{
  "id": 16060405,
  "title": "AI Is Changing Everything About Hacking. No One Knows What Happens Next",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/ai-is-changing-everything-about-hacking-no-one-knows-what-happens-next",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-22T14:23:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "404 Media",
    "slug": "404-media",
    "url": "https://www.404media.co/php2shell-black-october-ai-is-changing-everything-about-hacking-no-one-knows-what-happens-next/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For the past month, many cybersecurity experts have been expressing growing concern and alarm over the potential impact of AI on hacking. Researchers have been warning about the emergence of an \"AI-powered Black Swan event,\" citing the sudden discovery of numerous vulnerabilities in various systems, including PHP, Node.js, Gitlab, Plex, Railway, OpenCode, and others. Matthew Green, a respected cryptographer at Johns Hopkins University, compared the situation to \"throwing whatever you can in the path of zombies\" and warned that the internet may be \"dry tinder waiting for a match.\"\n\nThe rapid discovery of these vulnerabilities, aided by AI-powered tools and agents, has led to a sense of unpredictability in the world of cybersecurity. Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare, reported a surge in attempts to exploit the PHP2Shell vulnerability, with thousands of attempts per hour within just a few minutes of the announcement. This rapid escalation highlights the ease with which AI can brute force the internet, exposing vulnerabilities that were previously overlooked or unaddressed.\n\nAI has fundamentally changed both offensive hacking and defensive cybersecurity practices. Skilled hackers and researchers are now more adept at finding vulnerabilities with the help of AI tools, while large language models have made it simpler to test and exploit these flaws. The new \"open weights\" models are designed to remove guardrails, allowing for potentially offensive hacking without limitations. OpenAI, for instance, acknowledged that AI can uncover significant security flaws with wide-reaching implications, but also noted the potential for attackers to rapidly develop offensive tools and exploits.\n\nThe speed at which AI uncovers and exploits vulnerabilities raises concerns about the ability of companies to deploy fixes promptly. While the ideal scenario would be for companies to swiftly address these issues, the reality is that many fixes may not be implemented as quickly as desired. This unpredictability and rapid pace of change highlight the need for continued vigilance and adaptation in the face of AI-driven hacking challenges.",
  "summary": "'Black October:' The PHP vulnerabilities and a series of other hacks and bugs have cybersecurity experts freaking out and unsure what happens next.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}