AI-Driven Cybersecurity Threats: A Survey of Emerging Risks and Defensive Strategies

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.03304v1
• Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2026 05:09:40 GMT
• Title: AI-Driven Cybersecurity Threats: A Survey of Emerging Risks and Defensive Strategies
• Authors: Sai Teja Erukude, Viswa Chaitanya Marella, Suhasnadh Reddy Veluru,
• Abstract summary: This paper aims to analyze emerging risks, attack mechanisms, and defense shortcomings related to AI in cybersecurity.<n>We introduce a comparative taxonomy connecting AI capabilities with threat modalities and defenses.<n>Our findings emphasize the urgency for explainable, interdisciplinary, and regulatory-compliant AI defense systems.
• Score: 0.0
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: Artificial Intelligence's dual-use nature is revolutionizing the cybersecurity landscape, introducing new threats across four main categories: deepfakes and synthetic media, adversarial AI attacks, automated malware, and AI-powered social engineering. This paper aims to analyze emerging risks, attack mechanisms, and defense shortcomings related to AI in cybersecurity. We introduce a comparative taxonomy connecting AI capabilities with threat modalities and defenses, review over 70 academic and industry references, and identify impactful opportunities for research, such as hybrid detection pipelines and benchmarking frameworks. The paper is structured thematically by threat type, with each section addressing technical context, real-world incidents, legal frameworks, and countermeasures. Our findings emphasize the urgency for explainable, interdisciplinary, and regulatory-compliant AI defense systems to maintain trust and security in digital ecosystems.

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