AI Agent: The entire production database and backup of American startup company PocketOS was deleted in just 9 seconds by an AI coding agent Cursor. The AI coding agent based on Claude Opus 4.6 tried to fix a credential problem on its own and exfiltrated data through a direct API call without any permission or warning.
Disturbance started during routine work
Let us tell you that PocketOS makes a software that many rental businesses including car rental operators use to manage their bookings, payments, customer data and tracking of vehicles. According to Crane, many clients have been using the platform for years and rely on it for their daily operations. This disturbance started when a routine work was being done. The AI agent found something wrong with the credentials and decided to fix it itself. Instead of highlighting the problem, he found an API token and then used it to delete a volume (digital storage space) of the cloud platform Railways. It contained live production data.
Deleted without warning
There was neither any confirmation prompt nor any warning about production data being deleted. Not only this, there were no restrictions at the environmental level. The command went into effect immediately and forever. When the AI agent was asked about this, he admitted that he had acted on his own free will and had made a big mistake in taking decisions.
AI agent admitted mistake
He said that he had decided to do it himself to fix the credential error and also believed that he should have asked for confirmation or used some other method that would not harm the data. He also admitted that he could not verify what he was doing nor did he understand how railway volumes worked in different environments.
This has happened before too
In December last year, an agent of Cursor AI deleted some tracked files and shut down some processes, despite instructions not to do so. Additionally, an AI agent from Replit wiped the entire production database of a startup company named SaaStr. This clearly shows that the AI agent is not completely successful yet. It has many dangers.
About the authorMona DixitMona Dixit is an experienced journalist in the world of technology and gadgets. She is currently associated with Times Online as the Principal Digital Content Producer. Active in the field of journalism for the last 9 years, Mona has closely observed and covered the changing landscape of technology and consumer electronics. As a tech journalist, Mona specializes in reviews of new gadgets, launch events and changes happening in the world of AI. She not only keeps a keen eye on the latest smartphones, but also deeply examines audio devices and wearables. Mona also has a strong understanding of consumer electronics, AI innovation and the smartphone market. He is an expert in converting complex things of technology into simple life-hacks (Tips & Tricks) and accurately analyzing future technology. Mona believes that the real measure of technology is not just its ‘specifications’ but ‘user experience’. His real skill is to translate complex technical terminology into simple and colloquial language, so that even a common reader can take full advantage of the technology. For them the ultimate purpose of technology is to make life simpler and better. Mona’s real skill is to convey difficult technical information to the readers in easy and colloquial language. He believes that the real purpose of technology is to make life simpler. After Bachelor of Science, Mona has done post graduation in Journalism and Mass Communication from IMS Noida, Meerut University. Before joining Times Online, she had worked with leading technology websites – Techlusive and Newsbytes.… read more