tech
What is PHP and why did it spark a global cyber-security scramble?
AI uncovered serious programming flaws in PHP that triggered a global cyber-security alert.
Key points
- AI discovered long-hidden vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language used for websites like Wikipedia and WordPress.
- The flaws could allow attackers to steal sensitive data and take control of affected web servers without authentication.
- Governments and cyber-security agencies have urged website operators to install an emergency fix or take platforms offline.
Why it matters. The vulnerabilities expose a vast number of platforms, and Paul Spain of Gorilla Cyber Security stated that AI could make attacks easier and faster.
AI has revealed critical vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language, which has been used globally for web development since the 2000s. This discovery has prompted a coordinated global response from governments and cybersecurity agencies, who are urging website operators to implement emergency fixes. The flaws, described as 'most severe' by cybersecurity firm Wiz, could allow attackers to gain control of web servers and steal data without authentication.
Latest updates
What is PHP and why did it spark a global cyber-security scramble?
AI uncovered long-hidden programming flaws, triggering a rare global cyber-security response. Image source, Getty Images By Osmond Chia Business reporter Updated 56 minutes ago For more than a decade, serious flaws had gone undetected in the technology underpinning much of the internet. It took artificial intelligence (AI) to bring them to light and caused a global cyber-security alert. The vulnerabilities lie within a programming language called PHP, which has been used internationally since the 2000s to build websites. Governments and cyber-security agencies around the world are scrambling to contain the fallout of the discovery on Wednesday, and have urged website operators to install a new emergency fix or consider taking their platforms offline. Cyber-security firm Wiz - one of the companies whose researchers uncovered the vulnerabilities - described the flaws as the "most severe" ever detected by AI. OpenAI, whose technology was used to find the flaws, called the discovery "one of the most impactful security issues in recent memory". What is the flaw? Most people may not have heard of PHP - short for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor - but they most certainly interact with it daily. PHP powers a vast number of platforms, including online shops, Wikipedia and WordPress – the content management system behind many websites like blogs. When you visit a website like Wikipedia, PHP i.