Abstract
The intersection between artificial intelligence tools and social media has opened doors to numerous opportunities and risks. This research delves into the escalating threat landscape in a society heavily dependent on social media. Despite the efforts by social media companies and cybersecurity professionals to mitigate cyber-attacks, the constant advancements of new technologies render social media platforms increasingly vulnerable. Malicious actors exploit generative AI to collect user data, enhancing cyber threats on social media. Notably, generative AI amplifies phishing attacks, disseminates false information, and propagates propaganda, posing substantial challenges to platform security. Ease access to large language models (LLMs) further complicates the distinction between fake and genuine accounts, as malicious actors employ learned techniques from summarized and translated text to masquerade human communication. This research explores the multiple challenges social media platforms face, including the ingrained human dependence on these platforms, the risk associated with user data, the integration of artificial intelligence, and the evolving landscape of deep fakes. Examining these challenges elucidates the profound implications for the public, emphasizing the critical need for effective countermeasures to safeguard the integrity of social media platforms in the face of these new paths of attacks.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Malik A. Gladden
Document Type
Paper
Disciplines
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Computer Sciences | Information Security
DOI
10.25776/3wzg-vv95
Publication Date
12-1-2023
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New Paths of Attacks: Revealing the Adaptive Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Evolving Cyber Threats Targeting Social Media Users and Their Data
The intersection between artificial intelligence tools and social media has opened doors to numerous opportunities and risks. This research delves into the escalating threat landscape in a society heavily dependent on social media. Despite the efforts by social media companies and cybersecurity professionals to mitigate cyber-attacks, the constant advancements of new technologies render social media platforms increasingly vulnerable. Malicious actors exploit generative AI to collect user data, enhancing cyber threats on social media. Notably, generative AI amplifies phishing attacks, disseminates false information, and propagates propaganda, posing substantial challenges to platform security. Ease access to large language models (LLMs) further complicates the distinction between fake and genuine accounts, as malicious actors employ learned techniques from summarized and translated text to masquerade human communication. This research explores the multiple challenges social media platforms face, including the ingrained human dependence on these platforms, the risk associated with user data, the integration of artificial intelligence, and the evolving landscape of deep fakes. Examining these challenges elucidates the profound implications for the public, emphasizing the critical need for effective countermeasures to safeguard the integrity of social media platforms in the face of these new paths of attacks.