Document-based self-replicating AI worm targeting Microsoft Copilot for Word demonstrated for the first time

Researcher Håkon Møray disclosed a proof of concept for a self-replicating AI worm targeting Microsoft Word Copilot.

A hidden prompt inside a Word document could trick Copilot into editing the file and copying malicious instructions into new documents.

Because it can spread through normal document-sharing and editing workflows, the attack creates a hard-to-detect infection path.

Microsoft was notified months earlier and tried mitigations, but the researcher said those defenses were bypassed before public disclosure.