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Chinese-linked hackers leverage AI to target firms across globe: Microsoft

Microsoft has warned that threat actors with Chinese connections are deploying artificial intelligence agents to scale up cyberattacks against multiple organizations worldwide. The discovery highlights how adversaries are automating conventional hacking techniques to compromise targets more rapidly and efficiently.

LSN India · 22 October 2026

Chinese-linked hackers leverage AI to target firms across globe: Microsoft

Cybersecurity researchers at Microsoft have identified a concerning trend in which state-sponsored hackers linked to China are weaponizing AI technology to accelerate their attack campaigns. The threat actors are utilizing AI agents to automate existing cyber intrusion methods, enabling them to target numerous organizations simultaneously with unprecedented speed.

The use of artificial intelligence in these operations represents a significant escalation in cyber threat sophistication. Rather than relying solely on manual attack methods, the hackers are deploying automated systems to identify vulnerabilities, penetrate networks, and establish persistence across multiple victim organizations across different geographies and sectors.

Microsoft's findings underscore the evolving nature of cyber threats in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. The integration of AI capabilities into attack workflows allows adversaries to operate at scale while minimizing the human resources required to conduct complex campaigns, making such operations both more efficient and harder to detect.

The development raises urgent questions for organizations worldwide about cybersecurity preparedness. Security experts emphasize that companies must urgently upgrade their defensive capabilities and implement advanced threat detection systems to counter AI-assisted attacks that traditional security measures may struggle to identify and prevent.