AI-Powered Hacker Targets Over 1,200 Websites Across US, Canada, Australia, and Japan

Artificial Intelligence Enables Large-Scale Cyberattack

According to НВ — Техно: On September 25, a hacker leveraged artificial intelligence to launch a widespread cyberattack against more than 1,200 websites in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan. This campaign was uncovered by cybersecurity firm NorForge, which published its findings on October 19. The attacker stole sensitive data, including bank card details and cryptocurrency, successfully breaching approximately 10% of targeted sites-resulting in over 100 compromised company websites.

The Role of the Cairn System in Coordinating AI Agents

The Cairn platform was used to orchestrate the AI agents involved in the attack, assigning tasks and managing their operations. The hacker provided brief instructions in Chinese, each under 100 characters. On average, about 23 hours were spent per hacking attempt, with some intrusions completed in less than 24 hours.

The entire campaign cost around $5,000, translating to roughly $50 in computing resources for each successful breach. The Cairn system operated using DeepSeek models, developed in China, along with Claude Code from Anthropic. Notably, some users left Cairn’s control panels accessible to outsiders, potentially simplifying the attack process.

This cyberattack highlights the escalating danger posed by criminals exploiting artificial intelligence technologies to conduct malicious online activities.

This episode demonstrates how advanced AI tools, while beneficial in many areas, can be weaponized for cybercrime. Automated hacking systems like those used here create new vulnerabilities, threatening both data security and financial information. The incident underscores the urgent need to enhance cybersecurity measures and regulate AI technology applications across industries.

As cyber threats continue to evolve, recent reports indicate that over 100 websites have fallen victim to hackers utilizing deceptive tactics, such as fake 'I'm Not a Robot' checks. This incident, detailed by CERT-UA, illustrates a growing trend in online security breaches and highlights the urgent need for enhanced protective measures. To explore how these tactics are being employed and the implications for cybersecurity, read more about the situation in this related article.