Chinese AI tool Artex used in wave of cyberattacks on Japan

GMO Internet Group's information security arm on Tuesday confirmed that a Chinese artificial intelligence tool named Artex was used in a recent wave of cyberattacks targeting dozens of Japanese companies from restaurant chains to car hire operators. Daiki Fukumori of GMO wrote on the company blog that investigators had determined the attacks were "almost exclusively targeting Japan" after analysing the incidents in collaboration with external organisations. The company has shared its findings with law enforcement agencies to prevent further damage, Fukumori added.

AI tool hijacked

Artex was developed to help organisations strengthen cyber defences through AI-powered security testing, but its developer acknowledged this month that "bad actors" had misused the platform — a disclosure that followed South Korean reports linking the tool to financial sector hacks. The developer halted access to the tool's source code and announced the project would no longer be updated, stating that using Artex for attacks was "entirely contrary to" its original intentions.

Servers identified

Fukumori said the GMO subsidiary had identified six internet servers launching AI-powered attacks, with each server broadly categorised by target industries including finance, e-commerce and logistics, though he declined to specify their locations or operators. The recent breaches have potentially impacted millions of customers across sectors ranging from restaurant chains to vehicle rental services.

Official response

The Japanese government has called on companies to strengthen cyber defences, while the head of the ruling party's cybersecurity committee declared this month that a "state of emergency" had been reached over emerging threats. Tokyo has urged firms to review security protocols as investigators continue tracing the origin of the Artex-powered intrusion campaigns.