Indian financial institutions were attacked by AI hackers, with at least two tools linked to China

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued a security advisory stating that the hacker group "Crafty Falcon" is utilizing publicly available artificial intelligence tools to conduct high-speed automated intrusions, having breached non-bank lending institutions, fintech companies, and cryptocurrency exchanges. The agency described the related threats as "ongoing and persistently active."

The advisory specifically named four intrusion tools: ARTEX, PentAGI, Cairn, and CyberStrikeAI. Cybersecurity researchers indicated that at least two of these tools are associated with China. CrowdStrike previously stated that ARTEX, developed in China, has been used to attack South Korean banks since the end of September, and a hacker group linked to China has used this tool to target over 200 organizations in at least 14 countries. CERT-In did not specify the attackers or the operational location of the group, nor did it state that the attacks were state-sponsored or led; all of the aforementioned tools are available for free.