A hacker has reportedly used artificial intelligence to launch one of the most extensive AI-driven cybercrime operations ever documented. According to Anthropic, the company behind the Claude chatbot, the attacker leveraged its AI tool to automate nearly every stage of the crime, from identifying weak companies to developing malicious code, stealing sensitive data, and even drafting extortion demands. At least 17 companies were targeted, with the hacker relying on Claude Code to write programs, organize stolen files, and analyze financial documents in order to calculate realistic ransom demands.

While cybercriminals have been using AI for tasks like phishing, this is the first publicly reported case where a single AI system was used to orchestrate an entire campaign. Anthropic’s threat intelligence team confirmed the scheme ran for about three months and originated outside the U.S. The company emphasized that its safeguards are strong but acknowledged that determined actors sometimes find ways to evade them. This case highlights both the growing sophistication of cybercriminals and the urgent debate over AI’s role in enabling dangerous misuse.

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SOURCE: NBC News