Study Shows Alarming Vulnerabilities in Autonomous Agents

How Hackers Can Take Over AI Systems, New Research Reveals Major Risks

New research from Zenity Labs reveals critical security flaws in AI agents from leading tech firms, including Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, and Salesforce, that could allow hackers to steal data, manipulate workflows, and impersonate users, often with little to no user interaction.

Key Findings from Black Hat USA

Presenting at the Black Hat USA cybersecurity conference, Zenity researchers demonstrated how attackers could -

• Exfiltrate sensitive data (e.g., CRM databases, Google Drive files).

• Alter AI behavior by poisoning knowledge sources or rewriting instructions.

• Gain persistent access to compromised systems for long-term attacks.

• Reroute communications (e.g., diverting customer emails to hacker-controlled accounts).

Exploits Targeting Major AI Platforms

1. OpenAI’s ChatGPT

   • Hijacked via email-based prompt injection, granting access to linked Google Drive accounts.

   • OpenAI has since patched the vulnerability.

2. Microsoft Copilot Studio

   • Leaked entire CRM databases; over 3,000 exposed agents were identified.

   • Microsoft claims systemic updates have mitigated the risks.

3. Salesforce Einstein

   • Manipulated to redirect customer emails to attacker-controlled addresses.

   • Salesforce confirmed the issue is now fixed.

4. Google Gemini & Microsoft 365 Copilot

   • Turned into insider threats, enabling social engineering and conversation theft.

   • Google says new layered defenses address these risks.

Vendor Responses

• Microsoft: Claims built-in safeguards and ongoing hardening efforts protect Copilot users.

• OpenAI: Confirmed collaboration with researchers and issued patches; runs a bug-bounty program.

• Google: Highlighted enhanced protections against prompt injection in a recent blog post.

• Salesforce: Fixed the reported vulnerability.

Broader Risks in the AI Ecosystem

Itay Ravia, Aim Labs (which uncovered similar zero-click Copilot exploits earlier this year):

As enterprises rapidly adopt AI for productivity gains, the research underscores urgent needs for:

• Stronger default security in AI agent platforms.

• Proactive vulnerability testing by vendors.

• Enterprise awareness of AI-specific threats.

While patches are rolling out, the scale of these flaws reveals systemic gaps in AI security, demanding better defenses as adoption grows.

Rubrik Expands Cybersecurity Suite to Counter AI Agent Threats

As AI agents gain more autonomy in business operations, Rubrik is introducing Agent Rewind, a first-of-its-kind solution that allows organizations to track, audit, and undo unintended AI actions.

The tool provides visibility into AI decision-making and enables secure rollback capabilities to mitigate risks from AI errors.

The Growing Need for AI Error Correction

While AI agents automate workflows, they sometimes malfunction or make poor decisions, leading to:

• Data integrity issues (using incorrect information)

• Operational disruptions (executing flawed processes)

• Legal and compliance risks (unintended actions with regulatory consequences)

How Agent Rewind Works

Built on Predibase’s AI infrastructure (recently acquired by Rubrik), Agent Rewind offers:

• Context-enriched visibility – Tracks agent behavior, tool usage, and impact

• Secure rollback – Reverts changes to files, databases, or configurations

• Broad compatibility – Works with platforms like Microsoft Copilot Studio, Amazon Bedrock Agents, and Agentforce

Unlike traditional observability tools that only show what happened, Agent Rewind reveals why an error occurred and how to safely reverse it.

Industry Experts Weigh In

Why This Matters Now

With AI agents becoming integral to business operations, unchecked autonomy poses real risks. Agent Rewind provides a safety net, ensuring enterprises can:

• Audit AI decisions (full traceability)

• Reverse harmful actions (secure rollback)

• Prevent repeat errors (learn from incidents)

Availability: Agent Rewind is available now, helping businesses embrace AI innovation without fear of irreversible mistakes.

As AI adoption accelerates, solutions like Agent Rewind will be critical for maintaining trust and operational resilience.

Friend or Foe? Workday Gauges Employee Views on AI Assistants

A new global report from Workday shows that while employees are open to collaborating with AI agents, most draw the line at having them as managers. The study, "AI Agents Are Here, But Don’t Call Them Boss," surveyed nearly 3,000 professionals worldwide and found:

Key Findings

• 63% of employees prefer working for companies that invest in AI agents, rising to 70% among Gen Z

• 75% are comfortable working alongside AI agents, but only 30% would accept one as their manager

• Trust grows with exposure: Just 36% of new users believe their company uses AI responsibly vs. 95% of experienced users

• Top adoption barriers: Ethical concerns (44%) and security/privacy risks (39%)

• Expected benefits: Career growth (85%), better work-life balance (80%), and higher job satisfaction (79%)

The Boundary Factor

Despite enthusiasm, only 24% of workers are comfortable with AI operating autonomously without human oversight.

Finance Professionals See Potential

With accounting shortages plaguing the industry:

• 76% of finance workers believe AI agents can help fill talent gaps.

• Just 12% fear job displacement.

• Top use cases: Forecasting (32%), financial reporting (32%), and fraud detection (30%).

Surprising Insights

Workday highlighted two unexpected results -

1. Management acceptance: While most prefer human bosses, 30% openness to AI managers signals shifting attitudes.

2. Boundary demand: Employees want structured guardrails, not unfettered AI accessto , feel comfortable with the technology.

The Path Forward

The report concludes that successful AI adoption requires -

• Transparency to build trust.

• Targeted training on when/how to use AI.

• Embedded safeguards in AI solutions.

Methodology: The survey polled 2,950 full-time professionals across North America, EMEA, and APAC in May-June 2024.

As AI agents reshape workplaces, balancing innovation with employee trust will be critical for organizations.

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