Websites go dark after AI exposes major programming language security flaw
Government agencies and companies around the world shut down websites Wednesday after two critical flaws came to light involving PHP, a programming language that is the basis for a large share of the internet.
A critical security flaw in PHP, a programming language powering around 70% of global websites, has been discovered. Emergency patches were released, but cybersecurity authorities warned organizations to update or take systems offline immediately. This prompted governments, companies, and online services worldwide to temporarily shut down websites and systems as a precaution.
The vulnerabilities were found using artificial intelligence. Security firm Calif found one in August during an OpenAI-funded audit, while Google's cybersecurity subsidiary Wiz independently discovered two. OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol model was used in the Calif research. The PHP security team rated both vulnerabilities highly severe, with a score of 9.2 out of 10.
Details were kept confidential until developers released fixes, but leaks in the information intensified efforts to secure systems. Initially, there was little evidence of widespread exploitation, but attacks have been detected since the vulnerabilities became public. Websites and services, including Wikipedia, Amazon, and government sites in several countries, were taken offline to install updates.
European governments, the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, and others urged organizations to secure their systems promptly.
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