AI Turns Familiar Cyberattacks Into a Race Against Time
In the AI era, phishing remains the top attack vector in both use (17% of breaches) and breach costs (averaging at $5.29 per breach) according to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2026. AI creates more personalized content for phishing with higher success rates. At the same time, AI can identify vulnerabilities, use the phished entry point and elevate privileges for lateral movement at greater speed.
None of this is new – cyberattacks haven’t changed with AI. “It just allows attackers to do the same familiar things much faster and at greater scale than ever before. The pressure comes from minimizing the time for defenders to respond,” says Steve Wallin, director of core integration and R&D labs leader at IBM UK.
For now, AI-generated attacks are still in the minority – little more than 20% of all attacks. But the writing (written by AI) is on the...
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