A hacker said they purloined personal details from millions of OpenAI accounts-but scientists are doubtful, and the business is investigating.
OpenAI says it's investigating after a hacker claimed to have actually swiped login credentials for 20 million of the AI firm's user accounts-and put them up for online-learning-initiative.org sale on a dark web online forum.
The pseudonymous breacher posted a puzzling message in Russian marketing "more than 20 million gain access to codes to OpenAI accounts," calling it "a goldmine" and offering potential buyers what they claimed was sample information containing email addresses and passwords. As reported by Gbhackers, the full dataset was being marketed "for just a few dollars."
"I have more than 20 million gain access to codes for OpenAI accounts," emirking wrote Thursday, according to a translated screenshot. "If you're interested, reach out-this is a goldmine, and Jesus concurs."
If legitimate, this would be the 3rd major security event for the AI since the release of ChatGPT to the general public. Last year, a hacker got access to the business's internal Slack messaging system. According to The New York City Times, the hacker "stole details about the design of the business's A.I. innovations."
Before that, in 2023 an even easier bug including jailbreaking prompts allowed hackers to obtain the private data of OpenAI's paying consumers.
This time, nevertheless, security researchers aren't even sure a hack happened. Daily Dot press reporter Mikael Thalan wrote on X that he found invalid email addresses in the expected sample data: "No proof (suggests) this supposed OpenAI breach is legitimate. At least 2 addresses were invalid. The user's just other post on the online forum is for a thief log. Thread has actually since been erased also."
No proof this alleged OpenAI breach is genuine.
Contacted every email address from the supposed sample of login qualifications.
At least 2 addresses were void. The user's only other post on the forum is for a thief log. Thread has actually given that been deleted as well. https://t.co/yKpmxKQhsP
- Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) February 6, 2025
OpenAI takes it 'seriously'
In a statement shown Decrypt, an OpenAI representative acknowledged the circumstance while maintaining that the company's systems appeared secure.
"We take these claims seriously," the representative said, adding: "We have actually not seen any evidence that this is connected to a compromise of OpenAI systems to date."
The scope of the supposed breach stimulated issues due to OpenAI's huge user base. Countless users worldwide rely on the company's tools like ChatGPT for company operations, educational purposes, and disgaeawiki.info content generation. A genuine breach might expose private conversations, business projects, and other sensitive information.
Until there's a last report, some preventive steps are always a good idea:
- Go to the "Configurations" tab, log out from all connected devices, and make it possible for two-factor authentication or 2FA. This makes it virtually difficult for a hacker to gain access to the account, even if the login and passwords are jeopardized.
- If your bank supports it, then produce a virtual card number to handle OpenAI subscriptions. This way, it is simpler to identify and prevent scams.
- Always keep an eye on the discussions kept in the chatbot's memory, and know any phishing efforts. OpenAI does not ask for any personal details, and any payment upgrade is always handled through the main OpenAI.com link.