Tag: ARTICLE

Our physical world is becoming more connected – which makes it more dependent on the cyber world. Many physical objects around us are no longer just physical, but extend into cyberspace, being remotely monitored and controlled. Consider the power plant or water plant that supplies your electricity and water. These systems have single-purpose computers embedded within each switch or valve. Each computer monitors system conditions and decides whether to open or close that switch or valve to keep the system running optimally. They monitor and control systems at a level that humans would find too granular and too tedious to warrant...

The rapid development of AI brings both extraordinary potential and unprecedented risks. AI systems are increasingly demonstrating emergent behaviors, and in some cases, are even capable of self-improvement. This advancement, while remarkable, raises critical questions about our ability to control and understand these systems fully. In this article I aim to present my own statement on AI risk, drawing inspiration from the Statement on AI Risk from the Center for AI Safety, a statement endorsed by leading AI scientists and other notable AI figures. I will then try to explain it. I aim to dissect the reality of AI risks without veering...

In the U.S. alone, SIM-swapping attacks resulted in $72 million worth of losses last year, four-million dollars more than 2021, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In a 2022 public service announcement, the FBI defined SIM swapping as a “malicious technique where criminal actors target mobile carriers to gain access to victims' bank accounts, virtual currency accounts, and other sensitive information.” The PSA noted that threat actors “primarily conduct SIM swap schemes using social engineering, insider threat, or phishing techniques.” Threat actors execute their SIM swap attacks via social-engineering ruses, where they impersonate authorized mobile-carrier account holders and dupe...

Verified crypto-exchange accounts have become a hot commodity on the dark web, with login credentials available for as little as $20, according to May data from threat intelligence firm Privacy Affairs. But the price for verified crypto accounts has been steadily rising, with some ‘logs,’ a darknet slang term for stolen or nominee credentials, fetching as much as $2,650 per account, Privacy Affairs research shows. While the U.S.-based Bittrex crypto exchange hosts the cheapest logs, Germany’s N26 mobile banking platform claims the most expensive ones. This price increase has occurred despite a generally bearish market environment for crypto assets. Fueled...

It seems everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI). Everyone. From senior executives to school kids, the hype - or dread - around this technology seems to be growing by the day. Much of this excitement, of course, has to do with the launch of generative AI applications like ChatGPT and Midjourney, which, for the first time perhaps, have given the average individual a felt sense of AI’s potential. That experience hasn’t just thrilled college students, designers and digital marketers, it has animated businesses and establishments across the world who are imagining an array of new commercial and public...

Annualized data from blockchain forensics provider Chainalysis indicates that crypto-enabled crime has dropped precipitously through the first half of 2023, but cybercriminals are also continuously evolving new cash-out methods to cover their tracks. Chainalysis’s mid-year update found that crypto inflows to “known illicit entities” were down 65% compared to where they were last June. Meanwhile, crypto flows to high-risk entities, which generally entail “mixers” and non-compliant exchanges were down 42%. Crypto mixers are protocols that enable large groups of users to pool their funds together in a deposit wallet that is programmed to redistribute tumbled crypto assets back to designated...

Last week, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) launched a nationwide awareness campaign called “Ask Before”, intended to educate the public about the significance of personal data ahead of the implementation of a new national personal data protection system. Emphasizing responsible data handling, privacy preservation, and fostering trust and collaboration between commercial entities and private individuals, “Ask Before” supports KSA’s new Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), which became enforceable on September 14th. The need for such a campaign stems from the fact that the PDPL is the first regulation of its kind rolled out in the kingdom, activated five years after...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword; it’s an integral part of our daily lives, powering everything from our search for a perfect meme to critical infrastructure. But as Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben wisely said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The power of AI is undeniable, but if not secured properly, it could end up making every meme a Chuck Norris meme. Imagine a world where malicious actors can manipulate AI systems to make incorrect predictions, steal sensitive data, or even control the AI’s behavior. Without robust AI security, this dystopian scenario could become our reality. Ensuring the...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly, nay, explosively transitioned from a sci-fi concept to a foundational pillar of modern business. A recent report by McKinsey highlights the rise of generative AI, revealing that within less than a year of its public debut, a staggering one-third of surveyed organizations have integrated generative AI into at least one business function. Gartner predicted that by 2024, 75% of enterprises will shift from piloting to operationalizing AI. I can’t recall seeing any other emerging technology in history take off as quickly as AI has. Keep in mind, when I discuss AI adoption, I am not just referring...

Neural networks, inspired by the human brain, play a pivotal role in modern technology, powering applications like voice recognition and medical diagnosis. However, their complexity makes them vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, specifically Trojan attacks, which can manipulate them to make incorrect decisions. Given their increasing prevalence in systems that affect our daily lives, from smartphones to healthcare, it’s crucial for everyone to understand the importance of securing these advanced computing models against such vulnerabilities. The Trojan Threat in Neural Networks What is a Trojan Attack? In the context of computer security, a “Trojan attack” refers to malicious software (often called “malware“) that disguises...

Ask most people what they remember from 2016 - if they remember anything at all - and there are usually two big events that float to the front of their minds: Britain voted to leave the European Union and the United States voted Donald Trump into the White House. Together, these two episodes sent shock waves around the world. In the UK, the Brexit referendum was followed by a national decline in mental health. In the US, American college students exhibited levels of stress comparable to PTSD. Even beyond those borders, Brexit and the Trump election became emblematic of the...

Homo sapiens is an incredibly adaptable species, arguably the most adaptable ever. But it is also a forgetful one, quick to take things for granted. Many of us can remember when cell phones first emerged, when the internet first became publicly available, when the first iPhone was released. These momentous shifts occurred within a generation, altering the nature of society and civilization. Just a few decades ago, none of these existed, but by the time Covid-19 hit, billions of people were able to lift their smartphone and video call a loved one on the other side of the world. At...

Machine learning models have become integral components in a myriad of technological applications, ranging from data analytics and natural language processing to autonomous vehicles and healthcare diagnostics. As these models evolve, they often undergo a process known as model fragmentation, where various versions, architectures, or subsets of a model are deployed across different platforms or use cases. While fragmentation enables flexibility and adaptability, it also introduces a host of unique security challenges. These challenges are often overlooked in traditional cybersecurity discourse, yet they are crucial for the safe and reliable deployment of machine learning systems in our increasingly interconnected world. What is Model Fragmentation? Model fragmentation is the phenomenon...

In the cybersecurity arena, artificial intelligence classifiers like neural networks and support vector machines have become indispensable for real-time anomaly detection and incident response. However, these algorithms harbor vulnerabilities that are susceptible to sophisticated evasion tactics, including adversarial perturbations and feature-space manipulations. Such methods exploit the mathematical foundations of the models, confounding their decision-making capabilities. These vulnerabilities are not just theoretical concerns but pressing practical issues, especially when deploying machine learning in real-world cybersecurity contexts that require resilience against dynamically evolving threats. Addressing this multidimensional challenge is part of the broader emerging field of adversarial machine learning, which seeks to develop robust algorithms and integrated security...

Introduction There is tremendous amount of hype about quantum computing recently. Governments, corporations, and academic institutions are pouring increasing resources into this field, recognizing its potential to address a wide array of critical scientific and societal challenges. While the technology has begun to impact specific areas, such as the design of efficient batteries for electric vehicles, precision drilling in the oil and gas industry, sophisticated financial analyses, medical research advancements, and improvements in weather prediction models, these applications remain quite narrow. Broader commercial uses hinges on the development of fault-tolerant quantum computing, a goal that still faces many challenges as...