China’s WeChat makes fix after US firm shows AI hack risk
Calif said it used AI to develop a cyberattack worm that could spread between phones through WeChat calls but did not deploy it.
WeChat, the widely used Chinese app, addressed reported security flaws by a US cybersecurity firm on Wednesday. WeChat boasts over a billion users for messaging, digital payments, and more. US security researchers at Calif presented a worm that could spread via calls to WeChat contacts, requiring no user interaction. The AI-driven worm could take control of a device in seconds and potentially compromise an entire phone.
Tencent, WeChat's parent company, confirmed receiving Calif's notice and implemented a fix within their servers. No evidence of exploitation or affected users was found. Calif emphasized the importance of heightened digital defenses due to AI's potential to uncover unknown vulnerabilities, enabling less-skilled actors to pose risks to ordinary users.
The issue emerged as US-China relations remain tense, with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping set to meet in the White House.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
