Have you heard about the new Gemini security issue? This is a major issue here -- and very troubling. We're talking about Google Gemini, an AI application that seems to have had very real vulnerabilities that may have let bad actors take data on people without anyone noticing. Let me break it down, simply.
These vulnerabilities were like secret doors into the application to access private information and exfiltrate data without the user being alerted.
The three vulnerabilities were in:
There could be insecure code hiding in the system logs and at some later time, Gemini could execute that log and proceed to do what it says to do, without anyone being the wiser.
2. Personalized Search-History Tricks
There’s the risk that Gemini incorporates your search history. A hacker can add their own searches in order to confuse Gemini into emitting a signal or request, making you think that it was not actually private.
3. The browsing-tool issue – hidden into a request
Another subtle issue. A hacker can hide an ask to their server in Gemini’s requests and steal your information. You wouldn’t know it’s happening.
Why It Matters
Typically, our concerns are phishing emails or other types of malware. Here the AI is acting as the weapon, with no pop-ups or data alerts, only data leaks.
An industry note: Hackers could compromise Gemini, extract data, and no one would know. Scary, right?
That said, according to Tenable, do not relax your guard around any of these problems. Recommendations included:
The key takeaway is... we need to build security into AI tools and carefully observe them.
The next time you are using an AI assistant, ask yourself... do I actually know what is happening behind the screen?
What Happened?
There was a company called Tenable that found three big vulnerabilities in Gemini which they named the "Gemini Trifecta."These vulnerabilities were like secret doors into the application to access private information and exfiltrate data without the user being alerted.
The three vulnerabilities were in:
- Cloud Assist
- Search Personalization Model
- Browsing Tool
- The Three Vulnerabilities (Flight School Version)
There could be insecure code hiding in the system logs and at some later time, Gemini could execute that log and proceed to do what it says to do, without anyone being the wiser.
2. Personalized Search-History Tricks
There’s the risk that Gemini incorporates your search history. A hacker can add their own searches in order to confuse Gemini into emitting a signal or request, making you think that it was not actually private.
3. The browsing-tool issue – hidden into a request
Another subtle issue. A hacker can hide an ask to their server in Gemini’s requests and steal your information. You wouldn’t know it’s happening.
Why It Matters
Typically, our concerns are phishing emails or other types of malware. Here the AI is acting as the weapon, with no pop-ups or data alerts, only data leaks.
An industry note: Hackers could compromise Gemini, extract data, and no one would know. Scary, right?
Did Google Patch It?
Yes. Google patched all of them, no action is needed of you.That said, according to Tenable, do not relax your guard around any of these problems. Recommendations included:
- Treat any AI tool not as a tool, but rather as a target for hackers.
- Monitor your logs and browser history closely.
- Be aware of abnormal behavior of tools or traffic.
- Monitor any test, or at least – double check, to not be duped by AI systems.
Why This Is Important
The moment you are on Gemini or any AI that interacts with logs, browses, or looks at history... there is a possibility that your data is being collected. These issues alone demonstrate AI is capable of leaking data from inside and not just when actors compromise your account.In Closing,
"Gemini security vulnerabilities exposed millions to silent data breaches." Not just a title... it's real. Google patched this issue fortunately.The key takeaway is... we need to build security into AI tools and carefully observe them.
The next time you are using an AI assistant, ask yourself... do I actually know what is happening behind the screen?
