AI-Fueled Cyberattacks Shift Landscape, Microsoft Warns

A new report from Microsoft warns that AI-fueled cyberattacks are changing the threat landscape and putting stress on systems that organizations have long overlooked.

The company's annual Digital Defense Report describes nation-state and cybercrime threat actors' most significant activity from the past year, including their targets and motivations.

Much of this change can be attributed to AI's ability to automate tasks, speed up attacks, and make advanced techniques easier. The report notes that vulnerability discovery is one area where AI is having a profound impact, with organizations facing a multi-year period where the number of known but unpatched vulnerabilities spikes.

To defend against these threats, Microsoft recommends focusing on identity and data governance. 'Identity is the primary control plane for defense,' the report says, noting that attackers often abuse elevated privileges and weak passwords.