Deepfakes, AI Scams, Cyberbullying: McAfee Reveals 2024 Cybersecurity Predictions

Cybercriminals will continue to use rapidly advancing artificial intelligence to create deepfakes and carry out identity theft and increasingly sophisticated cyber scams, security software company McAfee Corp. said in its report on 2024 cybersecurity predictions.

With AI continuing to lower the barrier to entry for cybercriminals and ushering in an era of AI-powered cyberthreats, scams will become more advanced and difficult to distinguish from legitimate messages and sites, the report said.

“From realistic phishing emails that even experts have trouble identifying to deepfakes that could impact everything from election results to the future of our children and beyond, it has never been more important for people to be educated about the threat landscape,” said Steve Grobman, chief technology officer, McAfee.

McAfee's 2024 predictions include:

Deepfakes In Elections

With multiple elections, including the Indian general elections, scheduled in 2024, voters must sort through fake news and false information in the face of an increase in deepfakes, which include AI-generated voice, video and photo scams. In cases when images or videos are generated by AI, a politician's reputation can be severely damaged by false claims supported by visual or audio evidence.

AI Scams On Social Media

Heading into 2024, AI will help cybercriminals manipulate social media and shape public opinion by fabricating photos, videos and audio. The report suggests that consumers should brace for celebrity and influencer names and images to be used by cybercriminals to endorse scams and online marketplaces.

Cyberbullying Among Kids To Increase

Cyberbullying is expected to pick up in 2024 with the help of deepfake technology. Young adults can now use this advanced and remotely accessible tool to create realistic fake content. Beyond spreading rumours, cyberbullies can manipulate images available in the public domain and repost fabricated and explicit versions of those images. These false images and words can pose harm to kids and their families, impacting their privacy, identity and well-being.

Charity Fraud

Charity fraud can take the form of a criminal setting up a fake charity site or a falsified page to trick contributors into thinking they are supporting legitimate causes. In 2024, the prevalence of these scams—particularly those related to glaring conflicts and humanitarian crises—is likely to increase.

Malware, Voice, Visual Cloning And QR Code Scams

For cyber criminals, AI is a powerful tool for creating advanced malware and malicious websites. It also makes the creation and dissemination of convincing phishing emails and QR code scams faster and easier. The rise of QR code scams, also known as quishing, is an additional concern. Scammers use AI to generate malicious QR codes, which when scanned, lead to phishing websites or trigger malware downloads. These scams are likely to spread to all platforms, especially mobile devices.

Olympic-Related Scams

In 2024, the excitement around the Olympic Games can become a breeding ground for scams. Scammers are likely to target fans who are eager to buy tickets, book travel and participate in giveaways. This presents an opportunity to trick people into compromising their personal information and payment details.