Enhancing Spear Phishing Defense with AI: A Comprehensive Review and Future Directions

Abstract

This paper presents a critical analysis of the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in defending against spear phishing attacks, which continue to be a significant cybersecurity threat. By examining 30 seminal studies, we provide an in-depth evaluation of current AI techniques, such as machine learning, natural language processing, and behavioural analytics, which are utilized to detect and mitigate sophisticated email threats. Our review uncovers that AI not only significantly enhances the detection capabilities against these tar-geted attacks but also faces challenges like adaptability and false positives. These findings highlight the continuous evolution of AI strategies in spear phishing defense and the need for ongoing innovation to keep pace with ad-vanced threat tactics. This paper aims to guide future research by proposing integrated AI solutions that enhance both detection capabilities and respon-siveness to new threats, thereby strengthening cybersecurity defenses in an increasingly digital world.