WormGPT: New AI Tool Helps Hackers Generate Credible Emails for BEC Attacks

A new generative AI tool by the name of WormGPT recently emerged on a prominent forum associated with threat actors. The AI module specifically designed for malicious activities can become a powerful tool in the hands of cyber criminals wanting to launch phishing and business email compromise (BEC) campaigns.

The tool based on the open-source GPT-J language model comes laden with various features including ‘’unlimited character support, chat memory retention, and code formatting capabilities,’’ reported SlashNext. Moreover, it’s suspected to have been trained on a variety of data sources, especially malware-related data sets.

WormGPT, presented as a blackhat alternative to GPT models is being touted as the biggest enemy of ChatGPT, with the ability to help even novice cybercriminals launch sophisticated attacks. It can help attackers create fake persuasive, personalized emails with impeccable grammar, thus reducing chances of being flagged as suspicious. This was revealed in an experiment conducted by researchers at SlashNext.

‘’WormGPT produced an email that was not only remarkably persuasive but also strategically cunning, showcasing its potential for sophisticated phishing and BEC attacks.’’

Along with the development of these generative AI modules, cybersecurity researchers have also noticed promotion of ‘’jailbreaks’’ for ChatGPT. These are specialized inputs created to manipulate such tools to generate output that could involve disclosing sensitive information, producing inappropriate content, and executing harmful code.

According to SlashNext, the adoption of AI and use of such practices by determined cybercriminals underlines the growing challenges that organizations today face in ensuring AI security.

To safeguard against such BEC attacks, it is essential that companies follow a multi-faceted approach. This includes developing extensive BEC-specific training programs that educate employees about AI augmented threats and tactics employed by threat actors. Enforcing stringent email verification processes and deploying measures that help detect potential malicious emails, especially the ones containing keywords linked to BEC attacks.