Microsoft disclosed that a hacker group linked to the Chinese government had misused the Chinese-made AI “ARTEX” to automate attacks around the world. The group, identified as “Storm-0940,” reportedly completed the process from target selection to intrusion in less than 3 hours in some cases by using ARTEX. The possibility of unauthorized access targeting Japanese companies has also been raised, drawing attention to further updates.
Microsoft disclosed on 21 October local time that a hacker group linked to the Chinese government had used the Chinese-made AI “ARTEX” to carry out automated cyberattacks around the world. The group was identified as Storm-0940, and there were reportedly cases in which it used ARTEX from around September to complete the process from target selection to intrusion in a short time.
The report identified ConnectWise as a victim of unauthorized access and revealed that a wide range of services around the world had been targeted. ARTEX was originally released on GitHub as a penetration testing tool, and its developers explained that it was intended to test corporate security.
Misuse continued even after ARTEX was taken offline, and it became clear that the tool was being widely used in hacking incidents around the world. It has not been disclosed whether Japanese companies were among Storm-0940’s targets, but on the 19th, the GMO Cybercrime Countermeasures Center announced that ARTEX had been used in unauthorized access targeting Japanese companies. In light of this, Japanese companies are considered likely to have been affected.
Information leaks caused by cyberattacks have continued to occur in Japan, creating an urgent need to strengthen government and infrastructure defense systems. Further information on Storm-0940 and ARTEX is awaited.