Delilah Schwartz, a cyber threat analyst from Cybersixgill, has recently given an insightful interview on how the dark web is evolving with the emergence of new technologies such as ChatGPT and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI).
The interview, which first aired on June 9th, 2023, features on the CyberWire Daily Podcast, a leading media platform that offers news, analysis, and insights on the latest developments in the cybersecurity arena.
Schwartz, who specializes in threat intelligence and dark web analysis, begins by explaining that the dark web is continuously changing with new threats as cybercriminals become more sophisticated in their operations.
She notes that ChatGPT, an AI language model that uses large training sets to generate human-like responses to natural language prompts, has become increasingly popular among criminals operating on the dark web.
According to Schwartz, ChatGPT is a powerful tool that allows cybercriminals to automate their operations, making it easier for them to conduct phishing attacks, social engineering scams, and other malicious activities.
“Criminals are using ChatGPT to generate realistic emails from phishing kits and to automate responses on social media platforms,” she says. “This makes it harder for victims to distinguish between genuine and fake messages, increasing the chances of successful attacks.”
Schwartz also explains that ChatGPT can be used to train deep neural networks, which can help cybercriminals to bypass anti-virus and intrusion detection systems (IDS).
“Deep neural networks can learn patterns in the way malware behaves and can evade detection by security systems,” she says. “This makes it harder for security teams to detect and mitigate threats.”
In addition to ChatGPT, Schwartz highlights other AI technologies that have emerged on the dark web, including machine learning algorithms, natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision.
These technologies, she says, are being used to enhance cybercriminal operations, such as in the creation of deepfake images and videos, which can be used for blackmail, extortion, and other nefarious purposes.
“The dark web is a breeding ground for these technologies because criminals see the value in using AI to automate their operations and increase their profits,” Schwartz explains.
However, Schwartz also notes that AI can be used for the benefit of the cybersecurity industry, such as in the development of threat intelligence platforms that use machine learning and NLP to scour the dark web for threat intelligence.
“AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach cybersecurity, by helping us to detect and respond to threats faster and more effectively than before,” she says.
In conclusion, Schwartz emphasizes the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest developments in AI and their potential impact on cybersecurity. She encourages organizations to invest in cutting-edge technologies and to work collaboratively with experts in the field to stay ahead of the ever-evolving threat landscape.
“The dark web is constantly changing, and we need to be proactive in our approach to cybersecurity,” she says. “By staying ahead of the curve and harnessing the power of AI, we can better protect ourselves and our organizations from cyber threats.”