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NYT: Researchers Build AI-Powered Zero-Click Worm That Could Hijack Hundreds of Millions of WeChat Accounts

By Alexis Dufresne Published September 8, 2026 at 10:57 UTC

Cybersecurity China AI ai-business

Summary

California researchers used AI to construct a zero-click worm capable of compromising WeChat accounts and self-propagating across both iOS and Android, the New York Times reported Sept 8. Experts quoted in the piece said the exploit could have infected hundreds of millions of devices within hours had it been unleashed. Tencent says it has patched the underlying vulnerability.

Shared on Bluesky by 4 AI experts

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social: "Calif said the attack, which it named WeWorm, was the first known computer worm—a type of malicious software that can leap from machine to … →
Bill Bishop: A.I. Models Built a Computer Worm That Could Rapidly Hack WeChat Accounts https://t.co/eyMvvYfaEp →
Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social amplified

@dustinvolz.bsky.social

New: New: Researchers used AI models to build a powerful mobile worm that could fully compromise any WeChat account across iOS and Android in seconds, showcasing how AI is upending the cybersecurity ecosystem. The worm t…
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Dr. Johnathan Flowers, Bisexual of the Blade (Alt-text or DIE) @shengokai.blacksky.app amplified

@leahmcelrath.bsky.social

With all of the understandable concern about AI, I think that the humans using AI still constitute the most immediate threat vector. Vinh Nguyen, a former chief data scientist at the NSA, said this AI-created tool deplo…
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Originally reported by nytimes.com

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Original headline: NYT: Researchers Build AI-Powered Zero-Click Worm That Could Hijack Hundreds of Millions of WeChat Accounts