In a nutshell: Google’s Gemini CLI was misused by a cybercriminal under the pseudonym bandcampro to fully automate the setup and control of a botnet.
A Russian-speaking cybercriminal has abused Google’s open-source command-line tool Gemini CLI as an autonomous hacking agent, using it to build and operate a botnet. Security researchers from Trend Micro documented how the AI independently solved technical problems and suggested operational improvements.
The attacker, known under the pseudonym bandcampro, misused Google’s open-source command-line tool to control a botnet. According to Trend Micro’s analysis, the AI responded directly to instructions, independently solved technical problems, and in at least 59 cases proactively suggested operational improvements.
The capability became particularly evident during the migration to a new command-and-control (C2) infrastructure. Based on the instruction “Study the C2 migration,” the AI processed the corresponding manual and autonomously executed all necessary steps within six minutes: it created an archive with server code and malware payloads, set up a virtual private server, and configured an encrypted tunnel via Cloudflare. When infected systems lost connection, the AI system independently diagnosed a network conflict between old and new infrastructure. After the attacker shut down the old infrastructure, all bots re-established connection.
Botnet control was conducted entirely through natural language commands: the attacker queried which infected systems were online, requested file directory listings, or generated new malware distribution links. The botnet was organized in just three text files totalling approximately 5 kilobytes—one for jailbreak instructions, one as a C2 manual, and one as a migration guide. The system was based on a Python HTTP server running in memory and PowerShell agents that polled data every five seconds. The botnet infected eight computers at a dental clinic among others, enabling unauthorized access to patient data.
For more complex hacking operations, Gemini showed less throughput or refused to cooperate. The AI failed at automated analysis of stolen 1Password databases because the analysis process took too long and the AI lost context. In at least one case, the integrated security filter blocked a request to create self-propagating malware. Google did not respond to inquiries about the documented abuse until publication.
Source: www.it-daily.net · Published 16 July 2026
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