With smarter Iot and stealthier malware targeting Mac people, scammers are upping their match in 2025, leaving defenders scrambling to keep up.
The time 2025 may indicate the turning point for AI’s position in security, according to a recent statement from Malwarebytes. Despite making minor ripples since their debut, conceptual AI tools like ChatGPT have generally been relegated to assisting with programming and research tasks.
But, this dynamic is expected to change with the introduction of agentic AI, an artificial intelligence that can act independently and solve challenging problems.
A double-edged weapon
Agentic AI represents a step beyond conceptual tools, giving soldiers the ability to manage time-intensive jobs like system surveillance, patching vulnerabilities, and identifying threats. Brokers may help close the prolonged abilities gap in security.
For example, AI agents had control over risk monitoring, handle real-time anomaly tracking, and promote patch deployments without constant human oversight.
However, the same technology could empower attackers to scale operations. Cybercriminals may use agentic AI to carry out simultaneous ransomware attacks, craft sophisticated phishing campaigns, and even breach networks autonomously.
Ransomware’s evolving tactics
Ransomware continues to dominate as the most lucrative cybercrime, with a 13 % rise in attacks in 2024. The Dark Angels group received the largest ransom payment ever recorded, which was$ 75 million, from an unidentified Fortune 50 company in 2024.
However, the ransomware ecosystem is shifting, with major players like LockBit and ALPHV losing influence and smaller, “dark horse” gangs stepping into the spotlight.
These smaller groups have democratized ransomware, making tools and techniques more accessible to cybercriminals. As a result, attacks are not only increasing but also becoming faster and more sophisticated.
Many now rely on stealth, executing entire attack chains, from gaining access to encrypting data, within hours. Advancement of advanced information stealers like Poseidon and are just one more example of this trend on MacOS.
These thief use fraudulent schemes to hack into systems and spook up sensitive information like passwords and cryptocurrency wallets.
Macs are increasingly targeted
In recent years, macOS has seen a notable increase in targeted cyberattacks, correlating with its growing adoption in personal and corporate environments. The development of sophisticated threats like the Banshee macOS Stealer in 2024 highlighted the platform’s vulnerability to advanced attacks.
When it comes to AI, phishing scams are getting harder to spot, and Mac users aren’t immune. Cybercriminals are using AI to craft emails that mimic messages from Apple, financial institutions, or workplace IT teams.
AI software can use email patterns to create highly convincing messages with personalized details that make them appear authentic.
Meanwhile, AI-driven malvertising campaigns ensure that fake ads promoting popular Mac software, like productivity apps or security tools, appear of search results. Traditional red flags like poor grammar and generic messages no longer function as reliable warning signs because AI is refining these attacks in real-time.
How to defend against AI threats
To tackle the rising threats, cybersecurity teams need to rethink their strategies. By automating threat detection and response, using AI-driven tools can help bridge the skills gap.
Additionally, it is crucial to improve endpoint security because sophisticated tools can identify suspicious behavior. Another priority is to block remote desktop protocols and make tools more vulnerable to exploitation, before securing access points.
Finally, staff training is still important because to stay ahead of attackers, teams must be trained to recognize phishing attempts and social engineering strategies.