How to Update Your Privacy Tools for the AI Era (And Cut Cybersecurity Risks)

The tools you used last year to protect your privacy online may no longer be enough. Artificial intelligence has changed how attackers operate, making old defenses less effective. Spear-phishing emails that used to be clumsy are now generated by language models, deepfakes can impersonate anyone with just a few seconds of audio, and automated tools scan for vulnerabilities faster than any human attacker could.

This isn’t speculation. A recent article from the World Economic Forum highlights why standard privacy tools need updating as AI speeds up cybercrime. The question is, what should you actually do about it?

What Happened

In June 2026, the World Economic Forum published guidance on updating data privacy tools to cut cybersecurity risk in the AI era. The article notes that AI is being used to find flaws in systems faster, and attackers are leveraging generative AI for more convincing phishing and social engineering. A separate WEF article from the same month explains that AI is speeding up cybercrime by automating the discovery of weak points in networks and applications.

These aren’t distant threats. If you’re online, you’re a target.

Why It Matters

Traditional privacy measures were designed for a world where attacks were manual. A generic phishing email was easy to spot; a password manager and two-factor authentication gave reasonable protection. Now, AI-generated messages can mimic a colleague’s writing style, deepfake voice calls can trick you into authorizing payments, and AI can scrape vast amounts of public data to personalize attacks.

The result: the barrier to entry for cybercriminals has dropped. Your old tools—a basic VPN, a simple password manager, SMS-based 2FA—are not as reliable as they used to be. To stay safe, you need to update both the tools and how you use them.

What Readers Can Do

Here’s a practical checklist to harden your digital presence against AI-enabled attacks. None of these steps are perfect, but they raise the bar significantly.

1. Upgrade your VPN and encrypted browsing

  • Use a VPN that supports WireGuard or a modern protocol. Check that it has a kill switch and a verified no-log policy.
  • Consider a privacy-focused browser like Brave or Firefox with strict tracking protection. Avoid browsers that share data with advertisers or AI companies.

2. Update your password manager and authentication method

  • Migrate to a password manager that uses zero-knowledge encryption and offers breach monitoring. Many older managers lack real-time alerts.
  • Enable biometric authentication (fingerprint or facial recognition) where possible. Biometrics are harder for AI to spoof than a password if used correctly, but be aware that some systems can be fooled with high-quality deepfakes.

3. Move beyond SMS-based two-factor authentication

  • SMS 2FA is vulnerable to SIM-swapping and interception. Switch to app-based authenticators (Google Authenticator, Authy, or Microsoft Authenticator) or hardware security keys (YubiKey or similar).
  • For critical accounts—email, banking, social media—use a hardware key. It adds a physical step that AI cannot bypass remotely.

4. Use anti-deepfake tools carefully

  • Several services now offer deepfake detection for images and audio. Tools like Microsoft Video Authenticator or Sensity can help verify suspicious media.
  • However, no detection tool is foolproof. Rely on verification processes: confirm unusual requests through a second channel (phone call to a known number, not the one in the message).

5. Be selective with AI assistants and plugins

  • Many consumer AI tools (chatbots, writing assistants) store your data to improve models. Review their privacy policies. If you can’t find one or it’s vague, don’t use it for sensitive work.
  • Disable data sharing or opt out of training where settings allow.

6. Audit your digital footprint

  • Use search alerts for your name and common personal details. AI can scrape social media and public records to build profiles.
  • Remove old accounts, limit what you share publicly, and turn off location services in apps that don’t need them.

7. Keep software updated

  • This might seem basic, but AI-driven tools can exploit vulnerabilities that are months old. Enable automatic updates on your operating system, browser, and apps.

Sources

  • World Economic Forum. “How to update data privacy tools to cut cybersecurity risk in the AI era.” June 15, 2026.
  • World Economic Forum. “AI speeds cybercrime by exposing flaws, and other cybersecurity news.” June 15, 2026.

No single update will make you invincible, but combining these steps reduces your attack surface. As AI evolves, so should your habits. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s making yourself a harder target than the next person.