DeepSeek Cyberattack: Major Blow Forces Platform to Halt New Signups, here is what to know.

Chinese AI platform DeepSeek has temporarily disabled new user registrations on its DeepSeek-V3 chat platform due to a large-scale cyberattack. The company, which recently gained attention for its advanced AI model, took this step to ensure continued service.

DeepSeek’s Rise to Fame

DeepSeek, a relatively new player in the AI industry, has quickly risen to prominence. Its AI Assistant app recently overtook ChatGPT as the top downloaded app on the Apple App Store. This surge in popularity has drawn significant attention, both positive and negative.

The Cyberattack

The cyberattack, believed to be a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, targeted DeepSeek’s API and Web Chat platform. A DDoS attack floods a system with traffic, overwhelming its resources and causing services to malfunction. As a result, DeepSeek decided to halt new registrations temporarily.

Impact on Users

Existing users can still log in as usual, but new users are currently unable to register. DeepSeek has advised users to log in with their Google accounts, which requires sharing personal information such as name, email address, language preference, and profile picture.

Security Concerns

Cybersecurity firm KELA reported that it was able to jailbreak DeepSeek’s model to produce malicious outputs. This highlights the vulnerabilities in DeepSeek’s system and raises concerns about data privacy and security.

Market Reactions

The news of the cyberattack and DeepSeek’s temporary halt on new registrations has had a significant impact on the market. Shares of AI-linked companies, including NVIDIA Corporation, saw a substantial decline. DeepSeek’s rapid rise and the subsequent cyberattack have intensified competition in the generative AI sector and affected global financial markets.

DeepSeek’s Response

DeepSeek has stated that it is working with external experts to investigate the incident and strengthen its security measures. The company plans to provide further updates as the investigation progresses. In the meantime, DeepSeek has advised users to stay vigilant, update their passwords, and enable multi-factor authentication.

Conclusion

As DeepSeek navigates this challenging situation, the incident underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Users must remain cautious and informed about the potential risks associated with interacting with AI platforms.

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