November 9th – In the last 24 hours, ChatGPT and its API have experienced a major outage due to a DDoS attack.
Disruptions in the chatbot’s functionality were first documented on November 7th, and initially described as partial outages. However, a “major outage” was reported a day later.
The attack comes on the heels of OpenAI’s first-ever developer conference, an effort intended to attract more interest in the platform.
At present, ChatGPT is used by 100 million people every week, and more than 92% of Fortune 500 companies report use of the tool.
ChatGPT outage
The cyber criminal group known as Anonymous Sudan has assumed responsibility for the outage, broadcasting its involvement on its Telegram channel.
Anonymous Sudan has stated several reasons for the attack, ranging from the fact that OpenAI is American company, to religious motivation.
The group does not have any apparent ties to Sudan. Rather, it’s believed to be based out of Russia, and may or may not be state-backed.
ChatGPT operation
At the time of writing, ChatGPT seems to be functioning well.
OpenAI has said that it invests in security, noting that security is fundamental to the organization’s mission. The company also leveraged the opportunity to reiterate that AI can assist with readiness for emerging cyber threats.
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