Tag Archive for: Finds

GPT-4 can exploit zero-day security vulnerabilities all by itself, a new study finds

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A hot potato: GPT-4 stands as the newest multimodal large language model (LLM) crafted by OpenAI. This foundational model, currently accessible to customers as part of the paid ChatGPT Plus line, exhibits notable prowess in identifying security vulnerabilities without requiring external human assistance.

Researchers recently demonstrated the ability to manipulate (LLMs) and chatbot technology for highly malicious purposes, such as propagating a self-replicating computer worm. A new study now sheds light on how GPT-4, the most advanced chatbot currently available on the market, can exploit extremely dangerous security vulnerabilities simply by examining the details of a flaw.

According to the study, LLMs have become increasingly powerful, yet they lack ethical principles to guide their actions. The researchers tested various models, including OpenAI’s commercial offerings, open-source LLMs, and vulnerability scanners like ZAP and Metasploit. They found that advanced AI agents can “autonomously exploit” zero-day vulnerabilities in real-world systems, provided they have access to detailed descriptions of such flaws.

In the study, LLMs were pitted against a database of 15 zero-day vulnerabilities related to website bugs, container flaws, and vulnerable Python packages. The researchers noted that more than half of these vulnerabilities were classified as “high” or “critical” severity in their respective CVE descriptions. Moreover, there were no available bug fixes or patches at the time of testing.

The study, authored by four computer scientists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), aimed to build on previous research into chatbots’ potential to automate computer attacks. Their findings revealed that GPT-4 was able to exploit 87 percent of the tested vulnerabilities, whereas other models, including GPT-3.5, had a success rate of zero percent.

UIUC assistant professor Daniel Kang highlighted GPT-4’s capability to autonomously exploit 0-day flaws, even when open-source scanners fail to detect them. With OpenAI already working on GPT-5, Kang foresees “LLM agents” becoming potent tools for democratizing vulnerability exploitation and cybercrime among script-kiddies…

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Black Majority Schools Face Alarming Internet Security Risks, Report Finds

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There is a large digital divide affecting low-income and Black or Indigenous majority schools, a recent report by Internet Safety Labs (ISL) has found.

Ads and trackers

The report “Demographic Analysis of App Safety, Website Safety, and School Technology Behaviors in US K-12 Schools” explores technological disparities in American schools, focusing mainly on marginalized demographics.

This research expands on ISL’s previous work on the safety of educational technology across the country and is supported by the Internet Society Foundation. It reveals how schools of different backgrounds use technology and the risks involved.

One concerning finding is that websites for schools with mostly Black students were the least safe.

One-third of these schools had advertisements on their websites—a rate much higher than the national average—and 100% of the websites had trackers monitoring visitor behavior.

Privacy or digital divide?

The study also highlights a broader problem: a digital divide in how technology is used in education.

Schools in the lowest income bracket, making between $20,000 and $39,000, were among the least likely to provide their students with computing devices. This limits these students’ experience with technology.

Furthermore, the technology that is recommended or required often poses privacy risks, including apps filled with digital and behavioral ads.

Similar trends were seen for schools with the most American Indian/Native Alaskan students, leading to concerns about how this digital divide impacts students’ learning and their understanding of technology.

What Is The Solution?

The report suggests several actions for schools, school districts, and policymakers.

It recommends eliminating digital ads and tracking devices on school websites.

It also emphasizes the importance of schools being transparent about the technology they use, suggesting they publish a comprehensive list of required technology so students and parents know what’s expected.

Finally, it suggests schools should thoroughly vet all technology they recommend or require for educational use, to ensure it’s safe and appropriate…

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Jet stream will get faster as climate change continues, study finds

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Jet stream will get faster as climate change continues, study finds
Jet streams circulate around the world. A new study finds fast jet stream winds (those in dark red) will get even faster over time as climate change accelerates. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

A new study in Nature Climate Change takes one of the first deep dives into how climate change will affect the fastest jet streams—the powerful, narrow winds in the upper atmosphere that steer much of the Earth’s weather systems and are connected to outbreaks of severe weather.

The research, by UChicago Prof. Tiffany Shaw and National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist Osamu Miyawaki, suggests that as the world warms, the fastest upper-level jet stream winds will get faster and faster—by about 2% for every degree Celsius the world warms. Furthermore, the fastest winds will speed up 2.5 times faster than the average wind.

“Based on these results and our current understanding, we expect record-breaking winds,” said Shaw, “and it’s likely that they will feed into decreased flight times, increased clear-air turbulence and a potential increase in severe weather occurrence.”

Wind, weather and warming

Partly prompted by recent news reports of speed-record-breaking flights over the Atlantic, Shaw and Miyawaki began to investigate and realized there had been very little exploration of how the very fastest jet stream winds would respond to climate change.

To fill this gap, they combined climate change models with what we know about the physics of jet streams.

Jet streams usually move from west to east around the globe in the upper atmosphere, about six miles (10 kilometers) above us. We know that jet streams strongly influence the weather we experience on the ground—especially air temperature, winds and weather patterns, and storms. They also influence the occurrence of severe storms, tornadoes, hail and severe wind.

Jet streams form because of the contrast between the cold, dense air at the poles and the warm, light air in the tropics, in combination with the rotation of the Earth. (This was first shown in…

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WatchGuard Threat Lab Report Finds Endpoint Malware Volumes

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SEATTLE, Oct. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WatchGuard® Technologies, a global leader in unified cybersecurity, today announced the findings of its latest Internet Security Report, detailing the top malware trends and network and endpoint security threats analyzed by WatchGuard Threat Lab researchers. Key findings from the research include 95% of malware now arriving over encrypted connections, a decrease in endpoint malware volumes despite campaigns growing more widespread, ransomware detections on the decline amid a rise in double-extortion attacks, older software vulnerabilities persisting as popular targets for exploit among modern threat actors, and more. 

“The data analyzed by our Threat Lab for our latest report reinforces how advanced malware attacks fluctuate in occurrence and multifaceted cyber threats continue to evolve, requiring constant vigilance and a layered security approach to combat them effectively,” said Corey Nachreiner, chief security officer at WatchGuard. “There is no single strategy that threat actors wield in their attacks and certain threats often present varying levels of risk at different times of the year. Organizations must continually be on alert to monitor these threats and employ a unified security approach, which can be administered effectively by managed service providers, for their best defense.” 

Among the most notable findings, the latest Internet Security Report featuring data from Q2 2023 showed:

  • Ninety-five percent of malware hides behind encryption. Most malware lurks behind SSL/TLS encryption used by secured websites. Organizations that don’t inspect SSL/TLS traffic at the network perimeter are likely missing most malware. Furthermore, zero day malware dropped to 11% of total malware detections, an all-time low. However, when inspecting malware over encrypted connections, the share of evasive detections increased to 66%, indicating attackers continue to deliver sophisticated malware primarily via encryption. 
  • Total endpoint malware volume is down slightly, though widespread malware campaigns increased.There was a slight 8% decrease in endpoint malware detections in Q2 compared to the previous…

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