Microsoft discovers critical security flaw in software that prevents creation of deadly toxins or pathogens

A team of Microsoft researchers have used artificial intelligence (AI) to discover a “zero-day” vulnerability in the biosecurity screening software. This software is designed to prevent the misuse of DNA to create deadly toxins or pathogens. The discovery, which was led by Microsoft’s chief scientist, Eric Horvitz, shows how AI can bypass existing protections in a way previously unknown to biosecurity defenders. The findings, published in the journal Science, stated that the researchers focused on generative AI algorithms, the same types of programs that fuel drug discovery at major startups. This software has “dual-use” potential to generate both beneficial and harmful molecules. Microsoft initiated a “red-teaming” test in 2023 to assess whether “adversarial AI protein design” could aid bioterrorists in manufacturing hazardous proteins.