morganable Technology / cybersecurity
Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for cybercriminals to automate website attacks, raising concerns about how businesses can protect their digital infrastructure as automated hacking tools become more capable.
Lagos —
A recent cybersecurity investigation has highlighted how artificial intelligence agents can help attackers identify weaknesses and break into websites with limited human involvement.
The operation reportedly targeted more than 1,200 websites, with successful intrusions affecting over 100 commercial websites across several countries.
The campaign involved a hacker who used AI agents to investigate potential targets and carry out technical tasks that would traditionally require substantial manual effort.
The findings raise important questions about the future of cybersecurity. As artificial intelligence becomes more capable, criminals may find it easier to automate parts of an attack and target more organisations within a shorter period.
For businesses, the development reinforces the need to improve security, address known vulnerabilities and prepare for increasingly automated threats.
How AI Agents Can Be Misused
AI agents are systems designed to carry out tasks towards a particular objective. Depending on their capabilities, they can analyse information, use software tools and complete several connected tasks with limited human direction.
Businesses can use these systems to automate administrative work, support software development and improve customer service.
Cybersecurity professionals can also use authorised automation to identify weaknesses in systems they are responsible for protecting.
However, criminals can misuse similar capabilities.
In the reported campaign, the attacker used agents associated with the open-source Cairn platform. The investigation identified DeepSeek and Anthropic’s Claude Code among the technologies involved.
The agents reportedly examined websites and related infrastructure, searched for vulnerabilities and attempted to exploit weaknesses.
The estimated computing expenditure was approximately $5,000. The operation demonstrates how automated tools may reduce the time and resources required to conduct certain types of cyberattacks.
However, AI does not guarantee success. Attackers still depend on exploitable weaknesses, suitable access points and the ability to overcome technical barriers.
The important change is that automation can handle more of the repetitive investigation and testing that previously demanded considerable manual effort.
More Websites Could Face Automated Attacks
Businesses increasingly depend on websites, cloud platforms, digital payment systems and online applications.
These services make it easier to reach customers and manage operations. However, they can also expose organisations to security risks when systems are poorly maintained.
Outdated software, weak access controls and incorrectly configured services may provide opportunities for attackers.
Automated tools can help criminals examine many potential targets rather than concentrating on one organisation at a time.
This creates challenges for businesses of every size.
Large companies may have dedicated security teams, monitoring systems and incident-response procedures. Smaller businesses may rely on a few employees or external service providers to manage their technology.
As a result, some organisations may take longer to detect suspicious activity or correct security weaknesses.
The reported campaign involved websites belonging to companies in different industries, including agricultural equipment, household appliances and engine manufacturing.
Some affected companies indicated that they had found no evidence of sensitive information being compromised. This distinction is important because a successful intrusion does not automatically mean that customer information was stolen.
Nevertheless, every suspected breach requires proper investigation. Organisations must determine what systems were accessed, what actions occurred and whether further security measures are necessary.
Why Cybersecurity Teams Must Adapt
Traditional security teams already face the challenge of monitoring large amounts of activity across networks, applications and cloud services.
AI-assisted attacks may increase that pressure by allowing criminals to investigate potential weaknesses more quickly.
Security teams must identify genuine threats, separate them from harmless activity and respond before attackers cause further damage.
This requires a combination of technology, skilled personnel and effective procedures.
Businesses should maintain an accurate inventory of their internet-facing systems. They need to know which websites, applications and services are accessible from outside their networks.
Regular security updates are equally important. Software developers frequently release patches to address known vulnerabilities, and organisations that delay installing them may leave their systems exposed.
Companies should also remove unnecessary services and review access permissions regularly.
Multi-factor authentication can provide additional protection when passwords are stolen or compromised.
Meanwhile, network monitoring can help security teams detect unusual activity that may indicate an attempted intrusion.
Organisations should also maintain secure backups and test whether they can restore critical systems after an incident.
The Importance of Early Detection
Detecting an attack early can reduce its potential impact.
Businesses should establish clear procedures for reporting suspicious activity, investigating alerts and containing compromised systems.
Employees need to know how to report unusual account activity, unexpected security warnings and suspicious messages.
Security teams should also understand which systems are most important to business operations so that they can prioritise investigations.
When a breach occurs, organisations must establish the extent of the incident before making assumptions about the damage.
They should preserve relevant evidence, secure affected systems and follow applicable reporting requirements.
An incident-response plan can help employees act quickly instead of making important decisions under pressure.
Companies should test these plans periodically to identify weaknesses and ensure that responsibilities are clearly understood.
Why Nigeria Should Pay Attention
The development is relevant to Nigeria, where businesses and public institutions increasingly depend on digital platforms.
Banks, telecommunications operators, online retailers, schools and government agencies all operate systems that may attract cybercriminals.
A successful attack can disrupt services, expose confidential information, cause financial losses and damage an organisation’s reputation.
Small businesses may be particularly vulnerable when they lack dedicated cybersecurity personnel.
However, basic security measures can make a meaningful difference.
Businesses should use strong passwords, enable multi-factor authentication, update software promptly and restrict access to sensitive systems.
They should also train employees to recognise phishing attempts, suspicious links and messages designed to steal login credentials.
Nigeria’s national computer emergency response team, ngCERT, has issued cybersecurity advisories covering threats such as phishing, ransomware, business email compromise and data breaches. Its September 2026 advisories also highlighted ransomware risks affecting cloud service providers.
These warnings underline the importance of treating cybersecurity as an ongoing responsibility rather than an occasional technical exercise.
Organisations should review the security arrangements of their technology suppliers and cloud service providers, especially when those providers handle sensitive information.
They should also know how to contact appropriate technical support and relevant authorities when a serious incident occurs.
Can AI Help Defend Against AI Attacks?
Artificial intelligence can also strengthen cybersecurity.
Defensive tools can analyse large volumes of security data, identify unusual patterns and help investigators prioritise suspicious activity.
Automation can assist with vulnerability management, threat detection and certain incident-response tasks.
However, businesses should not assume that introducing AI tools automatically makes their systems secure.
Defensive systems can produce false alarms, miss threats or make incorrect assessments. They require proper configuration, regular testing and human supervision.
Companies must also consider the security of AI tools themselves, particularly when those tools can access confidential information or interact directly with business systems.
Organisations should limit the permissions granted to automated agents and require human approval for sensitive or high-impact actions where appropriate.
AI should strengthen an existing security programme, not replace essential safeguards or professional judgement.
Preparing for the Next Phase of Cybercrime
The reported campaign demonstrates why businesses must prepare for cyberattacks that involve increasing levels of automation.
As AI agents improve, criminals may use them to investigate systems, identify weaknesses and perform other stages of an attack with less direct involvement.
Businesses cannot eliminate every risk, but they can reduce their exposure by maintaining secure systems and responding quickly to emerging threats.
Regular updates, strong authentication, network monitoring, staff training and reliable backups remain essential.
Organisations should also conduct authorised security assessments and review their defences whenever they introduce new technology or expose additional services online.
For Nigerian businesses, the message is clear: digital growth must go hand in hand with stronger cybersecurity.
Artificial intelligence can help organisations operate more efficiently and protect their systems. However, the same technology can create new risks when criminals misuse it.
The companies best prepared for this changing environment will be those that invest in prevention, detect suspicious activity early and have clear plans for responding when security incidents occur.
