What happened (the short version)
- A hole in the code behind about 7 out of 10 websites. Two serious flaws in PHP (nicknamed PHP2Shell) let attackers take over a website without logging in. The bug sat there for over 10 years. Researchers found it with the help of AI. (Wiz)
- Attacks went from thousands to millions in hours. Cloudflare's CEO shared that attempts jumped from thousands to millions within hours of the news. (Cloudflare CEO on X)
- Some countries switched off their own websites to stay safe while fixes went out. (The Next Web)
- Hackers are using AI too. Microsoft caught a China-backed group whose AI agents got admin access in under 3 hours. (Microsoft) One hacker used AI to break into 100+ companies, including John Deere, for about $50 each. (The Next Web) Researchers also found an AI hacking gang that went after 400+ banks in Latin America. (BusinessToday)
- Developer platforms leaked secret keys. Railway paused all deployments after customer secrets may have been exposed, and took about 15 hours to tell customers. (OfficeChai)
What's hype: posts saying "the internet is in lockdown" and "banks went dark" went viral. There's no evidence of banks shutting down. (fact-check)
See what's getting hacked, live
New breaches keep coming in. This tracker updates all day, minute by minute, with how serious each one is:
Each entry shows the company, what happened (ransomware, data breach, active attack), a severity score from 1 to 5, and the source. Bookmark it. If a company you use shows up there, go to Step 2.
5 steps to take today
1. Update your phone and your browser. Updates block the cracked security keys and patch the holes. Phone: Settings → General → Software Update. Browser: restart it so the update installs.
2. Change passwords for anything that got hacked. Start with any service on the tracker that you use. Use a different password for every site, and turn on two-step login (a code from an app or text) wherever you can.
3. Check your bank and card statements since October 16. Look for charges you don't recognize, especially small "test" charges. Using AI tools with your own API keys? Check those bills too. Stolen keys get used fast.
4. Don't give AI apps your bank login. Big U.S. banks are now restricting outside AI agents in customer accounts. (Axios) If an AI app has your bank login, remove it.
5. Watch out for fake "reset your password" messages. A big breach brings a wave of scam emails and texts pretending to be the hacked company. Don't click the link. Go to the site yourself.
Let your AI check it for you
Copy these into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or whatever AI you use. If your AI can browse the web, tell it to use the live tracker.
"Was I hit?" check
Here's a list of the apps, websites and services I use: [paste your list — names only, no passwords] Check today's breach news and this live tracker: https://theperimetersite.com/hacked-today Tell me which of MY services were reported hacked in the last 2 weeks, what was exposed, and exactly what I should do — most urgent first. Only list what you can back up with a source.
Make my list for me
Help me list every app and online account I probably use. Ask me questions one at a time (phone apps, banking, shopping, email, work tools, streaming, smart home). Then give me the full list so I can check it against breach news.
"Is this message real?"
I got this email/text about a security problem. Is it real or a scam? What clues tell you? What should I do instead of clicking anything? [paste the message — remove any codes or personal numbers first]
Clean up my connected apps
Walk me through finding every app that's connected to my Google, Apple, Microsoft and bank accounts, and help me decide which ones to remove. Start with apps that can read my email or move money.
For builders: check my project
Look at my project's dependency files (package.json, requirements.txt, composer.json, Dockerfile). Tell me if I use any of these: - litellm version 1.107.0 (poisoned release) - PHP older than 8.2.35 / 8.3.36 / 8.4.27 / 8.5.12 - Node.js older than 22.23.4 / 24.22.1 / 26.12.1 - Next.js older than 15.5.28 / 16.4.1 And tell me which secret keys I should rotate if I host on Railway.
Weekly check-in
Every week, remind me to check https://theperimetersite.com/hacked-today against my list of services, and walk me through what to do if any of them show up.
The catch: your AI is only as helpful as what it knows about you
A general AI chat doesn't know which apps you use, which bank you're with, or what's in your inbox. It can only answer "was I hit?" if you give it that context, like the list from the prompt above, or if it's connected to your accounts.
- Give it names, not secrets. A list of services is enough. Never paste passwords, login codes, or full card numbers into any AI.
- The more it knows, the better it checks. An AI that already knows your tools and accounts can spot what matters to you. A blank chat can only give general advice.
- Re-run the check. New breaches show up every day, so a check from last week can be out of date.
Facts are from the reports linked above, as of October 22, 2026. This is general safety guidance, not professional security advice. If you run a business that was affected, follow the official advisories from the vendor and CISA.