Chinese AI startup Deepseek, known for its advanced AI chatbot Deepseek R1, has found itself at the heart of the major data breaches debate. Security researchers have uncovered critical vulnerabilities in their database infrastructure, revealing sensitive user data and operational secrets.
The incident sparked widespread concern about the security practices of AI companies, particularly as an extension of Deepseek Eyes Global.
DeepSeek Data Breach: What exactly happened?
The violation was discovered by Wiz Research, a New York-based cybersecurity company. Within minutes of scanning DeepSeek’s system, researchers identified a publicly available Clickhouse database hosted in the company’s domain.
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The database lacked authentication, so it was open to anyone online. This misconception has allowed unlimited access to over 1 million log entries containing sensitive information, including chat history, API keys, backend operation details, and metadata.
What surprised the situation even more was the full administrative privileges in the database. This meant that attackers could not only view the data, but also modify or delete it. Researchers pointed out that depending on the database configuration, attackers could potentially use simple SQL commands to retrieve plain text passwords and their own files.
Deepseek R1 vulnerability
Apart from data breaches, DeepSeek R1 has been criticized for its susceptibility to cyberattacks. Security researchers have demonstrated how models can be utilized using techniques such as “evil jailbreak.” This bypasses the safety mechanism for generating harmful content. These vulnerabilities further exacerbate concerns about the company’s ability to protect systems and users.
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After receiving a warning from Wiz Research, Deepseek acted quickly to secure an exposed database. However, this rapid response rarely reduces the broader implications of such lapses.
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Security experts have criticized the company for failing to implement basic security measures such as authentication protocols and encryption. Giz’s cloud security researcher Gal Nagli says that while much of the focus of AI security lies in futuristic threats such as hostile attacks, basic surveillance such as exposed databases poses much greater risks It emphasizes that.
Broadly speaking, AI startups
Deepseek’s data breaches are not isolated cases, but rather symptom of a bigger problem within the rapidly growing AI industry. Many people overlook key security protocols as companies deploy generated AI models and rush to scale their user base.
This negligence not only puts the trust of users at risk, but also exposes the company to regulatory scrutiny and potential legal consequences. The violation also raises doubts about Deepseek’s preparation for global expansion.
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The company recently announced plans to hold the service on local servers in India, in line with the country’s data localization policy. However, the incident raises doubts whether DeepSeek can meet India’s strict data protection standards.
Regulation scrutiny and user concerns
This violation has attracted attention from regulators around the world. Italian and Ireland authorities have launched an investigation into Deepseek’s data processing practices, but the US Navy has warned personnel not to use the service due to security concerns.
These developments underscore the growing scrutiny faced by Chinese tech companies operating in international markets. On forums like Reddit, users express their anger over DeepSeek’s negligence. Many people have compared the incident to virtual scenarios involving US-based companies such as Google and Openai, and stressed that if such lapses occur in Western companies, it will cause even greater backlash. I’m doing it.
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Sagar Sharma
I happen to be a software engineer who loves to test computers and sometimes crashes. He can be found reading literature, cartoons, or watered plants, while reviving his crashed system. View the full profile
