The National Security Agency (NSA) is preparing to use Anthropic’s Mythos cybersecurity AI model, according to a report by the Financial Times, which cited unnamed sources.
The report said Anthropic has deployed about half a dozen engineers to the intelligence agency to help with certain applications involving Mythos.
It remains unclear whether the engineers or the model are currently being used in the NSA’s offensive hacking operations.
Role of the NSA
The NSA is responsible for gathering intelligence through methods that include:
- Wiretaps
- Undersea cables
- Corporate partnerships
- Other covert collection activities
The agency also conducts cyber operations against foreign adversaries.
Earlier report pointed to NSA use
The latest report follows an earlier story by Axios in April, which said the NSA was already using Mythos despite a federal ban on Anthropic’s technology.
According to Axios, the restriction came after the Department of Defense designated Anthropic as a “supply-chain risk.”
The move was described as retaliation for Anthropic’s refusal to allow its AI models to be used for:
- Mass domestic surveillance
- Autonomous weapons
Access to Mythos under scrutiny
The Financial Times report comes as governments seek access to Mythos.
Anthropic has said it limited access to the model because of concerns that its cybersecurity capabilities could be misused.
According to the company, those capabilities could potentially be exploited to:
- Identify security vulnerabilities
- Conduct cyberattacks
Neither Anthropic nor the NSA immediately commented on the report.
TL;DR:
The Financial Times reported that Anthropic has sent several engineers to the NSA to help deploy its Mythos cybersecurity AI model. It remains unclear whether the technology is being used in offensive cyber operations.
AI summary:
- The Financial Times reported that the NSA is preparing to use Anthropic’s Mythos model.
- About six Anthropic engineers have reportedly been deployed to the agency.
- It is unclear whether Mythos is being used in hacking operations.
- Axios previously reported that the NSA was using the model despite a federal ban.
- Anthropic has restricted access to Mythos over misuse concerns.
