WormGPT is a term that has emerged recently, and it is not surprising if you have not heard about it at all. If you have not heard of ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, you are probably living under a rock. It can be described as the single biggest invention of the modern world apart from smartphones and the internet. Naturally, people have been curious about the applications that present themselves via large language model (LLM) platforms like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and more.
Nefarious uses of AI have not been ruled out yet, and we are seeing some effects already taking place. Things like scam emails, which earlier used to be easily distinguishable because of a large number of grammatical errors, are now being written in fluent English thanks to ChatGPT. However, when asking things that are racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, or anything of that accord, the platform has a set of strong ethical boundaries.
That looks to be changing with a new type of LLM called WormGPT. What exactly is this tool, and why is it threatening to upend the digital world we live in?
Score
Nokia 5.1
Processor
4.4
Display
6.6
Camera
5.9
Battery
3.6
How is WormGPT different from ChatGPT?
Also read: How To Save ChatGPT Conversation And Share It: Easy Guide
WormGPT is a newly surfaced AI tool that can be hailed as a malevolent counterpart to ChatGPT. While ChatGPT is designed and intended as an ethical AI language model meant to assist users in providing helpful and informative responses to a wide array of queries. However, WormGPT is specifically crafted with malicious intent. It serves as a malevolent AI tool created to facilitate cybercriminal activities, enabling large-scale attacks.
Built using the powerful GPTJ language model, it has been used to train ChatGPT in conversational response. It is equipped with a range of concerning features and includes, worryingly, an unlimited character support feature that will keep generating content without stopping, like ChatGPT. There’s also believed to be a chat memory retention and code formatting capability, which will definitely make the AI tool a significant threat to cybersecurity.
Also read: What Is ChatGPT: A Revolution or Revelation?
However, the main threat to the digital space is that it can be used with severe malicious intent, as it was purportedly trained on data associated with malware, granting it the proficiency to craft highly sophisticated phishing emails and execute Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks. In short, any black hat hacker will have his work drastically reduced to execute phishing or DDOS attacks on any digital infrastructure.
This unsettling development has raised some serious alarms in the realm of cybersecurity, as the potential for WormGPT to be harnessed for highly notorious purposes could lead to far-reaching and destructive consequences across various online platforms and systems. If WormGPT is given free rein, it may be that many of our current digital safeguards can easily be bypassed.
What’s more, WormGPT is now being advertised for sale on several hacker forums. Unlike ethical AI models that incorporate safeguards against misuse, it has been developed without any ethical boundaries, making it an ideal weapon for cybercriminals seeking to launch large-scale attacks.
Misuse of WormGPT
Also read: We Tried The Best Free ChatGPT Alternatives – Mind Was Blown!
Since WormGPT is based and trained using malicious code and formats, it easily breaches any ethical boundaries pertaining to cybersecurity. As mentioned before, hackers with malicious intent can use the advanced machine learning and conversational abilities of WormGPT to attack the digital space.
– Phishing email
With unlimited character support and chat memory storage, you can create highly compelling personalised phishing emails to trick specific individuals and organizations. You can find out their location, employee records, and any other data that is stored digitally.
-Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks
It can help you manipulate employees into divulging confidential information, carrying out fraudulent financial transactions, or compromising corporate data by impersonating trusted parties or senior executives.
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-Social engineering attacks
Advanced speech generation exploits human psychology to craft compelling messages that trick individuals into sharing sensitive information or taking harmful actions using the harmful AI tool. An example of this is the 2016 US Presidential elections. Cambridge Analytica collected user data on millions of Facebook users and targeted them with personalised ads.
Malware development
By and large, the biggest threat is the training on malware-related data. The LLM can create viruses, Trojan horses, ransomware, and other sophisticated malicious code that can infiltrate and destroy computer systems. Since it has been trained on malicious code, hackers can use worm-GPT to attain any piece of hacking software with relative ease.
Cyber attacks
After developing targetted malware with the help of the discussed AI tool, cybercriminals may utilise it to exploit vulnerabilities in systems and frameworks, enabling them to assault a wide variety of digital infrastructure with cyber attacks. Any countermeasures would find it hard to overcome a DDOS attack that has been developed using the capabilities of the newly developed form of WormGPT.
Prevention & Cure
To prevent the development and usage of a harmful LLM like WormGPT, the following steps can be taken.
- If we are to encounter any malicious tool like this, it would be prudent to disclose this information to relevant authorities and organisations that can help address the issue promptly.
Also read: ChatGPT Android Launch: Get Your Chatbot Companion Now!
- A good step for effective AI tools would be regular auditing and monitoring of all LLMs so that you can help identify any potential biases or security vulnerabilities.
- Another step would be to use very strong access control measures that will limit access to AI models to users who are keen to misuse the facility.
- The government must also be involved in the same, and a comprehensive framework for AI development and deployment must be sought out. It should include policies, standards, and procedures that look to govern AI model usage and prevent misuse.
- AI developers have to be transparent about the capabilities and limitations of their models to prevent potential misuse.
Summary
Score
Nokia 5.1
Processor
4.4
Display
6.6
Camera
5.9
Battery
3.6
It is fundamental to understand that utilising the AI tool like such for malevolent purposes like hacking or cyber fraud is both illicit and illegal, and it can lead to extreme results for the culprits. Capable and moral utilisation of AI innovation is significant to preserve a secure advanced environment.
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