tech
AI identifies software flaw affecting 70 percent of the internet
AI identifies a software flaw in the PHP programming language affecting 70 percent of the internet.
Key points
- An OpenAI research team discovered a vulnerability in the PHP programming language affecting 70 percent of the internet.
- Australian government websites, including the Health Department and the Australian Taxation Office, were temporarily taken offline.
- A cybersecurity firm estimated the software flaw had existed undetected for more than a decade.
Why it matters. Governments and businesses worldwide are scrambling to protect their websites from potential breaches while waiting for a security patch.
An OpenAI research team detected a programming vulnerability in the PHP language that affects 70 percent of the internet. A cybersecurity firm reported the flaw existed undetected for over a decade, though AI tools helped identify a fix. Consequently, several Australian government websites, including the Australian Taxation Office and the Health Department, were temporarily taken offline as a precaution.
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AI identifies software flaw affecting 70 percent of the internet
Cybersecurity experts estimate that the identified software flaw impacts approximately 70 percent of the global internet. The vulnerability existed for more than ten years before AI tools helped identify a viable fix. In response, Australian government websites were temporarily taken offline on Thursday to secure their infrastructure. Agencies are now rushing to apply the update to prevent widespread data breaches.