What changed
GMO Internet Group’s security arm says the China-linked AI agent Artex was used in cyberattacks against Japanese companies. Its investigation identified six attacking devices targeting Japanese firms, including retailers, logistics companies and financial institutions.
Eight Japanese companies disclosed leaked or possibly leaked data in September and October. A separate investigation also indicated Artex was involved in unauthorised access to South Korean financial institutions.
Why it matters
This is a shift from isolated break-ins to a wider test of how much routine cyberattack work can be automated. Artex is described as an AI penetration tool capable of diagnosing system vulnerabilities, giving attackers a way to examine multiple targets with less manual effort.
The immediate burden falls on companies whose systems were accessed and whose customers or business data may have been exposed. It also puts pressure on Japan’s government to determine whether malicious AI use is becoming a recurring part of attacks across borders and industries.
Japan’s cybersecurity minister, Toshiharu Furukawa, said on October 20 that the government was analysing possible malicious use of AI and would continue efforts to prevent cyberattacks. The investigation has not established who operated Artex or whether every disclosed incident was connected, so the size of the campaign remains uncertain.
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