# AI agent designed to hijack exposed models for autonomous cyberattacks

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/autonomous-attack-agent-in-skynet-mode-hijacks-other-models-to-carry-out-its-evil-deeds/
- Published: 2026-10-24T13:02:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-24T13:08:10+00:00
- Original publisher: The Register
- Original article: https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/10/24/autonomous-attack-agent-in-skynet-mode-hijacks-other-models-to-carry-out-its-evil-deeds/5305215
- Topics: Americas, World

## Key points

- Attack agent was designed to run up to 100,000 steps unattended.
- It targeted exposed AI endpoints and vulnerable web frameworks.
- Researchers found no evidence of real-world attacks.

## Summary

Threat actors designed an AI agent to hijack exposed AI models and use them to run cyberattacks with no human approval for up to 100,000 steps. Symantec researchers captured its instructions in a honeypot, revealing how it was built and the range of actions it was designed to perform.

The agent was instructed to scan the internet for unauthenticated AI endpoints or ones accessible with stolen keys, then exploit common web frameworks. Its 74 offensive tools included capabilities for stealing databases, credentials and secrets, running code remotely and mining cryptocurrency; a “Skynet mode” loop was designed to find, infect and revisit targets. Symantec said it had no evidence the agent was used in real-world attacks, though its history showed activity against a live target.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.