Autonomous AI agents are executing end-to-end AI phishing attacks with little human involvement, with AI-powered threats capable of information gathering, code creation, and social engineering, according to the latest Symantec research.
The dominantly presence of AI agents like “Operator” is facilitating sophisticated AI powered phishing attacks that bypass traditional security measures, with experts warning of this demanding advanced defense to counter the threat of autonomous, AI-driven phishing campaigns.
AI Based Phishing Attacks
AI phishing attacks have advanced to interact with websites, collect data, and craft menacing scripts, as demonstrated by Symantec’s proof of concept (PoC). The AI agent on its own discovered a target’s email address, discovered phishing tactics on the web, and sent menacing emails.
Though in its early stages, this AI driven phishing attacks illustrates how attackers are embracing AI to carry out complex campaigns. As these tools become more sophisticated, such attacks will become more effective and harder to detect.
Gmail users targeted by sophisticated AI-powered phishing attacks are only a small part of what’s coming as AI is further empowering cybercriminals to carry out AI-based phishing attacks. AI tools allow attackers to use automation to scale such attacks with minimal human intervention, further increasing their effectiveness and scope.
Social engineering now targets AI systems, similar to manipulating human employees. Symantec’s PoC showed how an AI agent bypassed ethical safeguards simply by altering its prompt, highlighting how easily AI-driven phishing attackers can exploit such tools for malicious purposes.
SlashNext’s J Stephen Kowski emphasized that AI in phishing attacks allows hackers to execute advanced attack strings, including gathering information and creating effective decoys.
“The rise of AI agents like Operator shows the dual nature of technology — tools built for productivity can be weaponized by determined attackers with minimal effort. This research highlights how AI systems can be manipulated through simple prompt engineering to bypass ethical guardrails and execute complex attack chains that gather intelligence, create malicious code, and deliver convincing social engineering lures,” he said.
Open-source techniques like DeepSeek are used to fuel AI-based phishing attacks. Cyber attackers can easily obtain these AI models and use them to create malicious software, such as keyloggers or ransomware.
DeepSeek’s ability to contribute to malware creation also shows how open-source AI is being used by the attackers. AI phishing attacks are now readily available, which can lead to more of such attacks in industries.
Defending Against AI Phishing Attacks
Experts agree that businesses must re-examine their cybersecurity strategies in light of attackers using AI for phishing. AI agents must be handled as individuals, with severe identity-based security measures. AI governance must include limiting the actions these agents can perform, monitoring their behavior, and having explicit policies to prevent abuse.
As Guy Feinberg from Oasis Security explains that “AI agents, like human employees, can be manipulated. Just as attackers use social engineering to trick people, they can prompt AI agents into taking malicious actions.”
Exposing AI-driven phishing attacks to the same level of examination as human identities will be the most important method of reducing risk.
The beginning of AI phishing attacks is a groundbreaking issue for the cybersecurity world. With threats constantly using AI in phishing attacks to expand and optimize operations, organizations will have to develop stronger defenses to stay ahead of this shifting threat. Active security guards, monitoring, and AI control will be essential in order to counteract the rising threat of AI-powered phishing attacks.
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