Voice phishing incidents have sharply increased over the past year as cyber attackers increasingly leverage AI technology to execute scams, according to research.
Data from Microsoft’s digital defence report highlights a rise in incidents where hackers impersonate business contacts to obtain information or service access.
Security experts at Microsoft noted that 27 per cent of cyber threat activity targeted government agencies or services, pointing to heightened concerns over cyber warfare.
The report found that expanding AI use is altering how "vulnerabilities are identified, how attacks are developed, how defenders prioritise risk, and how organisations respond to emerging threats".
Rapid technological progress means the duration needed for attacks is "compressing" and the total cost is "falling".
AI tools are now utilised for live voice modulation during video calls and telephone interviews to disguise accents.
Overall voice phishing has surged, with malicious attacks over Teams rising by 502 per cent year-on-year, the data revealed.
Microsoft said it also detected more than 46 million business contact impersonation attacks in the past 12 months.
It also found AI tools have been used to produce counterfeit identity documents that pass standard visual checks.
The research also found that attackers are targeting AI systems themselves, with threats attacking machine learning models, prompts and training data rather than just computer hardware.
Mike Yeh, vice president for customer security and trust at Microsoft, said in a blog accompanying the report: “The implication for governments is clear.
“Security in the AI era is no longer simply about preventing individual intrusions.
“It is about ensuring institutions can operate effectively in an environment where risks are interconnected, threats move faster, and attackers remain hidden longer.
“Public-private partnerships are also more important than ever for securing critical government infrastructure and developing the policies and regulations needed for emerging technologies.”
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