AI-assisted ransomware：operating principles and defense methods

With the rapid development of the digital economy, cybersecurity risks have become increasingly severe. According to relevant reports, ransomware has emerged as one of the most destructive threats in cyberspace. Alarmingly, cybercriminals are continuously leveraging advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to develop next-generation ransomware, making these attacks more intelligent, covert, and damaging. Consequently, it is imperative to comprehensively examine the new impact of AI on cybersecurity, deeply reveal the operating principles of AI-assisted ransomware, and build effective defense strategies. At present, there is a lack of systematic and comprehensive literature analyzing the operating principles and impacts of AI-assisted ransomware. To address this gap, firstly, ransomware was categorized. Subsequently, the attack process of ransomware was analyzed. And then, combined with the latest research progress, the operating principles of AI-assisted ransomware were elaborated in depth. Finally, response measures to operating principles ransomware were systematically summarized from five key perspectives: prevention, prediction, detection, identification and mitigation. Additionally, the development trends and potential future research directions of AI-assisted ransomware were analyzed, aiming to provide valuable insights and guidance for practitioners in the field of cybersecurity.