AI in Dental Care: A Double-Edged Sword

Evasion and Obfuscation via Malware

Hackers have adopted AI to design purpose-built malware to avoid detection from security software. AI-powered malware refers to malicious software incorporating newly discovered methods to improve its functionality, evasiveness, and effectiveness in carrying out cyberattacks. 

This type of AI allows this malware to adapt, learn, and optimize its behavior based on various factors, making it more challenging for traditional security measures to detect and defend against. Malware employs a combination of these abilities to craft unique and now ever-changing tactics to tear through outdated cyber threat prevention measures:

• Adaptive Behavior: Shifts tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) based on the target environment to remain effective even as defenses change.
• Evasion Techniques: Modifies its code, behavior, or attack patterns in real-time to evade standard detection.
• Automated Targeting and Exploitation: Autonomously assesses vulnerabilities, identifies potential targets, and determines the most effective method for exploitation to deliver more targeted attacks.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Gathers information from infected systems or networks, helping attackers gain insights into the target's infrastructure, behavior, or sensitive information.
• Zero-Day Exploitation: Discovers and targets previously unknown gaps in security, also known as zero-day vulnerabilities, by automating the processes of finding opportunities and proliferating through a network.
• Dynamic Attacks: Evolves based on the target environment and defenses, making it more difficult for those without cybersecurity experience to detect and respond effectively.

The Ultimate Intended Outcome? Widespread Digital Theft.

Hackers use AI algorithms to identify valuable data in compromised systems. They then compress and transmit it quickly and stealthily, making detection more challenging. Rapid detection is critical once a dental practice is breached. Hackers know this and have become experts at their covert activities, which slows you down. They don’t care that malicious actions will cost you loss of production, hefty compliance liability, or even class-action lawsuits. 

Hiring cyber threat prevention experts better prepares dental practices and DSOs for the potential of a cyberattack, and keeping staff trained to spot attempts to gain unauthorized access to the network infrastructure and patient data is paramount. 

While new methods of data exfiltration have grown quite sophisticated through artificial intelligence, social engineering and manipulation techniques have become more convincing than ever. As chatbots sound more human with each passing day, how can staff identify and stop threat actors before they cause damage? Read our next blog on how AI has increased the susceptibility to phishing tactics and the vigilance required in the digital workflows of dental practices.