Microsoft announced that a hacker group linked to the Chinese government had used AI to attack organizations around the world. The group used ARTEX, a China-based AI agent capable of carrying out tasks autonomously, and targeted a wide range of sectors, including automotive, energy, financial services, software, government agencies and media.
Microsoft said on the 23rd that a hacker group linked to the Chinese government had carried out cyberattacks since September against hundreds of organizations around the world. The attacks reportedly used ARTEX, a China-based AI agent capable of operating autonomously.
The group behind the attacks is known as Storm-0940 and is believed to have been active since around 2021 for the purpose of stealing data. Industries targeted in the attacks carried out through ARTEX included automotive, energy, financial services, software, government agencies and media.
The announcement did not clarify whether Japanese companies had been attacked. Reuters reported comments from a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States saying that China cracks down on hacking while rejecting allegations made under the pretext of cybersecurity concerns.