AI-Powered Ransomware: A 70-Cent Attack?

Researchers at NYU's Tandon School of Engineering have developed a proof-of-concept AI-powered ransomware called "Ransomware 3.0." This prototype uses LLMs to automate all four phases of a ransomware attack: system mapping, valuable file identification, data theft/encryption, and ransom note generation. The alarming aspect? The prototype costs roughly $0.70 per attack using commercial APIs, and open-source models eliminate this cost entirely. This drastically lowers the barrier to entry for ransomware attacks, posing a significant cybersecurity challenge. While an academic experiment, it highlights the potential for malicious AI use and underscores the need to address the emerging threat of AI-driven cyberattacks.