Hackers Discover AI Can Turn Days of Breaking In Into Minutes
Ourtake
Microsoft says none of the attack methods are new, only the speed and scale, which is the part defenders can't keep up with.
What happened
Microsoft's Digital Defense Report 2026, dated October 1, 2026, says threat actors use AI to shorten data exfiltration, credential discovery and lateral movement from days to minutes. It also reports AI-assisted vulnerability discovery and phishing, with phishing rising from 7% to 23% of initial access incidents between 2025 and 2026.