Manipulating Minds with Machines: A Cybersecurity Course Project on AI-Enhanced Social Engineering Attacks

The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity has reshaped the landscape of social engineering (SE) attacks, introducing new challenges for defense strategies. This paper explores the design and implementation of an innovative classroom pilot project aimed at equipping the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with the skills and insights needed to understand AI-enhanced SE tactics. Through a simulated environment, students take on the role of threat actors, leveraging AI tools to craft and execute SE attacks, including phishing and vishing, while adhering to ethical guidelines. The project fosters experiential learning by immersing students in the adversarial mindset, enhancing their understanding of how AI-driven techniques exploit human vulnerabilities. The student performance and experiences reveal their understanding of how cybercriminals can use AI to create lifelike personas, craft context-specific and persuasive pretexts, facilitate automation, and assist with rapid iteration and adaptability. This project thus emphasizes the importance of a proactive, hands-on approach to cybersecurity education, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of psychological dimensions of cyber threats that are amplified, streamlined, and efficient via AI.