Source URL: https://embracethered.com/blog/posts/2025/chatgpt-codex-remote-control-zombai/
Source: Embrace The Red
Title: Turning ChatGPT Codex Into A ZombAI Agent
Feedly Summary: Today we cover ChatGPT Codex as part of the Month of AI Bugs series.
ChatGPT Codex is a cloud-based software engineering agent that answers codebase questions, executes code, and drafts pull requests.
In particular, this post will demonstrate how Codex is vulnerable to prompt injection, and how the use of the “Common Dependencies Allowlist” for Internet access enables an attacker to recruit ChatGPT Codex into a malware botnet.
The ZombAI attack arrives at ChatGPT Codex today!
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text discusses vulnerabilities in ChatGPT Codex, particularly related to prompt injection attacks and the implications of using an allowlist for internet access. This is significant for security professionals tasked with safeguarding software development tools and cloud-based AI applications.
Detailed Description: The content focuses on a specific AI tool, ChatGPT Codex, and its vulnerabilities, presenting critical insights into both AI security and software security. Here are the major points:
– **ChatGPT Codex as a Tool**: It serves as a cloud-based software engineering agent capable of answering coding questions, executing code, and drafting pull requests.
– **Vulnerability to Prompt Injection**: The post highlights a vulnerability where attackers can manipulate input to execute unauthorized commands or extract information.
– **Common Dependencies Allowlist**: The article suggests that using this allowlist for internet access can inadvertently enable attackers to integrate ChatGPT Codex into a malware botnet.
– **ZombAI Attack**: This refers to a specific type of attack targeting ChatGPT Codex, indicating the growing threats in the intersection of AI and cybersecurity.
– **Relevance to Security Professionals**:
– Awareness: Professionals need to be cognizant of the vulnerabilities in AI tools they integrate into their development processes.
– Mitigation Strategies: Understanding the implications of allowlist configurations and prompt injection can help in building robust security measures.
Overall, this text is critical for security and compliance professionals focusing on AI and software security, as it underscores the need for vigilance in the use of sophisticated AI tools in environments that may be susceptible to exploitation.