AI tools increase cyberattack risks
“The National Cyber Emergency Response Team (NCERT) has warned of a growing use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated bots, botnets and agentic tools in coordinated cyberattacks, saying banks and …”
"These capabilities may help threat actors and sophisticated cyber criminal groups to broaden the scale, speed and sophistication of their operations," NCERT said in an advisory dated Nov 5. It warned that banks could face attacks targeting core banking systems, digital banking platforms, payment systems and customer-facing applications.
Potential threats include disruption of online services, automated credential attacks and manipulation of displayed account balances. Critical infrastructure could also be exposed through vulnerabilities in third-party service providers, connected internet of things (IoT) devices, industrial control systems and insecure remote access, the advisory said.
Such weaknesses could expose oil and gas facilities, water utilities, power generation and distribution networks, manufacturing plants and transport systems to cyberattacks. "A compromise could disrupt physical processes and critical services," NCERT warned. The team cited recent cyberattacks in Europe targeting supermarket refrigerators and freezers as examples of the physical and commercial consequences of attacks on connected operational systems.
"Stay connected with Aman-e-Pakistan for ongoing live reporting and verified investigative updates."
However, it said the involvement of AI in those incidents had not been confirmed. The advisory listed several indicators of potential attacks on financial institutions, including frequent automated login attempts, repeated authentication failures and unusual application programming interface (API) requests.
Other warning signs include abnormal transaction patterns, discrepancies between core banking records and displayed account balances, and unauthorised access to payment systems. For critical infrastructure, changes to refinery, pipeline, electricity grid, power generation or distribution parameters could signal an attack.
Unexpected alterations to pressure, temperature, cooling or heating controls, as well as unusual remote access sessions and unauthorised changes to IoT and operational technology (OT) configurations, were also identified as potential indicators. NCERT urged financial institutions to review the security of core banking systems, APIs, third-party integrations, payment gateways and digital banking applications.
It recommended multi-factor authentication, safeguards against automated login attempts and integrity checks to ensure that customer-facing applications accurately reflect core banking records. Financial institutions were also advised to monitor bot-driven login attempts, potential service disruptions and abnormal API activity.
For utility providers, NCERT recommended restricting direct internet exposure and remote access, while reviewing the security of IoT devices and industrial control systems. It also called for stronger separation of operational technology and IT networks, continuous monitoring of access to operational systems, regular security updates and backup procedures for essential operations.
The advisory urged all organisations to assess their preparedness for AI-driven, bot-based cyberattacks, maintain incident logs and strengthen incident response, business continuity and security monitoring arrangements.
Continue Reading: More in Tech
Swipe or click arrows to explore Tech desk coverage
