Two critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language used by 69.3% of websites, have caused widespread disruptions. From Wikipedia to WordPress, sites have been forced offline. The bugs, named PHP2Shell, can allow unauthenticated remote code execution, giving hackers full control over servers.

The discovery, made by AI models like GPT-5.6 Sol, highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in security research. While the vulnerabilities are not new, exploiting them required complex steps that were practically unfeasible for human researchers. Now, the challenge is to apply the necessary patches quickly to prevent further security breaches.

Security experts warn that these vulnerabilities could lead to severe consequences, including the theft of sensitive data and the creation of new vectors for cyberattacks. Even government agencies in the Netherlands and Finland took precautionary measures, with the NSA and UK’s National Cyber Security Center recommending immediate updates. Pokémon Home and Pokémon Champions were also taken offline as a result.

For casual internet users, the key takeaway is to stay informed and check for updates from the sites you visit frequently. If you run your own website, now is the time to check your PHP version and update accordingly. Managed hosting services should contact their providers to ensure their sites are protected.