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[ARTICLE · art-50827] src=helpnetsecurity.com ↗ pub= topic=ai-safety verified=true sentiment=↓ negative

Thousands of malicious AI skills found capable of stealing data, running malware

ESET's H1 2026 Threat Report identified over 25,000 suspicious AI skills out of nearly 900,000 analyzed, capable of stealing data, executing malware, and manipulating agent behavior, expanding the attack surface for AI systems.

read1 min views1 publishedJul 8, 2026

AI agents can browse the web, use external tools, execute commands, and perform tasks on behalf of users. Many rely on skills that define how they interact with services and data. Malicious skills can abuse those capabilities to steal data, execute malware, or manipulate an agent’s behavior, according to the H1 2026 ESET Threat Report. Malicious AI skills expand the attack surface An analysis of nearly 900,000 AI skills identified more than 25,000 suspicious skills … More

The post Thousands of malicious AI skills found capable of stealing data, running malware appeared first on Help Net Security.

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