SlashNext and Netenrich logos

Media Offense Wins Big For Slashnext and Netenrich’s AI Defense

Overview

SlashNext and Netenrich each engaged ICR Technology to put them at the forefront of trends involving AI, including each company’s discovery of ChatGPT -mimicking “evil twins:” WormGPT by SlashNext and FraudGPT by Netenrich.

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The Challenge

Creating a Research Platform for Slashnext

  • ICR Technology team was tasked with securing tier one media coverage to raise awareness of SlashNext’s discovery of WormGPT, positioning the company as a leader in the space and drawing attention to SlashNext’s platform capabilities that defend against all message- based attacks. 
  • Target audiences were cybersecurity leaders and practitioners, threat researchers, as well as mainstream security, tech and business reporters.

Leveraging Breaking News to Showcase Netenrich’s Research Team

  • Although Netenrich has a dedicated threat research team, their published research has been inconsistent and therefore awareness of the company’s threat intel is minimal. 
  • ICR Technology was tasked with taking advantage of this unique discovery of FraudGPT and the buzz of generative AI and WormGPT to secure media coverage in targeted outlets and raise awareness of Netenrich’s discovery and by extension, their threat research team.

Highlights

Coverage:

142 pieces of coverage for SlashNext specifically on their discovery of WormGPT

78 pieces of coverage for Netenrich highlighting their discovery of FraudGPT

Improvements:

71% improvement in Sessions or Visits MoM for Netenrich (July vs. June)

Our Solution

On the advice of ICR Technology (and in keeping with the custom of announcing threats via blog post versus press release), both companies published blogs from their threat research teams announcing the discovery of these ChatGPT “alter egos” which offer similar capabilities but with none of the ethical guardrails. As such, these tools allow cybercriminals to create BEC and phishing messages, malicious code and other content to aid in cyberattacks.

Capitalize on Generative AI Hype

In addition to pitching usual cybersecurity reporters and editors, and an extensive network of media friendlies, the team reached out to more mainstream tech and business reporters who have been closely following updates and trends related to generative AI and its impact on business/security/crime.

Extending Outreach Beyond Day One

The ICR Technology team continued media outreach to national business, broadcast, tech, and security media in the days and weeks following, and facilitated numerous interviews for company spokespeople (broadcast, podcast and Zoom interviews for print) as well as email Q&As.

Leveraging Existing Relationships with Key Media

The ICR Technology team credits much of the initial success in placing stories day-of to the deep relationships formed with key cybersecurity media, particularly as both SlashNext and Netenrich regularly respond to rapid response media opportunities on a daily basis, building trust and interest with the media.