Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, recently warned Internet users against malicious acts by hackers exploiting the growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) tools, especially ChatGPT.
This software allows users to create texts, emails, and memoirs by chatting with humans, generating a lot of excitement. Unfortunately, this popularity also attracts hackers. Security analysts at Meta recently discovered malware masquerading as ChatGPT or similar AI tools.
Malicious acts
Hackers are always on the lookout for the latest trends that capture the public's imagination, as is the case with ChatGPT. Internet browser extensions containing fake extensions claiming to contain generative AI tools can be traps set by hackers to infect devices. Meta has detected and blocked more than 1,000 web addresses presented as promising tools similar to ChatGPT, but which actually turn out to be traps set by hackers.
Is this common?
It is unfortunately common for hackers to use trendy developments, luring Internet users to web links or malware downloads, as has happened with digital currencies. ChatGPT is the latest example of this trend.
Malware Detection
Meta is preparing for generative AI to be used as a weapon, which is considered inevitable. To defend against deceptive online campaigns, Meta teams are exploring ways to use generative AI as a malware detection. Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy, said, “We are preparing for this. We have teams already thinking about how (generative AI) could be misused and what defenses we need to put in place to counter that.”
In sum, Internet users should be aware of the risks associated with generative AI. Hackers know enough to use this emerging technology as bait, but Meta is also working to use it as a defense against hackers.
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