Interpol reports that AI is involved in 55% of cybercrimes across Africa, with financial losses more than doubling to $484 million. Deepfake-based digital extortion cases have surged to approximately 600,000.
A new Interpol report identifies artificial intelligence as the "core operational driver of cybercrime" across the African continent. The findings reveal a sharp escalation in both the scope and sophistication of digital attacks.
Financial damages have more than doubled compared to previous reporting periods, rising from $192 million to $484 million. The increased losses reflect both the growing prevalence of AI-powered attacks and their enhanced effectiveness.
Deepfake technology has emerged as a particularly damaging tool, with approximately 600,000 cases of digital extortion involving synthetic media recorded in the region. These attacks leverage manipulated audio and video to coerce victims into financial transfers or sensitive disclosures.
The report underscores how AI capabilities—ranging from automated vulnerability detection to social engineering automation—have lowered barriers to entry for cybercriminals. Law enforcement agencies across African nations face mounting pressure to develop detection and response capabilities that match the speed and sophistication of AI-driven threats.
Security researchers have identified potential hardware backdoors in certain x86 processors. The findings, detailed in a GitHub repository called Rosenbridge, reveal vulnerabilities at the processor level that could allow unauthorized access.
Flock Safety, the traffic camera company, is expanding beyond law enforcement with plans to deploy dashcams in rideshare vehicles and offer coaching services to police departments.
A sharp rise in explicit deepfake images of UK children has been reported by an online safety service, as authorities warn that AI tools are making the creation of sexualized or 'nudified' content increasingly accessible.
Gen's latest threat report details two distinct attack campaigns exploiting compromised email accounts and clipboard manipulation to steal from businesses and cryptocurrency users.