The hack of the Air Alert app may be one of the first signals of a larger problem, according to Ivan Prymachenko, co-founder of the Prometheus educational platform.
The hack of the Air Alert app may be one of the first signals of a larger problem, according to Ivan Prymachenko, co-founder of the Prometheus educational platform.
In his opinion, the development of artificial intelligence models can make cyberattacks more accessible and dangerous, and in the coming months, risks may increase in various industries and countries.
In a Facebook post, Prymachenko warned that modern AI models have already reached the level of leading experts not only in cybersecurity but also in finding ways to attack digital systems. As an example, he cited the recent discovery of critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a popular programming language used to develop websites and server-side applications.
Primachenko claims that using OpenAI and Google models, cybersecurity experts found previously unknown vulnerabilities that could have allowed attackers to hack servers. The problems were reported in advance to PHP developers, who prepared updates before the information became publicly available. According to the author of the post, this case shows that AI can help both defenders and potential attackers.
Among other examples of recent cyberattacks, he mentioned the theft of over $6 billion from Binance and an attack on refrigeration equipment that, he said, compromised systems in hundreds of supermarkets in Europe.
Ivan sees the biggest threat as attackers gaining access to the most powerful AI models, which he believes could lead to waves of attacks using zero-day vulnerabilities—bugs in software that developers and security experts are unaware of until they are exploited.
Primachenko suggests that there could be hundreds or thousands of such unknown vulnerabilities in popular software. Therefore, he urges not to postpone basic digital security measures.
In particular, he advises enabling two-factor authentication for important accounts, backing up valuable information, and encrypting data. He also suggests critically reviewing the use of “smart” home appliances and preparing an action plan in case of a prolonged internet outage.
Recall that on the evening of November 1, users of the official application "Air Alert" began receiving fake notifications about radiation and chemical hazards, as well as street fighting in Kyiv. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that the application was likely affected by hostile influence, and assured that there was no radiation threat.
The Air Alert application was developed by Stfalcon in collaboration with Ajax Systems and with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine in the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion. The service notifies about air, chemical, man-made and other types of danger in certain regions of Ukraine.
The application is now fully functional.
