The rapid adoption and integration of AI within the hacking community continue to gather momentum, with both benefits and risks associated with this trend, according to Bugcrowd. The latest report indicates a significant shift in the perception of AI’s value in hacking, with 71% of hackers now acknowledging its importance, compared to just 21% in the previous year.
Moreover, hackers are increasingly utilizing GenAI solutions, with 77% reporting their adoption—a 13% increase from the previous year. Despite this uptick in AI usage among hackers, the report highlights that there are limitations to AI technology. Only 22% of hackers believe that AI technologies can outperform human hackers, and only 30% think that AI can replicate human creativity.
Bugcrowd CEO Dave Gerry acknowledges the impact of AI in changing hacking strategies to identify and report vulnerabilities. He notes that 93% of hackers agree that companies using AI tools have created a new attack vector, while 82% believe that the evolving AI threat landscape poses challenges for effective cybersecurity measures.
The report also sheds light on the rising trend of hardware hacking, with 81% of hardware hackers encountering new vulnerabilities in the past year. Additionally, 83% of hardware hackers express confidence in their ability to exploit AI-powered hardware and software, highlighting a potential avenue for exploitation in the future.
Michael Skelton, VP of Security Operations at Bugcrowd, emphasizes the growing interest in hardware hacking, attributing it to the increased availability of vulnerable smart devices. While hardware hacking was once considered a specialized field, the proliferation of such devices has piqued the interest of ethical hackers and cybercriminals alike.
The survey results also indicate a promising career path in hacking, particularly for younger individuals. A majority of respondents (88%) were between the ages of 18 and 34, with 67% either pursuing a career in hacking full-time or actively seeking to do so. Interestingly, while 73% of respondents hold a college degree or higher, only 29% acquired their hacking skills through formal coursework.
Instead, the majority of hackers (87%) learned through online resources, self-study, and trial and error. This highlights the accessibility of hacking as a career option for self-motivated individuals, offering flexible hours, remote work opportunities, and success without the need for a traditional college education.
In conclusion, the report underscores the evolving landscape of AI and hardware hacking within the cybersecurity domain. While AI presents both opportunities and challenges for hackers, it also emphasizes the growing interest in hardware hacking and the promising career prospects in the field of cybersecurity, particularly for the younger generation. These findings call for a balanced approach that leverages both AI technology and human expertise to effectively mitigate cyber threats in today’s digital age.