The ultralytics supply chain attack occurred in two distinct phases between December 4-7, 2024. In the first phase, two malicious versions were published to PyPI: version 8.3.41 was released on December 4 at 20:51 UTC and remained available for approximately 12 hours until its removal on December 5 at 09:15 UTC. Version 8.3.42 was published shortly after on December 5 at 12:47 UTC and was available for about one hour before removal at 13:47 UTC.

Recent advances in AI technologies have granted organizations and individuals alike unprecedented productivity, efficiency, and operational benefits. AI is, without question, the single most exciting emerging technology in the world. However, it also brings enormous risks. While the dystopian, AI-ruled worlds of sci-fi films are a long way off, AI is helping cyber threat actors launch attacks at a hitherto unknown scale and level of sophistication. But what are AI-powered attacks?

Protecting sensitive information has never been more critical, especially in today’s AI-driven world. As businesses increasingly leverage AI and advanced analytics, safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Patient Health Information (PHI) is paramount. Data masking has become a cornerstone strategy, allowing organizations to securely manage and analyze data while significantly reducing the risks of exposure and misuse.

Cybersecurity leaders across all levels of government are growing increasingly alarmed by the rise of cyber attacks fueled by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Cybercriminals are now incorporating machine learning and automation into their strategies, significantly boosting the scale, efficiency and sophistication of their attacks. According to a recent survey of over 800 IT leaders, a staggering 95% believe that cyber threats have become more advanced than ever before.

The FBI issued an advisory on December 3rd warning the public of how threat actors use generative AI to more quickly and efficiently create messaging to defraud their victims, echoing earlier warnings issued by Trustwave SpiderLabs. The FBI noted that publicly available tools assist criminals with content creation and can correct human errors that might otherwise serve as warning signs of fraud.

It’s that time again— we’re saying goodbye to 2024 and looking ahead to what the new year may bring. From AI-driven attacks and the rise of deepfakes to the growing vulnerabilities in collaboration tools, the cyber landscape is set to face new and evolving threats. What trends should we prepare for and how can we stay one step ahead?

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns that threat actors are increasingly using generative AI to increase the persuasiveness of social engineering attacks. Criminals are using these tools to generate convincing text, images, and voice audio to impersonate individuals and companies. “Generative AI reduces the time and effort criminals must expend to deceive their targets,” the FBI says.