AI Narrative Attacks: 3 Defense Strategies for Business Leaders

Defending against narrative attacks is now a must. Business leaders need a well-rounded plan to protect their companies from these growing and tricky threats.

Glenn Burgess

Artificial intelligence is changing the way businesses work. It helps by automating simple tasks, improving supply chains, creating smart financial models & customising customer experiences on a large scale. This allows companies to work efficiently & make better decisions.

AI is also helping cybercriminals. In the past, cyberattacks focused on finding weak spots in systems and networks.

But now, with generative AI, the threat landscape has changed. Cybercriminals are quickly using AI to create fake information and spread lies, making businesses vulnerable to a wider range of attacks.

In January, World Economic Forum highlighted AI-driven misinformation and disinformation as a top global risk. Such campaigns can destabilise businesses, manipulate markets, and damage trust in public institutions.

For example, a deepfake video of a company leader could trick employees, hurt stock prices, or leak sensitive data.

Attackers might also use AI to write fake social media posts that spread false information, causing financial and reputational damage.

By using AI to create fake content, like deepfakes and automated social media posts, bad actors can now craft convincing stories that play on our biases and erode trust.

This opens the door for bigger cyberattacks or makes previous ones worse. This new type of cyber threat, called a “narrative attack,” mixes AI-generated misinformation with traditional hacking.

It manipulates our perceptions, influences behavior & increases harm caused by technical attacks, putting both organisations & individuals at risk.

We spoke with a defense attorney & former CIA case officer about these dangers.

“Misinformation and disinformation are very effective at changing people’s beliefs and actions because we tend to trust information that matches what we already think,” said attorney. “Those who spread false information aim to divide society and gain control.”

Key Phases of Disinformation-Driven Cyberattacks

Information gathering: The attack starts with cybercriminals conducting thorough research on the target organisation or industry. They look for weaknesses, fears, and areas they can exploit.

Then, they create a false narrative designed to stir emotions, spread confusion, and break trust.

For example, they might make up fake news or social media posts about a company experiencing a huge data breach, even if it never happened.

Spreading the narrative: After creating the false story, attackers spread it through trusted platforms like social media, blogs, or news outlets.

They may use bots or fake accounts to increase the visibility and make the disinformation seem more credible and widespread.

They often work together on the dark web to ensure the false information reaches as many as possible, setting stage for the upcoming cyberattack.

Launching the technical attack: With the target already weakened by disinformation, the real cyberattack follows. This could be stealing data, installing ransomware, or taking money.

The disinformation often opens doors for further attacks, such as phishing emails that take advantage of the fear & confusion created earlier. People are more likely to fall for these tricks after being shaken by the fake narrative.

Worsening the damage: Even after main attack is over, cybercriminals continue spreading disinformation to increase the damage.

They might claim the attack was worse than it was or accuse the company of hiding the truth.

This ongoing falsehood worsens the company’s reputation and breaks customer trust, even if they’ve restored their systems.

Examples like the 2021 ransomware attack on meat supplier JBS show how attackers use both cyberattacks and false narratives to increase pressure on their targets.

After demanding an $11 million ransom and threatening to release stolen data, disinformation spread quickly, causing panic among stakeholders. This demonstrated how narrative manipulation can make an attack much worse.

Another example is the 2022 phishing campaign targeting UK charities. By crafting believable false stories for each target, cybercriminals saw high success rates.

This case shows how disinformation can be tailored to exploit human vulnerabilities, making cyberattacks more effective.

These examples highlight the urgent need for strong defenses that address both the technical and narrative aspects of modern cyber threats.

“Although disinformation seems new, using false propaganda to manipulate others has been around for a long time,” attorney explained.

“The US government has used it in places like Iran, Chile, and Vietnam. It’s not surprising that these tactics are now being turned against the US. In my work helping countries build trust in legal systems, I’ve seen firsthand how destructive disinformation can be.”

Business Strategies for Defending Against Narrative Attacks

1. Monitor for Emerging Threats The first step in defending against AI-driven disinformation is to keep a close watch on potential threats.

This means using a strong monitoring system that tracks digital platforms like social media, news sites, blogs, and forums where cybercriminals might spread false information.

The goal is to catch disinformation early, before it goes viral and affects public perception. Quick detection is key—if you identify a threat early, you can respond faster.

AI-powered tools can scan huge amounts of data in real time, spotting unusual trends and emerging narratives that could signal a disinformation-enabled cyberattack.

With machine learning and natural language processing, these tools can pick up on signs of danger that human analysts might miss. This way, organisations can stay ahead of the threat instead of playing catch-up.

2. Enhance Employee Awareness and Training Disinformation often targets human vulnerabilities, so it’s crucial to educate employees. They are the first line of defense against these types of attacks.

Phishing Awareness: AI can help hackers create more realistic phishing attempts. Employees need to be trained to recognise phishing messages, especially ones that use false information.
Critical Thinking: Encourage employees to question the information they receive. This reduces the risk of falling for disinformation.
Incident Reporting: Set up clear guidelines for employees to report suspicious emails or false information, allowing for quick responses.
Simulated Phishing Attacks: Conduct regular phishing drills to help employees practice identifying and handling these threats.
Workshops: Organise interactive sessions that focus on cybersecurity and disinformation to deepen their understanding.

Creating a culture of awareness is essential. At Blackbird.AI, we encourage ongoing learning and make sure our team stays updated on new threats. This proactive approach has been effective in reducing risks.

As attorney explained, “Disinformation attacks people’s trust in systems, making them think it’s corrupt or biased. This can mislead the public, business leaders, and policymakers, causing them to make poor decisions that benefit the disinformation spreaders.”

3. Foster Collaboration and Intelligence Sharing Cybercriminals work together to launch complex attacks, so defenders must also collaborate. Sharing information, analysing new tactics, and coordinating responses are key to building a strong defense.

Here’s how businesses can strengthen their defenses:

Invest in advanced AI tools to monitor false information about their brand and get real-time alerts.
Set up a dedicated team of cybersecurity experts, communication specialists, and legal advisors to handle disinformation incidents. This team should develop a plan for quick responses, public statements, and legal action if needed.
Focus on training employees to recognise misinformation. Building a culture of alertness and critical thinking helps prevent internal spread of false information.

By working together and staying informed, businesses can better protect themselves from disinformation-based cyberattacks.

Conclusion

Regularly auditing digital assets and communication channels is another key step to identify weaknesses and strengthen defenses against disinformation attacks.

By being proactive, businesses can safeguard their operations and contribute to larger fight against the growing threat of disinformation.

Experts like attorney emphasize the importance of transparency and building partnerships across sectors.

Sharing information and strategies between industries—such as financial institutions, tech companies, and media organizations—helps create a more comprehensive view of the threat landscape.

These collaborations are essential in tracking and fighting disinformation that affects multiple sectors, ensuring no industry is left exposed.

Partnering with academic institutions is also crucial. Universities and research centers are leading efforts to study disinformation and develop new countermeasures.

By working with these institutions, businesses can gain access to the latest insights and technologies to stay ahead of disinformation threats.

This collaboration fosters innovation and strengthens the effectiveness of disinformation defenses.

Incorporating narrative intelligence into cybersecurity strategies requires a layered approach. AI-powered tools can monitor social platforms, blogs, and media outlets, detecting emerging disinformation campaigns.

With advanced natural language processing and machine learning, these tools can spot unusual activity or shifts in public sentiment, helping to prevent attacks before they occur.

AI-driven disinformation can severely damage companies and destroy trust. Defending against false narratives is no longer optional—it’s essential. Businesses must integrate narrative intelligence into their cybersecurity strategies to stay protected.

As attorney said, “The antidote to disinformation is trust. To fight disinformation, we need a multi-faceted approach involving the public, media, tech platforms, political parties, and policymakers.”