By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Gone are the days when talking to strangers was encouraged because they could be angels in disguise as the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) can now be used for phishing, spams, hoaxes and other illegal activities.
Maharlika NuMedia gathered that phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
On Sunday (December 24), the PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) has warned the public when reading through emails or messages before responding or clicking attached links, as local authorities expect online scams to rise during the holidays.
“The most important thing is to know who the email is from. Remembering the very basic rule of not talking to strangers can protect people from being victimized by scammers,” said Angel Redoble, FVP and chief information security officer at PLDT, Smart and ePLDT.
Citing an initial study by Germany-based cybersecurity awareness training service provider SoSafe, the PLDT and Smart’s Cyber Security Operations Group (CSOG) said victims were more likely to reveal their personal information through phishing messages authored by AI.
“AI-crafted emails contain more polished, personalized messages that imitate the writing style of humans. They also contain authentic-looking visual cues that trick victims into believing that they are reading official messages from their banks or organizations,” Redoble revealed.
(IAmigo/MNM)