ChatGPT has become the Internet's new favorite toy. The AI-driven natural language processing tool has quickly amassed more than 1 million users worldwide.  

Technologies like ChatGPT have emerged to revolutionize and automate various processes.  

While the emergence of the technology has proven beneficial to various areas of study, does the use of the platform really bring risks to the cybersecurity of companies?

It is necessary to maintain attention to AI activities without compromising good practices. 

How to use the technological tool 

ChatGPT is a language model developed by the company OpenAI. It has been trained using text data from the internet to be able to answer questions and perform natural language-based tasks, such as generating text, translating into other languages, creating chatbots for interaction with users, etc. 

The tool has proven to be very useful in companies and has caused professionals in various areas to optimize their work, even in the cybersecurity area, among developers. 

However, the current scenario may raise a red flag and "bump into" the security of companies. Understand why below.  

Can the use of ChatGPT present breaches for cybersecurity? 

The answer is yes. That is, cyber attacks can happen since the ChatGPT bot can successfully flag user requests for creating malicious code, phishing emails to obtain credentials, or encrypting complete software with ransomware.  

In addition, as reported in recent news on the subject, users of underground hacker forums have posted tips on how to use the OpenAI tool to carry out cybercrime and fraud, including: creating malicious tools for inexperienced hackers and developing infostealers and illicit Internet marketplaces, among other crimes. 

Below we detail the top 5 cybersecurity threats brought by the platform: 

1- Phishing emails: using the platform's copywriting skills, it is possible to create convincing emails to be used in phishing campaigns, with a high level of effectiveness, which means more users clicking on malicious links or providing personal data. One of the threats that the tool poses is the possibility of teaching novice programmers how to code and develop malware, provided that the questioner has access to the right questions and is able to apply the knowledge afterwards. 

2- Data theft: Data theft is any unauthorized exfiltration and access to sensitive data on a network. This includes personal details, passwords or even software code - which can be used by threat actors in a ransomware attack or any other malicious purpose. 

3- Fake identity : Hackers can use ChatGPT to generate a convincing digital copy of a specific person's writing style, thus allowing criminals to impersonate an individual or organization via email or text message in order to obtain users' private and financial information. They can even impersonate celebrities on social networks. 

4- Malware: as ChatGPT is capable of creating software, it is also capable of creating malicious code, helping cybercriminals to increase their productivity, or even, those who are just starting out in cybercrime.  

5- Botnets: A botnet attack is a targeted cyberattack in which a collection of devices connected to the Internet is infiltrated and hijacked by a hacker. A botnet attack is carried out by a malicious actor who aims to take control of a group of computers, servers and other types of networks for use in further attacks. 

Experts discuss ChatGPT and cybersecurity 

A report in Forbes magazine heard from technology experts, unanimous in saying that ChatGPT is a revolutionary tool, but one that requires care. 

In the same way that hackers may be able to create attack structures, professionals will also be able to create their own defenses.

In other words, it is important for your company to take proper security measures when using ChatGPT and monitor your responses closely to ensure they are appropriate and safe, as well as to leverage technology to learn and use for good.  

In addition, it is essential to be aware of possible security risks and take the necessary steps to minimize them.

This includes keeping software patched and updated, maintaining effective data protection policies and technologies, and equipping the company's most valuable assets with additional security software, such as zero trust protection, while maintaining a culture of vigilance. 

Keep up to date on this topic in our article about the top cybersecurity trends for 2023. You will see that most of them are related to Artificial Intelligence and IoT.