AI-Driven Cyberthreats
Artificial Intelligence Drives Global Surge in Targeted Cyberattacks and Custom Malware
Anonymous
Artificial intelligence is helping attackers move from high-volume campaigns to more targeted, adaptive and difficult-to-detect operations. WatchGuard found that network attack volume fell 79% while novel endpoint malware rose more than 2,000% year over year, suggesting greater use of automation, malware-as-a-service and victim-specific payloads. Akamai reported a 300% increase in bot traffic and a 113% rise in daily API attacks, while warning that AI browser extensions, leaked corporate data in chatbot conversations and autonomous-agent technologies are creating additional enterprise risks. Blockchain-based “dead drops,” in which malware retrieves command instructions from immutable transaction records, increased 440% to an average of 11 cases per day, with North Korean- and Iranian-linked groups accounting for much of the tracked activity. Exprivia likewise reported a record peak in AI-driven cyberattacks against Italian organizations during the second quarter of 2026, underscoring the widening gap between rapidly advancing attack capabilities and conventional defenses.
Key Points
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WatchGuard found that nearly 96% of endpoint threats appeared on exactly one machine, indicating that attackers are increasingly creating highly individualized payloads rather than reusing broadly detectable malware.
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WatchGuard said attackers are increasingly relying on trusted accounts and native system tools to bypass security layers, reinforcing the need for stronger identity controls alongside perimeter defenses.
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Akamai reported that 87% of surveyed organizations experienced an API-related security incident in 2025, up from 76% in 2022, as APIs became a dominant attack surface for enterprises.
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Akamai found that 6% of chatbot conversations contain sensitive corporate information, while 47% of AI conversations on enterprise devices use personal identities or accounts that corporate IT teams cannot monitor.
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The blockchain dead-drop activity was associated with the spread of powerful Chinese open-source AI models in mid-2025 that imposed few restrictions on generating malicious code; one North Korean-linked campaign used pointers across multiple blockchains, including Tron, Aptos and BNB Smart Chain, to maintain resilient command-and-control links.
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