India’s cybersecurity watchdog warns of AI-driven cyber threats

India's cybersecurity watchdog, CERT-In, has issued a stark warning regarding the evolving nature of modern cyber threats, particularly those amplified by artificial intelligence. The advisory highlights how advanced AI technologies are rapidly transforming the threat landscape, making cyberattacks more accessible, faster, and scalable, even for individuals with limited technical expertise. This development poses a significant risk, especially to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which often have less robust security infrastructures, with further coverage provided by The Cyber Express.

CERT-In's advisory details how AI is shifting cybercrime from manual intrusion to automated, large-scale attacks. AI systems can now autonomously scan code, identify zero-day vulnerabilities in seconds, and chain multiple exploits together to compromise entire networks. This capability, once exclusive to highly skilled hackers or state actors, is becoming increasingly accessible, lowering the barrier to entry for cybercriminals. MSMEs are identified as prime targets due to their limited resources and weaker security frameworks, making them disproportionately vulnerable to data theft, operational disruptions, and ransomware.

The watchdog recommends immediate improvements in security posture, including deploying robust threat detection systems, continuous network monitoring, prompt patch management, and maintaining comprehensive system logs to enhance resilience against these AI-powered threats.

Source: The Cyber Express