ChatGPT and cybersecurity: With great power comes great responsibility

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly advanced in recent years, but only since the recent explosion of ChatGPT has it become so visibly prominent in the UAE.

From healthcare to education, its integration into various industries has brought numerous benefits – including improving efficiency, effectiveness and customer experience. Yet the potential cybersecurity risks posed are often overlooked.

ChatGPT can automate tasks, analyse data and provide personalised recommendations that make the language tool extremely valuable for businesses seeking to improve efficiency and enhance customer experience.

ChatGPT is helping advance the fields of marketing, education, entertainment and more, but it is also crucially exposing them to cybercrimes.

The ease at which ChatGPT can automate the creation of sophisticated malware through natural language prompts and without coding knowledge has raised serious concerns regarding cybercrime. This makes it possible for individuals with limited technical expertise to develop malware that could cause serious harm to individuals and organisations across the globe.

The potential for natural language prompts to be used to exploit vulnerabilities and evade detection poses a significant threat to the cyber-security industry, particularly in areas such as ransomware and data theft.

To protect themselves, organisations must take proactive measures to secure their cyber systems and networks against potential threats that can emerge from language model-generated malware.

The onus lies on companies to ensure incoming data is not biased or tainted with falsified information.

Yet it must also be imperative to address the cybersecurity risks posed by ChatGPT to ensure this incredible technology is used for the improvement of humanity and protected against unintended consequences.

ChatGPT can be used as a powerful tool to detect and prevent cyberthreats. Its natural language processing capabilities can help identify patterns in data that may indicate a breach or attack, enabling organisations to take swift action to mitigate the risks.

Used with the right intention and in the right way, ChatGPT can hugely improve productivity and solve real-world problems. However, AI tools are often exploited and that’s what companies need to be wary of.

ChatGPT developers OpenAI has adapted Google’s Vulnerability Rewards Programme to identify and re-ward users that discover cybersecurity discrepancies.

Such steps are crucial as language models must continue to constantly develop better safeguarding tools that can be used legally and ethically to protect users against cybercrimes.

Aaron Mulgrew is the solutions architect at Forcepoint

Read: DEWA initiates pilot use of ChatGPT to enhance capabilities of its virtual employee