Hacker uses AI agents to breach more than 100 corporate websites

A Chinese-speaking hacker recently used artificial intelligence agents to breach the websites of more than 100 companies, according to The Business Times. Snorre Fagerland, a principal threat researcher at cybersecurity company NorForge, observed the cyberattack activity over a period of two weeks. [1]

The hacker targeted major corporate websites, including the agricultural equipment manufacturer Deere, the home appliance firm SharkNinja, and the engine maker Cummins. The attacker outsourced the operations almost entirely to AI agents, spending only a few thousand dollars on the campaign. [1]

The AI agents worked autonomously to probe and break into the targeted systems. The Business Times reported that successful intrusions required approximately 23 hours of continuous probing and testing for software vulnerabilities by the automated tools. [1]

Historically, media coverage in the 1980s led to the term hacker being associated with malicious actors who break into systems for theft or disruption. Cybersecurity experts distinguish these actors from ethical practitioners who conduct authorized vulnerability testing to improve system security. [3]