Vibe Hacking: How AI Is Helping Hackers

A cybersecurity expert discusses findings from a 2025 threat report, covering how AI is lowering the barrier for attackers through 'vibe hacking' — using AI as a personal tutor and automation tool to launch attacks without deep technical knowledge. Key threats include: AI-assisted vulnerability exploitation that compresses the time between disclosure and active attacks; agentic AI platforms with MCP-connected pentest tools enabling automated reconnaissance; a 168% rise in volumetric DDoS attacks alongside doubling web application attacks creating a 'pincer movement'; AI identity problems making it hard to distinguish legitimate bot traffic from malicious requests; industrialized OTP bypass using AI-powered voice phishing; and indirect prompt injection attacks that trick AI agents into exfiltrating user data by embedding malicious instructions in emails or documents.