Cutting both ways: AI sharpens systems protection while opening new exploits for malicious actors

The cybersecurity industry is discovering that powerful frontier AI models are a double-edged sword. Companies can use models to identify vulnerabilities in source code and system configurations faster than ever before. As it turns out, malicious actors can do this as well. A prime example of how AI models have shifted cybersecurity into a new gear can be seen in recent news involving exploits surrounding the PHP programming language, which powers up to 70% of global websites. Security researchers used OpenAI Group PBC’s GPT-5.6 Sol to scan PHP’s code base for bugs. They discovered critical vulnerabilities, and organizations have been scrambling to patch them. Meanwhile, Amazon.com Inc. disclosed last week that attackers began targeting PHP vulnerabilities four days before patches were released, and exploit attempts seen by Cloudflare Inc. have since climbed into the millions. This latest round of digital threats highlights how organizations need to be prepared for the inevitable breach. During the Dell Technologies World gathering in Las Vegas earlier this…