Are Cybersecurity Concerns Related to ChatGPT Valid? – Joseph Tripoli

By Joseph Tripoli

“Patch your software, don't be remiss, for updates prevent a hacker's kiss.“

That was the output of a simple prompt I entered using a particular language processing AI, so that I could share the result with a colleague. The generated phrase is simple, elegant, and honestly, very clever. Who knows how long it would have taken the creative juices to come up with that phrase on my own? And yet the model did it immediately, given the parameters provided. 

Language processing AI is a subset of artificial intelligence that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language. It uses machine learning algorithms and natural language processing techniques to analyze text, speech, and other forms of human communication. 

Should we be afraid? Is this the dawn of Skynet? Is this the end of information technology as we conventionally know it? Or is this simply another tool for the toolkit, another bump in the changing threat landscape of the industry? Many fear potential issues with AI (Italy recently banned ChatGPT for privacy concerns), but AI simply represents innovation. Much like the printing press, this may fundamentally change the way we do business on a global scale. "Chatbots" are nothing new, but we are now witnessing their commercialization, particularly in the case of ChatGPT.

These language model AIs are tools are only as good as the input they receive, and they still require the human element. They cannot do math. They cannot perform logic. Individual judgement and critical thinking still need to be applied to each case-by-case request. There is a lot of fear in the industry that AI will displace IT professionals. While this may be true to some extent, they can also be used for the augmentation of skills. Some of these abilities have enabled those of us lacking certain programming and computer science backgrounds to expedite automagical tasks. However, creative input is necessary to ensure a coherent and useful output.

I implore those of you who are wary of these technologies to explore and familiarize yourselves with them. While it is clear they can be beneficial, they are still a tool that can be weaponized, and that offensive capability requires us to take a defensive posture. That means focusing on the fundamentals of cybersecurity.

Contact the TAGITM Cybersecurity Committee if you need a hand getting started with those fundamentals. We’re here to help!