Japan to launch AI-driven cyberattack simulations to address PHP vulnerabilities

Japan announced plans to establish a dedicated team that will employ artificial intelligence to simulate cyberattacks and identify vulnerabilities in technology systems. The move comes as organizations worldwide scramble to mitigate risks stemming from critical flaws in the PHP programming language, which underpins a large portion of internet infrastructure.

Recent disclosures of PHP vulnerabilities triggered massive hacking attempts, forcing government and corporate websites across multiple continents to go offline or temporarily suspend services. Emergency shutdowns affected banking, airline, rail, tax and government platforms from Tokyo to Helsinki, highlighting the severity of the issue.

"An attack can succeed by getting through just one hole ... for that reason it's important we shift our mindset and think from the perspective of the attacker," Japanese industry minister Ryosei Akazawa said. "Defenders also need to make use of AI and respond proactively, staying one step ahead."

The Ministry of Finance, the National Tax Agency and the Meteorological Agency have already suspended some online services as a precaution. Experts note that AI is increasingly enabling attackers to automate vulnerability scanning and phishing campaign creation, making cybercrime more efficient and harder to detect.

Developers of PHP released patches for the vulnerabilities after they were uncovered using AI, urging users to apply the updates immediately.