ChatGPT is a revolutionary artificial intelligence technology that helps automate tasks and increase efficiency. It has been able to generate essays, songs, exams, and even news articles from inputted brief prompts, causing a global sensation when it was released last year. As useful as it is for businesses looking for potential gains, the same technology can be used by criminals to manipulate victims through more sophisticated cyber-attacks that can be hard to detect.
Recent research done by NordVPN showed an increase in conversation threads on dark web forums related to ChatGPT—from 37 in April to 91. This means there is a chance that ChatGPT can be used for phishing attempts, as well as smishing and pretexting. This is because the technology has the potential to generate extremely convincing dialogues and scripts to convince people to provide confidential info or do certain tasks. For people who may not know English well, the use of ChatGPT provides a way to better understand a message, thus it is easier to carry out attacks with a better success rate.
Additionally, an incident in March 2023 showed that sensitive information can be leaked from the platform if a ChatGPT data breach occurs – such as user log chats and credit card details. This highlights the need for businesses and individuals to remain vigilant about their privacy when using this technology. Cybercriminals have even been able to acquire expertise on the dark web about how to use ChatGPT for malicious activities.
Being well-versed on the potential risks of ChatGPT and other AI-based technology is the best way to prevent being exposed to its dangers. Companies should ensure they provide thorough education to their employees regarding social engineering attacks, and set up business resilience plans to identify and assess any potential risks. Also, individuals should be aware of their privacy when using ChatGPT and other AI-related services. These preventative measures will be cheaper than dealing with the aftermath of a cyberattack.
ChatGPT is a powerful tool with the potential to create great value. However, along with it, it also poses a risk to businesses and individuals who are not prepared. So it is wise to put precautionary measures in place to keep data and businesses safe.
