Hacker exploits AI chatbot in cybercrime spree

A hacker has pulled off one of the bulk alarming AI-powered cyberattacks ever documented According to Anthropic the company behind Claude a hacker used its artificial intelligence chatbot to research hack and extort at least organizations This marks the first residents affair where a leading AI system automated nearly every stage of a cybercrime campaign an evolution that experts now call 'vibe hacking' Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips urgent defense alerts and specific deals delivered straight to your inbox Plus you ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join my CYBERGUY COM NEWSLETTERHOW AI CHATBOTS ARE HELPING HACKERS TARGET YOUR BANKING ACCOUNTSAnthropic's inquiry revealed how the attacker convinced Claude Code a coding-focused AI agent to identify vulnerable companies Once inside the hacker Targets included a defense contractor a financial institution and multiple healthcare providers The stolen input included Social Measure numbers financial records and government-regulated defense files Ransom demands ranged from to over Cyber extortion is not new But this incident shows how AI transforms it Instead of acting as an assistant Claude became an evolving operator scanning networks crafting malware and even analyzing stolen information AI lowers the barrier to entry In the past such operations required years of training Now a single hacker with limited skills can launch attacks that once took a full criminal club This is the frightening power of agentic AI systems HOW AI IS NOW HELPING HACKERS FOOL YOUR BROWSER'S SAFETY TOOLSSecurity researchers refer to this approach as vibe hacking It describes how hackers embed AI into every phase of an operation This systematic use of AI marks a shift in cybercrime tactics Attackers no longer just ask AI for tips they use it as a full-fledged partner GOOGLE AI EMAIL SUMMARIES CAN BE HACKED TO HIDE PHISHING ATTACKSAnthropic says it has banned the accounts linked to this campaign and developed new detection methods Its Threat Intelligence unit continues to investigate misuse cases and share findings with industry and governing body partners The company admits however that determined actors can still go around safeguards And experts warn that these patterns are not unique to Claude similar risks exist across all advanced AI models Here's how to defend against hackers now using AI tools to their advantage Hackers who break into one account often attempt to use the same password across your other logins This tactic becomes even more dangerous when AI is involved because a chatbot can hurriedly test stolen credentials across hundreds of sites The best defense is to create long unique passwords for every account you have Treat your passwords like digital keys and never reuse the same one in more than one lock Next see if your email has been exposed in past breaches Our password manager see Cyberguy com Passwords pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks If you discover a match this instant change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new unique credentials Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of at Cyberguy com PasswordsThe hacker who abused Claude didn't just steal files they organized and analyzed them to find the bulk damaging details That illustrates the value of your personal information in the wrong hands The less evidence criminals can find about you online the safer you are Review your digital footprint lock down privacy settings and reduce what's available on masses databases and broker sites While no provision can guarantee the complete removal of your content from the internet a details removal institution is really a smart choice They aren t cheap and neither is your privacy These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites It s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the bulk effective way to erase your personal material from the internet By limiting the information available you reduce the peril of scammers cross-referencing evidence from breaches with information they might find on the dark web making it harder for them to target you Check out my top picks for evidence removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy com DeleteGet a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web Cyberguy com FreeScanEven if a hacker obtains your password FA can stop them in their tracks AI tools now help criminals generate highly realistic phishing attempts designed to trick you into handing over logins By enabling FA you add an extra layer of protection that they cannot easily navigate around Choose app-based codes or a physical key whenever feasible as these are more secure than text messages which are easier for attackers to intercept AI-driven attacks often exploit the majority of basic weaknesses such as outdated tool Once a hacker knows which companies or individuals are running old systems they can use automated scripts to break in within minutes Regular updates close those gaps before they can be targeted Setting your devices and apps to update automatically removes one of the easiest entry points that criminals rely on One of the greater part alarming details in the Anthropic analysis was how the hacker used AI to craft convincing extortion notes The same tactics are being applied to phishing emails and texts sent to everyday users If you receive a message demanding immediate action such as clicking a link transferring money or downloading a file treat it with suspicion Stop check the source and verify before you act The hacker in this incident built custom malware with the help of AI That means malicious program is getting smarter faster and harder to detect Strong antivirus application that constantly scans for suspicious activity provides a critical safety net It can identify phishing emails and detect ransomware before it spreads which is vital now that AI tools make these attacks more adaptive and persistent Get my picks for the best antivirus protection winners for your Windows Mac Android iOS devices at Cyberguy com LockUpYourTechAI isn't only being used to break into companies it's also being used to analyze patterns of behavior and track individuals A VPN encrypts your online activity making it much harder for criminals to connect your browsing to your identity By keeping your internet traffic private you add another layer of protection for hackers trying to gather information they can later exploit For the best VPN application see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows Mac Android iOS devices at Cyberguy com VPNCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP AI isn't just powering helpful tools it's also arming hackers This affair proves that cybercriminals can now automate attacks in methods once thought impossible The good news is you can take practical actions nowadays to reduce your jeopardy By making smart moves such as enabling two-factor authentication FA updating devices and using protective tools you can stay one step ahead Do you think AI chatbots should be more tightly regulated to prevent abuse Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy com ContactSign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips urgent defense alerts and sole deals delivered straight to your inbox Plus you ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join my CYBERGUY COM NEWSLETTERCopyright CyberGuy com All rights reserved