Europol: ‘AI-assisted cybercrime has only just begun’

Hackers and cybercriminals are already misusing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to wreak havoc upon private citizens, businesses and the digital landscape. That’s only going to intensify in the near future.

That’s what Europol says in the tenth edition of the Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA), an annual report that describes and analyzes key developments, changes and upcoming threats in the cybercrime community over the last year.

In 2023, millions of victims across the European Union were attacked and exploited by hackers or cybercriminals on a daily basis. For example, ransomware groups increasingly target small and medium-sized businesses because they don’t have the resources for cybersecurity compared to larger-sized companies.

Another example is that Business Email Compromise (BEC), phishing campaigns, romance fraud and other types of fraud continue to make victims.

In an increasing number of cases, the offenders appear to be underage. They don’t necessarily have the technical skills to infiltrate a corporate network or launch a phishing campaign. Instead, AI tools are “becoming a component in their toolbox”.

According to Europol, AI-assisted cybercrime has only begun. One of the threats law enforcement agencies have to monitor closely in the near future, is the creation and distribution of AI-assisted child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

Researchers are also warning for technologies that can be abused to facilitate cybercrime, such as end-to-end encryption (E2EE). “The current regulatory framework for the protection of personal communications via E2EE creates digital challenges for law enforcement authorities’ lawful access to criminal communications,” Europol states.

A third threat law enforcement agencies should be aware of are crypto scams. “The use of cryptocurrencies in a number of areas of crime has become more evident. Several developments in the cryptocurrency market are set to have a significant impact on criminals’ abuse of cryptocurrencies in the near future.”

To face these digital challenges effectively, law enforcement agencies need to acquire the right knowledge and tools. As cybercriminals adapt to ever changing circumstances, so must law enforcement and legislation. That’s the only way to stay ahead. This requires specialized training and commitment to implement new legislation.

By promoting law enforcement innovation and knowledge, Europol tries to help officers across Europe and beyond to increase their technical and forensic skills and capabilities.