Unit 42 Looks Toward the Threat Frontier: Preparing for Emerging AI Risks

This Unit 42 Threat Frontier report examines how generative AI is influencing both attackers and defenders, concluding that adversary use is currently evolutionary rather than revolutionary. It highlights the rapid rise of Shadow AI, recommends three core capabilities for safer adoption (AI usage visibility, sensitive data detection, and granular access control), and shares red team applications and product enhancements leveraging AI, along with educational material on techniques to exploit LLMs and guidance for implementing AI-specific defenses early in the software lifecycle.