AI-Discovered PHP Flaw Triggers Website Shutdowns at European Public Institutions
A critical security vulnerability has been discovered in PHP, the programming language used by more than 75% of websites worldwide, allowing hackers to execute arbitrary code or take over systems without going through login or authentication procedures.
In response, European public institutions blocked access to their websites. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre posted a notice on its website alerting the public to the critical security flaw in PHP, and the U.S. National Security Agency also recommended that all organizations and companies using PHP take their websites offline.
As a result, the website of the Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest logistics hub, suspended online operations over hacking concerns. Other European public and private sites, including the government portals of France and Finland and a school communication platform in Denmark, also preemptively blocked access.
The PHP development team urgently released a new version fixing the two critical vulnerabilities. However, some patch distributors released the code more than six hours ahead of the promised time.
Paulo Cardoso do Amaral, a professor at Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, pointed out: "There is one flaw in this security alert — it has let even hackers, who until now may not have known this vulnerability existed, know all about it."
