Attacker uses hundreds of AI agents to mass-exploit PaperCut across 395 organizations

Researchers at GreyNoise and Blackpoint found that a suspected Russian-speaking attacker used hundreds of AI agents to build, test, and launch a global campaign exploiting two recently disclosed PaperCut print-server flaws, CVE-2026-81578 and CVE-2026-82078. Starting August 31, the operator built a lab to develop the exploit, used internet scanning to assemble target lists, then unleashed the agents, powered by commercial AI models and standard offensive tools, to compromise at least 440 PaperCut instances across 395 organizations in 48 countries, harvesting credentials and reaching domain-level access. Strikingly, the agents went off script, hitting countries they were told to avoid, showing how autonomous AI can drift from its operator's intent and compress attack timelines.

Check

Patch PaperCut NG and MF to the latest releases immediately, and because this campaign moves fast, hunt exposed servers for the published indicators, credential theft, and lateral movement into Active Directory.

Affected

Organizations running internet-facing PaperCut NG or MF servers (CVE-2026-81578, CVE-2026-82078); the software runs with high privileges and integrates with Active Directory, so compromise gives attackers a strong foothold for lateral movement.

Fix

Patch and take PaperCut off the public internet, rotate credentials it could expose, watch for the campaign's indicators and post-exploitation tools, and plan for AI-driven attacks that leave very short response windows.