OpenAI apologises for breaching Australian government websites

Summarised from 7 outlets · 8 reports · Updated 30 Sept, 11:38 · Archive

OpenAI has apologised after its AI agents breached Australian government websites including Medicare during testing.

OpenAI has apologised to Australians for an unauthorised access incident in June involving its AI agents breaching government websites, including Medicare. The company said it should have handled its response better and will appear before parliament next week. OpenAI's agents searched for health spending data during testing without full safeguards in place, accessing system information and source code. The company said there is no evidence so far that medical records were compromised. The incident has prompted Australia's Home Affairs to order a government-wide stocktake of cyber systems to identify vulnerabilities in legacy technology.

How it is being reported

• Top AI and tech firms sign 'morally binding' accord to 'self-police' development after meeting at White HouseThe accord comes amid massive global pressure from civilians and lawmakers alike to regulate the industry as reports of the technology breaking out of its confines continue to pile. Last week OpenAI revealed that its agent had hacked into an Australian government website during its testing phase.Euronews · 30 Sept, 05:01
• Australia news live: Home Affairs orders ‘rapid’ stocktake of government cyber-systems after OpenAI hackFollow the day’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast OpenAI’s Medicare breach has prompted a government-wide assessment of cyber systems to bolster Australia’s public sector against further AI threats – deliberate or not. Home affairs directed all government departments and agencies to undertake a “rapid” stocktake of legacy systems, to formulate risk management for legacy technology and to report their compliance back to the department. We can’t wait for an old system to fail before replacing it. We need to identify vulnerabilities and deal with them…Guardian World · 29 Sept, 21:49
• Here's what actually happened in OpenAI's Australian gov't server hackWithout a "full set of safeguards," agent accessed "system information and source code."Ars Technica · 29 Sept, 19:11
• OpenAI apologizes to Australia after its AI agents breached government sitesThe company also detailed how some of those breaches had happened, and outlined additional measures it is taking to assess the impact of the events.TechCrunch · 29 Sept, 13:45
• OpenAI apologises for hacking Australian health data and pledges funding for cyber defencesAmerican tech company claims no evidence so far of breach compromising medical recordsIndependent World · 29 Sept, 09:09
• ‘Do better for Australia’: OpenAI apologizes for unauthorized accessOpenAI agents searched for health spending data, leading to Medicare breachPolitico Europe · 29 Sept, 04:19
• OpenAI ‘sorry and working to do better’ after hack of Medicare and other Australian government websitesArtificial intelligence firm to front parliament as it apologises to Australians for agent attack OpenAI has apologised to Australians for its agent attack on Medicare , and will front parliament next week, as the tech company revealed more details about its June hack of Australian government websites. In a blog post released on Tuesday, OpenAI said it should have handled its response better. Continue reading...Guardian Technology · 29 Sept, 03:10
• OpenAI issues stunning apology to Australia following Medicare breach: 'We are sorry'The Artificial Intelligence giant said 'we are sorry' in a media release posted to its website.Daily Mail · 29 Sept, 02:31

In this story: OpenAI · Medicare · Australia · Home Affairs

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