AI is getting better at hacking power and water systems, new research shows

The world's most advanced AI models are suddenly capable of blueprinting cyberttacks on critical services like power grids and water systems with alarming success rates, according to new research .

Why it matters: Critical infrastructure operators are running out of time.

Top-tier frontier models are dangerously adept at mapping out attacks, new research from cybersecurity company Frenos shows, and it's only a matter of time before freely available AI models make such hacks easier to execute.

"It's a clock that is moving faster than we've ever seen," Steve Swick, former top security executive at American Electric Power, told reporters during a briefing.

Driving the news: Researchers at Frenos tested 10 AI models on their ability to plan attacks against industrial systems, such as the software that monitors water treatment processes.

Three out of 10 models tested successfully constructed attack plans in roughly 90% of attempts.

Performance varied widely: Three models the researchers considered to be at the frontier of capabilities succeeded in just 17.9% to 31.9% of attempts.

The strongest foreign open-weight model succeeded 36.2% of the time, while the strongest U.S. open-weight model succeeded just 5.2%.

Frenos did not disclose the names of the models tested.

Zoom in : The research included nearly 17,000 tests, including 2,520 attempts to construct complete attack plans.

The models received information about potential targets and tasked with piecing together the steps needed to achieve specific objectives.

The big picture: Critical services like water systems and manufacturing plants have long been targets for nation-state adversaries and cybercriminals.

Many operators face staffing and budget constraints.

Testing and upgrading their systems can also risk disruptions to essential services that they can't afford.