A Chinese hacker recently used a small army of automated AI agents to break into more than 100 corporate websites, spending only about $5,000 on token costs to pull it off. The targeted victims included major companies like Deere, SharkNinja, and Cummins. By letting smart software look for weak spots without much ongoing human help, this single attacker managed to test over 1,200 online storefronts across several countries.
Hackers coordinate smart agents to find and exploit server weaknesses
Local security researchers found that the attacker used an open-source platform called Cairn. Instead of just running a basic scan, this system acts like a problem-solving engine. Operators give the software a target and a goal, and the system figures out the rest. The agents share their findings on a project board, trying different paths if their first attempt fails to get through.
This campaign focused mainly on online stores in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan. The bots looked for ways to run code without logging in, checking for bad file uploads and login bypasses. The main goal was to gain lasting access to shopping and payment systems to eventually steal money. To do this, the attacker combined multiple small flaws to create a single path into the server.
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Targeted companies investigate potential data leaks after the automated attacks
Deere confirmed the incident, stating that they took action quickly and found no signs that any sensitive information was taken. SharkNinja also responded, noting that the compromised system was just a separate product support site and that they had fully contained the threat. Cummins is still looking into a possible breach on a site run by a third party.
While it is still unclear how much data was stolen across all the breaches, the incident shows how easily a single person can cause widespread trouble. As tools powered by artificial intelligence get cheaper and smarter, businesses will need to adapt their defenses to keep up with these new threats. Keeping public applications updated and locking down admin panels is a good place to start.
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