As much as it has been used to defend and make some taxing jobs easier, AI is also being extensively employed by attackers, helping them collect specific data that is used on business email compromise (BEC) attempts. AI is already getting better in deep research and with that making impersonation scams no longer as easy to identify and stop.
What is business email compromise BEC
Business email compromise refers to targeted, email-based cyberattacks that seek to trick victims into exposing company information or access to systems, handing over money or to perform other acts that negatively impact the business. This is done by impersonating a company executive, vendor, or other trusted partners.
The attackers carry out these impersonations by setting up fake but legitimate-seeming email addresses, social media profiles, or accounts on collaboration apps such as Slack, Teams, or Zoom. They can also spoof a real email address if proper security precautions are not set up or take over an actual email account via compromised credentials, malware, or other methods.