OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, stated that it has suffered a potential data breach in ChatGPT’s source code due to a vulnerability in the software. OpenAI “took ChatGPT offline…due to a bug in an open-source library which allowed some users to see titles from another active user’s chat history…the same bug may have caused the unintentional visibility of payment-related information” of some ChatGPT subscribers who were using ChatGPT on March 20, 2023. The information that may have been accessible included “name, email address, payment address, credit card type and the last four digits (only) of a credit card number, and credit card expiration date.”

According to OpenAI, “the bug was discovered in the Redis client open-source library,” that was used by OpenAI to cache user information.

Not only is there concern about the use of artificial intelligence tools by threat actors to attack victims, but the very companies that are developing them will be directly attacked, as OpenAI was, giving threat actors the ability to weaponize chatbots further. According to Security Intelligence, “Only time will tell if the technology will be the victim of attacks or the source.” 

Photo of Linn Foster Freedman Linn Foster Freedman

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her…

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her practice on compliance with all state and federal privacy and security laws and regulations. She counsels a range of public and private clients from industries such as construction, education, health care, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, utilities and critical infrastructure, marine and charitable organizations, on state and federal data privacy and security investigations, as well as emergency data breach response and mitigation. Linn is an Adjunct Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity at Brown University and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Roger Williams University School of Law.  Prior to joining the firm, Linn served as assistant attorney general and deputy chief of the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Rhode Island. She earned her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law and her B.A., with honors, in American Studies from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Read her full rc.com bio here.