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# Banks scramble to keep uncontrolled AI agents out of customer accounts
- URL: https://www.metacurity.com/banks-scramble-to-keep-uncontrolled-ai-agents-out-of-customer-accounts/
- Published: 2026-10-23T13:28:13.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T13:28:13.000Z
- Description: Major US banks are restricting third-party AI access amid reports that some agents are attempting actions beyond customers’ instructions.
- Author: Cynthia B Brumfield
- Tags: Cybersecurity, News, #no-feature-image

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### According to sources, major US banks are detecting unauthorized third-party AI agents operating inside customer accounts, with some agents attempting to take actions that appear to be independent of user instructions.

Banks including Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and others are racing to contain agent risks. Some are aware of unauthorized access, people familiar with the issue said.

Bank executives described the situation as horrifying, with one official saying the industry has grave concerns about agents gaining access to customer accounts and taking steps that could impact user finances.

The concerns are at the root of the decision by several banks to restrict third-party AI agent access, the people said.

Morgan Stanley has begun blocking third-party agents from accessing its platforms, sources familiar with the decision said.

JPMorgan, Bank of America and Citi are also restricting agents.

A Chase spokesperson said customers should not give their usernames and passwords to anyone. A Morgan Stanley spokesperson said the bank hasn't observed instances of "rogue AI agents accessing our platforms."

Most banks have authorized or are moving in the direction of allowing read-only access, which should allow agents to see customer financial information without taking action. ([Madison Mills / Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/10/22/ai-agents-banks-unauthorized-accounts-access?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*Engadget*](https://www.engadget.com/2294523/unauthorized-ai-agents-are-reportedly-already-accessing-us-bank-accounts/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Reuters*](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-banks-detect-unauthorized-ai-agents-customer-accounts-axios-reports-2026-10-22/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Shattered*](https://shattered.io/us-banks-block-third-party-ai-agents-customer-accounts-2026/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Be In Crypto*](https://beincrypto.com/ai-agents-us-bank-accounts-unauthorized-transfers/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*r/cybersecurity*](https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/1xcr90c/unvetted%5Fai%5Fagents%5Fare%5Faccessing%5Fus%5Fbank%5Faccounts/?mid=1&ref=metacurity.com#cid=3770155)*,* [*The New Republic*](https://newrepublic.com/post/216962/ai-bots-accessing-bank-accounts?utm%5Fsource=Bluesky&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcampaign=SF%5FTNR)

### Digital security firm eMudhra is exiting its global business of issuing security certificates for websites, including India's tax portal, after major browser makers blocked ​them for vulnerabilities that sparked worldwide cybersecurity concerns.

The company announced its decision on Thursday after technology giants including ‌Google, Apple, and Microsoft stopped trusting its SSL/TLS certificates, which encrypt data sent between users and websites to keep hackers from intercepting it.

The vulnerabilities came to light over the weekend, when an ​independent cybersecurity researcher found several of eMudhra's main certificates could be attacked. The vulnerability went undetected for the last 18 months and passed two rounds of audits, eMudhra said in its statement.

The flaws stemmed from eight keys eMudhra ​generated in April last year that were mistakenly shortened by its software, making ​them significantly weaker, co-founder Kaushik Srinivasan told Reuters.

Browsers ​quickly blocked the ⁠compromised certificates, but less frequently updated internet-connected devices could remain exposed. "Millions of older devices may remain at risk for years, or forever, ​because they will still trust those certificates," Olejnik said.

India's Computer ​Emergency Response ⁠Team said on Wednesday some eMudhra intermediate certificates had been compromised.

eMudhra said it had withdrawn eight certificates, but maintained its infrastructure was not compromised and that no data was breached. ([Abhirami G / Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/indian-firm-emudhra-exits-global-digital-certificates-business-after-2026-10-22/?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*Ars Technica*](https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/10/disgraced-emudhra-drops-out-of-tls-business-following-certificate-debacle/?mid=1&ref=metacurity.com#cid=3769663)*,* [*eMudhra Limited*](https://emudhra.com/en/press-release/emudhra-to-exit-global-ssl-tls-certificate-business?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*The Register*](https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/10/22/disgraced-indian-cert-issuer-leaves-the-cert-issuing-business/5304848?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*CyberScoop*](https://cyberscoop.com/emudhra-shuts-down-certificate-business-weak-private-keys/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*iTnews*](https://www.itnews.com.au/news/indias-emudhra-exits-website-security-business-629845?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Inc42*](https://inc42.com/features/emudhra-to-exit-certificate-business-as-security-flaw-triggers-distrust/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Times of India*](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/emudhra-to-exit-global-ssl/tls-biz-as-shares-30000-certificates-affected/articleshow/135122792.cms?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Business Today*](https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/emudhra-to-exit-global-ssltls-certificate-business-after-security-incident-563155-2026-10-22?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*The Hacker News*](https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/emudhra-to-exit-global-ssltls-business.html?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*The Economic Times*](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/emudhra-to-exit-global-ssl/tls-certificate-business-after-controversy/articleshow/135119151.cms?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Storyboard18*](https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/emudhra-digital-certificate-flaw-triggers-probe-and-browser-blocks-ws-lo-113144.htm?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*The Indian Express*](https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/emudhra-exit-global-certificate-business-security-lapse-10932595/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Aikido Security's Blog*](https://www.aikido.dev/blog/emudhra-ca-compromise?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*AIM*](https://analyticsindiamag.com/ai-news/emudhra-to-exit-global-ssltls-certificate-business?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Cyber Security News*](https://cybersecuritynews.com/emudhra-exits-global-ssl-tls-certificate/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Moneycontrol*](https://www.moneycontrol.com/technology/emudhra-to-exit-global-website-security-certificate-business-after-key-generation-flaw-article-14057821.html?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*CoinDesk*](https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2026/10/21/a-company-that-vouches-for-websites-had-secret-keys-so-weak-that-8-of-them-were-cracked?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*r/IndianStreetBets*](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianStreetBets/comments/1xcjzt8/emudhra%5Fto%5Fexit%5Fglobal%5Fwebsite%5Fsecurity/?ref=metacurity.com)[*r*](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianStreetBets/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*r/LinusTechTips*](https://www.reddit.com/r/LinusTechTips/comments/1xbirfx/cant%5Fmake%5Fthis%5Fshitup%5Findian%5Fcas%5Froot%5Fprivate/?ref=metacurity.com)

### One day after governments around the world warned that newly publicized software vulnerabilities in PHP were so severe that websites should consider going offline until they could fix them, experts and insiders said there are few, if any, reports of widespread damage.

“Across all our telemetry, and we are looking hard, we have only seen a couple of real exploitation attempts,” said Don Smith, vice president of threat research at the British software security firm Sophos.

Experts agree that that was in part because of a behind-the-scenes, global effort that identified the flaw and quietly designed a fix to address it.

The effort was aided, inadvertently, by the current limits of some widely available AI models, which did not appear to be very helpful at exploiting the vulnerabilities. And perhaps, they said, a little bit of luck.

“My sense is that these \[vulnerabilities\] are harder to exploit than folks thought at first, so this could be a slow burn,” Smith said. ([Kevin Collier / NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/hackers-php-flaws-cybersecurity-crisis-rcna605112?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*NPR*](https://www.npr.org/2026/10/23/g-s1-149503/hacking-php-flaws?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*BBC News*](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cxnv025d8qpmo?at%5Fmedium=RSS&at%5Fcampaign=rss&ref=metacurity.com)

### Japan said it will set up a team to simulate cyberattacks using AI to identify weaknesses in technology systems as ‌organizations scramble to curtail risks from flaws in the PHP programming language that underpins much of the internet.

Government and company websites across the world went offline this week after the disclosure of critical vulnerabilities in the widely used programming language prompted millions of hacking attempts, forcing website operators to rush to protect ​or temporarily shut down their systems.

Highlighting the extent of the disruption, Japan's third-largest mobile carrier, SoftBank, said on Friday ​it was suspending its emergency alert system for mobile users.

That means customers will not receive early warnings ⁠for earthquakes, tsunami alerts, or disaster and evacuation information as the system undergoes maintenance to address a PHP vulnerability, SoftBank said. ([Kentaro Okasaka, Anton Bridge, Sam Nussey, Satoshi Sugiyama, Daniel Leussink / Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/japan-simulate-cyberattacks-php-flaws-roil-global-internet-2026-10-23/?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*Shattered*](https://shattered.io/japan-ai-cyberattack-simulation-team-php-flaws-2026/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Strat News Global*](https://stratnewsglobal.com/technology/japan-ai-cyberattack-simulations-php-vulnerabilities/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*News on Japan*](https://newsonjapan.com/article/151111.php?ref=metacurity.com)

### Capcom has disclosed a data breach of its online membership service affecting over 11 million customer accounts, warning gamers to brace themselves for potential phishing attempts.

The Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter developer said customer information associated with Capcom ID was accessed by a third party on October 19\. 11.7 million email address records were affected globally, exposing the date and time of account creation, the date and time of last login, the number of logins, and the client IP address used during the last login.

Of these, 43 records of date of birth, gender, country/region, and nickname were affected, and 196 accounts saw unauthorized changes to their Capcom ID login passwords. Capcom said the passwords associated with these accounts have already been reset, as it “continues to investigate the scope of any impact resulting from this incident.”

While the data breach is damaging, Capcom insisted passwords customers created themselves were not leaked, and credit card information was not included among the affected information. It does not expect its video games to be affected.

Capcom said it reported the incident to the Osaka Prefectural Police and Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission. It told customers they may continue to use the email addresses registered with Capcom ID, but warned that there is the possibility that the affected information could be misused to send fraudulent emails. ([Wesley Yin-Poole / IGN](https://www.ign.com/articles/resident-evil-developer-capcom-issues-phishing-warning-after-data-breach-hits-over-11-million-customer-accounts?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*Capcom*](https://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/news/html/e261022.html?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*eTeknix*](https://www.eteknix.com/capcom-hit-by-cyberattack-data-of-over-11-million-accounts-exposed/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Automation*](https://automaton-media.com/en/news/capcom-reports-large-scale-data-breach-affecting-approximately-11-77-million-capcom-id-accounts-no-credit-card-information-compromised/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Video Games Chronicle*](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/capcom-says-a-data-breach-affected-more-than-11-million-capcom-id-accounts-credit-card-details-unaffected/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Notebookcheck*](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Capcom-confirms-major-data-breach-affecting-more-than-11-7-million-Capcom-ID-accounts-worldwide.1431069.0.html?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Games Industry Biz*](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/capcom-affected-by-data-breach-over-117m-capcom-id-accounts-compromised?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Bleeping Computer*](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/capcom-confirms-data-breach-affecting-117-million-accounts/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*PC Gamer*](https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/capcom-confirms-a-data-breach-has-affected-over-11-million-people-with-emails-ip-addresses-and-birthdays-caught-up-in-the-mix/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Nintendo Life*](https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/10/capcom-data-breach-results-in-unauthorised-access-to-more-than-11-7-million-capcom-id-accounts?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*TweakTown*](https://www.tweaktown.com/news/114235/capcom-data-breach-exposes-account-details-for-over-11-million-users/index.html?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Help Net Security*](https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/10/23/capcom-id-data-breach-11-million-records-exposed/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Security Week*](https://www.securityweek.com/11-million-impacted-by-capcom-data-breach/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Security Magazine*](https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/102681-11m-impacted-by-capcom-breach-some-facing-unauthorized-changes?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Computing*](https://www.computing.co.uk/news/2026/security/capcom-data-breach-affects-11-million-people?ref=metacurity.com)

### Medical laboratory operator Quest Diagnostics said it learned of a cyber breach of one of its systems this week, likely compromising some records for patients.

In an SEC filing, Quest Diagnostics reported “unauthorized access” to its Quanum Lab Services Manager, a platform where certain clients can place test orders and receive or look up their results. The company said it discovered the hack on Wednesday and notified federal law enforcement.

How many patients and which particular records have been affected is still unknown. Quest Diagnostics said it believes “certain patient records” were accessed in the breach, but that the full scope remains under investigation. ([Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/quest-cyber-breach-82dbe1fa6ba06cf6514bc16f73e64fe1?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*SEC*](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001022079/000094787126000941/ss6979200%5F8k.htm&ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Data Breach Today*](https://www.databreachtoday.com/quest-diagnostics-reports-hack-on-system-used-by-clients-a-33185?mid=1&ref=metacurity.com#cid=3769615)*,* [*The Washington Post*](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/10/22/major-medical-lab-operator-believes-cyber-breach-exposed-patient-records/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*WPRI*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijv8yC8veno&ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Tech Xplore*](https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-quest-diagnostics-cyber-breach-affecting.html?mid=1&ref=metacurity.com#cid=3769566)*,* [*The Record*](https://therecord.media/quest-diagnostics-network-intrusion?ref=metacurity.com)

### The ​Federal Communications Commission said it ‌had blocked two devices from the US market that contain foreign surveillance chips produced by a ​subsidiary of China's Huawei, the first ​time it had exercised authority under new ⁠rules.

The US telecom agency said it barred ​a dashboard camera and a wireless video ​transmitter containing chips produced by Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon, which the agency said advertises its chip as "designed for the ​surveillance market" and includes "detection algorithms for ​human faces."

FCC Chair Brendan Carr said video devices containing ‌surveillance ⁠chips produced by companies on its national security list "pose an obvious and unacceptable risk to the nation and our people." ([David ​Shepardson / Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/us-blocks-two-devices-with-chinese-made-surveillance-chips-2026-10-22/?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*FCC*](https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-blocks-two-devices-containing-foreign-surveillance-chips?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*DroneXL*](https://dronexl.co/2026/10/22/fcc-hisilicon-chips-dash-cam-video-transmitter-first-component-ban/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Huawei Central*](https://www.huaweicentral.com/fcc-bans-two-devices-running-on-huawei-linked-chips-from-us/?ref=metacurity.com)

### AI safety evaluators METR and Redwood Research found several new vulnerabilities in OpenAI's internal system, including an exploit ​agents could have used to keep hundreds of their actions from ‌being monitored, in a pilot review earlier this year.

The exercise, conducted from July 21 to August 11, gave outside researchers "a deep level of access" to OpenAI's internal infrastructure for ​so-called embedded evaluations, the safety nonprofits said.

METR and Redwood ​said they each sent one researcher, tested an arrangement giving access ⁠to OpenAI's internal code, documentation and some technical staff. Both were accompanied ​on site and used OpenAI-issued devices that "never left the premises".

OpenAI told the safety ​organizations it has since patched all vulnerabilities affecting its production safeguards, although METR and Redwood said they had not verified the fixes. ([Aditya Soni / Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/business/ai-safety-group-metr-finds-flaws-openais-internal-monitoring-system-2026-10-22/?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*METR*](https://metr.org/blog/2026-10-22-red-teaming-openai-agent-monitoring/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Redwood Research*](https://www.redwoodresearch.org/blog/red-teaming-openais-internal-agent?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*CNBC*](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/22/metr-redwood-research-open-ai-test.html?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Finimize*](https://finimize.com/content/outside-researchers-found-gaps-in-openais-ai-agent-monitoring?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*NBC News*](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/openai-agents-are-shutting-ways-monitor-misbehavior-rcna604862?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Channel NewsAsia*](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/external-evaluators-find-flaws-in-openais-ai-monitoring-system-in-pilot-review-6483331?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*The Information*](https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/openai-numerous-vulnerabilities-ai-exploit-evaluators-find?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Crypto Briefing*](https://cryptobriefing.com/openai-patches-agent-monitoring-vulnerabilities-red-team/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Unite.AI*](https://www.unite.ai/metr-red-team-finds-vulnerabilities-in-openai-monitoring-system/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Tech Times*](https://www.techtimes.com/articles/329375/20261022/openai-found-ai-agents-that-disabled-safety-monitoring-lied-when-asked.htm?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Financial Times*](https://www.ft.com/content/45fbf130-f82c-465d-bc97-5b18c20fbe27?ref=metacurity.com)

### A DDoS attack likely caused intermittent internet outages in North Korea that took down several of the reclusive ​country's state-managed websites this week, analysis by US network ‌monitoring company Kentik found.

North Korea's internet experienced multiple waves of traffic from places such as Vietnam and the Philippines, at the same time as several North ​Korean websites began experiencing outages over a 32-hour period ​that began on Tuesday, Doug Madory, Kentik's director of ⁠internet analysis, said.

"This traffic all started at ​the same time, and it is coming from Vietnam and Venezuela. ​That's definitely a DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service ) attack," he said.

Kentik's data showed that the sharp spikes in traffic began at around 11 a.m. local time (0201 GMT) ​on Tuesday. However, the data does not indicate who the ​perpetrators are and Kentik only analysed a portion of the traffic directed at ‌North ⁠Korea, Madory said.

The outages hit more than 40 official sites using the country's .kp domain, including those of the foreign ministry and state news agency KCNA, according to South Korean media. ([Brenda Goh / Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/north-korean-internet-was-hit-by-ddos-cyberattack-network-monitoring-firm-says-2026-10-23/?mid=1&ref=metacurity.com#cid=3770580))

**Related:** [*SBS News*](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news%5Fid=N1008812111&ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*NK News*](https://www.nknews.org/pro/nearly-all-north-korean-websites-go-offline-in-mysterious-outage/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Asia Business Daily*](https://www.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2026102315160812502?ref=metacurity.com)

### The Australian federal government hit two North Korean companies and "shadow bankers" with sanctions for employing fraudulent online workers who help Pyongyang evade UN sanctions and earn cash for its nuclear weapons program.

The US and several other nations have accused North Korea of setting up an international network of IT workers to launder billions of dollars through cybercrime and overseas earnings.

The two men sanctioned by Australia — Sim Hyon Sop and Yu Py Ung — have been identified by US authorities as key financial brokers for the regime.

In 2024, the US Treasury called Yu Py Ung "a linchpin in the DPRK's illicit financial activities \[who\] is skilled at employing various schemes to avoid detection."

The year before that, the FBI offered a $5 million reward for information to assist with the capture of Sim Hyon Sop, who the agency said helped North Korea evade sanctions.

He "allegedly played a pivotal role in defrauding U.S. banks by remitting U.S. dollar payments to facilitate trade on behalf of North Korea," the FBI said.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the sanctioned companies employed North Koreans who impersonated nationals from other countries, worked on online platforms and sent their income to key North Korean government agencies.

Senator Wong said that was "a violation of UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit North Korea's export of labour" and that Australia was acting "in coordination with international partners, including the European Union." ([Stephen Dziedzic / ABC.net.au](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-23/penny-wong-north-korea-company-sanctions/107301184?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*Minister for Foreign Affairs*](https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/sanctions-targeting-north-korean-fraudulent-it-worker-networks-and-cybercrime?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*News24*](https://www.news24.com.au/politics/australian-politics/foreign-minister-penny-wong-announces-financial-sanctions-targeting-north-korean-networks-funding-weapons-programs/news-story/0dcc69f42f8a1deb15674fd05c0dde27?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*AFP*](https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3371845/australia-sanctions-2-over-north-korean-fake-it-workers-scheme-nuclear-funds?mid=1&ref=metacurity.com#cid=3770354)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fe/ca/feca6970-c474-4029-9fd4-35f85e158811/content/images/2026/10/image-76.png)

Sim Hyon-Sop has been wanted by the FBI since 2023\. Source: FBI.

### Researchers at ESET report that Russia-linked hackers used the volunteer-run Yggdrasil network to conceal communications during an attack on a Ukrainian grain logistics company, marking the first ​documented use of the technology by a state-linked hacking group.

The attack culminated in the destruction of data at the company, which forms part of Ukraine's vital agricultural export sector. Agriculture accounted for roughly a fifth of Ukraine's economy and nearly half its exports ​before the war, according to research estimates.

ESET traced the July 2025 intrusion to a ​phishing email sent as part of an ongoing campaign targeting logistics firms, ⁠grain companies and port terminals in Ukraine, researcher Anton Cherepanov said.

The attackers installed software that ​allowed them to remotely control infected computers, browse files, take screenshots and steal documents. The software ​communicated through a server hidden inside Yggdrasil, an experimental volunteer-run network with no central owner.

"Because it's a mesh network, it's harder to detect," Cherepanov said. ESET said it had not previously observed state-linked attacks using ​the network. ([Leo Marchandon / Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-linked-hackers-used-decentralised-network-ukraine-cyberattack-eset-says-2026-10-22/?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*WeLiveSecurity*](https://www.welivesecurity.com/en/eset-research/mythicratatoskr-yggdrasil-enabled-backdoor-deployed-uac0099-sandworm-collaboration/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Globe Newswire*](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/22/3386844/0/en/russia-aligned-uac-0099-and-sandworm-cooperate-in-wiping-attack-against-ukraine-eset-research-discovers.html?mid=1&ref=metacurity.com)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fe/ca/feca6970-c474-4029-9fd4-35f85e158811/content/images/2026/10/image-77.png)

Yggdrasil map with the C&C server (October 11th, 2025). Source: ESET.

### Several unpatched Linux-related security flaws were posted to public mailing lists in October, exposing technical details before fixes were ready.

The reports, submitted by Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), include two critical flaws rated CVSS 9.0 that could let a remote attacker run code on systems using the Linux kernel’s KSMBD file server. Other reports describe local privilege-escalation and information-disclosure risks.

The reports appeared on public lists, and Linux kernel maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman questioned why some submissions were sent there without patches.

But the reports credit Trend Micro’s AI scanner, and reporting on the disclosure points to updated kernel guidance that treats AI-found bugs as already public. ZDI had not publicly explained the routing as of October 23, 2026, so it remains unclear whether this was a simple mistake.

The most urgent reports concern KSMBD, an optional SMB file server built into the Linux kernel. It is separate from Samba, the commonly used file-sharing software. That means the reports do not automatically affect Linux systems running Samba alone. The immediate question for operators is whether KSMBD is enabled and serving files.

ZDI-CAN-33774 describes a race condition in KSMBD that could lead to remote code execution. A race condition occurs when the outcome depends on the timing of tasks running at the same time. In this case, the report says that a mismatch in how the server handles queued network requests may lead to memory being read or written beyond its intended limits. ZDI rated the flaw CVSS 9.0.

ZDI-CAN-33549, also rated CVSS 9.0, affects KSMBD’s SMB Direct path. The reported cause is an integer underflow: a size value can wrap around after a subtraction, leaving the program with an incorrect length.

A later memory operation may then exceed its buffer. The issue concerns SMB Direct, which uses RDMA networking, so exposure depends on the server’s configuration and use of that feature. A fix was reportedly present in a development branch intended for Linux 7.5, but that does not mean it was already available in released or distribution kernels. ([Guru Baran / Cyber Security News](https://cybersecuritynews.com/linux-kernel-flaws-accidentally-disclosed/?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*PC Gamer*](https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/a-public-outing-of-severe-and-unfixed-linux-kernel-vulnerabilities-should-have-you-thinking-of-updating-your-steamos-or-other-distros-to-beta-branches/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*GBHackers*](https://gbhackers.com/critical-unpatched-linux-kernel-vulnerabilities-accidentally-disclosed-including-two-remote-code-execution-flaws/amp/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Cyber Press*](https://cyberpress.org/linux-kernel-security-flaws-accidentally-exposed/?ref=metacurity.com)

### Anthropic said its Claude models were able to produce formal proofs for security properties in compiled code across 123 open-source libraries, a result the company described as a step toward making formal software verification practical at much larger scale.

Anthropic said the work also surfaced bugs that had gone unnoticed for years.  
According to Anthropic, Claude proved that 239 entry points across those 123 libraries would not crash on any input below 64 MB under the project’s modeled conditions. The company said the proofs were applied at the assembly-code level on RISC-V binaries and used Theorem’s formal semantics for RISC-V and Linux process behavior. Anthropic said the effort covered real-world open-source software, including libraries from Google’s OSS-Fuzz initiative, and that it represents, to its knowledge, the first large-scale use of AI to apply formal verification to production software at the assembly-code level.

The company said the proofs were generated over several weeks and that Claude also patched bugs it encountered during the process. Among the examples listed were an out-of-bounds write triggered by a rare 20 MB input layout, an out-of-bounds read in an image decoder requiring a 64 MB input and more than 2 GB of memory, a crash tied to a particular call sequence across two file handles, and a rediscovery of CVE-2026-56132 in libexpat. Anthropic also said the effort uncovered logic bugs that did not crash the software, including one case in which a file-access restriction feature was not always enforced.

The company said the proofs are conditional and do not imply the software is bug-free. Its own limitations section says the guarantees depend on modeled assumptions, including single-threaded static binaries with a fixed memory budget running on RISC-V Linux, and that the work does not cover all entry points or all ways software may be used in production. Anthropic said the remaining uncertainty is concentrated in the trusted components: the RISC-V and Linux semantics, the theorem statements, and the Rocq proof checker. ([Alvin Lang / Blockchain News](https://blockchain.news/news/anthropic-claude-formal-verification-123-open-source-libraries?ref=metacurity.com))

**Related:** [*Anthropic*](https://www.anthropic.com/research/formal-verification?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Unite.AI*](https://www.unite.ai/anthropic-says-claude-proved-security-properties-across-123-libraries/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*Crypto Briefing*](https://cryptobriefing.com/anthropic-claude-formal-verification-123-libraries/?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*CryptoSlate*](https://cryptoslate.com/vitaliks-zkevm-cost-demand-puts-ethereums-gas-pricing-under-a-second-test/?ref=metacurity.com)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fe/ca/feca6970-c474-4029-9fd4-35f85e158811/content/images/2026/10/image-78.png)

Opus 5.5 finishes proofs faster than earlier models. Share of 36 formal verification tasks proved by a single agent at a given token budget. Each task received three independent single-agent attempts at a 5M-token budget, and counts as proven when the first attempt finishes. Source: Anthropic.

### Israeli cybersecurity company Upwind, founded by Amiram Shachar (CEO), Tal Zur (CTO), and Lavi Ferdman (Growth), received a $4 billion acquisition offer from US company Datadog but turned it down, according to website The Information. 

Instead, Upwind is currently completing a $300 million fundraising round at a valuation of $3.8 billion.

Last year, it was reported that Upwind and Datadog were in talks on an acquisition deal worth $1 billion, but that did not materialize. Upwind, which is rapidly growing, then raised $250 million at a valuation of $1.5 billion in a round led by US venture capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners.

It was later reported that the company planned to raise $400 million at a valuation of $3.8 billion in a round led by TCV and Bessemer, with the participation of existing investors Salesforce Ventures, Alta Park, Greylock, Cyberstarts, Leaders Fund, and Craft Ventures. ([Assaf Gilead / Globes](https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-upwind-rejects-4b-acquisition-offer-report-1001560598?ref=metacurity.com#cid=3769909))

**Related:** [*Stocktwits*](https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/datadog-reportedly-bids-nearly-4b-195339717.html?guccounter=1&guce%5Freferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLmdvb2dsZS5jb20v&guce%5Freferrer%5Fsig=AQAAAEgwCsKnrVITGxaVX09hgCqi6nWLpbCDJyb5Fun9HwUAd-Om9PJTsy86yw3t0gkp4RJI7jl-MnmTx9rz9A7faJeAwdjNiJSF6smi9-jEJT2ZqykRgIXjtwhR1rlm4AThcsky1qftilMnPpkzmozpAAg8-T1OKcmcOp3E0tCC9DjG&ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*CTech*](https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/plg9r2pk0?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*BankInfoSecurity*](https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/blogs/datadog-eyeing-4b-buy-cloud-defense-firm-upwind-p-4225?ref=metacurity.com)*,* [*The Information*](https://www.theinformation.com/articles/datadog-offered-buy-security-startup-upwind-nearly-4-billion?ref=metacurity.com)

### Best Thing of the Day: This Was the Week for Cyber Heroes

Czech volunteer PHP maintainer Ondřej Surý [is being hailed](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/10/man-who-saved-internet-php-vulnerability/689123/?gift=iWa%5FiB9lkw4UuiWbIbrWGX0S2EScp28jU-louXZfg5I&utm%5Fsource=copy-link&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcampaign=share) as a hero for his advance work in enabling websites to fix the critical PHP vulnerabilities this week.

### Bonus Best Thing of the Day: This Is Probably a Nice Thing

Anthropic [is donating](https://www.anthropic.com/news/donating-agent-skills-to-the-agentic-ai-foundation?ref=metacurity.com) Agent Skills, the open standard that gives AI agents specialized knowledge and workflows, to the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF)

### Worst Thing of the Day: The Vulnpocalypse Will Continue

Advances in artificial intelligence[ have uncovered](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/ai-discovered-bugs-may-soon-trigger-fresh-disruptions-cyber-experts-say-2026-10-23/?ref=metacurity.com) a stream of new software vulnerabilities that are almost ​certain to trigger more disruption along the lines of the outages that percolated across global government websites this week.

### Closing Thought

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fe/ca/feca6970-c474-4029-9fd4-35f85e158811/content/images/2026/10/image-75.png)