Microsoft, the major US technology company, disclosed that a hacker group believed to be linked to the Chinese government had exploited AI to carry out cyberattacks targeting several hundred organizations worldwide. The attacks progressed with almost no human intervention, from reconnaissance through unauthorized logins and data exfiltration, and Japanese companies may also have been affected.
Microsoft disclosed that a hacker group called “Storm-0940,” which is believed to have links to the Chinese government, had exploited AI to carry out cyberattacks targeting several hundred organizations worldwide. The attacks were rapid, with some cases reportedly progressing from target selection to obtaining administrator privileges in about 3 hours, and AI is believed to have significantly increased the speed and scale of the attacks.
The AI that was misused is believed to have been used in large-scale cyberattacks, including against Japanese companies. Although AI is also being used for defense, the attackers are currently believed to have the upper hand, with few effective remedies available. Storm-0940 has been active since 2021 and is believed to be seeking to steal data.
It is believed that, since at least around September, the group had exploited a software platform called ArteX for AI penetration testing and progressed from reconnaissance through unauthorized logins and data exfiltration without human intervention. Concerns have been raised about the potential expansion of the damage.