Overview
- Trend Micro warned on Monday that AI-powered attacks have intensified, reporting 659 security incidents in Japan through Oct. 9 and offering up to ¥10 billion in free security-product usage rights to corporate customers.
- Security specialists including NTT Docomo Business say AI lets attackers automate multiple intrusion steps, increasing the speed, scale and variety of attacks while cutting the cost of operations.
- Ransomware remains the most common form of attack and small-to-medium enterprises bear a disproportionate share of harm, with a Teikoku Databank survey in Tohoku finding 27.6% of firms have experienced cyberattacks.
- Experts report that large volumes of stolen personal data are being sold on dark-web markets and then reused by fraud groups for phishing campaigns and to gain new system access.
- The shift toward AI-driven theft raises systemic risks for supply chains and customers, so firms should prioritize basic defenses such as patching and detection and consider taking emergency support offers from security vendors.