The last few years, Malvertisers have been using AI to create sophisticated malicious attacks. Using GenAI to create powerful Spear Phishing, Scareware or Malware scams; Predictive AI Analytics to learn end user behavior and adjust tactics in real-time to circumvent detection software, ad blockers, and sandboxing techniques; malicious usage of AI-Powered Chatbots, Deepfakes and Voice Cloning techniques, and more. Keep reading this article to find out 4 AI Malvertising tactics to be aware of in 2025, and how to prevent them.

**How to prevent AI easy entry Social Engineering Malvertising **

Malvertisers have started exploiting AI to grant themselves easy entry into malicious advertising. This has allowed novice cybercriminals to launch intricate attacks using GenAI, for instance, building droppers for email attacks, or using GenAI to create complicated code without needing to be code savvy, easing their way into the Malvertising business. With AI they can generate hyper-realistic fake ads, which mimic legitimate businesses, to trick the end user into clicking compromised URLs. This is not only a considerable threat for unsuspecting end users, but can also pose a brand safety danger for the companies whose image has been used to spread the attacks. If you are wondering how to prevent AI easy entry Social Engineering Malvertising, get in touch with the AdSecure team now!

As and example of one of the top 4 AI Malvertising tactics to be aware of in 2025, past October 2024 the HP Wolf security team uncovered evidence of Malware attacks that have been created with generative AI. One of the attacks was launched via email and targeted French-speaking users, which spread Malware via an AI-generated dropper. It was clear that the attack had been developed using GenAI, as it displayed clearly structured code with comments explaining every line, a clear sign of AI usage. The unsuspecting victims received a Phishing email with a VBScript Dropper that looked like a regular invoice. Once the invoice was opened, the attachment was decrypted, ran the script, variables to the Windows Registry were written, setting up a JS file as a scheduled task and ending up executing an AsyncRAT Malware that attacked the end user’s device.

These new AI Malvertising attacks can be used to:

  • Phish personal information: Fraudulent sites masquerading as banks, e-commerce sites, or social platforms.
  • Promote counterfeit products: Ads for fake apps, software, or health products that appear legitimate but are scams.
  • Social engineering: Using advanced AI to personalize ads, making them seem more credible and enticing (e.g., fake job offers, loan schemes, or giveaways).

4 AI Malvertising tactics to be aware of in 2025: Block Deepfakes Malvertising Phishing attacks

Deepfakes technology, a portmanteau of “deep leaning” and “fake”, is a technology which generates images, videos or audio using AI. They can be used to create images of both real and fantasy people. Deepfake technology can be used by Malvertisers to create fake videos using the image of popular celebrities, influencers, or political figures. For instance, in the last months there have been some instances of:

  • Video & Image Phishing: Deepfake technology can generate realistic ad video or image creatives of trusted individuals or well-known public figures to generate trust. For instance, the CEO of a popular company being impersonated to sell fake products, or to direct end users to corrupted landing pages.
  • Voice Cloning: Malvertisers can also use Deekfakes AI to mimic voices. So, for instance, they could generate the voice of the aforementioned CEO in order to make their ads even more realistic.

These fake multimedia ads could be used to promote fraudulent investment schemes, fake charities, or illicit services. For instance making a celebrity endorse products that don’t exist or are harmful, etc. Making it more important than ever to work with specialized software to block Deepfakes Malvertising Phishing attacks.

Another example of 4 AI Malvertising tactics to be aware of in 2025: As of February 2025, Microsoft has unveiled multiple threat actors involved in a cybercrime group (Storm-2139), accused of developing malicious scripts that can bypass generative AI guardrails to generate celebrity deepfakes and other illicit content. The Malvertising group exploited unprotected customer credentials from several public sources to hijack accounts with generative AI services. These services were then altered and other Malvertisers were sold access to them. These new malvertisers were then given instructions to generate dangerous or harmful content, like non-consensual intimate images of celebrities and other sexual content. These images were then sent as ads to end users across the globe, exposing potentially sensitive audiences to AI Generated illegal explicit content using the stolen identity of celebrities and influencers.

Why are Social Media “Zombie” Bot scams dangerous

In 2024, social media bots, or “zombies” have been used by Malvertisers to spam social media end users. They are controlled remotely by a bot master, and are given a set of tasks, generally to spread Phishing or Malware attacks. By using AI tech, these bots are deployed to create fake social profiles to promote fake products and services, all leading to end user’s financial losses or damaged devices caused by the installation of Malware.

Why are Social Media “Zombie” Bot scams dangerous? Upon purchasing or creating the bot, Malvertisers scan user bases to better target their campaigns (employees of a specific company, software developers, a specific product followers, etc), also based on software vulnerabilities, unpatched systems, weak passwords, etc. They will also make sure that their targets are all real active users. Then they will start mass spreading posts, DMs and Tweets with malicious URLs. One example of these tactics is MonsterSocial, which sells Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest and Twitter bots to scammers. Some of them claim to make ca. 300$ a day by spreading PPD links on social platforms.

**Detect and eliminate AI generated Investment Frauds **

In 2025, Fraudsters will continue to employ AI to generate convincing investment opportunities, often related to cryptocurrencies or high-return schemes. These scams targeted individuals seeking quick financial gains, leading to significant monetary losses. Some of these scams are phony loan or credit repaid adam fake investment opportunities, fake crypto investment platforms, fake tax services or refund scams, and more.

One example is this AI generated attack which leveraged a combination of social media malvertising, company branded posts and AI powered video testimonials featuring social media personalities. The main goal was to lead unsuspecting victims to phishing websites or forms that would harvest their sensitive information. The fake ads were published from a mix of stolen real profiles associated with small businesses, micro influencers and governmental entities with thousands of followers, whose identity would then be used to generate the fake AI ads.

The ads were spread through Messenger, Threads, and deceptive Google reviews, among others. These posts would feature links that would request the end user’s content information, visually imitating local news media, using their logos and branding, and claim to advertise cryptocurrency management solutions with ever-changing names such as Quantum Bumex, Immediate Mator, or Bitcoin Trader. As a next step, Malvertisers use the data gathered to call the victims and manipulate them into investing into non-existent investment products, taking out loans, or installing remote access apps on their devices.

4 AI Malvertising tactics to be aware of in 2025 and how to remove them

As new AI technology is developed year after year, Malvertisers elaborate new sophisticated strategies to steal the end users’ credentials and infect their devices. This is why it is important to work with online safety experts that lead the way with state of the art Malvertsing Prevention and Ad Quality Solutions to always keep end users safe. If you are an Ad Network or website Publisher looking for new Malvertising prevention tools, get in touch with our team to find out about AdSecure! Or why not try it for free now? and start preventing these 4 AI Malvertising tactics to be aware of in 2025 and detect and eliminate AI generated Investment Frauds now!