Researchers at the Russian ESET security software company discovered what they called “The first known ransomware supported by artificial intelligence.” The malicious software, which Eset called Promptlock, has the ability to remove, encrypt and possibly even destroy data, although this latter function seems to have not yet been incorporated.

While promptlock was not found in real attacks and is considered to be still a concept or a WIP project, the discovery of ESET shows how malicious use of publicly available artificial intelligence tools could enhance ransomware and other cyber thicks.

Artificial intelligence models have made it easy to create persuasive e -fish messages as well as deepfake images, audio and videos. The immediate availability of these tools drastically downloads the bar For the less technologically trained savvy, allowing them to make scams that would otherwise be impossible for them.

Meanwhile, says ESET, the ransomware scourge has, over the years, has tested the cyber -to -end of countless organizations, with this type of malicious software growing more and more from APT groups (advanced persistent threat). As artificial intelligence (AI) is already used by factors of all types at a variety of degrees, it is also expected to contribute to increasing the volume and impact of ransomware attacks.

Regardless of the intention behind promptlock, its discovery shows how AI tools can be used to automate various stages of ransomware attacks, from recognition to data export, with speed and scale once considered impossible. The perspective of a malicious software with artificial intelligence that can, among other things, adapted to the environment and change his tactics in real timeIt can generally represent a new border in cyberattacks by the Russian company.