AI Fuels Rise in Sophisticated Online IP Infringements, CSC Report Finds
A new CSC report reveals a significant increase in online intellectual property infringements, driven by AI-powered impersonation, phishing, and domain abuse.
A comprehensive report from CSC highlights a growing wave of online intellectual property (IP) infringements, with sophisticated tactics like executive impersonation, widespread phishing campaigns, and malicious domain registrations posing significant threats to businesses. The "The State of Online IP Risk 2026" report, based on a survey of 300 senior IP law executives, indicates that 27% of respondents have seen a substantial rise in infringements over the past year, and 52% anticipate further increases in the next three years.
Impersonation, phishing, and domain-name abuse have emerged as the most concerning categories of IP infringement. These attacks frequently target branded content, online marketplaces, and paid search channels, where visibility and consumer trust can be exploited. Criminals are increasingly leveraging these platforms to deploy malicious advertising templates and reach vast audiences, even at a cost, demonstrating a clear financial incentive behind these illicit activities.
Sophisticated scams are becoming more prevalent, including elaborate schemes like a Fashion Week attack that promised exclusive access and experiences, demanding payment in cryptocurrency. Furthermore, the report details a concerning trend of executive impersonation on professional networks like LinkedIn, where fake CEOs contact individuals with fraudulent job offers to harvest personal information for subsequent attacks. The expansion of e-commerce onto social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook has also created new avenues for infringement, complicating monitoring efforts for organizations.
The report also points to significant domain abuse, particularly in anticipation of major events. Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, CSC identified over 65,000 third-party domains containing "FIFA" registered between January 2022 and April 2026. While some registrations were legitimate, a substantial number were linked to fraudulent ticket sales, fake merchandise, and phishing attempts designed to steal personal and payment data.
A major catalyst for these escalating threats is the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Attackers are leveraging AI to create highly convincing digital replicas of assets, including logos and voices, making fraudulent content and impersonations more believable and easier to distribute. Ninety percent of surveyed executives believe AI-enabled systems are amplifying the frequency of IP infringements and related threats, while also enabling attackers to launch familiar scams faster and target more victims.
Navigating the complex global regulatory landscape presents another challenge, with European regulators leading efforts to combat various forms of abuse. In the United States, regulations are emerging at the state level, with potential federal action to follow. The expansion of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) also raises concerns, with the cost of defensive registrations and the potential for increased cybersquatting and brand-infringing registrations being primary worries for executives.
Operational challenges such as slow enforcement processes, limited staffing, and the sheer volume of infringements plague many organizations. The report suggests that many companies outsource less than half of their infringement monitoring, leaving critical visibility gaps. The findings underscore the need for robust, globalized strategies and potentially increased reliance on third-party specialists to effectively combat the evolving landscape of online IP risk, especially as AI continues to empower malicious actors.