Hackers Exploiting OpenAI Tools: Microsoft Report

News Desk

Islamabad:  A recently report of Microsoft disclosed that hackers from Russia, China, and Iran are leveraging its OpenAI tools to enhance their objectives.

According to Reuters, Microsoft is actively monitoring the activities of Russian military intelligence, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and hacking groups associated with the governments of China and North Korea.

All these entities are seeking to optimize their hacking campaigns by employing modern language models.

Expressing concern, Microsoft’s Vice President of Customer Security, Tom Burt, stated, “We don’t want these groups that could pose a threat to have access to this technology, regardless of legal issues or terms of service violations.”

Diplomatic representatives from Russia, North Korea, and Iran have refrained from immediate comments on Microsoft’s allegations.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for China’s US embassy, rejected the accusations, deeming them unfounded and emphasizing the importance of the secure, reliable, and controllable use of AI technology.

Despite warnings from top cyber security officials over the past year about the misuse of AI tools, detailed information on the matter remains limited.

The report outlines various ways hacking groups employ modern language models. Microsoft highlighted that Russian hackers, affiliated with a military intelligence agency, utilized the models to explore satellite and radar technologies, potentially linked to conventional military operations in Ukraine.

North Korean hackers, on the other hand, employed the models to generate content for a spear-phishing campaign, targeting regional experts.

In the case of Iranian hackers, Microsoft revealed their use of models to compose emails. The software giant also reported that Chinese hackers are experimenting with large models in different languages, employing them to probe rival intelligence agencies, cyber security issues, and gather information about ‘notable people.’