Microsoft Reports State-Sponsored Hackers Used OpenAI Tools for Cyberattacks
Microsoft has released a report detailing how state-backed hackers from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have used OpenAI’s tools to enhance their cyberattack operations. The company tracked the activities of several hacker groups, including Russian military intelligence, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and government-backed actors from China and North Korea. According to Microsoft, these groups sought to improve their artificial intelligence (AI) programs to increase the effectiveness of their hacking campaigns.
Identified Hacker Groups and Their Methods
- Forest Blizzard: This group, allegedly linked to Russian military intelligence, used language models to research various satellite and radar technologies, which Microsoft claims may relate to conventional military operations in Ukraine.
- Crimson Sandstorm: Iranian hackers from this group used AI to write phishing emails.
- Charcoal Typhoon and Salmon Typhoon: Supported by China, these groups used OpenAI’s language models to improve their technical operations, including researching cybersecurity tools and generating phishing content.
- Emerald Sleet: North Korean hackers associated with this group generated content likely used in spear-phishing campaigns targeting regional experts.
As a result of joint efforts by OpenAI and Microsoft, the groups Charcoal Typhoon, Salmon Typhoon, Crimson Sandstorm, Emerald Sleet, and Forest Blizzard were identified and disabled.
Microsoft’s Response and International Reactions
Microsoft published the report alongside the announcement of a complete ban on the use of its AI products by state-sponsored hacking groups. Tom Burt, Microsoft’s Vice President for Security, told Reuters that the company does not want hackers to have access to its technologies.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States, Liu Pengyu, told Reuters that China denies the “groundless slander and accusations” and supports the “safe, reliable, and controlled” use of artificial intelligence technologies.
Concerns Over AI Abuse
The revelation that state-sponsored hackers have been caught using AI tools to expand their covert surveillance capabilities is likely to heighten concerns about the rapid spread of this technology and its potential for abuse.