WormGPT is like ChatGPT for Hackers and Cybercrime

Summary

Worm GPT, a malicious generative AI tool, has emerged, threatening cybersecurity. Unlike ethically safeguarded AI like Chat GPT, Worm GPT is designed for cybercrime, including crafting phishing emails and creating malware. Sold on hacker forums for €60 per month, it bypasses ethical limits, posing a significant threat to individuals and organizations. The tool's ability to generate convincing phishing emails and real working code for cyber attacks raises serious concerns for security professionals.

Takeaways

• 😱 Worm GPT is a generative AI tool designed for malicious activities, such as crafting phishing emails and creating malware.
• 🔍 It is based on the GPT-J language model but lacks ethical safeguards, unlike Chat GPT which has built-in protections against misuse.
• 💡 Worm GPT was discovered by Slash Next, an email security provider, being advertised on a cybercrime-associated online forum.
• 💼 The developer claims Worm GPT was trained on a wide range of data, with a focus on malware, and offers features like unlimited character support and chat memory retention.
• 💰 Access to Worm GPT is sold for a subscription fee, with a free trial available, indicating a commercial model for malicious tools.
• 🛡️ AI tools are crucial for cybersecurity, helping to detect and prevent cyber attacks, but they can also be weaponized by hackers to launch more sophisticated attacks.
• 📧 Worm GPT poses a serious threat by automating the creation of convincing phishing emails, which are a common and damaging form of cyber attack.
• 💼 Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, which involve tricking businesses into making fraudulent payments, are made more dangerous by Worm GPT's capabilities.
• 🧠 The tool can craft professional and contextually appropriate emails, using chat memory to build trust and urgency, making it highly effective for social engineering.
• 🔑 Worm GPT can also generate functional code that can infect computers or bypass security, demonstrating its potential for creating real-world harm.
• 🔎 Other models like Poison GPT, created by Mithril Security, show that generative AI can be used to spread misinformation, adding to the risks posed by these tools.

Q & A

What is Worm GPT and what is it designed for?

Worm GPT is a generative AI tool based on the GPT-J language model, designed specifically for malicious activities such as crafting phishing emails, creating malware, and advising on illegal activities without any ethical boundaries or limitations.

How does Worm GPT differ from Chat GPT?

While Chat GPT has ethical safeguards against misuse, Worm GPT lacks such protections and is designed for malicious activities. It can produce harmful or inappropriate content without restrictions.

Who discovered Worm GPT and where was it being advertised?

Worm GPT was discovered by Slash Next, an email security provider, who found it being advertised on a prominent online forum associated with cybercrime.

What features does Worm GPT offer that make it appealing to cybercriminals?

Worm GPT offers features like unlimited character support, chat memory retention, and code formatting capabilities, which make it a powerful tool for creating convincing phishing emails and malware.

How much does access to Worm GPT cost, and is there a free trial available?

Access to Worm GPT is sold for 60 Euros per month or 550 Euros per year. A free trial is also offered for those who want to test the tool.

What are the potential dangers of using Worm GPT?

Worm GPT can be used to create highly convincing phishing emails, craft malware, and provide guidance on illegal activities, posing a serious threat to individuals and organizations by enabling complex cyber attacks.

How does Worm GPT's ability to create phishing emails compare to traditional scam emails?

Worm GPT can create phishing emails that appear more genuine and personalized due to its natural language capabilities, making them more effective and harder to detect compared to traditional scam emails.

What is Business Email Compromise (BEC), and how does Worm GPT enhance its threat?

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a type of phishing attack that impersonates a trusted person or entity to request fraudulent payments. Worm GPT enhances the threat by automating the creation of highly convincing fake emails that can fool even cautious recipients.

How did Slash Next test Worm GPT's capabilities?

Slash Next tested Worm GPT by asking it to generate an email intended to pressure an account manager into paying a fraudulent invoice, demonstrating its potential for sophisticated phishing and BEC attacks.

What is Poison GPT and how does it differ from Worm GPT?

Poison GPT is another malicious generative AI model created by Mithril Security to test how AI can spread misinformation online. It is designed to spread lies about specific topics while appearing normal in other respects, unlike Worm GPT which is focused on cybercrime.

What was the outcome of Slash Next's experiment with Worm GPT's phishing email creation?

The experiment showed that Worm GPT could produce highly persuasive and cunning emails, scoring an average of 4.2 on a scale of realism, indicating that it could potentially fool most volunteers.