A Fake Version of ChatGPT is Spreading real Malware

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has taken the internet by storm.  Easily the most accessible form of AI to date, it has impressed millions with its ability to do things like write essay papers, find errors in computer code, and even compose poetry. 

There is still apprehension around this program, and questions about its ethical use.  There are fears surrounding the potential ways the technology could be used and abused, and worries that users may not realize that ChatGPT is not as smart as it initially appears.

But the general public just wants to know how it works, and try it for themselves. 

Unsurprisingly, malicious hackers are using this surge in interest to direct people searching the internet for ChatGPT to malware and phishing sites instead.

Using the promise of free ChatGPT Premium, cybercriminals are luring users into downloading malware or entering their passwords.  Some ChatGPT clones have even made it as far as the Google Play Store and other third-party app sites. 

Meanwhile, researchers at Cyble report that a bogus Facebook page has been created, purporting to be the official presence of OpenAI's ChatGPT.  Inevitably, links posted on the page direct unwary users to an alternate site that masquerades as the official ChatGPT site, but ultimately directs users into downloading code designed to steal information.

Other examples include apps which commit fraud, and plant adware and spyware.  Cyble's researchers also describe a bogus ChatGPT app for Android which subscribes users to premium-rate SMS services without their knowledge.

One variant of the Spynote malware steals sensitive information from users’ Android devices, like call logs, contacts, text messages, media files, etc.

Remember, for every new and awesome site and app on the internet, there’s going to be someone out there trying to turn it into a scam.  Protect yourself.  Practice safe computing, stay alert to threats, and know how to protect against them.

From Tripwire.com