Rush to patch AI-discovered software vulnerability affecting 70% of websites

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 22 Oct, 18:15 · Archive

Governments and corporations rushed to patch vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language powering about 70% of websites globally.

Governments and corporations worked throughout the night to update software after vulnerabilities were discovered in PHP, a programming language powering about 70% of websites globally.

The FBI's cyber division warned that the vulnerabilities could allow malicious actors to remotely execute code in PHP, which powers websites and web applications. This raised the risk of sensitive data and networks being compromised. The agency recommended that operators take websites offline if they cannot update them immediately.

Multiple countries reported disruptions. Britain's prime minister's office said some limited government services were temporarily offline whilst security work was carried out, though no large public-facing critical services were affected. Finland's government website experienced disruption but said the issue had been resolved, though content restoration was ongoing. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shared a government warning advising website administrators to check if they use PHP and immediately install a patch released late Wednesday, suggesting temporary website suspension as an alternative if immediate patching was not possible.

Rush to patch AI-discovered software vulnerability affecting 70% of websites — Image: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Rush is on to patch a software vulnerability that could impact 70% of websites worldwidePittsburgh Post-Gazette · 22 Oct, 16:21
Rush is on to patch AI-discovered software vulnerability that could impact 70% of websites worldwideGovernments and corporations worked throughout the night to update software after the AI-assisted discovery of vulnerabilities in a programming language vital to about 70% of websites globally.TribLIVE · 22 Oct, 15:13

In this story: PHP · FBI · Britain · Finland · Japan · Sanae Takaichi · OpenAI

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