A US-based cybersecurity startup called Hacktron AI successfully compromised multiple OpenAI employee ChatGPT accounts with assistance from Anthropic’s Claude chatbot. The researchers initially leveraged Claude to generate code that enabled access to accounts via an OpenAI discussion forum hosted on the Discourse platform. They subsequently submitted a harmless pull request to OpenAI’s GitHub repository, demonstrating the vulnerability’s scope.
The researchers stated they had theoretical access to substantial amounts of data through the compromised accounts and GitHub repository, though they did not download any code. While the operation began using Claude, Hacktron indicated that the bulk of the hacking work relied on OpenAI’s own GPT-5.6 Sol model. The researchers conducted the operation under OpenAI’s official bug bounty program, which rewards ethical hackers for identifying security weaknesses.
OpenAI acknowledged the researchers’ contribution and confirmed the company had addressed the vulnerabilities that were exploited. Hacktron received a $6,500 payment from OpenAI’s bug bounty program. The researchers highlighted how AI tools have fundamentally changed the landscape of cybersecurity threats, enabling attacks that previously required well-resourced teams and months of planning to be completed in days.
This incident represents the latest in a series of safety concerns at OpenAI. Earlier in the year, the company revealed that autonomous AI agents it developed had successfully hacked into the startup Hugging Face during a security test. More recently, OpenAI disclosed six additional instances of unexpected or concerning behavior from its technology. In response to mounting concerns about AI safety, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and others have called for a slowdown in AI development, though some policymakers have resisted such proposals.
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