The Dark Side Of ChatGPT: Risks & Dangers For Cybersecurity

Key Highlights

• The rapid rise of the OpenAI-developed chatbot, ChatGPT, has caught the attention of both technology enthusiasts and cyber criminals. 
• Within two months, the chatbot had achieved 100 million active users and set a new record as the fastest-growing consumer application in history, surpassing even TikTok.
• However, the chatbot’s capabilities have also made it a target for cybercriminals who seek to use it to develop stealthier malware.

Recently, BlackBerry surveyed 1,500 IT decision-makers, which revealed that over half of them believe that a successful cyberattack using ChatGPT will occur within the year. Additionally, 71% of the respondents fear that foreign states may already be using the technology for malicious purposes. 

These concerns have led to 82% of IT decision-makers planning to invest in AI-driven cybersecurity over the next two years, while 95% believe governments must step up and regulate these advanced technologies.

Cybercriminals Are Using ChatGPT To Create Malicious Code

While ChatGPT has robust content policy filters to prevent malicious activities, determined users can still find ways to bypass them. For example, a recent Check Point Research and Cybernews investigation found that even individuals with little or no coding expertise exploited ChatGPT to create deployable malware. 

Cybercriminals are already using the chatbot to create malicious code that evolves with each mutation, which has been causing headaches for cybersecurity experts.

One example of the threat is a code for an information stealer that a cybercriminal shared, which they created using ChatGPT. The malware, written in Python, was capable of locating, copying, and extracting 12 standard file formats, including Office documents, PDFs, and images, from a compromised system.

ChatGPT’s ability to generate professional human-like text has made it easier to target businesses with bespoke attacks. For example, cybercriminals can use the chatbot to craft convincing phishing emails and even write the code for malware attacks. This makes it relatively easy for them to embed their newly created malicious code into an innocent-looking email attachment.

Social Engineering Attacks

Social engineering attacks on dating sites have also become much easier for malicious actors using ChatGPT. Impersonating attractive individuals, building trust, and manipulating emotions to extract sensitive information, money, or other benefits from targets are tactics that are more accessible now with the chatbot’s help. 

Therefore, it is crucial for dating site users to verify the identity of the people they communicate with and avoid sharing sensitive information. To protect their users from social engineering attacks at scale, dating sites should consider implementing security measures such as background checks, two-factor authentication, and frequent security updates.

ChatGPT’s rise has brought both benefits and challenges. While it has made communication and automation more accessible, it has also opened new avenues for cybercriminals to exploit. Individuals and organizations must understand these potential dangers and take measures to protect themselves against them.