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Officials warn of critical PHP flaws, prompting some websites to go offline

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 19 outlets across the spectrum.

22 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Laptop screen showing French government website info.gouv.fr with a temporary unavailability notice
Image via The New York TimesHow images are chosenReport this image

Cybersecurity officials, including UK and international authorities, have urged organizations to patch two newly disclosed critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language used to build websites, or take their systems offline until the fixes are applied. Websites in Europe and the US went offline temporarily as a precaution. Reports say researchers using an OpenAI model found the flaws. Outlets estimate that around 70 percent of websites use PHP, and experts say attackers could take over servers if the flaws are exploited.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Two critical vulnerabilities were disclosed in PHP, a programming language widely used to build websites.

    Across the spectrumReported byLeft3Center3Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    NBC News, Business Insider, CBS News
    Center
    BBC News, Deutsche Welle, The Hill
    Right
    The Washington Times
    Far Right
    The Epoch Times, TheBlaze

  2. Cybersecurity authorities advised organizations to apply the fixes immediately or take their websites offline until they are patched.

    Reported byLeft1Center4Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    NBC News
    Center
    Sky News, BBC News, Deutsche Welle, The Hill
    Right
    The Washington Times

  3. Websites in Europe and the US were taken offline temporarily as a precaution.

    Reported byCenter2Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    Sky News, BBC News
    Right
    New York Post, The Washington Times

  4. Reports say researchers using an OpenAI model found the flaws.

    Reported byLeft2Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider, CBS News
    Center
    The Hill

  5. Estimates put the share of websites that use PHP at around 70 percent.

    One side only: the leftReported byLeft2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    ABC News, CBS News

  6. Experts say attackers could take over servers if the flaws are exploited.

    Reported byLeft1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    ABC News
    Right
    New York Post

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • The flaws put a large share of all websites at risk, about 70 percent or two-thirds.

    ABC News and CBS News cite estimates of around 70 percent; Epoch Times reports that two-thirds of all websites are at risk.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report two critical PHP vulnerabilities and websites in Europe and the US going offline. Left and center outlets stress the AI discovery; right outlets stress how many sites are exposed.

  • the left

    8 outlets

    Left-side headlines lead with the scale of exposure and the AI angle, citing up to 70% of websites at risk, while Business Insider stresses internet chaos.

    AI discovers bug that puts up to 70% of websites at risk
    CBS NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    8 outlets

    Center headlines describe websites going offline and the race to patch in plain event terms, with BBC and Sky focusing on Europe and The Hill on the warning to patch.

    Websites taken down across Europe ahead of critical cyber-security update
    BBC NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    3 outlets · 1 opinion

    Right headlines focus on sites going dark and the reach of the flaw; Epoch Times and TheBlaze go further, with two-thirds of websites at risk and the internet melting down.

    Major websites in US and Europe go dark as operators race to protect systems from hackers
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left4

    is ablazechaostotal meltdownAI-Hacking Apocalypse

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right3

    The internet isn’t safemelting downthere's only one fix

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    is ablazeMore neutral: is reacting to

    Uses fire imagery for the online reaction, which is more dramatic than the reported facts require.

    The internet is ablaze after cybersecurity researches using an OpenAI model found a bug in PHP, a widely…

    Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

  • Sensational language

    chaosMore neutral: prompts urgent updates

    Describes the reaction as chaos, a judgement that the reported facts of urgent software updates do not establish.

    A major security flaw found using an OpenAI model is causing internet chaos

    Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

  • Sensational language

    The internet isn’t safeMore neutral: Many websites running PHP are vulnerable to attack

    Makes a broad claim about the whole internet, while the reported risk applies to websites running PHP.

    The internet isn’t safe.

    Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    melting downMore neutral: is at risk

    Describes the internet as collapsing, while the supplied coverage reports websites taken offline or patched to protect them.

    Most of the internet is suddenly melting down, and there's only one fix

    Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

Show 3 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Absolutist framing

    there's only one fixMore neutral: one recommended step is to apply the patch

    Presents a single remedy as the only option, while other coverage describes several steps such as patching or going offline.

    Most of the internet is suddenly melting down, and there's only one fix

    Used byTheBlaze (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    total meltdownMore neutral: widespread disruption

    Predicts a total collapse of the internet that the reported facts do not show.

    The internet could be on the verge of a total meltdown.

    Used byThe Atlantic (Left)

  • Sensational language

    AI-Hacking ApocalypseMore neutral: AI-assisted hacking risk

    Compares the event to the end of the world, while the reports describe disruption to some websites and the release of patches.

    The AI-Hacking Apocalypse Began Last Night

    Used byThe Atlantic (Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

8 outlets

Leads with

  • Scale of websites at risk
  • AI model that found the bug
  • Urgency of the security fix

Leaves out

  • The NSA warning to patch or take systems offline

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 8 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

8 outlets

Leads with

  • Websites taken down across Europe
  • Urgent patch or offline advice
  • Warnings from cybersecurity officials

Leaves out

  • Estimated share of websites running PHP
  • Risk that attackers could take over servers

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 8 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • CNBCCenter

    Critical web security flaws spark global alarm as Google, OpenAI and Amazon respond

    Critical PHP security flaws trigger global warnings as Google, OpenAI and Amazon respond to potential cyber threats.

    Read at CNBC (opens in a new tab)
  • SemaforCenter

    AI helps find vulnerability affecting up to 70% of websites

    France, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands took government websites offline Wednesday after web developers used AI to identify a bug affecting up to 70% of the world’s websites.

    Read at Semafor (opens in a new tab)
  • The HillCenter

    Internet races to fend off newly discovered security flaws

    {beacon} Technology Technology The Big Story Internet races to fend off newly discovered security flaws The National Security Agency (NSA) warned organizations Wednesday to immediately patch a pair of security flaws or take their systems offline after artificial intelligence …

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)
    1 more from The Hill
  • NewsweekCenter

    Critical PHP Flaws Threaten Millions of Websites in New AI Security Test

    Some organizations have temporarily taken websites and online services offline rather than leave vulnerable systems exposed.

    Read at Newsweek (opens in a new tab)
  • Financial TimesCenter

    NSA warns on ‘critical’ cyber vulnerabilities detected using AI

    Researchers used OpenAI and Google models to find severe faults in software used on majority of websites around the world

    Read at Financial Times (opens in a new tab)
  • Deutsche WelleCenter

    PHP developers say key patches available after global scare

    Newly discovered vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language have put millions of websites at risk, with government agencies sounding alarms and taking down sites. Developers say updating systems is "imperative."

    Read at Deutsche Welle (opens in a new tab)
  • BBC NewsCenter

    Websites taken down across Europe ahead of critical cyber-security update

    Two critical vulnerabilities have been identified with PHP, a programming language which is widely used across the internet.

    Read at BBC News (opens in a new tab)
  • Sky NewsCenter

    Websites across Europe go offline after warning issued for critical software update

    Organisations unable to apply key fixes to widely used software should consider taking their websites down, UK and international cybersecurity officials have warned.

    Read at Sky News (opens in a new tab)

From the right

3 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • Websites going dark in the US and Europe
  • Two-thirds of websites at risk
  • Hackers gaining control of servers

Leaves out

  • Role of an AI model in finding the flaws

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Government websites in Europe go offline as companies update software flaw

    The home page of the lower house of the Dutch parliament was among scores of government websites throughout Europe taken offline as a precautionary measure following the discovery of vulnerabilities in PHP, the programming language used to build websites.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    Major websites in US and Europe go dark as operators race to protect systems from hackers

    Major websites in Europe and the US were temporarily knocked offline Wednesday as operators raced to protect their systems from newly disclosed software vulnerabilities that could give hackers control of servers.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    Warning Issued on Vulnerability That Puts Two-Thirds of All Websites at Risk

    Developers of the PHP programming language said Tuesday that it had identified two critical vulnerabilities

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
  • TheBlazeFar RightOpinion

    Most of the internet is suddenly Sensational language“melting down”Describes the internet as collapsing, while the supplied coverage reports websites taken offline or patched to protect them.More neutral: is at riskDisagree with this highlight?, and Absolutist framing“there's only one fix”Presents a single remedy as the only option, while other coverage describes several steps such as patching or going offline.More neutral: one recommended step is to apply the patchDisagree with this highlight?

    Sensational language“The internet isn’t safe”Makes a broad claim about the whole internet, while the reported risk applies to websites running PHP.More neutral: Many websites running PHP are vulnerable to attackDisagree with this highlight?. That’s the warning going around the world today, as two newly discovered vulnerabilities instantaneously made the majority of websites susceptible to targeted attacks. This isn’t a problem that impacts one site or service. …

    Read at TheBlaze (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    NBC News, Oct 21, 9:06 AM EDT

  • Center

    22 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 9:28 AM EDT

  • Right

    4 hr 13 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 1:19 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. NBC NewsLeftOct 21, 9:06 AM EDT
  2. Sky NewsCenterOct 21, 9:28 AM EDT
  3. BBC NewsCenterOct 21, 10:09 AM EDT
  4. ABC NewsLeftOct 21, 12:16 PM EDT
  5. Business InsiderLeftOct 21, 12:36 PM EDT
  6. Deutsche WelleCenterOct 21, 12:56 PM EDT
  7. The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 21, 1:19 PM EDT
  8. New York PostRightOct 21, 2:06 PM EDT
  9. The New York TimesLeftOct 21, 2:43 PM EDT
  10. The HillCenterOct 21, 2:45 PM EDT
  11. Financial TimesCenterOct 21, 2:46 PM EDT
  12. NewsweekCenterOct 21, 3:03 PM EDT
  13. The AtlanticLeftOct 21, 3:21 PM EDT
  14. Mother JonesFar LeftOct 21, 4:54 PM EDT
  15. The Washington TimesRightOct 21, 4:58 PM EDT
  16. CBS NewsLeftOct 21, 5:39 PM EDT
  17. SemaforCenterOct 21, 6:44 PM EDT
  18. Al Jazeera EnglishLeftOct 21, 8:10 PM EDT
  19. CNBCCenterOct 21, 9:05 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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