The cybersecurity company Calif announced the discovery of a vulnerability in the WeChat messenger. An AI model was used to identify the same flaw, which subsequently allowed for the creation of the WeWorm attack and a self-propagating worm. This malware could execute arbitrary code within the same application's environment.
The WeWorm attack provides full control over a WeChat account, allowing attackers to read and send messages, make calls, and act on behalf of the victim. The worm spreads through in-app calls to contacts, affecting both Android and iOS users. No user interaction is required for the infection to occur.
Calif notified Tencent, the owner of WeChat, about the issue in July. The vulnerability was caused by a memory corruption error in the WeChat VoIP stack. Tencent has since patched the flaw to prevent further exploits.
The AI system identified the problem in two days, and the development of the worm took one week. Calif experts noted that without AI, this process would have taken several months and a large team. The company recommends that authorities and security experts use AI models to strengthen defense systems regardless of geopolitical tensions between the US and China.