CYBERCRIMINALS are increasingly utilizing AI agents and chatbots to conduct cyber-attacks. A report by ESET analyzed 900,000 AI skills in public repositories, finding tens of thousands of suspicious and malicious instances. The report states that the rise of such tools expands the attack surface for cybercriminals, posing heightened risks to organizations. Key findings include a surge in suspicious AI tools from 10,000 to over 25,000, and malicious tools from 600 to over 3,000 in just six months.
These AI tools can exfiltrate data, execute commands, and alter user instructions, raising significant concerns for cybersecurity. ESET recommends organizations enforce strict policies to monitor and restrict suspicious AI tools and educate users about the associated risks.