AI optimizes existing attack vectors such as phishing and credential abuse, while ransomware campaigns simultaneously employ data theft and multi-layered extortion – human judgment remains the primary attack surface.
Phishing-as-a-Service lowers barriers to entry for cybercriminals to such an extent that hardware-based authentication according to FIDO2 standards becomes an essential defensive measure.
The IHK Regensburg emphasizes that NIS2 compliance and cybercrime prevention are closely intertwined and require a strengthened governance role for management.
The EU is creating a dedicated police cloud infrastructure and doubling Europol’s budget to three billion euros for 2028–2034 to accelerate police cooperation on cybercrime and terrorism.
Cybercriminals are split on AI adoption: while some embrace automation and efficiency gains, others fear their existing illegal services are endangered by AI-powered security.
Cybercriminals increasingly exploit supply chains and shared infrastructure as attack vectors, with commercialized tools such as Tycoon 2FA (89 percent market share) enabling even less sophisticated actors.
Outsider, a Chinese phishing network, abused Gemini to mass-produce fraudulent SMS messages and websites, caused $1.9 billion in damages, and was shut down through U.S. law enforcement action.
GreyVibe compensates for technical deficits through intensive use of commercial AI tools, enabling attack scaling that would normally require substantial personnel resources.
Supply-chain attacks cannot be completely prevented, but their impact can be significantly limited through systematic risk mitigation and resilience measures.
