October 10, 2025

Artificial intelligence is changing everything about how we do business. From automation to analytics, it brings powerful opportunities—but it also opens new doors for attackers.

As a Marine veteran and IT professional, I’ve learned that every advantage can become a vulnerability if you don’t know how to control it. Today’s cybercriminals use the same AI tools you do—just with very different goals. Here are a few emerging AI-driven threats you should know about, and how to defend your business before they strike.

Deepfake Impersonations: The New Face of Deception

AI-generated deepfakes are becoming alarmingly convincing. Attackers are now using video and audio manipulation to impersonate executives and mislead employees.

One real-world case involved a cryptocurrency company where an employee joined a video call with what appeared to be senior leadership—except the participants were AI-generated deepfakes. They instructed the employee to download a “Zoom extension” that was actually malware, leading to a major breach.

How to protect your business:

  • Always verify sensitive requests through multiple channels.
  • Look for inconsistencies in lighting, lip-syncing, or unnatural pauses during video calls.
  • Educate your staff about deepfake red flags.

At Enlighten IT Solutions, we help businesses implement verification procedures and secure collaboration tools that make these scams far less likely to succeed.

AI-Powered Phishing: Smarter Emails, Same Old Trap

Phishing emails are nothing new, but AI has made them harder to detect. Attackers now use language models to write flawless, personalized messages—no more bad grammar or obvious misspellings.

They’re also translating phishing campaigns into multiple languages and customizing them for specific industries, making attacks broader and more believable.

How to defend your team:

  • Use multifactor authentication (MFA) on every account.
  • Provide regular security awareness training.
  • Remind employees that urgency is a red flag—real emergencies don’t arrive by email.

Even the best spam filters can’t block everything, which is why consistent staff training remains your strongest defense.

Fake AI Tools: Malware Disguised as Innovation

Attackers are exploiting the AI hype by distributing fake “AI tools” that are really malware in disguise. These scams often promise cracked or free versions of premium software or fake “AI video generators.”

One example involved a TikTok account promoting a PowerShell command to “unlock” ChatGPT features. In reality, it was installing malware onto unsuspecting systems.

How to avoid the trap:

  • Only download software from verified vendors.
  • Never install tools without consulting your MSP or IT department.
  • Schedule regular audits of applications and browser extensions across your organization.

At Enlighten IT, we vet every application our clients use, ensuring that innovation never comes at the expense of security.

Ready to Chase the AI Ghosts Out of Your Business?

AI threats don’t need to keep you up at night. From deepfakes to phishing to malicious “AI tools,” attackers are getting smarter—but your defenses can be smarter too.

We help businesses stay ahead of these emerging threats with clear, actionable security strategies that make sense for small teams and growing organizations alike.

📞 Schedule your free discovery call today and let’s talk through how to protect your team from the scary side of AI before it becomes a real problem.
👉 https://enlightenitsolutions.com/contact-us