AI assistants with web browsing repurposed as covert C2 relays
Technical Analysis
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AI assistants with web browsing are now being shown as covert command-and-control relays, letting malware hide commands and stolen data inside routine enterprise traffic. Grok and Microsoft Copilot can be prompted through public web interfaces to fetch attacker-controlled URLs and return responses, effectively acting as a proxy. The technique works without an API key or registered account, raising the risk of stealthy abuse across AI-enabled workflows.
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Timeline
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18.02.2026 17:00 2 articles · 4mo ago
AI assistants with web browsing abused as covert C2 relays
Initial DisclosureCheck Point Research described a proof-of-concept showing that AI assistants with web browsing, including Grok and Microsoft Copilot, can be manipulated through public web interfaces to fetch attacker-controlled URLs and return responses, turning the AI service into a proxy that relays commands to infected machines and sends stolen data back out without an API key or registered account. The researchers also used a WebView2 browser component inside a C++ program to automate invisible interaction with the interface and showed commands embedded in HTML being parsed and executed.
Show sources
- AI Assistants Used as Covert Command-and-Control Relays — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 18.02.2026 17:00
- AI Assistants Used as Covert Command-and-Control Relays — www.infosecurity-magazine.com — 18.02.2026 17:00