Microsoft takes legal action after cybercriminals utilize Azure OpenAI to create illicit content

In December 2024, Microsoft filed a lawsuit against a group of cybercriminals who used its generative AI service, Azure OpenAI, to create damaging material while ignoring its safety standards. A foreign-based gang carried out the attack by stealing customer credentials and using specialized software to gain unauthorized access to the service.

Azure OpenAI allows organizations to integrate OpenAI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E into their cloud applications. Microsoft also uses this platform to provide services such as GitHub Copilot, an AI-powered code aid. The fraudsters obtained Azure OpenAI account credentials by exploring public websites and attempting to find accounts related with generative AI services. They then corrupted these services, generating inflammatory and illegal content that they resold to other bad actors, along with clear instructions on how to abuse the AI technologies.

Microsoft's lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claims that the defendants violated multiple US statutes, including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The corporation seeks both damages and an injunction to avoid additional injury.

The action also allows Microsoft to confiscate a website key to the illegal enterprise, which might yield crucial evidence and aid in the dismantling of the illicit network. Furthermore, Microsoft has introduced new security measures and countermeasures to protect Azure OpenAI against future breaches and similar threats.

This event shows the growing hazards connected with AI technology, as motivated thieves can defeat even advanced security mechanisms, putting critical services and content at risk.

Source : The Indian Express