Mr Branding: ChatGPT and Google Bard have become new tools for cyber criminals

Thursday, April 13, 2023

ChatGPT and Google Bard have become new tools for cyber criminals

According to the latest research report released by cyber security firm Veriti, generative artificial intelligence platforms, including ChatGPT, despite having a number of positive applications, are also being used by cyber criminals.

The research team warned that such platforms are capable of creating new content such as images or texts. At the same time, it can also be used to create harmful files that trick users into downloading them. Those who are not familiar with it can become victims of these malicious files.

Once a file has been downloaded, the hackers can get their hands on sensitive data, including bank details, or disrupt infrastructures that are very important. Hackers can even take over social media accounts with a large number of followers and use them to get more downloads on other files, such as Google Bard and other AI-generated harmful files.

Based on the picture shared by the research team, it can be seen how different profiles posted content regarding ChatGPT and Google Bard, an AI programme of the search engine itself. At the end of the post, links are attached that may appear to offer a free trial, but in reality, it’s the opposite.

Veriti further explained that such posts seem authentic and may end up luring victims. As soon as the file extraction is initiated by the victim, the RedLine Stealer software gets activated as well and can take over credentials. The software can easily be acquired on the dark web. The information is sold to other cyber hackers, who can use it to carry out their malicious campaigns, such as online scams.

The firm further added that instant messaging platform, Telegram, known for its end-to-end encryption, can provide a safe platform for the attackers to share data or to buy the dangerous software. The encrypted service helps keep things anonymous.

So far, a number of Facebook profiles in the United States, India, and many other countries have already been taken over and are now being used by the hackers to lure more victims into downloading the harmful files. As a result, the number of victims keeps increasing as more and more users keep losing their data to such threat actors.