In February, Matt Shumer, the former CEO of Hyperwrite, published a viral essay on his website titled “Something Big Is Happening,” in which he warned of large-scale disruptions wrought by AI that could upend the world order.
Shumer published another essay on Thursday on his website and LinkedIn, this time titled “The Internet Is Under Attack. Here’s How to Protect Yourself and Your Family.”
“Right now, as you read this, swarms of AI agents are likely trying to break into the websites you use. Not one of them. Many of them,” Shumer wrote. “We are in the middle of the biggest cybersecurity moment in years.”
This is what could happen, per Shumer’s post:
Your information leaks, so scammers know your name, birthday, address and bank, and their calls and texts sound real. Your accounts get taken over through some site you used once, years ago, with the same password you use everywhere. And the things you depend on, like an app, a pharmacy or a store’s website, go down for days. To be clear: this is ongoing, but the worst-case scenarios people are most scared of haven’t happened. I hope they never do. But it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially since this is going to keep happening.
Shumer also outlined four ways people can protect themselves, including updating all their software and staying off sites they’re unfamiliar with while companies and websites alike make their security updates.
He also advises that people protect their bank accounts by being extra cautious about any and all codes and links that they receive. People should also “close the doors you aren’t using” by unplugging smart gadgets and deleting apps that aren’t being utilized.
“Every connected thing is another way in,” Shumer wrote.
