{
  "id": 17252358,
  "title": "AI Can Now Hack the Internet — and 7 Ways to Protect Yourself Today",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/ai-can-now-hack-the-internet-and-7-ways-to-protect-yourself-today",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-30T16:24:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/paragonaimag/ai-can-now-hack-the-internet-and-7-ways-to-protect-yourself-today-pp0"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On 21 October 2026, governments worldwide chose to shut down their own websites outright, rather than risk exposing them to an automated AI-driven cyber attack. The cause of this unprecedented action was the discovery of severe vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language that powers 69.3% of server-side websites. These vulnerabilities, known as PHP2Shell, were rated 9.2 in severity and allowed attackers to execute commands without a password, gaining direct access to sensitive files, databases, and encryption keys.\n\nIndependent researchers used AI models, such as OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol and Google's Gemini 4 Argon, to quickly identify the PHP2Shell flaw, which had gone undetected since 2012. The US National Security Agency urged immediate patching or disconnecting from the internet due to the urgency. Several countries, including the Netherlands, Finland, and France, followed this directive and temporarily shut down their major state networks to protect against the imminent threat.\n\nHistorically, malware relied on brute force, but recent developments have seen AI-assisted malware evolve into more sophisticated, self-learning programs. Researchers demonstrated how an AI worm could successfully spread from one device to another in a controlled environment by learning from previous mistakes and adapting its strategies. This advancement highlights the growing capabilities of AI in both defense and offense within the realm of cybersecurity.",
  "summary": "Originally published on Substack: https://paragonaimag.substack.com/p/ai-can-now-hack-the-internet-and — republished here for developers and builders, with the same 7-step checklist. Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUg3-eb-A3A — Listen to the podcast episode: https://redcircle.com/shows/cbce814a-d451-4913-a015-fe05b4d0e059/episodes/d97fb13d-72d3-4c04-9645-9e094996921e By…",
  "key_points": [
    "Governments worldwide shut down websites to prevent AI-driven cyber attacks.",
    "PHP2Shell vulnerabilities in PHP allowed attackers to execute commands without a password.",
    "AI models identified PHP2Shell flaw, prompting urgent patching and temporary shutdowns."
  ],
  "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."
}