South Korea, Japan buffeted by hacks as AI lowers bar for cybercriminals

South Korean and Japanese organizations are grappling with a surge in cyberattacks, with some incidents potentially involving artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Nine South Korean banks and two large churches are investigating cyberattacks that may have utilized AI, while Japanese companies such as Daiwa Securities, SoftBank, and Lawson have also faced a recent increase in cyber incidents.

Experts warn that AI may be lowering the barrier for criminals with limited technical skills, enabling them to automate tasks like identifying software vulnerabilities and creating phishing campaigns, making cybercrime faster, cheaper, and more difficult to detect. Japan recorded more cybersecurity incidents in the first nine months of the year than in all of the previous year, with a 37% rise from July.

Authorities are still investigating the extent to which AI was used in these breaches, but cybersecurity specialists suggest that AI is helping attackers operate more efficiently. South Korea reported a 20% increase in cyber incidents in the first half of the year, with a 56.7% surge in DDoS attacks and a 76.8% increase in ransomware incidents.

The South Korean bank incidents highlight the need for stronger security measures and more rigorous testing as AI continues to develop. Both Google and Anthropic, developers of AI technologies, have warned that AI-assisted attacks are becoming more common globally, with threat actors increasingly leveraging AI to enhance their operations.