A hacker has used artificial intelligence agents to break into websites belonging to more than 100 companies across several countries, raising fresh concerns about the growing role of AI in cybercrime.

A Reuters investigation published on October 19 reported that the operation targeted companies in the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. Among the businesses affected were farm equipment manufacturer Deere, home appliance maker SharkNinja and engine manufacturer Cummins.

According to the report, the hacker relied heavily on artificial intelligence to carry out the intrusions, allowing automated agents to identify weaknesses and attempt to exploit them with limited human intervention.

Snorre Fagerland, a principal threat researcher at cybersecurity company NorForge, monitored the activity and described how the operation unfolded over several weeks.

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The investigation found that the hacker used the open-source AI platform Cairn to direct the agents. The instructions reportedly required fewer than 100 Chinese characters, illustrating how relatively short commands could set complex automated processes in motion.

The agents spent hours probing targeted websites and attempting to exploit security weaknesses. Some successful intrusions reportedly took about 23 hours, while the estimated total cost of the campaign was approximately $5,000.

That would put the average cost at around $50 per successful breach, although the figure is an estimate based on the reported operation rather than a general measure of the cost of cyberattacks.

The incident demonstrates how AI tools could lower the technical and financial barriers facing cybercriminals. Tasks that previously required substantial manual effort can increasingly be delegated to automated systems capable of running for extended periods.

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However, the scale of an intrusion does not necessarily indicate the amount of damage caused. Reuters reported that affected companies confirmed breaches but said the damage or data compromise was limited.

The findings nevertheless highlight the risks organisations face when exposed systems can be identified and attacked automatically. Businesses may need to strengthen vulnerability management, monitor unusual activity and improve their ability to detect automated attempts to gain access.

The case also raises questions about responsibility when artificial intelligence is used to carry out complex operations. Although the technology can support legitimate security testing, the same capabilities can be redirected towards unauthorised access.

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Cybersecurity specialists have warned that AI-assisted attacks may become faster and easier to scale as the tools improve. Companies, regulators and technology developers are therefore under pressure to ensure that security measures keep pace with the changing threat.

The investigation does not establish that every AI-assisted attack will achieve similar results. It does, however, provide a concrete example of how a single operator can use automated agents to target a large number of organisations.

The episode reinforces the importance of basic cybersecurity protections, including timely software updates, secure credentials, access controls and continuous monitoring of internet-facing systems.

(Reuters)

Burkina Faso’s parliament has voted unanimously to reinstate the death penalty for crimes including terrorism, espionage and treason, ending the country’s abolition of capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 2018.

All 71 members of the West African country’s transitional legislature supported the revised penal code on Tuesday, October 20, following its presentation by Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala, according to the Associated Press.

The decision restores capital punishment nearly four decades after the country’s last known execution, which took place in 1988, according to Human Rights Watch.

The military-led government’s Council of Ministers approved a bill to restore the death penalty in December 2025, prompting criticism from international human rights organisations.

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Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch warned that the move could threaten fundamental rights and be used to suppress critics of the authorities.

Burkina Faso’s military government has previously faced allegations of detaining journalists, human rights defenders and other perceived opponents. The authorities also dissolved political parties earlier in 2026 and repealed the laws governing their activities.

The reinstatement comes as the country continues to battle an armed insurgency involving militant groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The violence has killed thousands of people and displaced millions across Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel region.

The government has presented the tougher penal code as part of its response to the security crisis. Bayala had indicated in 2024 that the death penalty would be included in a revised criminal code.

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According to Reuters, the revised code also provides for capital punishment in cases involving the importation of expired or prohibited products that result in death, although the precise scope and implementation of the new provisions will depend on the final legal text.

Human rights organisations have questioned whether restoring the death penalty will improve security, warning that it could deepen repression and create additional risks for people accused of offences.

Human Rights Watch previously said the proposed change could intensify a climate of fear and send a chilling message to critics of the military authorities.

The country’s security forces have also faced allegations of serious abuses during counterinsurgency operations. Human Rights Watch reported this year that government forces killed more than twice as many civilians as jihadist fighters between 2023 and 2025.

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Armed groups, including Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaida-linked organisation, have also been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by rights groups.

Burkina Faso, a landlocked country with a population of about 23 million, has been governed by military authorities since a coup in 2022. The junta has repeatedly delayed a return to civilian rule as it seeks to contain the insurgency.

The parliamentary vote marks a significant change in the country’s criminal justice policy. Burkina Faso abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 2018 under former President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, although the last known execution had taken place decades earlier.

The decision is likely to renew scrutiny of the country’s human rights record as authorities pursue their security campaign against armed groups.

(apnews)

A foodborne illness outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce distributed in the United States has sickened 12,883 people, hospitalised 570 and caused two deaths, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The outbreak was linked to Cyclospora, a parasite that can cause intestinal illness. The FDA identified iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico by Taylor Farms de Mexico as the implicated product in the investigation, which has now been closed.

The agency said the company began voluntarily removing affected iceberg lettuce from the US market on July 17, 2026. The recall included certain Marketside-branded iceberg salad and shredded lettuce products sold at selected Walmart stores, as well as products distributed to food-service customers.

The affected retail products included 12-ounce and 24-ounce iceberg salads and eight-ounce and 16-ounce shredded lettuce packages bearing specified best-before dates between July 18 and August 3, 2026.

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The FDA said those dates had passed and the recalled products should no longer be available in stores or restaurants. The agency’s investigation status is listed as ended, although it said it would provide updates on post-outbreak response activities.

The scale of the outbreak has raised concerns about the difficulty of tracing contamination through complex food supply chains and communicating recall information quickly to consumers.

Cyclospora infection, known as cyclosporiasis, can cause frequent diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea and fatigue. Some infected people may not experience symptoms, while others can develop prolonged illness.

The FDA warns that complications can include dehydration, and symptoms may appear to improve before returning. People with weakened immune systems may face more serious or longer-lasting illness.

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The recalled lettuce was distributed to food-service customers across numerous US states, while selected Walmart stores also received affected Marketside products. The FDA noted that distribution may have extended beyond the locations it had confirmed.

The agency advised consumers who had purchased or received affected lettuce to ensure the products were not consumed and to clean and sanitise surfaces or containers that had come into contact with them.

The outbreak also highlights the challenges facing regulators when produce is distributed across multiple states and food-service businesses. Investigators were able to identify an implicated supplier, but the investigation’s closure did not mean that the outbreak had been small: the final reported figures showed thousands of illnesses and hundreds of hospitalisations.

The FDA said it would continue providing information about post-outbreak activities as it became available.

(FDA)