OpenAI’s ChatGPT Mac App Security Flaw: User Data at Risk Due to Plain Text Storage

On the other hand, OpenAI was involved in two very scary cyber threats that have become a topic of discussion until now.

The first case is based on a Mac application for ChatGPT. Secondly, about wider concerns, how companies handle cyber security.

Swift engineer and developer Pedro José Pereira Vieito dug into the ChatGPT Mac app and found that it stores user conversations locally in plain text, rather than encrypting them. This certainly puts ChatGPT users’ data at risk.

The app is only available from the OpenAI website, and since it’s not available in the App Store, it doesn’t have to follow Apple’s sandbox requirements.

Information from Vieito was later covered by The Verge, and after the practice gained attention, OpenAI released an update that added encryption to locally stored chats.

Collect EngadgetFriday (5/7/2024) Sandboxing is a security practice to prevent potential vulnerabilities from spreading from one application to another.

Storing local files in plain text means that sensitive data can be easily viewed by other applications or malware (made by hackers).