Washington: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned that cybercriminals are misusing artificial intelligence-powered tools to target organisations worldwide, with some hackers gaining high-level access in less than three hours.
An open-source security testing tool, ARTEX, is being exploited to target sectors including finance, government, technology, defence, energy and healthcare. The tool can automate attacks, from identifying targets to stealing data, the FBI said.
Its main online repository was taken down in October following reports of misuse, but modified versions and copies remain available.
In one attack on South Korean financial institutions, data belonging to 67,000 people was stolen. Another supply-chain attack reportedly exposed more than 2,250 customer environments.
The FBI has urged organisations to secure internet-connected systems, strengthen access controls and monitor suspicious activity. It has also asked them to report suspected cyberattacks.
