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Governments and businesses scramble to respond to flaws in PHP, a widely used web language

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 6 outlets across the spectrum.

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

Phone showing NCSC security alert on PHP flaw, with PHP logo on screen behind
Image via CNBCHow images are chosenReport this image

Reports from CNBC, Straight Arrow News, Semafor, The Conversation and Townhall describe critical security flaws in PHP, a programming language used by many websites. CNBC reports that governments and businesses are scrambling to contain the fallout after the flaws leaked online. Townhall says cybersecurity firms Calif and Wiz found the flaws in August using AI tools, and that PHP powers roughly 70 percent of websites according to Wiz. The Conversation says a flaw in the software threatens millions of websites. Semafor’s opinion column says the bugs have existed for more than a decade. Straight Arrow News says the exploit shows the limits of AI hacking.

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. Governments and businesses are scrambling to contain the fallout after the PHP flaws leaked online.

    Reported byCenter1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    CNBC
    Far Right
    Townhall

  2. Cybersecurity firms Calif and Wiz say they found the PHP flaws independently in August using AI tools.

    One outletTownhall· Far Right

  3. PHP is used by roughly 70 percent of the world’s websites, according to Wiz.

    Reported byLeft1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Conversation
    Far Right
    Townhall

  4. Semafor’s opinion column says the bugs have existed for more than a decade.

    Reported byCenter1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    Semafor
    Far Right
    Townhall

  5. The Conversation describes the flaw as a major hacking threat that could expose millions of websites.

    One outletThe Conversation· Left

What is contested

Where accounts differ

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

  • The PHP flaws amount to an internet-wide crisis.

    CNBC calls it a ‘Black October’ with governments and businesses scrambling. Straight Arrow News says it could be either an internet apocalypse or another day in cybersecurity, and that it shows the limits of AI hacking.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report critical flaws in PHP, which The Conversation and Townhall say underpin much of the web. The center stresses the scramble and asks how serious the threat is, while the right headline stresses a hidden threat that AI exposed.

  • the left

    3 outlets

    The left headline is an explainer that puts scale first, saying PHP underpins 70% of websites before naming the flaw as a major hacking threat.

    PHP is in the foundation of 70% of websites – here’s what it is and why a flaw in the software is a major hacking threat
    The ConversationLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets · 1 opinion

    Center headlines range from alarm, as in CNBC’s ‘Black October’ and a global security scramble, to skepticism, as Straight Arrow News asks whether the exploit is an apocalypse or routine.

    AI's 'Black October': Critical PHP flaws set off global security scramble
    CNBCCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    1 outlet

    The right headline credits AI with exposing a massive threat hiding across 70 percent of the world’s websites, with government sites singled out.

    AI Just Exposed a Massive Security Threat Hiding in 70 Percent of the World’s Websites
    TownhallFar RightAll 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.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center2

    catastrophic security disasterHuman complacency

  • Right0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    catastrophic security disasterMore neutral: major security incident

    The phrase adds drama beyond the facts of a security flaw being exploited.

    The world finally suffered the kind of catastrophic security disaster that experts have been warning about.

    Used bySemafor (Center)

  • Loaded modifier

    Human complacencyMore neutral: Delayed patching of PHP bugs

    The phrase assigns blame to people in general before the facts of who delayed the fix are established.

    Human complacency creates the AI age's biggest problems

    Used bySemafor (Center)

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

3 outlets

Leads with

  • scale of websites exposed
  • PHP’s role across the web
  • AI in attacking and defending the internet
See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • The GuardianLeft

    ‘Black October’: cybersecurity experts sound the alarm over new era of AI-enabled hacking

    After the discovery of a severe bug in the PHP programming language, executives warned of a coming ‘vulnerability tsunami’ Leaders in cybersecurity are sounding the alarm after the discovery of a major vulnerability this week. …

    Read at The Guardian (opens in a new tab)
  • Business InsiderLeft

    I woke up to panicked text messages about the PHP attacks. As a cybersecurity expert, here are the 3 things I tell people to do right away.

    A cybersecurity product manager explains why two PHP flaws sparked mass panic — and shares 3 steps website owners can take to protect their sites.

    Read at Business Insider (opens in a new tab)
  • The ConversationLeft

    PHP is in the foundation of 70% of websites – here’s what it is and why a flaw in the software is a major hacking threat

    A cybersecurity researcher explains how a flaw in widespread software makes millions of websites vulnerable to hackers – and underscores the role of AI in attacking and defending the internet.

    Read at The Conversation (opens in a new tab)

From the center

2 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • global security scramble
  • AI’s role in the flaws
  • how serious the threat is
See the 3 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • Straight Arrow NewsCenter

    The internet apocalypse or another day in cybersecurity? The PHP exploit could be either

    A publicized exploit for PHP, a core internet scripting language, shows AI hacking's limits and highlights the cybersecurity industry's importance.

    Read at Straight Arrow News (opens in a new tab)
  • CNBCCenter

    AI's 'Black October': Critical PHP flaws set off global security scramble

    Governments and businesses around the globe are scrambling to contain the fallout after the PHP vulnerabilities leaked online.

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

    Loaded modifier“Human complacency”The phrase assigns blame to people in general before the facts of who delayed the fix are established.More neutral: Delayed patching of PHP bugsDisagree with this highlight? creates the AI age's biggest problems

    The bugs OpenAI models discovered this week have existed for more than a decade, and PHP, the programming language that contained them, is 30 years old.

    Read at Semafor (opens in a new tab)

From the right

1 outlet

Leads with

  • AI discovery of the flaws
  • government websites at risk
  • hackers taking over servers
See the headline from the rightHide the headlines
  • TownhallFar Right

    AI Just Exposed a Massive Security Threat Hiding in 70 Percent of the World’s Websites

    Artificial intelligence has uncovered security flaws that could let hackers take over the servers behind nearly 70 percent of the world's websites, including most government websites.

    Read at Townhall (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

    2 hr 15 min later

    Its first report, Oct 23, 1:43 PM EDT

  • Center

    First to report

    CNBC, Oct 23, 11:27 AM EDT

  • Right

    2 hr 32 min later

    Its first report, Oct 23, 2:00 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. CNBCCenterOct 23, 11:27 AM EDT
  2. Straight Arrow NewsCenterOct 23, 12:09 PM EDT
  3. The ConversationLeftOct 23, 1:43 PM EDT
  4. TownhallFar RightOct 23, 2:00 PM EDT
  5. Business InsiderLeftOct 23, 2:24 PM EDT
  6. The GuardianLeftOct 23, 2:48 PM EDT

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

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