It’s clear that artificial intelligence is revolutionizing industries, but its rapid adoption has also opened the floodgates to a new era of cyber threats.
What makes matters more concerning is how many do not take these threats seriously. IBM’s latest Cost of a Data Breach Report revealed that 63% of surveyed organizations said they still have no formal AI governance policy.
From data poisoning to deepfake-driven extortion, attackers are weaponizing AI to scale operations, evade detection and exploit human trust.
Data poisoning: Corrupting the core.
The latest CrowdStrike Global Threat Report paints a sobering picture: adversaries are no longer just hacking systems — they're hacking reality.
Many already know that AI systems are only as good as the data they’re trained on. This makes data poisoning attacks, where hackers manipulate training datasets to introduce subtle biases or vulnerabilities, become dangerous.
These poisoned models may misclassify threats, ignore malicious behavior or even create backdoors for attackers. In sectors like healthcare and finance, where AI decisions carry real-world consequences, poisoned data can be catastrophic. Worse, these attacks are often stealthy, making detection and remediation incredibly difficult.
AI-enabled malware: Smarter. Faster. Costlier.
Traditional malware is evolving with AI too. AI-enabled malware can adapt in real time, learn from its environment and evade many signature-based detection systems.
CrowdStrike reports that adversaries are increasingly deploying malware-free, identity-based attacks — 79% of initial intrusions now bypass traditional malware altogether. These intelligent threats exploit stolen credentials and mimic legitimate user behavior, making them nearly invisible to legacy defenses.
Deepfakes: The rise of synthetic deception.
Deepfakes, AI-generated visual and voice impersonations, have moved from novelty to menace. Cybercriminals now use deepfakes to impersonate executives, manipulate public opinion and commit fraud.
One chilling example is “virtual kidnapping,” where attackers use voice-cloned calls and AI-generated videos to convince victims their loved ones have been abducted. The goal? Ransom payments for crimes that never occurred.
Vishing surge: A 442% wake-up call.
Going hand-in-hand with deepfakes, voice phishing, or “vishing,” has exploded in popularity for bad actors.
According to CrowdStrike’s latest cybersecurity report, there was a staggering 442% increase in vishing operations. GenAI-powered voice synthesis allows attackers to sound convincingly like trusted individuals, making scam calls more persuasive and harder to detect. Sophisticated crime groups are also leveraging these tactics to steal credentials and establish remote access on systems they would otherwise be unable to penetrate.
You can still protect your customers.
AI is not inherently dangerous on its own, but in the wrong hands (or even with the wrong dataset), it can become a tool of deception and disruption. As we embrace its benefits, we must also confront its risks head-on.
Defending against AI-driven threats requires more than firewalls and antivirus software. First, organizations must invest in advanced, AI-native security platforms that offer real-time threat detection, behavioral analytics and cross-domain visibility. Then, they must empower human threat hunters to remain in the loop, ready to intervene when AI systems are compromised or manipulated.
If you need help with any of these initiatives, TD SYNNEX is here. To learn more or to plan a consultation with our cybersecurity team, visit our security website.
IBM Security. (2025). Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025.
Columbus, L. (August 7, 2025). Black Hat 2025: Why your AI tools are becoming the next insider threat. VentureBeat.
CrowdStrike. (2025). 2025 Global Threat Report. CrowdStrike, Inc.
Check Point Research. (2025, April 30). AI Security Report 2025: Understanding threats and building smarter defenses.