Anthropic launches free open-source scanner to scan critical infrastructure code

Free AI tool flags vulnerabilities in open-source projects used by power and water systems

Anthropic launched a free AI scanner named OSS for open-source projects, which automatically flags, explains, and suggests patches for vulnerabilities. The tool is part of Anthropic’s Cyber Mission program, which includes a Critical Infrastructure Defense Program (CIDP) for power grids, water systems, and transportation networks. Critical infrastructure maintainers can opt in to the OSS scanner via GitHub, where it reports findings without human review. Anthropic states the scanner achieves at least 90% accuracy in vulnerability detection, though it may contain errors and requires opt-in participation.

This scanner directly supports water and power access security by scanning open-source code that nearly all modern software depends on. By identifying vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure code before exploitation, it reduces cyber-disruptions to essential services. However, its effectiveness depends on infrastructure teams actively adopting the tool through GitHub—a barrier that limits immediate reach. The scanner’s accuracy claim does not guarantee error-free results, and its impact remains confined to systems that choose to integrate it.

Source: The Decoder