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OpenAI Flags Rising Cyber Risks as AI Capabilities Advance

✇Cybersecurity News and Magazine
By:Ashish Khaitan
11 December 2025 at 05:04

AI Models

OpenAI has issued a cautionary statement that its forthcoming AI models could present “high” cybersecurity risks as their capabilities rapidly advance. The warning, published on Wednesday, noted the potential for these AI models to either develop zero-day exploits against well-defended systems or assist in enterprise or industrial intrusion operations with tangible real-world consequences.  The company, known for ChatGPT, explained that as AI capabilities grow, its models could reach levels where misuse might have an impact. OpenAI highlighted the dual-use nature of these technologies, noting that techniques used to strengthen defenses can also be repurposed for malicious operations. “As AI capabilities advance, we are investing in strengthening models for defensive cybersecurity tasks and creating tools that enable defenders to more easily perform workflows such as auditing code and patching vulnerabilities,” the blog post stated.  To mitigate these risks, OpenAI is implementing a multi-layered strategy involving access controls, infrastructure hardening, egress controls, monitoring, and ongoing threat intelligence efforts. These protection methods are designed to go alongside the threat landscape, ensuring a quick response to new risks while preserving the utility of AI models for defensive purposes. 

Assessing Cybersecurity Risks in AI Models 

OpenAI noted that the cybersecurity proficiency of its AI models has improved over recent months. Capabilities measured through capture-the-flag (CTF) challenges increased from 27% on GPT‑5 in August 2025 to 76% on GPT‑5.1-Codex-Max by November 2025. The company expects this trajectory to continue and is preparing scenarios in which future models could reach “High” cybersecurity levels, as defined by its internal Preparedness Framework.  These high-level models could, for instance, autonomously develop working zero-day exploits or assist in stealthy cyber intrusions. OpenAI emphasized that its approach to safeguards combines technical measures with careful governance of model access and application. The company aims to ensure that these AI capabilities strengthen security rather than lower barriers to misuse. 

Frontier Risk Council and Advisory Initiatives 

In addition to technical measures, OpenAI is establishing the Frontier Risk Council, an advisory group that will bring experienced cyber defenders and security practitioners into direct collaboration with its teams. Initially focusing on cybersecurity, the council will eventually expand to other frontier AI capability domains. Members will advise balancing useful, responsible capabilities with the potential for misuse, informing model evaluations. OpenAI is also exploring a trusted access program for qualifying users and customers working in cyber defense. This initiative aims to provide tiered access to enhanced AI capabilities while maintaining control over potential misuse.  Beyond these initiatives, OpenAI collaborates with global experts, red-teaming organizations, and the broader cybersecurity community to evaluate potential risks and improve safety measures. This includes end-to-end red teaming to simulate adversary attacks and detection systems designed to intercept unsafe activity, with escalation protocols combining automated and human review. 

Dual-Use Risks and Mitigation 

OpenAI stressed that cybersecurity capabilities in AI models are inherently dual-use, with offensive and defensive knowledge often overlapping. To manage this, the company employs a defense-in-depth strategy, layering protection methods such as access controls, monitoring, detection, and enforcement programs. Models are trained to refuse harmful requests while remaining effective for legitimate educational and defensive applications.  OpenAI also works through the Frontier Model Forum, a nonprofit initiative involving leading AI labs, to develop shared threat models and ecosystem-wide best practices. This collaborative approach aims to create a consistent understanding of potential attack vectors and mitigation strategies across the AI industry. 

Historical Context and Risk Management 

This recent warning aligns with OpenAI’s prior alerts regarding frontier risks. In April 2025, the company issued a similar caution concerning bioweapons risks, followed by the release of ChatGPT Agent in July 2025, which was assessed as “high” on risk levels. These measures reflect OpenAI’s ongoing commitment to evaluate and publicly disclose potential hazards from advanced AI capabilities.  The company’s updated Preparedness Framework categorizes AI capabilities according to risk and guides operational safeguards. It distinguishes between “High” capabilities, which could amplify existing pathways to severe harm, and “Critical” capabilities, which could create unprecedented risks. Each new AI model undergoes rigorous evaluation to ensure that it sufficiently minimizes risks before deployment. 

Europe Hosts First In-Orbit Satellite Cybersecurity Competition

✇Cybersecurity News and Magazine
By:Ashish Khaitan
10 November 2025 at 03:26

CTF Europe

D-Orbit and the ethical hacking collective mhackeroni have concluded CTRLSpace CTF, the first in-orbit satellite cybersecurity competition ever held in Europe. The event, organized with the support of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Security Cyber Centre of Excellence and ESA’s Security Office, marked a major step toward strengthening Europe’s space defence capabilities.  The final phase of the CTF (Capture the Flag) competition took place from 4–6 November at ESA’s ESTEC facility in the Netherlands, coinciding with the Security for Space Systems (3S) conference. For the first time, contestants engaged directly with operational spacecraft, the ION Satellite Carrier, in a live environment designed to simulate real-world cybersecurity threats in orbit. 

A New Era in Space Security with CTF 

The CTRLSpace CTF competition aimed to confront one of the fastest-growing challenges in the modern space economy: protecting satellites and orbital infrastructure from cyberattacks. According to D-Orbit, the event demonstrated not only the feasibility of in-orbit cybersecurity testing but also the urgent need to integrate protection mechanisms into every phase of satellite design.  “Cybersecurity has become a fundamental pillar of the new space economy,” said Grazia Bibiano, D-Orbit’s Country Leader for Portugal. “At D-Orbit, we integrate it from the very first design stages because security cannot be an add-on; it must be built into the DNA of every system we send into orbit.”  Davide Avanzi, D-Orbit’s Head of Space and Product Security, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the complexity of the task: “Protecting space infrastructure is one of the most complex engineering challenges of our time. By adopting a security-by-design approach, we ensure mission resilience, data integrity, and trust in the space services of the future.” 

From Hundreds of Teams to One Winner 

The competition attracted immense global interest. A total of 559 teams registered for the qualifying round, with 299 solving at least one challenge. Over 25 tasks, participants collectively submitted 660 correct flags, showcasing a wide range of cybersecurity expertise.  From this large pool, five finalist teams advanced to the live finals at ESA ESTEC. These top competitors were given the rare opportunity to test their skills against actual spacecraft systems. Using secure, isolated environments, the event employed three active ION satellites to deliver authentic telemetry data and command interfaces.  The finalists had to decode real telemetry, send command sequences, analyze orbital positions, and interact with onboard software to uncover vulnerabilities, an experience that mirrored genuine satellite operations. Ultimately, the team Superflat emerged victorious, securing the top spot in this historic satellite cybersecurity competition. 

Testing the Future of Space Defense 

According to Daniele Lain from mhackeroni, developing challenges for a space-based environment required unprecedented innovation. “The space environment poses unique issues to the development of engaging challenges,” he noted, highlighting the technical and logistical hurdles faced during the design of the CTF tasks.  Antonios Atlasis, Head of the System Security Section at ESA, noted the broader implications of the event. “Cybersecurity protection of space missions is not an option,” he stated.   “The successful implementation and execution of CTRLSpace CTF not only provided the unique opportunity for students from all over Europe to compete on cybersecurity challenges implemented in real satellites, but it also proved that the implementation of cybersecurity protection measures in satellites is possible, even for the most challenging security scenarios.” 
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