Malicious posts were deleted from OpenAI’s press account on X after hackers gained access on Sept. 23, promoting a suspected phishing link for ChatGPT users to claim “OPENAI” tokens.
The attack is the fourth reported OpenAI-related hack on X and at least the fifth cybersecurity incident since January 2023.
Users began reporting that the account seemed to be compromised as early as 10:26 pm UTC.
“The official OpenAI Newsroom account has been hacked and is shilling fake shitcoins,”<a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://x.com/BenjaminDEKR/status/1838350007088603385" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null"> noted</a> Grok developer Benjamin De Kraker.
Multiple screenshots of the incident on X show hackers were shilling OPENAI tokens to “bridge the gap” between blockchain technology and AI.
They also claimed that OpenAI users would be eligible to claim a piece of the OPENAI token’s initial supply, providing them access to the firm’s future beta programs.
<figure>
 <img alt="OpenAI’s press account hack was 5th security breach in 20 months" name="" src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-09/01922265-b207-7188-9a1d-4fa78e961f20">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Source: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://x.com/minimaxir/status/1838347751169626215" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="https://x.com/minimaxir/status/1838347751169626215">Max Woolf</a>
 </figcaption>
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The link in question took users to a website flagged with a “suspected phishing” warning, providing the option to “learn more” or ignore it and proceed.
<figure>
 <img alt="OpenAI’s press account hack was 5th security breach in 20 months" name="" src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-09/01922265-5644-73ba-a525-7680ee761aaa">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Users looking to claim OPENAI tokens are hit with a “suspected phishing” warning on the token-openai.com website. Source: token-openai.com
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The hackers also wrote, “Comments turned off due to malicious links. Good luck all!” below the main post, which is a typical tactic used to prevent people from warning others of a hack.
Neither OpenAI nor the firm’s CEO Sam Altman have addressed the presumed Sept. 23 hack via their website or X,&nbsp; though the posts have been deleted.&nbsp;
Cointelegraph contacted OpenAI for comment but didn’t receive an immediate response.
It was the fourth time since June 2023 that an OpenAI-affiliated X account has been hacked.
Related:<a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/open-ai-artificial-intelligence-ai-chatgpt-business-model" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null"> OpenAI’s current business model is ‘untenable’ — Report</a>
OpenAI researcher Jason Wei’s X account was hacked on Sept. 22, while OpenAI’s Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki and chief technology officer Mira Murati <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/open-ai-cto-twitter-hacked-promoting-scam-airdrop" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null">suffered similar incidents on X</a> in June 2024 and June 2023, respectively.
All four X account hacks promoted a similar OPENAI token.
Meanwhile, another hacker breached an OpenAI internal forum in early 2023, gaining access to proprietary information, employee data and confidential communications, The New York Times <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/04/technology/openai-hack.html" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null">reported</a> in July.
Fortunately for OpenAI, the hackers didn’t have access to the code powering the firm’s systems.
Tanishq Mathew Abraham, CEO of the Medical AI Research Center, was one of many to <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://x.com/iScienceLuvr/status/1838344428504973585" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null">slam</a> OpenAI for the recurring incidents, suggesting that its employees integrate two-factor authentication if they haven’t already.
<figure>
 <img alt="OpenAI’s press account hack was 5th security breach in 20 months" name="" src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-09/01922264-92f0-7d25-9d17-afb645691a27">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 Source: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://x.com/SmokeAwayyy/status/1838357564612075673" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="https://x.com/SmokeAwayyy/status/1838357564612075673">Smoke-away</a>
 </figcaption>
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Magazine: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/ai-drone-hellscape-plan-for-taiwan-llms-too-dumb-to-destroy-humanity-ai-eye/" rel="null" target="null" text="null" title="null">AI drone ‘hellscape’ plan for Taiwan, LLMs too dumb to destroy humanity: AI Eye</a>

OpenAI’s press account hack was 5th security breach in 20 months

Cointelegraph

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