The proliferation of phishing attacks targeting the travel industry is directly attributable to the rise of generative AI. International Business Times reports that Marnie Wilking, director of booking information security, made this statement.
She warned that phishing emails can spread malware, so travelers should exercise caution when making hotel reservations.
The number of attacks, especially phishing attacks, has increased by 500-900% in all industries worldwide over the past year and a half, according to Wilking.
Shortly after ChatGPT was launched, attackers started targeting the platform. It was discovered that AIs are proficient in producing well-structured emails in various languages.
Scammers target users of travel websites because they frequently request sensitive information such as credit card numbers, family names, and photo identification.
Someone once tried to scam a victim out of $200/night by offering to rent a Swiss Alpine property that didn’t exist, even though comparable properties went for $1,000/night.
“Always exercise caution when clicking on anything, especially if you have any doubts about its legitimacy. Wilking advised guests to contact the hotel, the owners, and customer service with any uncertainty.
In addition, she mentioned that Booking and other major companies are utilizing AI to fight against fraudsters. False information can be lessened with its help.
There has been a rise in phishing attempts since the advent of AI.
According to SlashNext, a security firm, the number of email phishing attacks has jumped by 4,151% since ChatGPT was launched in 2022, and by 856% in the last year.
Travelers Warned of AI-Powered Phishing Attacks
A rise in the total number of phishing emails, presented chronologically. Statistics: SlashNext.
A scammer can easily and cheaply program an AI to compose an email in any language. “You will see that they are not only written in English— I can write in several languages and address many people in different parts of the world literally in a matter of seconds,” SlashNext CEO Patrick Harr told Decrypt.
Various other forms of assault
Cybercriminals could send out hundreds of thousands of phishing SMS messages for only $0.004 each, according to a previous analysis by the SlashNext team.
Harrah claims that “smishing” is a dangerous and widely used method of targeting mobile phones.
Since we made the switch to mobile long ago, everyone is accustomed to sending and receiving text messages, and bad actors will always follow your lead and try to sabotage your plans. Smishing has evolved beyond the simple “click here because your gift package is on the way,” he explained.
Additionally, con artists are capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic’s widespread use of QR codes to trick unsuspecting victims into parting with their money, personal details, and passwords.
Another risky attack vector that targets travelers is juice jacking. Charging your phone at free stations with USB ports is risky, according to the US Federal Communications Commission in April 2023.
Malware, which hackers can install on these devices, allows them to steal passwords and personal information. According to research published by SlashNext in October, the amount of phishing emails has increased by 1,265% since the ChatGPT chatbot was launched.
Just in case you forgot, SlowMist listed the reasons why cryptocurrency users lose money, and phishing was one of them.