Story perspectives

AI-Driven Attacks Target 600 Fortinet Devices Worldwide

2/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Amazon researchers report a Russian-speaking threat actor used artificial intelligence to attack over 600 Fortinet FortiGate devices in 55 countries from January 11 to February 18, 2026.
The attacks exploited weak credentials and exposed management ports rather than technical vulnerabilities.
C.J. Moses, Amazon's chief information security officer, said the actor's limited skills were augmented by generative AI tools.
Amazon recommends disabling internet access and implementing multifactor authentication to improve security.

History

Historical Context

In response to escalating cyber threats, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security established the National Cybersecurity Division in 2007. This initiative followed significant incidents like the 2007 cyberattacks on Estonia, which targeted over 1,000 servers. Recent attacks on Fortinet devices by a Russian-speaking actor underscore the evolving nature of cyber threats, emphasizing the need for robust security measures such as multifactor authentication.

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Story summary

Amazon researchers report a Russian-speaking threat actor used artificial intelligence to attack over 600 Fortinet FortiGate devices in 55 countries from January 11 to February 18, 2026.
The attacks exploited weak credentials and exposed management ports rather than technical vulnerabilities.
C.J. Moses, Amazon's chief information security officer, said the actor's limited skills were augmented by generative AI tools.
Amazon recommends disabling internet access and implementing multifactor authentication to improve security.

1 / 2