In an era of digital, the appearance of AI-based obituaries as a risk for businesses and people alike now belongs to the cyberspace world of risk. Scammers are using more modern technology to manipulate the psychological weaknesses of mourners by taking advantage of the absence of confirmed obituary information. Understanding AI Obituary Scams :
The Modus Operandi
The Modus Operandi” refers to the method or pattern of behavior that someone uses when committing a crime or carrying out a particular task. It’s commonly abbreviated as “M.O.” and is often used by law enforcement agencies to identify and track criminals based on their recurring patterns of behavior.
- Scammers monitor Google search trends to identify heightened interest in obituaries, particularly in the immediate aftermath of a death.
- Using generative AI technology, fake obituaries are swiftly created and disseminated across multiple websites, often containing fabricated details sourced from public information.
- These fake obits are designed to redirect visitors to spam sites, triggering pop-up notifications with phoney virus alerts to lure victims into subscribing to cybersecurity solutions under false pretences.
Post-Mortem Consequences
- Visitors to these scam sites may be redirected to malicious websites, potentially exposing them to malware or other cyber threats.
- Scammers employ social engineering tactics, such as false virus alerts, to manipulate individuals into taking actions that benefit the threat actors financially.
Impact on Businesses
Employee Vulnerability
- Scammers target employees within corporate environments, exploiting their emotional state following the death of a colleague to propagate obituary scams.
- The potential infiltration of malware through these scams poses a direct threat to business networks and sensitive data.
Google’s Response
- Google has taken steps to combat the proliferation of low-quality obituary scams in search results by implementing changes aimed at reducing spammy content.
- These efforts are crucial in mitigating the visibility of fake obits and safeguarding users from falling victim to such deceptive practices.
Recommendations for Businesses
Employee Awareness
- Organizations should educate employees about the risks associated with AI obituary scams and the importance of exercising caution when navigating unfamiliar websites.
- Implementing extended detection and response mechanisms can enhance the organization’s resilience against evolving cyber threats.
Conclusion
The AI obituary scams are the latest headlines in the digital landscape, which speaks for the increased attention by all to cyberspace. Through learning techniques the phishers use and empowering a culture of cyber security awareness, the enterprises can bulletproof their fortifications against such malicious plots.
Thus, when constructing this blog post, an important thing is to highlight the issue of overviewing such cyber risks and affording individuals and institutions the ability by which they can manage the menace of cyberattacks on AI-based obituary scams lead to.
