Hackers used China-linked AI tools to steal from Indian financial firms
Cybersecurity agency CERT-In says hacking group Crafty Falcon automated break-ins “at machine speed” with freely available software
Cybersecurity experts in India have identified a hacking group called "Crafty Falcon" as the perpetrators behind a series of AI-driven attacks on financial firms. The group, which CERT-In, India's cybersecurity agency, has linked to China-made AI tools, has targeted non-bank lenders, fintech firms, and cryptocurrency exchanges. The attacks, described as "active and ongoing," occur at a rapid pace, exploiting publicly available AI tools like ARTEX, PentAGI, Cairn, and CyberStrikeAI.
While the group has not been officially named, CERT-In warns that the threat is ongoing and targets are surveyed with machine intelligence, moving funds using victims' own payment systems. The attacks often coincide with low-monitoring periods, such as holidays and weekends, to delay detection. CERT-In advises firms to fix vulnerabilities promptly and warns that incomplete remediation can lead to repeated attacks.
The incident has raised concerns about delays in blocking unauthorized transactions, poor support from banks, and reluctance to accept liability.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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