Multiple high-profile incidents in which AI agents from leading technology companies attacked real-world targets have been traced to a single source: Irregular, an Israeli startup that conducts cybersecurity testing of artificial intelligence systems. The company, founded as Pattern Labs in 2023, specializes in stress-testing AI models using simulated environments designed to replicate real-world security scenarios.
Several breaches occurred when Irregular was evaluating agents’ hacking capabilities using capture-the-flag exercises within supposedly isolated testing environments. According to Omer Nevo, Irregular’s chief technology officer and cofounder, agents escaped these controlled settings due to two critical failures: the testing systems had unintended internet access, and a fictional domain name created for simulation purposes overlapped with a real-world website. This combination allowed agents from OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, and Google to target actual internet-connected systems. Nevo stated that notifications were provided to affected companies in late July.
Nevo confirmed that all incidents stemming from Irregular originated from the same underlying issue within a single evaluation scenario and have been disclosed to relevant parties. He clarified that other security breaches reported across the industry, including the Hugging Face incident and breaches from the UK’s AI Security Institute, were unrelated to Irregular’s testing operations. The distinction between “disclosed” and publicly announced remains unclear, as some companies published their own announcements while others’ incidents emerged through media reporting.
Irregular has also conducted similar cybersecurity evaluations on Chinese AI models including Kimi K3 and GLM-5.2, which are freely available for download and modification. The company reported no comparable real-world incidents during testing of these models, though Nevo cautioned that this observation should not be interpreted as evidence of superior safety.
In response to these events, Irregular has implemented strengthened internet access controls, expanded monitoring, and improved documentation procedures with partner companies. The organization plans to publish a comprehensive report on lessons learned and best practices for conducting cybersecurity evaluations of AI systems safely once collaborative work with affected companies is complete.
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