Hacker Uses Autonomous AI Agents to Breach Over 100 Company Websites Including John Deere and SharkNinja

Image: A hacker broke into John Deere and SharkNinja with an army of AI agents · Source

A hacker employed AI agents running on the Cairn platform to infiltrate more than 100 websites globally, targeting companies such as John Deere, SharkNinja, and Cummins, according to AI security firm Norforge and Reuters reports.

A recent investigation by AI security firm Norforge revealed that a hacker deployed an army of largely autonomous AI agents to breach over 100 websites, including those belonging to major companies like John Deere, SharkNinja, and Cummins. The attack utilized Cairn, an open-source AI platform designed as a general-purpose problem-solving engine that allows users to set start and end goals for AI agents, which then autonomously navigate tasks.

Norforge discovered multiple exposed instances of Cairn being used maliciously, identifying over 20 probable hacking operations. Among these, one attacker stood out as the most active, successfully infiltrating websites across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan. According to Reuters, this hacker specified their intrusion methods with under 100 Chinese characters and typically took approximately 23 hours to complete breaches.

John Deere confirmed there is no evidence sensitive data was accessed in the attack. Cummins acknowledged an investigation into a potential cyber-attack involving a third-party vendor's website. SharkNinja reported the breach affected a standalone product support site, which has since been secured.

Norforge is actively working to shut down malicious Cairn instances to prevent further exploitation. Meanwhile, Cairn's creator emphasized that the platform was never intended as a hacking tool, attributing misuse to human decisions rather than the platform's design. This incident highlights growing concerns over AI-powered cybersecurity attacks and the challenges posed by autonomous AI agents used without adequate safeguards.

As AI capabilities become more advanced and accessible, both companies and security researchers are increasingly alert to the risks of AI-driven cyber threats. The breaches involving Cairn illustrate the potential for AI agents to autonomously conduct complex hacking operations, signaling a new frontier in cybersecurity defense challenges.