ThreatLocker CEO: Hackers Are Leveraging Voice AI In Cyberattacks

“People think this isn't common,” ThreatLocker CEO Danny Jenkins said.

While Remote Desktop Protocol exploitation, virtual private networks and gaining command-line access through email scams remain popular cyberattack methods, ThreatLocker CEO Danny Jenkins (at left in photo) says that hackers are leveraging voice-mimicking artificial intelligence tools to make their strikes more effective.

Cyberattackers have used voice AI to pretend to be an organization’s IT workers or employees with a known vendor who ask users to install a remote access tool, for example, the co-founder of the Orlando-based cybersecurity vendor told attendees at the XChange NexGen 2024 event, operated by CRN parent The Channel Company, which runs through Tuesday in Houston.

“People think this isn't common,” Jenkins said. “It's actually one of the most common entry points we see.”

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Voice AI In Cyberattacks

As part of Jenkins’ talk, he brought on stage two solution provider partners who use ThreatLocker to help fend off cyberattacks.

Mike Dunn, CEO and founder of Houston-based Patriotic Solutions, said ThreatLocker’s investment in support resources for partners and customers is one of the reasons he is loyal to the vendor.

“Having that engineering support is incredibly valuable in having an extra set of eyes that knows what to look for,” Dunn (center in photo) said. “This is the product that I lead with. I've used other best-in-breed EDRs [endpoint detection and response] and stuff. But when I run them on the same machine that we run ThreatLocker, they go quiet because they're not picking up anything anymore.”

Scott Peterson, chief information security officer at Anderson, S.C.-based solution provider Cyber Solutions, agreed. He said ThreatLocker solution engineers who understand solution providers’ environments and stay available around the clock are a major value-add.

“There are some good companies out there with support–there are some terrible” ones, Peterson (at right in photo) said. “But we weren't used to this 30-, 45-second support thing. That was probably the biggest relief, knowing that I had a button and I got a guy, Zoom session, my screen, we're looking at the issue right away.”