05 Dec 2022 Samantha McLauren
AI-Powered Disinformation, Crypto Scams, And Vulnerabilities May Mark 2023
2022 was a hard year for the crypto sector, with some of the biggest names in the game suffering from liquidity issues and bankruptcies. Illicit entities, however, may take the center stage in the coming year, according to cybersecurity firm McAfee and its 2023 cyber threat predictions report.
The three key areas of threat, as pointed out by McAfee, are disinformation campaigns powered by AI-generated images, videos, and voices, as well as Web3 scams and ChromeOS flaws.
Artificial intelligence to lead the year?
It may sound like science fiction, but artificial intelligence (AI) software can already produce imagery based on text prompts, which indicates that the AI sector would also incorporate video content and generate AI-based voices.
McAfee considers AI to be the perfect tool for propagandists and other cyber criminals who want to influence public opinion without the need for professional expertise or human labor.
Web3 scams are on the rise
The bankruptcy of crypto exchange FTX, alongside the demise of LUNA, managed to push back some of the newbie crypto investors and showed just how fragile is the crypto economy nowadays. However, Web3’s popularity fluctuations could be used by scammers as a leverage point for luring amateur investors into get-rich-quick crypto schemes.
For instance, novice crypto users could be lured into clicking a link or downloading an app that claims to interact with some blockchain but is actually designed to collect fiat currency and offer nothing in return. Also, aggressive adware campaigns could compromise the device's safety and performance.
Furthermore, new "hooks" or bait will be used to retarget people in addition to new dangers, according to McAfee. For instance, in 2022, it was common for cryptocurrency scams to be bundled with convincing phony films of well-known people in order to fool novice viewers.
In 2023, predatory fake loan apps may still be common, offering customers direct loans with short repayment terms and high-interest rates in exchange. A lot of individuals may experience financial hardship in 2023, which suggests that phony investment scams may also become more prevalent during the year, according to mass layoffs from the biggest IT businesses in the globe.
ChromeOS threats
The fact that ChromeOS-powered devices are becoming more and more popular, illicit entities may feel more inclined to compromise these systems, especially when the ChromeOS operating system supports Android apps. The introduction of progressive web applications (PWAs) may open up new attack vectors for cybercriminals.
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