Artificial intelligence enters the world of home user security software: Internet Scambusters #1,110
Artificial intelligence is everywhere, including the catalog of tricks used by scammers to dupe consumers.
But the people who create our PC anti-virus and security apps are also using it to fight back against the fraudsters.
In this week's issue, well explain what the good guys are up to and how they can help you stay safer on your PC and mobile devices.
Let's get started…
How Artificial Intelligence Can Help You Beat Scammers
Big players in the field of internet security for home users are turning the tables on scammers by using artificial intelligence (AI) to spot and stop them.
Crooks are already using AI to perpetrate their frauds but they're not having things all their own way. The same type of technology that helps them launch mass scam attacks, concoct phishing messages, and create convincing fake websites is now being used to protect consumers.
AI is being trained to recognize programming patterns used by fraudsters for phishing, fake websites, and deceptive ads. It can also analyze texts in emails, social media posts, and online reviews to spot false statements. And the massive amount of real-world data that's fed into AI programs can help predict future fraudulent tactics.
AI is also being used to scrutinize images and videos to check if they're real and to monitor network traffic to spot potential security risks and data breaches.
Many of these advances are being directed toward helping businesses and other organizations repel the fraudsters but they're also gradually seeping into the consumer world with the promise of making online life safer for home users.
This is in addition to regular anti-virus apps that all of us should be using to protect against hacking and malware from the likes of Norton, Kaspersky, Trend Micro, and others.
But anti-virus protection by itself is not enough these days. The big security firms and some specialists have enrolled AI to beef up their offerings of security suites and add-ons like:
- Password managers to generate unique and strong passwords, store them securely, and synchronize them between different devices.
- Email filtering to block spam and suspicious messages.
- Virtual private networks (VPNs), not only to hide users' identities and locations but also to encrypt (jumble up) data so it's meaningless even if hacked.
- Browser extensions that scrutinize web pages before they even open.
- Ad blockers that can spot malicious ads and online tracking and surveillance.
- Robocall and scam call identification and blocking.
- Biometrics like fingerprint and facial recognition.
We've previously covered these topics at Scambusters. Search for them by topic on our website.
Recent advances have also seen the introduction of reverse image search, enabling users to identify picture sources and fake images. Plus, of course, all the main search engines, like Google, Bing, and Safari, enable users to check out the reputations of individuals and organizations they interact with.
Tools to Help Users Spot Scams
Now, we're starting to see more AI-driven apps and extensions that specifically aim to help users spot scams. Here are some of the tools:
Chatbots that enable you to submit texts, emails, images, and links for security analysis. They're checked against a database of known scams and also analyzed using some of the tools we mentioned above. Example: Scamio by Bitdefender.
Automatic detection involves real-time monitoring of texts and links and blocking of risky sites. Example: McAfee Scam Protection.
Alerts about fake online stores, suspicious investment opportunities, and phony prize schemes. Example: Trend Micro Check.
Self-learning. Some security apps are capable of using AI to increase their own knowledge and understanding of scams by monitoring user experience. In other words, they get better over time. Example: Norton Genie.
Website analysis and trustworthiness apps review a site for factors like age, domain registration, and age. Example: StopTheScam.
Fraud spotting for people who receive online payments using risk analysis and information about transactions to help spot fraudulent transactions. Example: FraudLabs Pro.
(Note that many apps offer overlapping functions - they may cover all or similar risks but sometimes in different ways. We do not make recommendations about the effectiveness or suitability of individual products.)
As the use of artificial intelligence continues its rapid advance, we can expect to see improvements in the effectiveness of these tools. Ultimately, perhaps, browsers will come with these sorts of actions built-in.
AI systems can help identify potential scams more efficiently, but human analysts and law enforcement agencies are still responsible for investigating and taking appropriate actions against confirmed scams.
And while anti-scam software will become more important in our everyday online activities, remember that the crooks are also investing big money in using artificial intelligence to make their scams more effective and difficult to detect.
So, there's no substitute for pairing the tools we've mentioned with good old common sense and vigilance.
This Week's Alerts
CryptoChameleon: Cybersecurity firm Lookout has identified a new website impersonation scam aimed at cryptocurrency investors. Using phishing attacks, it lures investors to replica sign-on pages for top currency trading platforms like Binance and Coinbase. As always: Don't click links in emails even if they seem to come from your crypto trader. Instead, key in and go directly to the correct site.
Doorbell alarm: Some video camera doorbells, available for sale online, pose a security risk because the software that controls them makes them easy to hack, according to research by Consumer Reports. Once hacked, crooks can use them to monitor your video activities via the internet. Steer clear! Full report: These Video Doorbells Have Terrible Security. Amazon Sells Them Anyway.
Time to conclude for today -- have a great week!