
Tenable’s Research Special Operations (RSO) team has been tracking a cluster of agentic AI threat activity since late July 2026. The Taiwan autonomous AI cyber attack confirmed what the cluster data already showed: near-autonomous offensive AI has crossed from theoretical risk to operational reality. Key Takeaways Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs confirmed a near-autonomous AI cyber attack in

A Chinese threat actor has been observed using AI, specifically DeepSeek's Hermes Agent, to automate and scale their cyberattacks. The actor combined AI-driven reconnaissance and vulnerability exploitation with manual techniques, targeting internet-exposed infrastructure in Asia. While the observed campaign had limited impact, it demonstrates a growing trend of AI-augmented offensive capabilities becoming more accessible and effective.