India flags Chinese-linked AI tools in hacking campaign against financial firms

India's cybersecurity agency identified a Chinese-linked hacking group, naming it Crafty Falcon, in a series of AI-driven attacks on financial institutions. The agency reported that the group has breached non-bank lenders, fintech firms, and cryptocurrency exchanges. Four tools were specifically named: ARTEX, PentAGI, Cairn, and CyberStrikeAI, with at least two linked to China.

CERT-In emphasized that the threat remains active and ongoing. The agency stated that the attackers use publicly available AI tools to automate break-ins at machine speed, targeting firms during low-monitoring periods like holidays and weekends to evade detection. CERT-In did not disclose the names of affected companies or the amount of money stolen.