Australia is working closely with software companies, including Anthropic, to
deal with potential cybersecurity weaknesses. This news comes after Anthropic’s
limited release of its Mythos AI model, which has raised concerns in several
countries, a spokesperson for Home Affairs minister Tony Burke said on Thursday.
Mythos was designed to help with defensive cybersecurity tasks. However, its
powerful abilities have sparked worries about the threat it poses to traditional
software security. Anthropic itself stated that a preview of Mythos found
“thousands” of major security flaws in “every major operating system and web
browser.”
“Our government takes protecting critical infrastructure very seriously. That’s why we’re working with software providers and companies like Anthropic to make sure we know about new weaknesses as they appear,” the spokesperson said. This proactive approach shows how seriously Australia views the potential impact of advanced AI on its national security.
The central banks of both Australia and New Zealand announced on Wednesday that they are keeping a close eye on the release of Mythos. They also confirmed they are in touch with major regulators around the world, indicating a coordinated effort to understand and manage the risks.
Anthropic launched “Claude Mythos Preview” under a program called Project Glasswing. This program has very limited access and includes major technology companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Apple. Anthropic has also given access to over 40 other organizations that build or maintain important software infrastructure.
A spokesperson for Burke mentioned that this project would help provide software providers with the right tools to create more secure software and protect essential infrastructure.
Experts have warned that Mythos’ advanced coding and ability to act on its own could dramatically speed up sophisticated cyberattacks. This is particularly concerning for sectors like banking, where complex, interconnected, and often older systems are still widely used.
Simon Birmingham, CEO of the Australian Banking Association, which represents
most of the country’s big commercial lenders, said in a statement on Thursday
that banks are talking with regulators about Mythos. Their goal is to ensure the
financial system stays safe despite these new threats.
