Open-source artificial intelligence aids hackers in crypto cybercrime

Open-source artificial intelligence: Open-source artificial intelligence refers to AI models and software whose code and weights are publicly available and can be freely downloaded, modified, and run locally, often without centralized controls or safety guardrails. In this news, such open-source AI models are being used by hackers to automatically generate and conceal malicious code inside blockchain transactions and smart contracts, creating a new vector for crypto-related cybercrime and making attacks harder to detect and remove. AI_guardrails: Open-source AI models can be stripped of safety mechanisms that normally block the generation of malicious code, allowing threat actors to customize these systems for offensive use without oversight. Cybercrime_trend: Recent reporting highlights that attackers are increasingly using open-source AI models to automate parts of cyberattacks, including writing and hiding malware instructions on blockchains, which contributes to a broader rise in crypto-focused cybercrime. Blockchain_attack_technique: Security researchers describe a growing tactic where hackers embed control instructions for malware directly into blockchain transactions and smart contracts, leveraging the immutability of on-chain data so those instructions are difficult for defenders to erase or disrupt.