Malware campaigns, fake news, and fake bots are among some of the concerning cybersecurity threats that countries will face in the coming years, as highlighted by Félix Barrio, head of the Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) under the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service. Speaking at the CyberTech Forum in Tel Aviv, Barrio described DeepSeek as “an extremely competitive training tool,” both accessible and affordable, making it a potential “weapon of mass destruction” in cybersecurity.
“Anyone in the world, with very few resources, can train themselves on the use of the technology,” he underscored. “Next year, we will see an increase in the number of incidents related to generative artificial intelligence. These types of tools allow us to launch new malware campaigns, develop applications to destabilize systems, create fake news, and even fake bots,” he continued.
International Cooperation to Counter Cybersecurity Threats
Barrio called for initiatives that integrate AI into the security forces’ toolkit against digital crime. He emphasized that combating increasingly sophisticated cybercrimes will only be possible if countries pool their resources. Such as supercomputing capabilities, data centers, and globally competitive energy production; while, at the same time, fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors.
For instance, INCIBE has recently been designated as the organisation in charge of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) program, a startup accelerator spanning all NATO member states. “It’s a good example of how we can continue investing in projects that require global partnerships,” he said.
The head of INCIBE also pointed to the lack of qualified professionals as one of the industry’s pressing challenges. “We face a severe shortage of mathematicians, physicists, and data science specialists. We must keep our technology hubs open to attract global talent and train new candidates who will sustain cybersecurity in Europe.”
DeepSeek Makes It to CyberTech
The recent success of DeepSeek, a generative artificial intelligence system released under an open-source license, has sent shockwaves through the technology and software industries. Neil Roseman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Invicti, recently told 4iMag that DeepSeek represents a wake-up call for the AI industry, demonstrating that “innovation isn’t limited to companies with massive resources.”
Some countries have already taken a step forward and banned DeepSeek due to its data collection system, which stores information on servers in China. Among the nations that have imposed restrictions on DeepSeek are the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Ireland, and Italy.
Meanwhile, in Israel, Tel Aviv’s CyberTech remains one of the world’s premier events focused on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital defence. In Israel, cybersecurity is considered a crucial part of its arms and defence sector, with companies, security services, and intelligence agencies collaborating to share information on attacks and threats, particularly from strategic adversaries such as Iran and Hamas.
