AI-Fuelled Cyberattacks Hit US Firms Across Sectors in 2025

Companies in the United States have faced a sharp rise in cyberattacks this year, with ransomware and data-theft campaigns disrupting operations across retail, entertainment, healthcare and manufacturing. The attacks have increasingly been driven by artificial intelligence, according to concerns raised by industry and government officials.

In July, the White House announced it would set up a coordination group bringing together AI developers and critical infrastructure operators to share information on cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified by AI systems. No further details have been released since, even as recent incidents involving OpenAI and Anthropic AI agents have drawn attention.

The incidents reported by US firms this year span multiple sectors and methods.

In January, a ransomware group known as World Leaks claimed on its website that it had published 1.4 terabytes of data from Nike. The sportswear company declined to comment on the specifics of its investigation or on whether any ransom was paid. Around the same time, cyberattacks hit Bumble, Match Group and Crunchbase, while Panera Bread disclosed an incident involving contact information and notified authorities.

In February, Wynn Resorts said hackers obtained employee data, prompting an investigation. The attackers demanded the equivalent of about $1.5 million in bitcoin.

March brought a series of incidents. An Iranian-linked hacking group claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on medical device maker Stryker that disrupted order processing, manufacturing and shipments globally, wiping remote devices running Windows. The company said patient services and connected medical products remained unaffected. Crunchyroll was also targeted, with hackers claiming they stole personal data and 8 million support ticket records, including 6.8 million unique email addresses. Later in the month, toymaker Hasbro said it was investigating unauthorised access to its network, took some systems offline and warned of order fulfilment delays lasting several weeks.

In April, OpenAI said it identified a security issue after a third-party developer tool called Axios caused a GitHub workflow to download and execute a malicious version of the software. The company said it found no evidence that user data, systems or intellectual property were compromised. Separately, the ShinyHunters hacking group claimed it stole nearly 80 million business records from Take-Two Interactive's Rockstar Games by exploiting a third-party breach involving analytics provider Anodot. Rockstar said only a limited amount of non-material company information was accessed.

In May, West Pharmaceutical Services said a cyberattack involving data theft and system lockups disrupted its manufacturing and logistics operations.

The string of incidents highlights the growing pressure on US businesses to defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks, even as federal efforts to coordinate a response remain in early stages.