Anthropic reports misuse of its AI tools in cyber incidents
The rise of AI in cyber operations is raising new concerns, and Anthropic has found itself at the centre of discussions after reporting cases where its tools were misused by malicious actors.
AI company Anthropic has reported that its chatbot Claude was misused in cyber incidents, including attempts to carry out hacking operations and employment-related fraud.
The firm said its technology had been used to help write malicious code and assist threat actors in planning attacks. However, it also stated that it could disrupt the activity and notify authorities. Anthropic said it is continuing to improve its monitoring and detection systems.
In one case, the company reported that AI-supported attacks targeted at least 17 organisations, including government entities. The attackers allegedly relied on the tool to support decision-making, from choosing which data to target to drafting ransom demands.
Experts note that the rise of so-called agentic AI, which can operate with greater autonomy, has increased concerns about potential misuse.
Anthropic also identified attempts to use AI models to support fraudulent applications for remote jobs at major companies. The AI was reportedly used to create convincing profiles, generate applications, and assist in work-related tasks once jobs had been secured.
Analysts suggest that AI can strengthen such schemes, but most cyber incidents still involve long-established techniques like phishing and exploiting software vulnerabilities.
Cybersecurity specialists emphasise the importance of proactive defence as AI tools evolve. They caution that organisations should treat AI platforms as sensitive systems requiring strong safeguards to prevent their exploitation.
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