Online influence operators continue fine-tuning use of AI to deceive their targets, researchers say | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The use of AI for malign purposes is limited but growing and maturing in key ways, researchers with Google's Mandiant said Thursday.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Online influence operators continue fine-tuning use of AI to deceive their targets, researchers say\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The use of AI for malign purposes is limited but growing and maturing in key ways, researchers with Google's Mandiant said Thursday.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" 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href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.574257425743\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"32.124137931034\">\n<p> The use of artificial intelligence for malign purposes is limited but growing and maturing in key ways, researchers with Google’s Mandiant said Thursday. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say-1.jpg?resize=1500,843 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><figcaption> Getty Images <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"43.610796098889\"><body readability=\"87.994258373206\"><\/p>\n<p>Hackers, cybercrime groups and other digital adversaries are increasingly using artificial intelligence to generate images and video and will likely continue to capitalize on the average person\u2019s inability to distinguish digital fakes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mandiant.com\/resources\/blog\/threat-actors-generative-ai-limited\">researchers with Google\u2019s Mandiant said Thursday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The adoption of AI for intrusion operations \u201cremains limited and primarily related to social engineering,\u201d the researchers added, noting also that they\u2019d so far only seen one example of information operations actors referencing AI-generated text or the large language models underlying the array of generative AI tools on the market. <\/p>\n<p>But state-aligned hacking campaigns and online influence operators are continuing to experiment and evolve how they use publicly available AI-tools designed to generate convincing images and higher-quality content.<\/p>\n<p>The analysis comes as the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/white-house-executive-order-artificial-intelligence\/\">White House said it would fast-track<\/a> an executive order on federal agencies\u2019 use of AI, with Congress pursuing its own approach to regulation. In July, <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-officials-cybersecurity-china-ai\/\">FBI Director Christopher Wray warned<\/a> of the increasing risk of AI-enabled threats, primarily from China, and also the threats to U.S. companies working in the AI-space.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cMandiant judges that generative AI technologies have the potential to significantly augment information operations actors\u2019 capabilities in two key aspects: the efficient scaling of activity beyond the actors\u2019 inherent means; and their ability to produce realistic fabricated content toward deceptive ends,\u201d the researchers wrote. <\/p>\n<p>The researchers said that AI tools \u201chave the potential to significantly augment malicious operations in the future, enabling threat actors with limited resources and capabilities, similar to the advantages provided by exploit frameworks including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.metasploit.com\/\">Metasploit<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cobaltstrike.com\/?code=cmp-0000010155&ls=717710011&utm_term=cobalt%20strike&utm_campaign=Brand+\/+Search+\/+US%2BCA&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=8694542909&hsa_cam=17015129669&hsa_grp=131056023570&hsa_ad=594378254048&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-315984070755&hsa_kw=cobalt%20strike&hsa_mt=p&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjw5_GmBhBIEiwA5QSMxCho_ph8-AMGVKG4QTE-kgt6KM3gSlVxDWrhC-R4aU7IvchcZtXvGRoCHJ8QAvD_BwE\">Cobalt Strike<\/a>,\u201d referring to two software frameworks used for legitimate penetration testing but also frequently abused in hacking operations.<\/p>\n<p>Newer and better tools allow for much faster and easier development of plausible content, potentially improving the success rates of information and influence operations. Since 2019, many information operations carried out by nearly a dozen countries and private parties have used AI-produced headshots via generative adversarial networks (GANs) to bolster fake personas. <\/p>\n<p>Text-to-image models \u2014 such as OpenAI\u2019s DALL-E or Midjourney \u2014 on the other hand, have not been seen as much so far, but \u201ccould pose a more significant deceptive threat\u201d than GANs, the researchers said, because the models could be applied to a wider range of use cases, and could be harder to detect, both by humans and AI detection software.<\/p>\n<p>A Chinese-linked information operation tracked as <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/dragonbridge\/\">Dragonbridge<\/a> shared AI-generated images including one of President Trump in an orange jumpsuit in jail in March 2023, for instance. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>AI is also improving social engineering, which seeks to trick humans into divulging information they otherwise wouldn\u2019t, including access credentials or other sensitive material. Large language models, which power technologies such as OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT and Google\u2019s Bard, can also be used to create more convincing phishing material crafted for specific targets, the researchers said.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers also said that large language models could be used to <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/chatgpt-ai-malware\/\">help generate malware<\/a>, even if humans need to correct mistakes and shortcomings, which is a concern given that the \u201cability of these tools to significantly assist in malware creation can still augment proficient malware developers, and enable those who might lack technical sophistication.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For all the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/generative-ai-chatbots-cybersecurity\/\">hype<\/a> surrounding AI, the rapid evolution of publicly available tools and increasing sophistication of the tools should cause concern, according to the analysis. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThreat actors regularly evolve their tactics, leveraging and responding to new technologies as part of the constantly changing cyber threat landscape,\u201d the researchers concluded. \u201cMandiant anticipates that threat actors of diverse origins and motivations will increasingly leverage generative AI as awareness and capabilities surrounding such technologies develop.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"1.1907894736842\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by AJ Vicens<\/h4>\n<p> AJ covers nation-state threats and cybercrime. He was previously a reporter at Mother Jones. 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{"id":1585,"date":"2023-08-17T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=76433"},"modified":"2023-08-17T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T12:00:00","slug":"online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2023\/08\/17\/online-influence-operators-continue-fine-tuning-use-of-ai-to-deceive-their-targets-researchers-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Online influence operators continue fine-tuning use of AI to deceive their targets, researchers say"},"content":{"rendered":"