Microsoft’s BIG revelations! China, Russia, Iran, North Korea carry out cyberattacks against US, research says…

Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have reportedly escalated their use of artificial intelligence to spread online disinformation and carry out cyberattacks against the United States, according to new research by Microsoft.

In July, the tech major identified over 200 cases of foreign adversaries leveraging AI to create fake online content and more than twice the figure recorded in July 2024 and over ten times that of 2023.

The findings, published on Thursday in Microsoft’s annual Digital Threats Report, reveal how these nations are increasingly adopting sophisticated AI-driven tactics to weaponize the internet for espionage and deception.

How Is AI Used Against US?

America’s adversaries, as well as criminal gangs and hacking companies, have exploited AI’s potential, using it to automate and improve cyberattacks, to spread inflammatory disinformation and to penetrate sensitive systems. AI can translate poorly worded phishing emails into fluent English, for example, as well as generate digital clones of senior government officials.

Government cyber operations often try to obtain classified information, undermine supply chains, disrupt critical public services or spread disinformation. Cyber criminals on the other hand work for profit by stealing corporate secrets or using ransomware to extort payments from their victims. These gangs are responsible for the wide majority of cyberattacks in the world and in some cases have built partnerships with countries like Russia. 

Increasingly, these attackers are using AI to target governments, businesses and critical systems like hospitals and transportation networks, according to Amy Hogan-Burney, Microsoft’s vice president for customer security and trust, who oversaw the report. Many US companies and organisations, meanwhile, are getting by with outdated cyber defences, even as Americans expand their networks with new digital connections. 

Companies, governments, organisations and individuals must take the threat seriously if they are to protect themselves amid escalating digital threats, she said.

“We see this as a pivotal moment where innovation is going so fast,” Hogan-Burney said. “This is the year when you absolutely must invest in your cybersecurity basics,” 

US, Israel And Ukraine Target Of Cyber Attacks

The US is the top target for cyberattacks, with criminals and foreign adversaries targeting companies, governments and organisations in the US more than any other country. Israel and Ukraine were the second and third most popular targets, showing how military conflicts involving those two nations have spilled over into the digital realm.

Russia, China and Iran have denied that they use cyber operations for espionage, disruption and disinformation. China, for instance, says the US is trying to “smear” Beijing while conducting its own cyberattacks.

(With Inputs From AP)