Cybersecurity flaw discoveries soar to record high with use of AI: data
The number of publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities hit a record high in 2025 and continued rising rapidly in the first half of 2026, as artificial intelligence helps identify flaws more quickly, data compiled by a U.S. nonprofit organization showed Saturday.
Mitre said more than 48,000 cases were logged in 2025, up 2.4-fold from 2021, while over 35,000 have been registered as of June 2026, highlighting the heightening risks of cyberattacks and the need for prompt fixes.
The findings come as a string of Japanese companies have reported unauthorized access and subsequent information leaks in recent weeks, including the Times Car car-sharing service, prompting the government to urge businesses to tighten security measures.
When cybersecurity vulnerabilities are discovered, software fixes known as patches must be applied promptly. Delays in addressing the flaws could leave affected systems vulnerable to unauthorized access and exploitation by malicious actors.
Mitre organizes and shares flaws found in systems and software for IT vendors and researchers to analyze and use to find solutions.
The number of cases registered with the organization stood in the 10,000s between 2017 and 2020, but rose to 20,161 the following year. OpenAI revealed ChatGPT in November 2022, spurring other companies to join the fray and offer similar services.
By 2024, registered cases soared to 40,077 and grew to 48,244 in 2025. The number has continued to rise in 2026, as AI models such as U.S. startup Anthropic's Claude Mythos are used to identify security flaws.
"Many companies are falling behind in implementing countermeasures due to a labor shortage within the security industry," said Yukimi Sota from the Japanese branch of U.S. cybersecurity firm Proofpoint Inc.
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