Microsoft Report Warns of AI-Powered Automation in Cyberattacks and Malware Creation

Cybercriminals are weaponizing artificial intelligence to accelerate malware development, discover vulnerabilities faster, and create more sophisticated phishing campaigns, according to Microsoft’s latest Digital Defense Report covering trends from July 2024 through June 2025.

In 80% of the cyber incidents Microsoft investigated last year, attackers sought to steal data primarily for profit rather than intelligence gathering.

The rise of AI-powered attacks has lowered the barrier to entry for cybercriminals, enabling even those with limited technical expertise to launch devastating campaigns.

The report reveals that financial motives now drive the vast majority of cyberattacks, with over 52% of incidents fueled by extortion or ransomware.

Microsoft processes more than 100 trillion signals daily, blocking approximately 4.5 million new malware attempts while analyzing 38 million identity risk detections and screening 5 billion emails for malware and phishing.

Despite this massive defensive effort, threat actors continue to exploit AI’s ...