A hacker said they purloined private details from millions of OpenAI accounts-but researchers are skeptical, and the business is examining.

OpenAI says it's investigating after a hacker claimed to have actually swiped login qualifications for 20 countless the AI company's user accounts-and put them up for sale on a dark web online forum.

The pseudonymous breacher posted a cryptic message in Russian advertising "more than 20 million gain access to codes to OpenAI accounts," calling it "a goldmine" and using prospective purchasers what they claimed was sample information containing email addresses and passwords. As reported by Gbhackers, the full dataset was being provided for sale "for simply a few dollars."

"I have more than 20 million gain access to codes for OpenAI accounts," emirking wrote Thursday, according to a translated screenshot. "If you're interested, reach out-this is a goldmine, and Jesus agrees."

If legitimate, this would be the 3rd significant security occurrence for the AI business because the release of ChatGPT to the general public. In 2015, a hacker got access to the company's internal Slack messaging system. According to The New York Times, the hacker "stole details about the design of the company's A.I. technologies."

Before that, in 2023 an even simpler bug including jailbreaking triggers allowed hackers to obtain the private information of OpenAI's paying consumers.

This time, however, security scientists aren't even sure a hack occurred. Daily Dot reporter Mikael Thalan composed on X that he discovered void email addresses in the expected sample data: "No evidence (recommends) this alleged OpenAI breach is legitimate. A minimum of 2 addresses were invalid. The user's just other post on the forum is for a stealer log. Thread has given that been deleted as well."

No evidence this alleged OpenAI breach is genuine.

Contacted every email address from the supposed sample of login credentials.

At least 2 addresses were void. The user's just other post on the online forum is for a stealer log. Thread has actually given that been erased as well. https://t.co/yKpmxKQhsP

- Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) February 6, 2025

OpenAI takes it 'seriously'

In a statement shown Decrypt, an OpenAI representative acknowledged the scenario while maintaining that the business's systems appeared protected.

"We take these claims seriously," the representative said, including: "We have actually not seen any proof that this is connected to a compromise of OpenAI systems to date."

The scope of the supposed breach triggered issues due to OpenAI's huge user base. Millions of users worldwide depend on the company's tools like ChatGPT for service operations, academic functions, and material generation. A legitimate breach might expose personal discussions, business projects, and other delicate data.

Until there's a final report, some preventive steps are always advisable:

- Go to the "Configurations" tab, log out from all connected gadgets, and enable two-factor authentication or 2FA. This makes it essentially difficult for a hacker to gain access to the account, even if the login and passwords are compromised.
- If your bank supports it, then create a virtual card number to manage OpenAI memberships. This way, it is easier to find and prevent fraud.
- Always keep an eye on the conversations kept in the chatbot's memory, setiathome.berkeley.edu and understand any phishing efforts. OpenAI does not request for any individual details, and any payment update is constantly managed through the main OpenAI.com link.