New technologies such as artificial intelligence pose new digital dangers. This is what the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) writes in a report published on Monday Cyber Security Image 2023. These techniques, for example ChatGPT, can not only help to develop malicious software and send credible phishing emails, but also make it more difficult to judge whether texts, images, videos and sounds are genuine. Nevertheless, the NCTV sees artificial intelligence not only as a threatening development: this technology can also contribute to the detection of malware and other digital anomalies.
The report also shows that the threat of cybercrime continues to increase. Criminals can earn a lot of money from extortion and the resale of information, and they are doing this in an increasingly smart and professional way. The growing geopolitical threat, in particular due to the Russian war against Ukraine, also increases the risk of cybercrime.
Because the threat always comes from an unexpected quarter and anyone can be a target, the NCTV advises organizations to increase their digital resilience. Cyber incidents cannot always be prevented, but by increasing security and being prepared, it is possible to limit the consequences and damage of these incidents. This is important because companies, organizations and individuals are increasingly digitally connected, resulting in greater vulnerabilities.
The NCTV is by no means the first to warn of the dangers of artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets warned that the rapid development of artificial intelligence poses a threat to financial stability. The chairman of the Scientific Council for Government Policy said against NRC that “politicians are not yet sufficiently aware of the consequences of AI and the dangers of digital disruption”. Even three of the major artificial intelligence developers warned of the danger of their own product at the end of May: “Reducing the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority, alongside other risks that affect society as a whole, such as pandemics and nuclear wars.”
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