The Synthetic Media Threat: Generative AI and Deepfake Technology enabled Synthetic Media as Emerging Vectors of Cyberterrorism

Year : 2026 | Volume : 13 | 01 | Page :
    By

    Aditya Anand,

  1. Student, KIIT School of Law, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Abstract

Cyberterrorism for most part of its academic and general understanding has been known and studied through conventional way such as a) malware deployment b)denial of essential services c) attacks on critical infrastructure, however with rapid changes in information technology as well as recent swift proliferation of generative artificial intelligence and deep fake technologies a completely new and unexamined dimension of threat vector has emerged, further expanding the threat areas are convergence of these two technology which can enable a operator of a cyber- terror campaign even with a very little technical knowledge a chance to deliver a serious threat by using generated synthetic media which can take any form across modality such as a)written text b)Images c)Audios and videos it allows it to happen with high fidelity, while being highly cost effective hence becoming a very potent and dangerous category of cyberterrorism vector it also dramatically lowers the technical barrier to entry for malicious actors. The writer by writing this research paper drawing on recent incidents and emerging literature, proposes a five-vector taxonomy of AI-enabled cyberterrorism activities, and wants to highlight corresponding countermeasures that should be taken at Technical, Legal and International level. This Paper suggests that the field of cyberterrorism research must urgently expand and take into account of these newly emerging vectors enabled by generative AI technologies which are becoming ever increasingly becoming popular, to reconceptualise its threat models and countermeasures to account for the synthetic threat landscape.

Keywords: Cyberterrorism, deepfakes, generative AI, large language models, disinformation, synthetic media, critical infrastructure, national security

How to cite this article:
Aditya Anand. The Synthetic Media Threat: Generative AI and Deepfake Technology enabled Synthetic Media as Emerging Vectors of Cyberterrorism. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research & Advances. 2026; 13(01):-.
How to cite this URL:
Aditya Anand. The Synthetic Media Threat: Generative AI and Deepfake Technology enabled Synthetic Media as Emerging Vectors of Cyberterrorism. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research & Advances. 2026; 13(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/joaira/article=2026/view=244770


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Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
01
Received 30/03/2026
Accepted 20/04/2026
Published 22/05/2026
Publication Time 53 Days
24

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