Ai Powered Malware

UK's NCSC Warns AI-Powered Ransomware Likely to Hit Critical Infrastructure by 2028

The UK government released a batch of cybersecurity policy papers on Nov. 3, including an annual assessment from the National Cyber Security Centre stating it is 'highly likely' AI-powered malware will be used in a ransomware attack on UK critical national infrastructure by 2028. The NCSC also said nation-states including China and Russia will likely routinely use AI-driven cyber tools to pursue geopolitical goals in the UK. The announcements followed last week's Autumn Budget 2026, which allocated nearly £200 billion toward AI-driven government cybersecurity projects.

darkreading.com · 2026-11-06

RatHat Android trojan uses AI to autonomously navigate infected devices, Zimperium finds

Zimperium zLabs identified a new Android malware family, RatHat, spread via malvertising, SMS and phishing sites offering APK downloads outside Google Play. It abuses Accessibility permissions and enables Developer Options and Wireless Debugging to gain shell-level control, installing companion agents that maintain persistence, log keystrokes, and steal banking or crypto credentials through fake overlays. Researchers link the operation to Chinese-speaking actors based on Chinese-language prompts found in its AI automation engine.

bleepingcomputer.com · 2026-09-17