial Cybersecurity.
