Cyber security in the age of AI

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a catalyst for change in many areas of our lives, not least in the world of cyber security. We do not yet know the full implications of how AI will affect cyber risks – many experts have already expressed concern that it will increase the volume, but perhaps not the efficacy – but it is important that charities are prepared.  

Cyber security should be a priority for the charity sector, to prevent data breaches and minimise the risk of disruption to services. Three in ten charities experienced a cyber breach or attack within a 12-month period, according to the UK Government’s 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey.  

Yet the research also found that while the majority of charities have implemented basic technical controls, the adoption of advanced measures such as two-factor authentication or virtual private networks (VPNs) for staff connecting remotely proved rarer.  

And even the percentage of charities adopting basic security controls showed there was work still to be done: only 64% of charities had updated malware protection and 49% employed network firewalls, consistently below the percentage of businesses who said the same. 

Indeed, to adapt to a world of AI-powered cyber threats, charities must first get to grips with the basics of cyber security. Even as AI develops, many of the tried-and-tested tactics of cyber criminals will remain the same, only augmented by AI rather than replaced by it.  

Qualitative interviews conducted as part of the 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey revealed that there was a growing awareness of increasingly sophisticated methods, such as AI impersonation, becoming mainstream – but impersonation is not new, rather AI has just made it simpler for cyber criminals to employ. Cyber security tools and tactics we are familiar with – antivirus, VPNs, firewalls, password policies, and so on – are not made redundant in the age of AI. In fact, the need for them will only increase. 

Below we explore in more detail some of the more common cyber threats facing charities, how AI has the power to amplify them, and what the sector can do to mitigate the risk. 

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How will AI affect cyber security? 

Ransomware 

Ransomware is a type of malware that steals sensitive data and holds it to ransom, demanding payment for their return. For charities, ransomware is worrying, not only due to the high volume of data they are custodians of, but because of the risk of disruption it poses to vital services. If charities are unable to access their data or systems, their work may grind to a halt.  

While ransomware is already a formidable threat to the charity sector, cyber security software providers Avast warn that “AI is powering a new wave” of such attacks. Referring to a recent cyber threat by a ransomware gang known as FunkSec, Avast explained that while “the ransomware itself wasn’t fully built by AI, the attackers used generative tools to assist with tasks like coding, phishing templates, and internal tooling”. 

“It’s one of the first known cases of AI playing a direct role in ransomware development – and likely not the last,” Avast added.  

Charities must remain aware of the increased risk AI-powered ransomware poses. Helpfully, Avast offers four clear recommendations to protect charities. 

“AI is already changing the cybersecurity landscape. It’s making attacks faster to build and easier to launch – even for criminals with limited technical skills” explains Avast. “But that same technology, combined with the expertise of global threat researchers, is also being used to create smarter, faster defenses...Ransomware may be getting smarter. But so are we. “

Phishing 

Phishing is the most common cyber threat faced by the charity sector, according to the 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey, with 86% of charities who experienced a cyber threat in the last 12 months identifying it. 

The sheer volume of phishing attacks – in which cyber criminals fraudulently request sensitive information such as passwords or bank details – are time-consuming to deal with, both in terms of staff training to prevent them and investigation once occurred.  

One of the more commonly cited ways of spotting a phishing email is usually misspelling or poorly simulated logos. However, with the help of AI, phishing emails can easily look more professional and correspondingly harder to root out.  

“The modern scammer isn’t sitting behind a keyboard typing out misspelled messages,” explains Avast. “They’re using AI to craft flawless emails, mimic trusted websites, and launch thousands of scams in seconds. These attacks aren’t just random anymore – they’re tailored to you.” 

So how can charities increase their protection to meet this growing threat of AI-supported phishing? While AI is certainly part of the problem, Avast notes it can just as easily be part of the solution: “Just like scammers are using artificial intelligence to build better scams, AI can be used to detect and stop them – in real time. By analyzing patterns and language, AI-based tools can flag suspicious activity that humans might miss.” 

Avast’s antivirus software now comes with a new tool known as Scam Guardian, which uses AI to scan emails, websites, and messages to detect potential threats. If users are unsure whether a link or email looks suspicious, they can also refer to Avast Assistant, Avast’s chatbot, to help them identify scams and take appropriate action.  

To help charities stay better protected against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, powered by AI, eligible organisations can access Avast software at a discount through Charity Digital.  

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