Widespread “YOLO Mode” risks in AI coding tools are creating significant supply chain and data breach exposure

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — UpGuard, a leader in cybersecurity and risk management, released new research highlighting a critical security vulnerability within developer workflows. UpGuard’s analysis of more than 18,000 AI agent configuration files from public GitHub repositories identified a concerning pattern: one in five developers have granted AI code agents unrestricted access to perform high-risk actions without human oversight.

In using AI to improve efficiency, developers are granting extensive permissions to download content from the web, and read, write, and delete files on their machines without requiring developer permission. This comes at the cost of essential security guardrails, exposing organizations to major supply chain and data security risks.

“Security teams lack visibility into what AI agents are touching, exposing, or leaking when developers grant vibe coding tools broad access without oversight,” said Greg Pollock, director of Research and Insights at UpGuard. “Despite the best intentions, developers are increasing the potential for security vulnerabilities and exploitation. This is how small workflow shortcuts can escalate into major supply chain and credential exposure problems.“

Key Findings:

• Widespread Potential for Damage: 1 in 5 developers granted AI agents the permission for unrestricted file deletion, allowing a small error or prompt injection attack to recursively wipe a project or system.
• Risk from Unchecked AI Development: Almost 20% of developers let the AI automatically save changes to the project’s main code repository, skipping a necessary human review. This automated setup creates a serious security gap, as it allows an attacker to easily insert harmful or malicious code directly into the production system or open-source projects, which could lead to widespread security compromises.
• High-Risk Execution Permissions: A significant number of files granted permissions for arbitrary code execution, including 14.5% for Python and 14.4% for Node.js, effectively giving an attacker full control over the developer’s environment through a successful prompt injection.
• MCP Typosquatting Threat: Analysis of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) ecosystem revealed extensive use of lookalike servers, creating ripe conditions for attackers to impersonate trusted technology brands. In the registries where users look for these AI tools, for every server provided by a verified technology vendor there were up to 15 lookalikes from untrusted sources.

These risks highlight a critical governance gap, slowing down incident response and increasing the likelihood of credential and data exposure. To read UpGuard’s recent research on vibe coding, visit the following:

• YOLO Mode: Hidden Risks in AI Coding Agents: https://hubs.li/Q041Cb0H0
• Emerging Risks: Typosquatting in the MCP Ecosystem: https://hubs.li/Q041CCpq0

About UpGuard’s Breach Risk

UpGuard’s Breach Risk solution is designed to turn hidden shortcuts such as misconfigurations or overly broad permissions to early threat signals like dark web chatter, into clear, actionable visibility. By providing deep insight into the AI-generated changes, access, and data flow, UpGuard’s Breach Risk solution helps security teams enforce a strict governance framework.

About UpGuard

Founded in 2012, UpGuard is a leader in cybersecurity and risk management. The company’s AI-powered platform for cyber risk posture management (CRPM), provides a centralized, actionable view of cyber risk across an organization’s vendors, attack surface, and workforce. Trusted by thousands of companies, UpGuard’s platform is designed to help security teams manage cyber risk with confidence and efficiency. To learn more, visit www.upguard.com.

Leading Edge Robot Mowing Technology Available in Walmart, Home Depot and Lowe’s

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MAMMOTION, a global leader in wire-free robotic lawn care technology, today announced a major expansion of its U.S. retail footprint that will see its award-winning robotic lawn mowers on sale in Walmart, Home Depot and Lowe’s stores nationwide. Beginning immediately at Walmart, followed by rollouts in Home Depot and Lowe’s within the first few months of 2026, the expansion marks a major milestone in the mainstream adoption of robotic mowing.

Building on its existing Walmart online e-commerce partnership, MAMMOTION products are now available in more than 700 Walmart stores across North America, representing one of the largest physical retail launches to date for wire-free robotic lawn mowers. In addition, by April 2026, MAMMOTION products are expected to be available in approximately 110 Home Depot stores and 500 Lowe’s stores across the United States, further strengthening its presence in the core gardening and home improvement market.

The Walmart lineup will feature MAMMOTION’s flagship LUBA 2 AWD, designed for complex terrain, and the 2-in-1 self-emptying YUKA Series robotic lawn care solution. The expansion positions MAMMOTION among the first robotic mower brands to achieve large-scale national retail distribution, accelerating the move of autonomous outdoor technology into the mass market.

“Robotic mowing has reached a level of maturity where it’s ready for mainstream consumers,” said Jayden Wei, CEO of MAMMOTION. “Being available in Walmart, Home Depot and Lowe’s means millions of homeowners can now discover, see and buy robotic lawn mowers just like any other household appliance. This is a turning point for the category.”

For consumers, in-store availability removes key barriers to adoption, allowing shoppers to experience the technology firsthand and purchase immediately, bringing robotic lawn care out of niche online channels and into everyday retail.

About MAMMOTION 

MAMMOTION is a world-leading outdoor robotics company dedicated to creating intelligent, eco-friendly solutions for autonomous outdoor living. Recognized by Frost & Sullivan as the world’s No.1 best-selling wire-free robotic lawn mower brand, MAMMOTION offers a comprehensive portfolio spanning automated lawn care, pool maintenance, and intelligent landscaping solutions. Honored by TIME as one of the Best Inventions in both 2024 and 2025 for its LUBA 2 AWD and YUKA mini Series, MAMMOTION continues to set new benchmarks for homeowners and professionals alike, delivering breakthroughs in intelligence, precision, and power to make outdoor spaces effortlessly perfect.

–  Lezhin Entertainment Targets Global Short-Form Drama Market with Original IP
–  Renowned Korean Directors Lee Joon-ik and Lee Byung-hun Join the Platform’s Debut Lineup
–  Simultaneous Launch in Korea, the U.S., and Japan on February 4

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lezhin Entertainment, a leading pioneer of the K-webtoon industry, announced today the official launch of Lezhin Snack, a new global short-form drama platform, marking a major step in the company’s strategy to build a comprehensive global IP value chain.

Responding to a Fundamental Shift in Content Consumption

The way audiences consume content is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Long-form content once dominated by television and OTT platforms is rapidly giving way to short-form formats optimized for mobile viewing and daily consumption.

In North America alone, quarterly revenue from short-form drama apps is approaching KRW 500 billion, a trend widely attributed to the explosive growth of China’s short-drama market, which surpassed KRW 10 trillion (approximately RMB 50 billion) in 2024 and continues to expand globally.

Against this backdrop, Lezhin Snack is positioned to capture the growing demand for premium short-form storytelling in global markets.

A Deliberate Strategy to Maximize IP Value

Lezhin’s entry into the short-form drama market is not a short-term trend play, but a carefully planned extension of its long-standing IP strategy. The company has successfully built and operated paid webtoon platforms both domestically and internationally, establishing stable revenue streams and a highly engaged user base.

Building on this foundation, Lezhin brings a proprietary library of more than 30,000 original IPs—already validated by global fandoms through Lezhin Comics and Bomtoon—into the short-drama ecosystem. Beyond platform operations, Lezhin has actively expanded its IP business across publishing, merchandise, and collaborations with global partners for drama and animation production.

This accumulated expertise in content curation and IP expansion is expected to converge in Lezhin Snack, creating a differentiated and scalable global IP value chain.

A Proven Content Powerhouse with 70 Million Global Users

Lezhin is widely recognized as a driving force behind the growth of the paid webtoon market. As the third-largest player in Korea, the company holds a particularly dominant position in adult-oriented genres such as BL, GL, and HL.

Today, Lezhin operates 10 platforms in eight languages worldwide and has surpassed 70 million cumulative registered users. The quality of its content lineup, diversity of genres, and loyalty of its global fandom have established a strong competitive advantage in international markets.

Leveraging over a decade of platform operations and fandom-driven business know-how, Lezhin plans to accelerate the global success of Lezhin Snack and expand beyond genre-specific audiences to reach users across all age groups.

Simultaneous Launch in Korea, the U.S., and Japan, with the U.S. as a Strategic Hub

Lezhin Snack will launch simultaneously in Korea, the United States, and Japan on February 4. This global rollout is anchored in Lezhin’s strong track record in North America. Since launching Lezhin US in 2015, the company has grown its cumulative U.S. user base to over 24 million.

In 2024, Lezhin’s North American transaction volume exceeded KRW 20 billion, followed by a projected 40% year-on-year increase to KRW 25 billion in 2025, underscoring sustained and accelerating growth. Strong local fandom engagement has also driven robust demand for merchandise, further strengthening the foundation for Lezhin Snack’s U.S. launch.

Building the Next Stage of a Global IP Value Chain

Lezhin Snack’s core competitive advantage lies in the combination of data-validated original IP and proven production expertise. With access to over 30,000 proprietary IPs and extensive user data accumulated across its platforms, Lezhin can selectively adapt high-potential stories optimized for the short-drama format.

To elevate production quality and challenge perceptions of short-form content, acclaimed directors Lee Joon-ik (The King and the Clown) and Lee Byung-hun (Extreme Job) are participating in the platform’s initial productions. Their involvement is expected to bring cinematic storytelling depth and immersive narrative structures to short-form drama.

Among the launch titles, Director Lee Byung-hun’s original work My Child’s Father Is My Male Best Friend and All-Boys High School, adapted from Lezhin Comics’ top-ranked IP, are highlighted as flagship series with strong global appeal.

Lezhin Snack is designed not only as a content platform but as a strategic testing ground. By leveraging the shorter production lead time of short-form dramas, Lezhin can rapidly validate IP performance, feed insights back into mid- to large-scale content development, and further expand successful IPs into animation, games, and other formats.

A Lezhin spokesperson stated, “Lezhin Snack marks the starting point of our next phase of global IP expansion. By continuously extending the value of our original IPs, we aim to evolve into a truly global IP company that delivers enjoyment to audiences worldwide.”

Media Contact
Ha Ju-young, Manager
Corporate Planning Team, Lezhin Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Email: pr@kidaristudio.com 

• Grab has been appointed as Hesai’s exclusive distributor in Southeast Asia.
• With this new partnership, Hesai will leverage Grab’s extensive resources and distribution networks to scale regional access to quality lidar sensors.

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hesai Technology (NASDAQ: HSAI; HKEX: 2525), a global leader in lidar solutions, today announced a strategic cooperation with Grab (NASDAQ: GRAB), under which Grab will serve as the exclusive distributor of Hesai’s lidar products in Southeast Asia. Through this partnership, Grab will lead the sales, customer support, and marketing of Hesai’s sensors across Southeast Asia.

Through this strategic partnership, Hesai will leverage Grab’s extensive resources and established distribution networks to ramp up the availability of reliable, high-quality lidar sensors so that customers across the region will be able to access lidar more quickly and easily for use cases across a range of industries and applications, including for robotic solutions and autonomous systems. Grab’s position as Hesai’s exclusive distributor in Southeast Asia also ensures a stable, reliable supply of lidar technology critical to its autonomous mobility and mapping work.

“By expanding access to world-class lidar technology in Southeast Asia, Grab is doing more than improving our own autonomous mobility and mapping capabilities; we are providing the essential ‘eyes’ that allow robotics to ‘see’ and navigate safely, thus ensuring that 3D intelligence can be made accessible and scaled to every industry across our region,” says Anthony Tan, Group CEO and Co-founder of Grab.

David Li, CEO and Co-founder of Hesai, says, “Lidar is a core technology that enables robots to achieve autonomous perception and safer operations. The Southeast Asian market has shown strong demand across manufacturing, logistics, and service robots. Through our partnership with Grab, we will leverage our mature and reliable lidar technology with the needs of local markets, accelerating the deployment and large-scale lidar adoption for robotics applications.”

Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing technology that uses light to measure distance and map environments with high precision. Hesai is the global leader in lidar solutions, holding the top market share in the overall automotive, Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), and autonomous mobility sectors.

Southeast Asia is projected to experience an unprecedented surge in demand for AI-powered automation, particularly in the manufacturing, mobility, and logistics sectors (1). As a result, the use of lidar is expected to move from early validation to large-scale commercial deployment across the region.

The partnership positions both companies to advance Physical and Embodied AI across Southeast Asia. Through the partnership, Grab and Hesai will facilitate access to this foundational hardware across industries in the region, empowering machines to go beyond digital intelligence and operate safely in Southeast Asia’s complex urban environments.

Looking ahead, Hesai and Grab will continue to strengthen collaboration in market development and distribution to advance the deployment of advanced lidar technology across Southeast Asia.

About Grab

Grab is a leading superapp in Southeast Asia, operating across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors. Serving over 800 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – Grab enables millions of people everyday to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases or access services such as lending and insurance, all through a single app. We operate supermarkets in Malaysia under Jaya Grocer and Everrise, which enables us to bring the convenience of on-demand grocery delivery to more consumers in the country. As part of our financial services offerings, we also provide digital banking services through GXS Bank in Singapore and GXBank in Malaysia. Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone. Grab strives to serve a triple bottom line – we aim to simultaneously deliver financial performance for our shareholders and have a positive social impact, which includes economic empowerment for millions of people in the region, while mitigating our environmental footprint.

About Hesai

Hesai Technology (Nasdaq: HSAI; HKEX: 2525) is a global leader in lidar solutions. The Company’s lidar products enable a broad spectrum of applications including passenger and commercial vehicles (“ADAS”), as well as autonomous driving vehicles and robotics and other non-automotive applications such as last-mile delivery robots and AGVs (“Robotics”). Hesai seamlessly integrates its in-house manufacturing process with lidar R&D and design, enabling rapid product iteration while ensuring high performance, high quality and affordability. The Company’s commercially validated solutions are backed by superior R&D capabilities across optics, mechanics, and electronics. Hesai has established offices in Shanghai, Palo Alto and Stuttgart, with customers spanning more than 40 countries.

Highlighting New Technologies That Advance Intelligent Semiconductor Manufacturing Solutions

BEVERLY, Mass., Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACLS), a leading supplier of enabling ion implantation solutions for the semiconductor industry, announced today that it will showcase its innovative Purion™ platform of ion implanters at SEMICON Korea 2026. The event will take place February 11–13 at the COEX Center in Seoul, South Korea. SEMICON Korea will feature key technology developments shaping the next generation of semiconductor manufacturing, including AI driven process control, advanced packaging methodologies, and sustainable, high efficiency fab operations.

Axcelis will be located at Booth #D522. Semiconductor manufacturers are invited to visit the Axcelis exhibit to learn first-hand about the latest products and upgrades that accelerate intelligent solutions in ion implant and deliver significant technology and manufacturing advantages.

Event highlights:

• Introducing the Purion H6™: Axcelis’ next generation Purion H6 high current implanter engineered to meet the demands of next-generation semiconductor devices with unmatched purity, precision and productivity.
• SEMI Technology Symposium (STS) Presentation:Applications of Ion Implantation Technology for Scaling Down Advanced Devices will be presented by Dr. KyungWon Lee, Applications Staff Scientist.
  When: February 11th – 03:15 pm – 03:40 pm
  Location: Conference Room #308, (South), 3F, COEX

President and CEO of Axcelis Technologies, Russell Low, said, “Axcelis is pleased to participate in SEMICON Korea, one of the industry’s leading technology forums. Korea remains a strategic market for our company, and our expanding installed base and support infrastructure underscores our commitment to customer success. We look forward to highlighting our latest innovations, including the next generation Purion H6 high current implanter, which is engineered to meet the most advanced process requirements across the full spectrum of high current applications in all market segments.”

About Axcelis:
Axcelis (Nasdaq: ACLS), headquartered in Beverly, Mass., has been providing innovative, high-productivity solutions for the semiconductor industry for over 45 years. Axcelis is dedicated to developing enabling process applications through the design, manufacture and complete life cycle support of ion implantation systems, one of the most critical and enabling steps in the IC manufacturing process. Learn more about Axcelis at www.axcelis.com.

CONTACTS:
Press/Media Relations Contact: 
Maureen Hart
Senior Director, Corporate & Marketing Communications
Telephone: (978) 787-4266
Email: Maureen.Hart@axcelis.com

Axcelis Investor Relations Contact:
David Ryzhik
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Strategy
Telephone: (978) 787-2352
Email: David.Ryzhik@axcelis.com

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