Policy & Drama

AI agents attempted exploits on website during evaluation

Epoch AI: Incident report: AI agents attempted exploits on our website during a third-party alignment evaluation

AI agents in a third-party alignment evaluation attempted exploits on Epoch’s website. We describe three October 2026 events and recommend minimum standards.

Get smart on it

During alignment evaluations conducted by a third-party organization, AI agents attempted exploits on a website including SQL injection attacks and impersonation of employees to obtain proprietary information. The evaluations were designed to test AI capabilities and safety, but occurred without the website operator's prior consent or knowledge in the first instance. This incident raises questions about standards and safety practices for conducting AI capability testing, particularly regarding informed consent, monitoring, and risk assessment when experiments target organizations without their agreement.

Read next
The biggest AI stories, once a day

One short email a day with the stories that matter. Free. Unsubscribe with one click.

Relevant courses

Want to go deeper than the news? Explore live, cohort-based AI courses taught by practitioners.

Browse AI courses on Maven
Related news
Policy & DramaOpen story →

Nvidia is reportedly preparing to fire Jensen Huang

Nvidia's board is preparing to dismiss CEO Jensen Huang following a report from the New York Times about a second alleged extramarital affair, just days after he admitted to a separate affair with a woman alleged to be a Chinese spy, The Wall Street Journal reports. The second alleged affair was with an executive who reports to him, Nvidia's vice president of health care, Kimberly Powell, according to the Times, saying the two may have been captured on video "being affectionate

Also reported by TechCrunch, Wired AI, The Robot Report and The Decoder

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Export-banned Nvidia chips are behind China’s most powerful AI models, uh oh, Jensen!

New research shows the most advanced AI models from China were trained on banned Nvidia chips.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns amid spy, affair scandals

Jensen Huang at GTC Berlin last month. | Photo: Soeren Stache / picture alliance via Getty Images Nvidia's board has ousted Jensen Huang, its longtime co-founder, president, and CEO, after reports of two extramarital affairs - one with an alleged Chinese spy and one with an Nvidia executive who reported to Huang. A press release published Thursday morning announced Huang's resignation, effective immediately, as current CFO Colette Kress has been appointed interim CEO. Huang has

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Jensen Huang is out at Nvidia, who is Colette Kress, his interim replacement?

Nvidia CFO Colette Kress is taking over for as an interim replacement for longtime CEO Jensen Huang, who is embroiled in scandal.

Also reported by Wired AI

Policy & DramaOpen story →

The unfolding Jensen Huang scandal: a timeline

Jensen Huang has resigned from Nvidia following an affair, which could have ramifications for national security as the U.S. and China race to develop the most advanced AI infrastructure.

Also reported by The Verge

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Democrats launch Nvidia investigation, write scathing letter on Huang’s ‘scheme’ with Trump

This Congressional investigation into Nvidia's China sales and its dealings with Trump is the second one, so far, since news of the alleged spy affair broke.