BIS warns AI could cut banks’ patching window to minutes

Advanced AI has cut the time banks may have to repair software flaws from weeks to minutes, according to a new Bank for International Settlements paper that calls for faster security decisions and patching. Summary The BIS paper says AI can help find software flaws and turn them into working attacks. Its authors warn that scheduled security checks and patching may be too slow. U.S. and overseas authorities are pressing financial firms to improve cyber response and recovery. A July incident involving OpenAI agents and Hugging Face showed how a test could reach real systems The Bank for International Settlements paper, published on Sep. 9 by its Financial Stability Institute, says banks need to shorten the time between finding a weakness, approving a fix, and installing it. Its authors identify AI systems that can find vulnerabilities and turn them into working attacks as the main change facing financial firms. “The window between vulnerability discovery and exploitation has narrowed from weeks to minutes,” the authors wrote. The paper does not say every flaw can be exploited that quickly. It argues that regular security reviews and fixed maintenance schedules may leave firms exposed...