Apple Mac users who installed the ChatGPT app were facing a big security risk as the platform did not secure your chats with the AI chatbot and left it in plain text.
OpenAI might not have been aware of this big flaw, which could have left millions vulnerable to possible malicious attacks if they gain access to their Mac devices and are able to read all your chats and other data stored on the ChatGPT app.
ChatGPT MacOS App Security Issue: Should You Be Worried?
The issue was reported by a user named Pedro José Pereira Vieito on Threads earlier this week. Pedro noticed that the security issue allowed other apps on MacOS to read these conversations which would have raised the alarm bells at OpenAI.
The company was informed about the issue which had major risk for millions of Mac users but thankfully OpenAI has managed to encrypt the ChatGPT app now so all your data stored on the platform is secure. So, if you have been using the first version of the ChatGPT app on macOS, we suggest you update to the latest version right away.
Facing Tough Questions
But the bigger question is how did ChatGPT not secure the data and how did Apple allow the app to be offered for its users. The report and the tipster claimed OpenAI may have bypassed Apple’s stringent App Store policies by asking people to download the ChatGPT app on macOS through its website which is now possible in select regions.
But even then OpenAI should be careful about how these apps are rolled out in the public because issues like these can be exploited and the company should do its own checks to avoid such mishaps. Having said that, OpenAI can still read your chats for safety and training its AI models as long as you have decided to give the company the permission to do so.
Apple and OpenAI have come to terms on a reported zero-sum deal which brings ChatGPT to iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia version later this year. The app is already available on macOS through its website.
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