AI-Discovered PHP Flaws Spark Global Cybersecurity Scramble

How it unfolded

Every source in the order it published, with the odds on Yes at that moment. A dash means the source published before we started tracking prices.

1. 21 Oct, 00:00OpenAICloudflare links vulnerability discovery to defense with OpenAI—
2. 21 Oct, 02:12Ars TechnicaPHP maintainers tell Web devs to prepare themselves for critical security patches—
3. 21 Oct, 11:49The VergeA critical PHP vulnerability may take websites down today—
4. 21 Oct, 12:14BBC TechnologyCyber chiefs tell websites to make critical safety update or go offline—
5. 21 Oct, 13:43Hacker NewsPHP2Shell: AI uncovers critical RCE in PHP—
6. 21 Oct, 14:03Hacker NewsOpenAI: Patch the Planet. Global response coordination as AI uncovers PHP vulns—
7. 21 Oct, 14:26Feed: All Latest‘This Is Not A Drill’: Critical PHP Vulnerabilities Are Setting the Internet on Fire—
8. 21 Oct, 14:36CNETPHP Vulnerabilities Could Put Much of the Internet at Risk, Experts Warn—
9. 21 Oct, 14:49Inc.2 Critical Vulnerabilities Could Affect Millions of Websites. What to Do Right Now—
10. 21 Oct, 14:51theinformation.comAI Finds Flaw in Popular Web Hosting Software, Sparking Global Race to Patch—
11. Show 97 later sources

    1. 21 Oct, 15:08www.theregister.comPHP devs publish critical bug fix as site owners warned: Pull 'em offline if you're unpatched—
    2. 21 Oct, 15:35decrypt.coPHP Panic: Two Critical Bugs Put 70% of the Internet at Risk, and Everyone Is Freaking Out—
    3. 21 Oct, 15:55politico.comUS, allies warn of critical vulnerabilities in programming underlying 70% of the internet—
    4. 21 Oct, 16:36All Content from Business InsiderA major security flaw found using an OpenAI model is causing internet chaos—
    5. 21 Oct, 16:56Deutsche WellePHP developers say key patches available after global scare—
    6. 21 Oct, 17:10QuartzPHP releases patches for 2 critical flaws that AI helped researchers find—
    7. 21 Oct, 17:15France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlinesGovernment and corporate websites go dark as AI exposes critical security flaws—
    8. 21 Oct, 17:42Times of IndiaDecades-old flaw discovered in PHP forces govt websites to go offline globally—
    9. 21 Oct, 17:54ProtosRemotely exploitable PHP bug found on 70% of world’s websites—
    10. 21 Oct, 17:59TechCrunchPHP armageddon: OpenAI, Google’s Wiz find ancient holes, panicking the internet—
    11. 21 Oct, 18:20The Guardian BusinessFlaw in PHP computer language leads to shutdown of websites around world—
    12. 21 Oct, 18:45The HillNSA warns organizations to patch security flaws identified by AI—
    13. 21 Oct, 18:46decrypt.coWho Found the PHP Bug That Made Governments Unplug Their Websites? ChatGPT, Of Course—
    14. 21 Oct, 18:46News FeedNSA warns on ‘critical’ cyber vulnerabilities detected using AI—
    15. 21 Oct, 18:48FortuneAI tools discovered the PHP vulnerability that could take down 70% of the Internet. Now the race is on to patch it before AI-powered hackers attack—
    16. 21 Oct, 19:03TechCrunchThe internet is having a very bad cybersecurity day—
    17. 21 Oct, 19:04The New York TimesA.I. Discovered a Critical Vulnerability in PHP, a Coding Language Behind Many Websites—
    18. 21 Oct, 20:36The VergePHP: The three letters that shut down sites all over the internet today—
    19. 21 Oct, 20:54Mother JonesAI Helped Find a Critical Bug Affecting Huge Swathes of the Internet—
    20. 21 Oct, 21:26AxiosAI uncovers massive flaw in web's foundational code—
    21. 21 Oct, 21:40The HillInternet races to fend off newly discovered security flaws—
    22. 21 Oct, 22:10South China Morning PostWebsites go dark worldwide as AI exposes critical security flaws—
    23. 21 Oct, 23:02www.theregister.comPHP blames supply chain security biz Chainguard for putting huge chunks of the web at risk—
    24. 22 Oct, 00:01theinformation.comThe Closing of the ‘Defenders Window’ Is Nigh—
    25. 22 Oct, 00:10Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al JazeeraWorld leaders warn against security flaw found in PHP computer programming—
    26. 22 Oct, 00:17Latest articlesGovernment websites go dark after AI-discovered flaw sparks security scramble—
    27. 22 Oct, 00:32Latest articlesBank, business and ministry websites halted after PHP vulnerabilities announced—
    28. 22 Oct, 00:44Cointelegraph.com NewsPHP Foundation admits ‘structural failure’ delayed critical security fix—
    29. 22 Oct, 02:00Sky News'Wider wave of attacks' feared as 'critical' flaw hits websites worldwide—
    30. 22 Oct, 02:24WIREDHackers Exploited the PHP Vulnerabilities Days Before They Were Patched—
    31. 22 Oct, 03:48BBC NewsWhat is PHP and why did it spark a global cyber-security scramble?—
    32. 22 Oct, 04:17France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines'Backbone of the web': What is PHP and how has it raised AI hacking fears?—
    33. 22 Oct, 04:21The Guardian BusinessWhat is PHP, and how bad is the computer language flaw causing website shutdowns globally?—
    34. 22 Oct, 04:28News FeedWebsites taken offline in race to patch PHP security flaw—
    35. 22 Oct, 06:10Bloomberg TechnologyJapan Scrambles to Patch PHP Flaws as Banks, Airlines Go Offline—
    36. 22 Oct, 06:37South China Morning PostHong Kong watchdog warns of hacking risks from flaws in web programming language—
    37. 22 Oct, 07:09Times of IndiaPHP2Shell: Govts on high alert over critical website flaw; what users should know—
    38. 22 Oct, 08:40Deutsche WelleGermany news: Many sites back online after PHP security fix—
    39. 22 Oct, 09:06Cointelegraph.com NewsPHP flaw draws millions of exploit attempts, Cloudflare CEO warns—
    40. 22 Oct, 10:17BBC TechnologyZoe Kleinman: PHP is the cyber equivalent of an unexploded bomb—
    41. 22 Oct, 10:17New ScientistGlobal race to update computers as AI discovers most disruptive hack yet—
    42. 22 Oct, 10:30Latest from Tom's HardwareOpenAI says ChatGPT Sol helped uncover critical PHP flaws that could affect 70% of websites—
    43. 22 Oct, 10:43Bloomberg TechnologyResearchers Say Hackers Targeted PHP Before Flaws Were Known—
    44. 22 Oct, 11:36The Guardian BusinessWebsites across world hit by millions of attempts to exploit PHP code flaw—
    45. 22 Oct, 11:48The New York TimesGlobal Rush to Fix PHP Security Flaw Leaves Some Websites Offline—
    46. 22 Oct, 12:37Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al JazeeraWhat’s the PHP coding flaw that could pull down 70 percent of the internet?—
    47. 22 Oct, 13:58South China Morning PostSingapore pushes for quick action on PHP security flaws as hackers prowl—
    48. 22 Oct, 14:15ProtosNorth Korean sites go dark while PHP flaw sparks global panic—
    49. 22 Oct, 14:23404 MediaAI Is Changing Everything About Hacking. No One Knows What Happens Next—
    50. 22 Oct, 14:40Bloomberg TechnologyPHP Cybersecurity Flaws: How AI Uncovered Software Vulnerabilities—
    51. 22 Oct, 15:12The VergePHP: The three little letters wreaking havoc across the web—
    52. 22 Oct, 15:25Ars TechnicaHackers got a four-day head start on epic PHP2Shell vulnerability—
    53. 22 Oct, 16:49The VergeThe disastrous PHP vulnerabilities were exploited days before the patch—
    54. 22 Oct, 17:12The Guardian BusinessThe race to fix huge PHP code flaw at the heart of the internet - The Latest—
    55. 22 Oct, 17:12BBC NewsRace to update services' computer systems after cyber-security flaw found—
    56. 22 Oct, 17:30The Guardian BusinessThe Guardian view on AI safety: the push for global regulation must advance | Editorial—
    57. 22 Oct, 17:43Bloomberg TechnologyOpenAI Helped Find Potentially Catastrophic Cyber Flaw—
    58. 22 Oct, 18:01AxiosBlack October: why bugs discovered by OpenAI tech are creating a cyber emergency—
    59. 22 Oct, 18:37FortuneThe PHP bug marks a dangerous new era for the internet. OpenAI’s poised to cash in0%
    60. 22 Oct, 21:13All Content from Business InsiderHere's how to protect your information from the PHP flaw, according to cybersecurity pros0%
    61. 22 Oct, 22:17Times of IndiaPHP security flaws trigger global scramble; CERT-In flags vulnerabilities0%
    62. 22 Oct, 22:21decrypt.coIs the Internet Safe Again After the PHP Nightmare? What You Need to Know0%
    63. 23 Oct, 00:30News FeedCyber security flaw threatens millions of websites0%
    64. 23 Oct, 09:32Times of India'Haven't seen this in a long time': Microsoft CEO on massive PHP flaw patch rush0%
    65. 23 Oct, 09:37NPR WorldHacking attempts rise after flaws found in program affecting 70 percent of websites0%
    66. 23 Oct, 11:30QuartzAI-discovered PHP security flaws prompt global scramble to patch websites0%
    67. 23 Oct, 12:00BBC Technology'It's been relentless' say IT workers on frontline of PHP cyber-security scramble0%
    68. 23 Oct, 18:24All Content from Business InsiderI woke up to panicked text messages about the PHP attacks. As a cybersecurity expert, here are the 3 things I tell people to do right away.0%
    69. 23 Oct, 18:48The Guardian‘Black October’: cybersecurity experts sound the alarm over new era of AI-enabled hacking0%
    70. 23 Oct, 19:04Inc.This Historic Cybersecurity Flaw Put 70 Percent of Websites at Risk. Patch Yours Today If You Haven’t Yet0%
    71. 23 Oct, 20:25Bloomberg TechnologyAI Ushers in New Era of Cybersecurity Needs6%▲6 points since the previous source
    72. 23 Oct, 20:36FortuneHow an OpenAI model exposed a flaw in 70% of the internet’s websites6%
    73. 23 Oct, 21:15Times of IndiaTwo critical PHP flaws trigger global alert; millions of services face cyber risk6%
    74. 24 Oct, 01:05Latest articlesJapan to simulate cyberattacks as PHP flaws roil global internet49%▲43 points since the previous source
    75. 24 Oct, 12:00WIREDThe PHP Meltdown Shows How AI Makes Bugs More Exploitable49%
    76. 24 Oct, 13:01All Content from Business InsiderInside the cyber flaw scramble that brought the AI threat to life49%
    77. 24 Oct, 15:30TechCrunchPHP-ocalypse: How two critical web bugs almost broke the internet49%
    78. 24 Oct, 15:46politico.comInside the cyber flaw scramble that brought the AI threat to life49%
    79. 25 Oct, 02:59marktechpost.comCognition Open-Sources an Agent Plugin that Helps Secure Systems against Recent Cybersecurity Threats49%
    80. 26 Oct, 11:50Latest from Tom's Hardware in NewsLack of staff and funding likely led to the recent PHP security snafu; project has only one full-time employee, but that's just the tip of the iceberg43%▼5 points since the previous source
    81. 26 Oct, 13:14www.theregister.comWe shouldn't be surprised about the PHPocalypse, as the internet is built on sticks and glue43%
    82. 26 Oct, 14:25Cointelegraph.com NewsPHP flaw shows AI ‘vulnerability apocalypse’ is on schedule: Immunefi CEO43%
    83. 27 Oct, 14:40TechCrunchUS government says hackers are now exploiting critical PHP web bugs21%▼22 points since the previous source
    84. 27 Oct, 14:45www.theregister.comCISA confirms PHP2Shell under attack as researchers clock successful exploits21%
    85. 27 Oct, 18:39cnet.comLast Week’s Critical PHP Warning Was the Tip of the Web Vulnerability Iceberg21%
    86. 28 Oct, 09:00QuartzA 20-year-old bug nearly broke the internet21%
    87. 28 Oct, 09:15AxiosInside "Black October": AI's cyber scare delivers a Y2K lesson21%
    88. 28 Oct, 13:30Cointelegraph.com NewsCybersecurity’s Black October: How to protect yourself21%
    89. 28 Oct, 15:59theinformation.com‘Nobody’s Ready’: AI-Found Bugs Spark a Corporate Security Spending Spree21%
    90. 28 Oct, 18:50TechCrunch StartupsThe ‘Vulnpocalypse’ is coming for the internet’s aging code, says Wiz’s CTO21%
    91. 28 Oct, 19:05TechCrunchWiz’s CTO on PHP2Shell and the coming ‘vulnpocalypse’21%
    92. 28 Oct, 19:56www.theregister.comOracle celebrates end of Cybersecurity Awareness Month with quadruple trouble21%
    93. 29 Oct, 14:39France 24 - Noticias y actualidad internacional en vivo¿Puede la IA proteger a Internet de sus propias vulnerabilidades?21%
    94. 29 Oct, 23:12www.theregister.comResearchers find bugs in 5 AI developer tools, with OpenAI and Microsoft flaws still unpatched21%
    95. 30 Oct, 08:00Bloomberg MarketsOdd Lots: What Cybersecurity Means in the Age of AI (Podcast)21%
    96. 30 Oct, 08:00Bloomberg MarketsPHP2Shell Won’t Be the Last Big AI Cybersecurity Risk21%
    97. 30 Oct, 23:13Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al JazeeraWhy AI could threaten much of the world’s digital infrastructure21%
12. NowCurrent odds21%