ChatGPT, notorious for plagiarism, is being overshadowed its criminal counterparts on the dark web. These rogue chatbots, available through monthly subscriptions or one-time fees, are becoming tools for sophisticated online scammers. Cybersecurity firm SlashNext has recently highlighted chatbots like DarkBERT, WormGPT, and FraudGPT for their potential to facilitate phishing scams and create realistic fraudulent texts using images.
DarkBERT, for instance, has been found selling “.edu” email addresses to con artists who impersonate academic institutions. These addresses are then misused to exploit student discounts on platforms like Amazon. Additionally, FraudGPT is used to deceive individuals into providing their banking information posing as trusted entities like banks.
Lisa Palmer, an AI strategist, warns that these AI-driven swindles are highly personalized and can target thousands of victims simultaneously. Furthermore, they are capable of creating deepfake videos and audios, making the scams even more convincing. Not only do these crimes affect vulnerable populations, but they also pose threats to governments and businesses. Attackers may use the large amounts of public data used to train these chatbots to gather sensitive information for infiltrating or attacking governments and conducting reputation or ransom attacks on businesses.
The accessibility of these chatbots on the dark web exacerbates the situation. Criminals without high-tech skills are now emboldened to engage in illegal activities like identity theft on a massive scale. Combating these cybercriminals is challenging as they are often sophisticated organizations that are difficult to apprehend.
In conclusion, the rise of dark web chatbots with criminal capabilities presents a growing threat in cybercrime. These chatbots enable scammers to carry out personalized attacks at scale, posing risks to individuals, governments, and businesses. It is crucial for law enforcement and cybersecurity organizations to stay vigilant and develop countermeasures to address this emerging challenge.