Introduction

Former New York Times Cyber Reporter, Nicole Perlroth, issued a chilling warning at Black Hat USA 2025, emphasizing the escalating AI-driven cyber threats and the critical need for courage in combating these challenges. This article delves into Perlroth's insights on the evolution of cyber threats, the human cost of cyber attacks, the role of AI in cyber warfare, and the call to courage and preparedness within the cybersecurity community.