OPINION: When Phishing is Powered by GenAI, It’s Time to Update Cybersecurity Training

Fighting fraud attacks is not just a technological battle: it is a human challenge, requiring a holistic approach, involving people, processes and technology, to strengthen the enterprise against new threats.

It starts with adopting a Zero Trust philosophy – or ‘never trust, always verify’ and building a culture of security.

Companies must always verify identities and only allow authorized people and machines to access critical information or processes, for specified purposes and at specified times.

This will limit the attack surface and slow down attackers. AI-powered detection tools, such as writing style analysis or computer vision, will go a long way in protecting companies and helping employees identify malicious content and behavior more efficiently.

In addition to technology-based defense, companies must also implement processes such as multi-stakeholder approval on critical transactions.

Companies are also required to create a ‘safe list’ of telephone numbers for voice authorization calls, rather than relying solely on the telephone numbers listed in the transfer request email.

These steps can prevent attacks from occurring, even as cybercriminals increasingly use convincing voice deepfakes. Coded languages ​​can even be used for additional authentication.

At the same time, cybersecurity awareness training must also evolve. Focus not only on identifying suspicious or malicious emails, but also on training that educates employees on when and how to perform these processes to prevent phishing attempts.

These sessions should involve simulated phishing attacks to provide practical experience in identifying potentially malicious situations – not just emails – and implementing the necessary verification processes.

Most importantly, cybersecurity training should not be a one-time event, but an ongoing process with content regularly refreshed and updated, adapting to the latest phishing techniques that are constantly evolving with the advancement of AI.