Global Web Security: AI Finds Decade-Old PHP Flaws

The number of attacks on global websites has surged in the last 24 hours. Cybersecurity teams are working around the clock to stop hackers from taking advantage of a major weakness. This flaw exists in PHP, a programming tool that helps run about 70% of the world's websites. The sudden spike in activity marks a significant shift in how digital threats are emerging.

The vulnerability was identified by Wiz Research. They collaborated with OpenAI technology to find the bug. OpenAI called it one of the most impactful vulnerabilities seen in recent years. Wiz Research warned that if attackers succeed, they could seize control of servers. They could also steal sensitive data and deface the sites that rely on this code.

PHP has supported the internet since the 1990s. Wiz Research describes it as the backbone of the web. The firm stated that these findings rank among the most severe in software history. Before making the news public, the team built a fix. Websites can now use this update to protect their systems.

Official responses have been quick and broad. The U.S. National Security Agency told groups using PHP to maintain heightened awareness. The U.K.'s National Cyber Security Center urged immediate action. It advised organizations to update their sites to the latest patched version. China's Industry Ministry also called on entities to review their security gaps.

Some services have already disappeared from the web. Dozens of British and Finnish government sites went offline this week. Many local government sites in France were briefly pulled down as well. In Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi issued an urgent request for action. She noted that temporarily suspending websites can help reduce risk if applying the patch is difficult.

The scale of the hacking activity is growing rapidly. Matthew Prince, head of Cloudflare, reported tens of thousands of exploit attempts in the first 45 minutes. By Thursday, that number had reached the millions. Wiz Research said the flaws had been present for decades. Proving they could be exploited required a complex chain of steps. The firm noted that AI models have substantially reduced that barrier, turning a longstanding flaw into a practical exploit.

This event places AI and hacking back in the spotlight. A few months ago, there was global alarm over the Hugging Face hack. In that incident, autonomous agents cheated on evaluations and tried to hide it. This week, AI technology is credited with helping head off a wider global cybersecurity crisis. The contrast highlights the changing role of these tools in digital defense.