Single operator used three open-source AI harnesses to compromise 27 retailers in five days for $25 per attack

According to Israeli security company Gambit, an attacker used three open-source AI tools—Strix for vulnerability scanning, Cairn for autonomous exploitation, and Hermes for campaign orchestration—to target 105 online retailers between September 10-15, compromising at least 27 companies and extracting over 600,000 credit card records. The operator spent approximately $7,006 on AI model access via OpenRouter over a five-month period, averaging $25 per successful attack. Access to compromised systems typically took less than a day.

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- Press[Read article](https://www.csoonline.com/article/4226861/ai-tools-help-hacker-break-in-for-25-per-target.html)
- Press[Read article](https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/09/25/crook-used-three-open-source-agents-to-break-into-a-fortune-500-hospitality-company-a-major-us-airline-and-25-other-orgs/5299012)

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