Why your next online purchase could be risky
In today’s hyper-connected digital economy, convenience is king. The ability to book a flight, reserve a hotel room, or make an online purchase with just a few clicks has revolutionised commerce and travel. Yet, beneath this seamless digital experience lies an unsettling and rapidly growing threat: cybercriminals leveraging artificial intelligence to manipulate, deceive and exploit unsuspecting consumers. For those of us in the travel and hospitality industry – where sensitive personal data, such as passport numbers, payment information, and itinerary details, flow freely through interconnected systems – this AI-driven threat is not just theoretical; it is a pressing reality. As a technical product manager specialising in digital identity and access management, I have witnessed firsthand how the advent of AI is transforming both the offensive capabilities of cyber criminals and the defensive strategies required to counter them. The stakes could not be higher, as the intersection of travel e-commerce and AI-powered cyberattacks creates a perfect storm of vulnerability and risk.
The landscape of cyber threats has undergone a seismic shift in recent years. Traditional cyberattacks relied heavily on human effort – hackers writing code, guessing passwords, and sending out phishing emails en masse, hoping a small percentage of recipients would fall for the scam. But AI has changed this dynamic. Today, hackers can automate and enhance every stage of the attack lifecycle. Large language models, such as those powering AI chatbots, are now being exploited to create phishing emails that are grammatically perfect, contextually relevant, and nearly indistinguishable from legitimate communications. What once took a skilled cybercriminal hours to craft can now be generated in seconds, at scale. For online shoppers and travellers, this means that the next email confirming your hotel booking or asking you to verify your payment information could very well be a sophisticated AI-driven attack. Beyond phishing, AI is also being used to scrape vast amounts of personal data from social media, travel booking sites, and e-commerce platforms. This data, aggregated and analysed by machine learning algorithms, is then leveraged for highly targeted attacks, which is sometimes referred to as “spear phishing” – where the hacker knows not just your name and email address but details about your recent trips, purchases, and preferences. The result is a level of social engineering sophistication that few individuals are prepared to defend against.
The travel and hospitality industry is particularly vulnerable to these AI-enhanced cyber threats. Consider the sheer volume and sensitivity of the data exchanged during a typical travel booking. Names, addresses, passport numbers, credit card details, and even meal preferences or special accommodation requests – this is the kind of personal information that cyber criminals dream of accessing. One of the key vulnerabilities in travel e-commerce is the heavy reliance on third-party integrations. Airlines, hotels, online travel agencies, and payment processors all communicate with each other through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), creating a complex web of interconnected systems. While this interconnectedness makes travel bookings seamless for consumers, it also means that a breach in one system can quickly expose data across the entire ecosystem. I have seen instances where AI-powered attacks exploit these APIs, using machine learning to identify and target weak points in the data flow. Hackers can automate the extraction of sensitive information, bypass rate-limiting protections, and even launch distributed denial-of-service attacks designed to disrupt operations until a ransom is paid. The reality is that in travel e-commerce, a single compromised account can lead to a cascade of breaches, with hackers gaining access not only to financial information but to the entire digital identity of a traveller.
To fully understand the urgency of this threat, it is important to break down the specific ways AI is enhancing the capabilities of bad actors:
Automated social engineering: Traditional phishing relied on volume—sending out thousands of generic emails and hoping a few people would take the bait. AI changes this dynamic. Hackers can now use machine learning algorithms to scrape social media, analyse digital footprints, and craft personalised messages designed to manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information.
Deepfake technology: Imagine receiving a video call from what appears to be your travel agent, confirming last-minute changes to your itinerary. AI-generated deepfakes can replicate voices and faces with astonishing accuracy, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between genuine and malicious communications.
Credential stuffing at scale: Credential stuffing attacks—where hackers use previously breached usernames and passwords to gain access to other accounts—have become exponentially more efficient thanks to AI. Machine learning models can quickly test billions of combinations, identifying weak points with precision.
Adaptive malware: Traditional antivirus software relies on signature-based detection, which means it looks for known malware patterns. But AI-powered malware can “learn” from its environment, adapting its behaviour to evade detection systems and infiltrate even the most secure networks.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, protecting one’s online identity has become more important than ever, particularly as cybercriminals increasingly leverage AI to exploit vulnerabilities. For consumers, safeguarding against these AI-driven threats requires not just awareness but deliberate and consistent action. While no security measure can offer complete immunity, several practical steps can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyberattacks. One of the most effective ways to protect your online accounts is to enable multi-factor authentication. This added layer of security requires users to verify their identity through multiple methods—such as a code sent to a mobile device or biometric recognition—making it exponentially more difficult for hackers to gain access, even if they have stolen your password. The importance of MFA cannot be overstated; it has become a standard cybersecurity practice that significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorised account access.
Another critical precaution is to monitor your travel bookings through official airline and hotel apps rather than relying solely on email communications. Cybercriminals often use phishing techniques to create convincing but fraudulent emails that mimic legitimate booking confirmations. By bypassing email as the sole source of information and using verified apps, consumers can reduce the risk of accidentally clicking on malicious links designed to steal login credentials or install malware.
Additionally, it is essential to remain vigilant when receiving unsolicited communications. If a message arrives – via email, text, or phone call – asking for sensitive information, the safest course of action is to verify its authenticity by contacting the company directly using a trusted phone number or website. Cybercriminals have become increasingly sophisticated in crafting messages that appear genuine, but a few moments of verification can prevent a costly mistake.
Using a password manager is another smart, practical strategy. With the sheer number of online accounts most people manage, reusing passwords across multiple sites is tempting but dangerous. A password manager generates and stores strong, unique passwords for each account, helping to prevent credential-stuffing attacks, in which hackers use leaked usernames and passwords from one site to gain access to accounts on another site.
Finally, continuous learning is a powerful tool in the fight against AI-driven cyber threats. Educating yourself about the latest cyberattack methods—from phishing to social engineering to ransomware – provides an essential line of defence. Knowing how hackers operate makes it easier to recognise suspicious activity and avoid falling prey to digital scams.
By staying informed, consumers take an active role in their cybersecurity, creating habits that form a robust first line of protection.
While consumers play a vital role in safeguarding their personal data, the responsibility of protecting sensitive information does not rest solely on their shoulders.
The travel and hospitality industry—where vast amounts of personal, financial, and itinerary information are collected—has a fundamental duty to proactively defend against AI-driven cyber risks. Given the unique vulnerabilities of this sector, companies must adopt comprehensive security strategies to protect their customers and their businesses.
One of the most effective frameworks for achieving this is Zero Trust Architecture. This security model operates on the assumption that threats can exist both outside and inside the corporate network. Rather than trusting any user or device by default, ZTA requires continuous verification of identities and permissions, minimizing the attack surface and reducing the risk of unauthorised access.
As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, adopting this “never trust, always verify” approach is essential for protecting sensitive travel data. In addition to preventive measures, AI-powered threat detection systems are becoming indispensable in the fight against AI-driven cybercrime. Just as hackers use AI to automate attacks, businesses can use machine learning models to detect abnormal patterns of behaviour in real-time. By monitoring network traffic, login attempts, and data access, these systems can identify potential breaches early, enabling faster incident response and minimising the damage caused by an attack.
Regular security assessments are another cornerstone of effective cyber defence. Conducting frequent penetration testing and vulnerability assessments allows travel companies to identify and address weak points before hackers can exploit them. This proactive approach ensures that security protocols remain robust and up to date, adapting to new threats as they emerge. Without this constant evaluation and improvement, even the most advanced security measures can become obsolete. Beyond technological defence, the travel industry must also prioritise consumer education. By investing in efforts to teach customers about cybersecurity best practices—such as recognising phishing attempts, securing devices, and safely managing passwords—companies can help build a more resilient digital ecosystem. A well-informed customer base is less likely to fall victim to scams, reducing the overall success rate of cyberattacks and reinforcing trust in digital travel platforms.
The rise of AI-driven cybercrime represents a paradigm shift in the digital security landscape. Unlike traditional hacking methods, which often require manual effort and technical expertise, AI has automated and amplified the capabilities of cybercriminals, making attacks faster, more targeted, and harder to detect. For small businesses, online shoppers, and frequent travellers, understanding and mitigating these risks is no longer optional—it is essential.
As a technical product manager working at the intersection of digital identity and travel technology, I believe that staying informed, adopting proactive security measures, and fostering industry-wide collaboration are the keys to protecting both personal and financial information in an increasingly AI-powered world. The travel and hospitality sector, in particular, must embrace cutting-edge security frameworks and prioritise consumer education to stay ahead of cybercriminals. At the same time, consumers must recognise their role in protecting their digital identities. Carrying out simple, consistent actions – such as enabling MFA, using password managers, and verifying unsolicited communications – can go a long way in reducing vulnerability to AI-driven cyberattacks.
By combining personal vigilance with industry-led innovations in cybersecurity, we can create a safer digital environment for everyone. Your next online purchase or vacation does not have to be at risk. But staying one step ahead of AI hackers requires more than just hope—it requires action. By understanding the evolving threat landscape and implementing the right digital safeguards, we can protect not only our data but also our trust in the technologies that make modern travel and commerce possible. Together, through education, vigilance, and technological innovation, we can ensure that AI works for us and not against us in the ever-changing digital world.
