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In the modern digital age, the issue of unauthorized code usage is garnering more attention than ever. As AI technology advances, so do the associated cybersecurity risks. The recent excitement surrounding AI language models, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has only added to the urgency of the situation. The swift emergence of unauthorized code usage as a major threat, along with the new capabilities of AI models like ChatGPT, has raised legitimate concerns about potential misuse.
Copyright: calvin-risk.com – “Decoding LLM Risks: A Comprehensive Look at Unauthorized Code Execution”
Understanding what is unauthorized use of code
So, what exactly does unauthorized use of code mean? Simply put, it’s the act of exploiting, altering, or copying software code without the consent of its rightful owner or creator. This could range from manipulating software for dangerous or harmful purposes, such as creating malware, to exploiting identified vulnerabilities in a system for unauthorized access or malicious intent. It’s a form of cyber threat that poses a significant challenge to individuals and businesses alike. (source: Unauthorized Code Execution (allassignmenthelp.com)
In the context of large language models (LLMs) such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, unauthorized code execution can occur when the AI model is manipulated to generate malicious code. As these models have the ability to generate text based on given prompts, they could potentially be leveraged by less-skilled individuals or cybercriminals to create harmful scripts and tools. (source:OWASP Top 10 LLM risks – what we learned | Vulcan Cyber)
The output produced by LLMs is frequently employed to carry out tasks using other systems or tools, such as APIs, database queries, or arbitrary code execution. Unauthorized code execution in these scenarios can have grave consequences. LLMs’ capacity to generate malicious code, coupled with their contextual knowledge of the system or tool provided to the model, enables an attacker to create highly precise exploits. Without appropriate measures in place, this can lead to severe ramifications, including data loss, unauthorized access, or even system hijacking.
Real-World Scenarios: Misuse of AI Tools
With the evolution of AI technology, we’ve seen a rise in potential risks. A recent study by Check Point Research provides real-life examples of these dangers.
In the blog post they shared, researchers were able to convince ChatGPT, an AI language model, to craft a persuasive fake email. This email looked like it came from a make-believe web-hosting service called Host4u. Despite OpenAI giving a warning that the task might involve improper content, the AI model ended up generating the phishing email.
What happened next was even more concerning. Using the fake email as a starting point, the researchers built harmful computer instructions, cleverly hidden within an Excel document. The study showed that, when given the right text instructions, ChatGPT can produce these harmful codes.
To finish their simulated cyber attack, the researchers used another AI tool, Codex, to create a basic reverse shell, a kind of backdoor access to a computer. The end product? An Excel file that looked normal but contained harmful instructions capable of taking over a user’s computer system. This was all accomplished with the help of sophisticated AI tools.
In another separate study conducted, security researchers demonstrated that ChatGPT could be used to create ransomware, a type of malicious software that locks users out of their own files until a ransom is paid. The researchers used ChatGPT to make a fake email campaign and harmful software targeting MacOS, the operating system used in Apple computers. The harmful software was able to find Microsoft Office files on an Apple laptop, send them to a web server over the internet, and then lock these files on the laptop. This scenario showcases how easily AI tools can be exploited for harmful purposes.
AI Tools to Counteract the Risks of Unauthorized Code Usage
While AI tools like ChatGPT can indeed pose potential security challenges, many experts also see them as powerful allies in strengthening defenses against cyber threats. It’s worth noting that it’s currently not possible to definitively identify if a malicious cyber activity was aided by AI tools like ChatGPT.
Der Beitrag Decoding LLM Risks: A Comprehensive Look at Unauthorized Code Execution erschien zuerst auf SwissCognitive, World-Leading AI Network.
