The Rising Threat of Worm GPT and AI-Powered Phishing Emails

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a vital tool for many professionals; from content generation to artwork and cybersecurity, the possibilities of AI are only limited by your imagination.

One significant use of AI that professionals use is for cybersecurity. AI assists cybersecurity professionals in analyzing vast amounts of data to identify vulnerabilities or threats in software in real time.

Despite the benefits of AI in cybersecurity for professionals, there is a more sinister side to AI, Worm GPT.

What is Worm GPT?

Worm GPT is the sinister, darker Rising Threat Of Worm GPT And AI-powered phishing Emails of AI technology. Black-hat hackers developed Worm GPT to create convincing phishing emails and text messages tailored to specific individuals and other forms of malware.

Unlike other AI models, Worm GPT lacks the ethical safeguards to protect user data and stop the spread of malicious code or software. Cybercriminals can use Worm GPT to target a specific person or execute Business Email Compromise attacks (BEC) to access a business’s sensitive information or receive fraudulent payments.

Worm GPT rapidly generates convincing, error-free language using ElutherAI’s GPTP-J software, an AI model designed to produce human-like text.

Consequently, Worm GPT enables cybercriminals to instantly generate thousands of convincing phishing emails. Its error-free, human-like language poses significant challenges for cybersecurity professionals and the public in identifying these phishing attempts.

How Does Worm GPT Differ from Traditional Malware?

Worm GPT combines elements of traditional malware and phishing emails, but its characteristics make it a more prevalent threat to the public. For example, in the past, creating malware or accessing cybercrime tools was reserved for individuals with a deep knowledge of technology. Whereas now, Worm GPT can be accessed by anyone without advanced tech knowledge. As phishing emails are generated with a few simple prompts, it can cause the rapid spread of cyberattacks globally.

Furthermore, phishing emails fall into the category of social engineering because they rely on deceptive techniques to trick a victim into revealing sensitive information. In contrast, other malware relies on manipulating or exposing vulnerabilities in software.

What Are Phishing Emails and What Risks Do They Present?

Phishing is a cyberattack in which malicious actors impersonate a trustworthy business, such as Amazon, or a person, such as a company CEO. Phishing attacks intend to deceive victims into clicking a link to a fake website or downloading a file containing malware. Once the victim clicks the link, the cybercriminal can access passwords, credit card numbers, or other sensitive data.

Phishing attacks are the second most common reason for data breaches, and it is estimated that 1.2% of emails sent are malicious – or 3.4 billion phishing emails daily. Now that Worm GPT can create phishing emails with a few basic prompts, this number will likely skyrocket, meaning protecting your accounts and increasing your cyber awareness to defend against phishing emails is crucial.

What Are The Different Types of Phishing Emails?

There are three forms of phishing which cybercriminals typically use, which are:

Spear Phishing

Spear phishing is a targeted phishing technique that uses a fake company name or address. For a spear phishing attack, a cybercriminal will gather as much personal information as possible about their target, making it seem like it is being sent from someone of authority.

Once the attacker gathers enough information, they send their target an email using the information they collected (or stole) to convince them to share personal information. Worm GPT will speed up this process drastically, as attackers can prompt the software to use the collected data and turn it into a well-written, convincing phishing email.

Phishing for Credentials

This form of phishing aims to trick the recipient into giving the attacker their login credentials. The goal is to take the victim to a fake login page, such as a bank or email account, so they enter their email and password, which is sent directly to the cybercriminal.

The effects can be catastrophic if a hacker gains access to your password information. Hackers can use your password to commit identity theft, or fraud, or sell it on the dark web. In this instance, the best way to protect your accounts is to use a strong password generator for all your accounts and change your password if you believe you may have clicked on a malicious web page.

Malware Delivery Phishing

Malware delivery attempts to deliver malware to the victim’s device. The email may contain an attachment or link that downloads malware to the computer, smartphone, or other device. When clicked, it runs that software that can then cause data theft or ransomware attacks.

How to Spot and Stay Safe From Worm GPT Phishing Emails

Traditionally, phishing emails can be spotted by the language used, specifically from the errors in spelling and grammar. However, Worm GPT’s phishing emails are far less likely to contain the same mistakes because it was built using the ElutherAI language model.

Luckily, there are other tell-tale signs phishing emails use that you can look for to stay safe against Worm GPT’s emails. For example:

• Sense of urgency: Language in phishing emails typically uses words or phrases to intimidate the victim to click the link immediately. Such as “immediate payment required” or “Our CEO urgently requires you for a confidential matter.”
• Illegitimate email address: Analyze the email address by clicking on the sender’s name to see if the address matches the company’s format it claims to be from.
• Look for generic greetings: Emails opening with “Hello Friend” or “Dear user” are often phishing emails; companies generally use your name in their correspondence.

Other ways to protect yourself against Worm GPT and other email attacks is to use anti-phishing tools from your email provider or an encrypted email and protect them with a strong password and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). If you work for a company, immediately report any suspicious-looking emails to the IT department.

Conclusion

When used correctly, AI is a valuable tool for cybersecurity professionals to protect user data and identify threats and vulnerabilities in a business’s security protocols. On the other hand, the power of AI and the effectiveness of Worm GPT means that the spread of phishing emails and other malware created by this software presents a substantial risk to online privacy.

While we can take advantage of the benefits of AI, it is vital that we also remain vigilant against the risks Worm GPT presents against our sensitive information.

Therefore, keep up to date with the advances of AI and threats in the cybersecurity world, and in doing so, you can keep your data safe and reduce the dangers that Worm GPT presents.