Claude Mythos from Anthropic Reveals Critical Linux Vulnerability

A Major Discovery Thanks to Artificial Intelligence

Advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly with models like Claude Mythos developed by Anthropic, have significantly improved the detection of security vulnerabilities in software. Recently, a critical flaw that has been present since 2017 was uncovered thanks to this AI specialized in cybersecurity. According to estimates provided by the security company Qualys, this vulnerability potentially affects 16.4 million systems worldwide.

Qualys, which had access to a preliminary version of Claude Mythos, integrated this technology into its auditing process. This allowed for the identification of the flaw known as CVE-2026-64600, located in the Linux kernel. As reported by 01Net, this flaw allows a regular user to gain elevated privileges, thereby enabling them to modify files that should be read-only. Qualys has also released a partial list of the Linux distributions affected by this flaw, which includes:

• CentOS Stream 8, 9, and 10
• CloudLinux 8, 9, and 10
• Amazon Linux 2023 and Amazon Linux 2 from December 2022
• Fedora Server 31+
• Certain versions of Debian and Ubuntu

Fortunately, a patch has already been developed. Qualys emphasizes the importance for organizations and affected users to install the latest software versions to benefit from the most recent security fixes.

The Crucial Importance of Updates

The discovery of this flaw is particularly significant not only because of the number of affected systems but also because it remained undetected for several years. Qualys highlights the importance of keeping all software up to date, whether it be operating systems like Windows or macOS, or applications such as web browsers.

AI models like Claude Mythos enable the discovery of previously unknown security vulnerabilities. It is imperative to install updates that fix these vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors. For example, two weeks ago, Microsoft released an update for Windows 11 that fixed no fewer than 570 vulnerabilities, setting a record for the operating system.

In summary, the use of Claude Mythos by Qualys has led to the discovery of a Linux kernel flaw that has existed since 2017, affecting over 16 million systems. Qualys has published a non-exhaustive list of the affected distributions and advises installing the latest updates to benefit from the patches. Even if you are not directly affected, this event underscores the importance of using up-to-date software, especially in an era where AI is uncovering numerous vulnerabilities.