In September 2025, the first known large-scale AI-driven cyberattack occurred when a single operator used AI to execute a large-scale cyber espionage campaign against 30 organizations. The AI handled 80 to 90 percent of the hacking work that would normally require an entire team of advanced hackers.
This changes how you need to protect your business.
AI-driven attackers work faster than any human team. They can scan more systems at once and exploit weaknesses before your team can respond. The time between finding a vulnerability and attacking it has dropped from weeks to just hours or minutes.
Your current security measures were built for human attackers working at human speed. AI threats are different; they move faster and hit harder.
You now need to assume that attackers are using AI at scale.
At Intelligent Technical Solutions (ITS), our view is simple: AI-driven attacks are here, and your defense strategy has to catch up.
You'll learn answers to questions like:
By the end, you'll understand how AI is changing cybersecurity risks. You'll also learn the steps you need to take today.
What Happens in an AI-Powered Cyberattack?
An AI vendor discovered and disrupted what many are calling the first documented AI-orchestrated cyber espionage campaign.
A Chinese state-sponsored group, often referred to as GTG-1002, ran the operation. About 30 companies were targeted, several of which were successfully breached. The targets included major technology corporations, financial institutions, chemical companies, and government agencies.
The attackers built a framework around an AI model. They used it as an autonomous penetration tester.
The AI could map attack surfaces and find vulnerabilities. It could generate exploits and harvest credentials, moving laterally inside networks. Additionally, it could sort stolen data to highlight the most valuable information.
Most of the actual hands-on keyboard work was done by AI sub-agents. The humans stayed at the strategy level. They approved key decisions but left the tactical execution to the AI.
What Does This Mean for Your Business Security?
This attack showed us that cyber threats have evolved in a dangerous new direction. Here are three keyways AI-powered attacks affect your business:
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Less Skilled Hackers Can Now Do More Damage
The attackers did not rely on exotic, custom malware. They mainly used the same open-source and commercial tools that security teams use every day. Their advantage came from how they orchestrated those tools with AI.
This means less experienced groups can now launch serious campaigns. They simply need to plug into the right AI and toolchain. You can no longer assume an attacker has to be highly skilled or heavily funded to be dangerous.
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Attacks Are Happening Faster Than Ever
The AI agents worked faster than any human team could. They scanned for weaknesses more quickly, exploited new vulnerabilities within hours, and attacked multiple systems at once.
If your patching cycles, monitoring, and response plans are still tuned for slower, manual attacks, you will fall behind this new pace.
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Attackers Can Easily Repeat Successful Attacks
The same AI that attacked these organizations also wrote detailed documentation. This allows other operators to pick up the campaign later. Campaigns can be handed off between teams and reused.
Once an attacker succeeds at one organization, they can quickly repeat the same pattern at similar businesses. Industries like healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and professional services are especially vulnerable because they share common systems and processes.
READ: Lessons Your Business Must Learn from Significant Cyberattacks
What Should Business Leaders Do Now?
Here is a practical action plan recommended for executives, finance leaders, and IT leaders:
1. Assume Attackers Are Using AI
Stop planning as if you are dealing with hobbyist hackers. Plan for higher attack volume, faster discovery of weak points, and smarter selection of targets inside your network.
2. Raise Your Security Baseline
Make sure the basics are implemented and enforced:
- Use multi-factor authentication on all critical systems
- Patch your servers, endpoints, and network devices regularly
- Use endpoint protection that includes behavioral detection
- Keep encrypted backups stored offline
3. Shift to Continuous Monitoring and 24/7 Response
AI does not sleep, and neither should your monitoring. ITS provides 24/7 monitoring and response through leading security platforms, ensuring threats are caught and contained at any hour.
4. Use AI for Defense
Work with security partners who use AI to enhance detection and response. Use AI-assisted tools for vulnerability management and log analysis.
5. Reevaluate Vendor and Supply Chain Risk
Your vendors are part of your attack surface. Ask your key partners how they monitor for AI-enabled threats and how quickly they patch critical vulnerabilities.
READ MORE: 5 Things Every Business Owner Needs to Know to Protect Against Cyberattacks
How Is Intelligent Technical Solutions Responding?
Intelligent Technical Solutions has been helping businesses with IT and cybersecurity for more than 20 years. We are shifting from traditional MSP to full MSSP because attacks like this are the new normal.
In response to these threats, we are:
- Strengthening 24/7 monitoring and response through our ITS Secure platform
- Standardizing security best practices across all client environments
- Helping clients map their attack surfaces to stay ahead of AI-driven threats
- Building and testing incident response plans
Our goal is straightforward: fewer fires, faster response, and stronger resilience for every client we serve.
Strengthen Your Defenses Against AI-Driven Threats
If you read this and are unsure how exposed your organization is, that is a sign to dig deeper. The gap between traditional security measures and AI-driven threats is growing every day, and waiting to act only increases your vulnerability.
Get a security assessment that looks at your systems the way AI attackers do. You need to review your monitoring and response capabilities to identify gaps. With the help of a security expert, build or update your incident response plan and rehearse it with your team.
Intelligent Technical Solutions can walk your team through a structured review of your current security posture. We can show you where AI can help you defend.
Ready to strengthen your defenses against AI-driven threats? Schedule a meeting with an ITS expert today or get a free network assessment to understand your current risk level.
Discover more helpful resources in our Learning Center:
- 5 Most Common Types of Cyberattacks to Look Out For
- Protecting Your Business from Cyberattacks
- How Small Businesses Can Regain Peace of Mind Amidst Rising Cyber Threats
Common Questions About AI-Orchestrated Cyberattacks
Q: Should mid-sized businesses be more concerned now than before?
A: Yes, the barrier to launching sophisticated attacks has dropped significantly. AI-driven attackers can now scan and target large numbers of small and mid-sized companies much faster than human operators ever could.
Q: Is AI also being used for defensive cybersecurity?
A: Yes, security teams are already using AI to sift through massive volumes of logs and alerts. The same capabilities that made this attack possible are also being used for defense.
Q: How quickly should we update our cybersecurity strategy?
A: You should act immediately. The AI-powered attack campaign happened in September 2025, proving these threats are active right now.
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