Hackers Used AI to Build a Zero-Day Exploit That Bypasses Two-Factor Authentication: Google
Cybercriminals used an AI model to discover and exploit a zero-day flaw in a widely used open-source web administration tool, enabling them to bypass two-factor authentication, according to Google’s Threat Intelligence Group. This marks the first confirmed case of AI-assisted zero-day development. The attackers identified a logic flaw by using AI to analyze developer intent and 2FA logic, which allowed them to evade security without breaking encryption. Google warns that AI now acts as a force multiplier for both vulnerability research and exploit development, lowering barriers for attackers. Russian groups reportedly use AI to obfuscate malware and create decoy logic, while groups in China and North Korea use it to find vulnerabilities. Although Google's report highlights the rising risk of AI-powered cyberattacks, a separate Cambridge University study found most cybercriminals use AI primarily for spam and phishing, with social learning still crucial in hacking communities. Recent incidents, such as the patching of a prompt injection flaw in Google’s own AI tools and Anthropic’s restrictions on vulnerability discovery by its models, underscore growing concerns about AI accelerating both attack and defense capabilities in cybersecurity.
