ChatGPT macOS client vulnerability could be exploited to steal sensitive data such as chat history

Researchers at the Objective-See Foundation discovered a fixed vulnerability in OpenAI's ChatGPT macOS client that could allow an attacker to take over the local ChatGPT, read all chat history and browser session data, and even have ChatGPT execute commands on their behalf as legitimate instructions. The app originally verified multiple components through digital signatures and required tracing back three parent processes, but a trusted script interpreter would accept untrusted scripts, and a malicious script only needed to spawn the script interpreter three times to satisfy the verification conditions. Researcher Patrick Wardle said the exploit was extremely simple, with a proof of concept requiring only about a dozen lines of code. OpenAI publicly confirmed the vulnerability and fix in its system changelog on September 25, and spokesperson Shane Bauer said the company would continue to improve its security practices but needed to act faster.