Anthropic latest model, Mythos, scared companies across sectors because of its ability to autonomously identify and highlight critical, ‘zero-day’ software vulnerabilities in operating systems, browsers and foundational code. The company is of the view that the model is too ‘dangerous’ to launch as it can be exploited by hackers. Anthropic released the model to 40 companies, including Apple, Amazon, Google and others, and now experts have said that tech giants are likely to issue updates, patching flaws identified by Mythos, and advised users to not ignore them.The company revealed that Mythos has already identified thousands of “high-severity vulnerabilities” across every major operating system and web browser in use today. The discovery is so significant that experts are now issuing a simple, urgent directive to the public: Update your devices immediately and turn on automatic updates.A “Hacker Superweapon” in the Making?Anthropic’s Mythos isn’t just another chatbot; it is a specialist in finding digital cracks. Testing by the UK’s AI Security Institute found that the model can exploit security holes entirely on its own, completing in minutes tasks that would normally take a human hacker days to execute.To prevent a global security crisis, Anthropic is giving 40 tech giants—including Apple, Google, and Amazon—early access to the model. The goal is a race against time: find and patch the weaknesses before malicious actors can use similar AI to attack.“Whether or not Mythos is a hacker superweapon really is immaterial,” says Dave Lewis, cybersecurity lead at 1Password. “If it’s not this model, it’ll be another one in five minutes.”The New Reality: A “Cascade” of PatchesBecause Mythos has uncovered so many flaws at once, users should expect a “cascade” of security alerts over the coming weeks. While it may feel overwhelming to see constant notification bubbles, cybersecurity leaders warn that ignoring them is no longer an option.Katie Moussouris, CEO of Luta Security, explains that the danger increases the longer you wait. Once a company releases a “patch” (a fix), hackers often “reverse-engineer” that fix to see exactly what the original hole was. If you haven’t installed the update yet, you are essentially leaving your front door wide open while the hackers now have a map to the lock.(Image showing a secure vs. vulnerable device update cycle)How to Protect YourselfWhile the world’s biggest software companies are working overtime to fix the “Mythos-found” bugs, the final step of the defense relies on you. Experts recommend three immediate actions:Enable Automatic Updates: Go to your settings on your phone (iOS/Android) and computer (Windows/Mac) and ensure “Automatic Updates” is toggled ON.Prioritize Your Browser: Your web browser (Chrome, Safari, Edge) is often the primary target. If you see an “Update” button in the corner, click it and restart the app immediately.Don’t Ignore the Reboot: Many critical security fixes only take effect once a device restarts. If your computer asks to reboot, do it as soon as possible.Why This Matters NowThe arrival of Mythos marks a turning point where AI is now being used to break—and fix—the internet at a speed humans can’t match. “It’s okay to feel a bit helpless,” industry experts noted, “but the best thing we can do is stay one step ahead by letting our devices heal themselves through updates.”
