OpenAI’s ChatGPT has faced extended outages, reportedly due to a substantial DDoS attack linked to Russia-backed hacktivists supporting the Pro-Palestine cause. Users experienced disruptions like login issues and messages stating, “ChatGPT is at capacity right now” or a generic “Something went wrong…”
OpenAI acknowledged ongoing challenges and hinted at a potential cyberattack, noting abnormal traffic patterns consistent with a DDoS attack. While the exact source and nature of the attacks remain uncertain, some reports link the disruption to a hacktivist group named Anonymous Sudan, affiliated with the pro-Russian collective Killnet.
This incident underscores vulnerabilities in the infrastructure of even prominent platforms. Initially attributed to increased user interest, subsequent information suggests a more deliberate cyberattack. A member of the hacktivist group claimed the attack was in response to perceived bias against Palestine in ChatGPT. The timing, coinciding with OpenAI’s new feature announcements, including GPT-4 Turbo, suggests a coordinated effort against the platform.
It’s hilarious to me that OpenAI and Sam Altman thought a DDoS attack was their new ChatGPT features overperforming. https://t.co/0TueZTqVnl pic.twitter.com/o2D7rsakbm
— Reid Southen (@Rahll) November 9, 2023
Notably, disruptions extended beyond ChatGPT to Anthropic’s Claude 2 chatbot, indicating a potentially coordinated attack on these AI services. Despite calls for transparency, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has yet to comment, leaving users and stakeholders eager for a clearer understanding of the ongoing cyber threat and its implications.