AI helping hackers attack faster and at greater scale: Microsoft
What Happened
Microsoft’s 2026 Digital Defense Report says threat actors are increasingly using AI across vulnerability discovery, reconnaissance, phishing, malware and exploit development, data analysis and post-compromise activity. Microsoft says AI is making attacks faster, cheaper to execute and easier to scale. The report says AI can compress parts of the attack chain from days to seconds, while traditional methods such as phishing, impersonation and stolen identities remain important entry points.
Key Takeaways
The bigger warning is that AI is accelerating existing cyber threats rather than replacing them. Microsoft recommends stronger identity protection, including phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication and passkeys, alongside tighter identity and privileged-access controls.