China’s WeChat makes fix after US firm shows AI hack risk

Beijing: The operator of WeChat, the Chinese mega-app utilized by over a billion users for messaging, payments and more, announced on Wednesday that it had patched software flaws highlighted by a US cybersecurity group. The team, self-described as hackers dedicated to making the internet safer, utilized artificial intelligence to create a cyberattack worm capable of spreading from phone to phone merely by making calls to WeChat contacts, without the victim needing to answer or interact with their device.

This exploit could grant full control over the affected WeChat account in mere seconds, allowing the team to read, send messages, make calls, and act on behalf of the victim. Tencent, the Chinese tech giant behind WeChat, confirmed to AFP that it had received notification of the "potential security issue" from the researchers and had implemented a fix on its servers, which is now active for all users without requiring any app update or additional actions.

The company stated that it had no evidence of any exploitation or affected users, expressing gratitude to the researchers for bringing the matter to their attention. The researchers emphasized that the power of advanced AI systems to uncover unforeseen cybersecurity vulnerabilities has prompted urgent calls for enhanced digital defenses.

They published their findings to raise public awareness, highlighting the risk posed by AI in the hands of less-skilled actors, thereby putting ordinary users at unprecedented risk online. Discussions about AI safety are expected to be part of an anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House this month, with both nations agreeing that internet safety should be a shared priority.