While “vibe coding” represents the creative use of generative AI, its dark counterpart — “vibe hacking” — is emerging as a method for cybercriminals to launch sophisticated attacks. By feeding manipulative prompts into AI systems, attackers are creating ransomware capable of bypassing traditional defenses and stealing sensitive data.
This threat is already tangible. Anthropic, the developer behind Claude Code, recently disclosed that its AI model had been misused for personal data theft across 17 organizations, with each victim losing nearly $500,000.
On dark web marketplaces, purpose-built “evil LLMs” like FraudGPT and WormGPT are being sold for as little as $100, specifically tailored for phishing, fraud, and malware generation.
Prompt injection attacks have become a particularly powerful weapon. These techniques allow hackers to trick language models into revealing confidential data, producing harmful content, or generating malicious scripts.
Experts warn that the ability to override safety mechanisms with just a line of text has significantly reduced the barrier to entry for would-be attackers. Generative AI has essentially turned hacking into a point-and-click operation.
Emerging tools such as PromptLock, an AI agent capable of autonomously writing code and encrypting files, demonstrate the growing sophistication of AI misuse. According to Huzefa Motiwala, senior director at Palo Alto Networks, attackers are now using mainstream AI tools to compose phishing emails, create ransomware, and obfuscate malicious code — all without advanced technical knowledge.
This shift has democratized cybercrime, making it accessible to a wider and more dangerous pool of offenders.
The implications extend beyond technology and into national security. Experts warn that the intersection of AI misuse and organized cybercrime could have severe consequences, particularly for countries like India with vast digital infrastructures and rapidly expanding AI integration.
Analysts argue that governments, businesses, and AI developers must urgently collaborate to establish robust defense mechanisms and regulatory frameworks before the problem escalates further.
The rise of AI-powered cybercrime signals a fundamental change in how digital threats operate. It is no longer a matter of whether cybercriminals will exploit AI, but how quickly global systems can adapt to defend against it.
As “evil LLMs” proliferate, the distinction between creative innovation and digital weaponry continues to blur, ushering in an age where AI can empower both progress and peril in equal measure.
