AI-assisted vulnerability found to compromise WeChat accounts

US-based cybersecurity firm Calif has demonstrated that a vulnerability allowing WeChat accounts to be compromised can be developed with the support of artificial intelligence systems.

Account security risk with artificial intelligence

US-based cybersecurity firm Calif highlighted how quickly artificial intelligence technologies can accelerate cyber threats.

Research has shown how effective AI systems can be in identifying complex security vulnerabilities.

Security vulnerability named WeWorm

Researchers at Calif identified a critical vulnerability in July within Tencent Holdings' popular messaging and payment application.

It was announced that an experimental exploit named WeWorm was developed in just over a week.

Account control via missed calls

Through this developed method, it was observed that attackers could take over an account with a single audio call, even if the victim did not answer the phone.

This situation highlights the potential risks that AI-powered cyber attacks pose to individual users.

Details of the vulnerability closed by Tencent

Following Calif's notification, Tencent announced that it had patched the security vulnerability in late August.

A Tencent spokesperson stated that the issue was resolved via a server-side update and that users did not need to take any action.

Official statements regarding the attack attempt

Tencent officials stated that there was no evidence of the vulnerability being exploited by malicious actors in the real world.

The company expressed gratitude to the researchers for reporting the issue and cooperating with them.

Call for cyber cooperation from experts

This incident renewed calls for increased bilateral cooperation between the US and China in the fields of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Analysts and experts pointed out that the two countries must be prepared for the rapid escalation of AI-driven risks.