Hacker werden immer schneller: «Heute kann eine KI innert Sekunden eine Schwachstelle finden»

Technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are accelerating cybercrime, making it increasingly challenging to keep data secure. Instances of data breaches are becoming commonplace across France, Switzerland, and Europe. For instance, hackers infiltrated the software company PK Softech, gaining access to insured individuals' data from various pension plans, including the Swiss Federal Publica Pension Fund and the Zurich city pension fund.

In France, hackers targeted 150 supermarkets, stealing data from 8.8 million residents. Meanwhile, an online magazine reported that they had been hacked as well.

AI enables cybercriminals to work more cohesively, swiftly, and precisely, posing new challenges for data security. They can now send thousands of personalized, machine-generated messages within seconds and tailor them to each recipient, such as translating phishing emails into regional dialects. Andy Schneider, the security chief for Switzerland, Germany, and Austria at Palo Alto Networks, explains that hackers used to spend days manually searching for software vulnerabilities, but now AI can identify weaknesses within seconds and generate the corresponding code. Moreover, AI can disguise the malicious code to appear harmless to security systems.

In the future, if cybercriminals increasingly deploy autonomous AI agents, attacks could be virtually instantaneous, taking mere seconds or minutes to execute. These agents, sent out by humans but acting independently, pose significant challenges to organizations' defense efforts. Additionally, AI can generate insights into which companies use specific programs or software, making it easier for hackers to target vulnerabilities before they are patched.

Software providers also publish patch information, which hackers can exploit to attack companies before the vulnerabilities are closed.

Ricardo, a Swiss online auction platform, recently suffered a data breach, exposing the personal information of 890,000 users. Francesco Vass, the former Ricardo CEO, acknowledged the severity of the situation and committed to improving the company's security measures. Large and medium-sized Swiss companies are investing significantly more in cybersecurity compared to smaller businesses, which often dismiss cybercrime risks.

While Ricardo managed to close the security gap after the attack, the damage was already done, highlighting the urgent need for robust cybersecurity investments.