AI-Driven Phishing: AI-Enabled Deception Simulation

PTEF-Aligned:Profile → Tailor → Simulate → Evaluate → Evolve

Threat Narrative

Threat actors use AI to scale persuasion: highly tailored messages, natural language that matches internal tone, and multi-channel deception that pressures targets into bypassing verification. The risk isn't "better grammar"—it's faster, more targeted manipulation that exploits trust, urgency, and weak approval workflows. Cyberorca runs controlled, authorized simulations to measure resilience against AI-assisted deception and to strengthen verification and reporting behaviors that prevent account takeover, fraud, and internal data leakage.

How Cyberorca Runs This Service

Governance applies across all phases.

1

Profile & Scope

Scope & Safety Controls (Authorization First): Define in-scope channels (email/chat/voice), approved target groups, and strict boundaries. Establish "do-not-ask" rules (no passwords/OTPs, no banking data, no national IDs, no coercion or threats).

2

Tailor Scenarios & Controls

Scenario Design (Defensive, Realistic, Non-Harmful): Develop AI-assisted scenarios that reflect real workflows while avoiding harmful content and avoiding impersonation of real external entities or authorities.

3

Simulate (Controlled Execution)

Controlled Execution (Human-Reviewed Content): Run simulations using approved infrastructure and test identities. No malware, no exploits, and no real credential collection. Operate with stop conditions and a kill switch.

4

Evaluate (Telemetry & Reporting)

Safe Telemetry & Reporting: Measure minimal outcomes: interaction, verification compliance, reporting actions, and time-to-report. Default to aggregated reporting by role/department and apply defined retention and access controls.

5

Evolve (Remediation & Hardening)

Remediation & AI-Resilience Hardening: Deliver targeted micro-training and procedural fixes: stronger verification/callback steps, approval workflow hardening, and practical guidance for detecting AI-style persuasion tactics.

Metrics & Outcomes

Verification Compliance: Did users follow the correct verification path?
Report/Escalation Rate: Who reported and via which channel
Approval Workflow Resilience: Reduced "fast approval" failure modes
Repeat Exposure Rate: Improvement across waves
High-Risk Workflow Findings: Invoice/payment change, access resets, procurement
Controls & Policy Adoption: Implementation of recommended safeguards

Outcomes vary based on baseline processes, reporting UX maturity, and leadership enforcement.

Governance & Ethics

  • •Written Authorization & Clear Scope: approved channels, audiences, time windows, and scenarios
  • •Consent & Data Controls: client-approved materials only; no scraping of personal voice/video; minimal data collection; defined retention; RBAC and audit trails
  • •No Harmful Payloads: no malware, no exploits, no real credential collection
  • •No Real-Entity Impersonation: avoid impersonating real external organizations or authorities; role-based and client-approved only
  • •Human Review & Safety Gates: reviewed before launch; stop conditions and kill switch enforced

Engagement Model

Executive AI Threat Briefing (1–2 sessions): risk overview + verification/approval hardening priorities. AI Deception Baseline Assessment (2–4 weeks): limited scenarios across approved channels + workflow-focused findings report. Ongoing AI-Resilience Program (Annual): periodic simulations + trendline reporting + quarterly recommendations aligned to emerging AI threat patterns.