ChatGPT Users At Risk: Over 1 lakh accounts compromised by malware, Indians most affected

More than 100,000 ChatGPT users are potentially exposed to fraudulent activities and cyberattacks. Group-IB, a cybersecurity company based in Singapore, has reported that hackers have successfully infiltrated 1,01,134 devices containing saved ChatGPT login details. Although the compromised ChatGPT accounts do not directly expose banking details, they put users’ important information, such as email addresses, passwords, and phone numbers, at risk. Consequently, these individuals become susceptible to phishing attacks. Additionally, Group-IB has identified instances of compromised credentials being traded on underground online marketplaces throughout the past year. Notably, India ranks highest in terms of the number of compromised ChatGPT accounts. In a blog post, Group-IB’s research reveals that hackers employed “info-stealing malware” to pilfer users’ credentials. The post emphasizes that this type of malware gathers stored browser credentials, bank card details, cryptocurrency wallet information, cookies, browsing history, and other data from infected devices. Users may unwittingly download the malware by clicking on suspicious links or downloading software infected with malware. The cyber attack has primarily impacted users in the Asia-Pacific region. The research indicates that approximately 40.5 per cent of users in this region have been affected by the breach, with 12,632 compromised ChatGPT accounts traced back to India. Following closely is Pakistan, with 9,217 compromised ChatGPT accounts. The breach has also had a significant impact on ChatGPT users in Brazil, Vietnam, and Egypt on a global scale. While ChatGPT credentials do not directly expose banking or card information, Group-IB highlights that hackers can gain access to saved conversations with the AI chatbot. The report points out that “ChatGPT stores the history of user queries and AI responses by default.” Consequently, unauthorized access to ChatGPT accounts could lead to the exposure of confidential or sensitive information, which could then be exploited for targeted attacks against companies and their employees. According to Group-IB’s research, the highest number of compromised ChatGPT accounts surfaced on the dark web in May 2023, with a total of 26,802 logs containing compromised accounts. The primary method of breaching ChatGPT accounts has been through the use of info-stealing malware known as Raccoon. The research firm advises ChatGPT users to update their account passwords as a precautionary measure. Additionally, for other platforms such as Gmail or Facebook, it is recommended to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to enhance security. It is important to exercise caution by refraining from downloading applications from untrusted developers and avoiding suspicious web links. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.