The AI-powered automated tool ARTEX was reportedly used in unauthorized access attacks targeting Japanese companies, and the company’s investigation found that approximately 20 companies had been targeted.
According to an investigation by GMO Cybersecurity by Ierae, the use of ARTEX, an autonomous AI-powered penetration testing system, was confirmed in the infrastructure used to launch the attacks. Many of the cases reportedly targeted Japanese companies almost exclusively. Approximately 20 companies were targeted overall, including cases in which websites in the same industry were attacked.
Further investigation uncovered 6 new AI-enabled attack infrastructure nodes primarily targeting Japanese companies. The industries targeted ranged widely, including digital gifts, retail and distribution, education, printing, financial services, insurance, e-commerce, media and logistics.
ARTEX is an AI-powered penetration testing automation tool developed in China. It connects with LLMs to autonomously conduct vulnerability discovery and validation. The tool was released in July 2026 and reportedly withdrawn from public release in October of the same year following reports of its misuse.
Companies are being urged to accelerate responses to known vulnerabilities and strengthen monitoring of internet-facing systems and web applications. The ARTEX case illustrates the dual nature of AI technology and the importance of defence.