Whalesbook
AI as a Catalyst for Exposing Weaknesses
Advanced AI tools, such as Mythos, are not creating entirely new ways for attackers to break in. Instead, they act as powerful catalysts, rapidly speeding up the exploitation of existing cybersecurity weaknesses. Experts stress that the main issue isn't the AI, but the growing gap between AI's ability to find flaws and businesses' slow response to fix them. Many companies still fall short on crucial security practices like quick software updates and effective incident response.
AI advancements make threats faster and more scalable, according to experts like Parag Khurana of Barracuda Networks. AI models can quickly analyze code and pinpoint exploit pathways, meaning attackers have less time to wait before exploiting targets.
India's Growing Cyber Threat Landscape
This increased speed of attack is especially critical in India, which is seeing a sharp rise in cyberattacks against businesses. The financial and operational damage is already significant. One recent ransomware attack, for instance, disrupted operations, led to data theft, and forced revenue warnings and costly recovery efforts. Globally, Jaguar Land Rover experienced major disruptions, including in India, from a cyberattack, reporting nearly £485 million in quarterly losses, with wider economic impacts potentially reaching billions due to extended outages and supply chain issues.
Key Findings: Indusface Threat Report
Cybersecurity firm Indusface's data paints a grim picture. In the first half of 2025, over 4.26 billion cyberattacks were blocked across Indian applications, a 15% rise year-on-year. Each monitored website faced an average of 4.1 million attacks. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are now the main target, with API-related attacks up 126% from the previous year. The Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector is a major focus, facing over 742 million attacks in H1 2025, with attacks per site increasing by 51%.
Why Vulnerabilities Linger: Patching Delays and Lowered Barriers
Experts caution against seeing Mythos as a unique threat. Sujatha Iyer of Zoho notes that advanced offensive AI tools are more accessible and faster, lowering the barrier for less-skilled attackers. This makes it harder for businesses that are already slow to respond. Indusface's report reveals that nearly 40% of Indian companies lack resources for ongoing vulnerability management, and one-third of critical vulnerabilities go unpatched for over six months. The major concern is attackers exploiting systems before companies can fix them, a point highlighted by Sanjay Katkar of Quick Heal Technologies, who describes current threats as a constant, automated attack.
AI-Driven Attacks and Operational Lapses
AI is also powering highly convincing phishing and impersonation tactics, making them difficult to distinguish from legitimate communications. The World Economic Forum's 2025 report identifies AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk. Despite investments, many companies have operational gaps and often ignore alerts until attacks become severe. The financial toll is significant; many Indian firms hit by ransomware in 2025 paid over ₹12 crore on average for recovery. A critical failure is treating cybersecurity only as a compliance task instead of a core operational resilience issue. Basic security measures, reducing the attack surface, and improving authentication remain vital, especially as companies increasingly deploy AI internally.