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E-Business

Four Privacy Risks in Using ChatGPT for Businesses

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Today, many people rely on neural network-based language models like ChatGPT for their jobs. A Kaspersky survey in Russia revealed that 11% of respondents have utilised chatbots, with nearly 30% believing in their potential to replace jobs in the future.

Other surveys indicate that 50% of Belgian office workers and 65% in the UK rely on ChatGPT. Moreover, the prominence of the search term “ChatGPT” in Google Trends suggests a pronounced weekday usage, likely tied to work-related tasks.

However, the growing integration of chatbots in the workplace prompts a crucial question: can they be entrusted with sensitive corporate data? Kaspersky researchers have identified four key risks associated with employing ChatGPT for business purposes.

Data leak or hack on the provider’s side

Although LLM-based chatbots are operated by tech majors, even they are not immune to hacking or accidental leakage. For example, there was an incident in which ChatGPT users were able to see messages from others’ chat histories.

Data leak through chatbots

Theoretically, chats with chatbots might be used to train future models. Considering that LLMs are susceptible to “unintended memorisation,” wherein they remember unique sequences like phone numbers that don’t enhance model quality but pose privacy risks, any data in the training corpus may inadvertently or intentionally be accessed by other users from the model.

Malicious client

This is a big concern in places where official services like ChatGPT are blocked. Users might resort to unofficial alternatives like programs, websites, or messenger bots and download malware disguised as non-existing client or app.

Account hacking

Attackers can get into employee accounts, accessing their data, through phishing attacks or credential stuffing. Moreover, Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence regularly finds posts on dark web forums selling access to chatbot accounts.

Summarising above, data loss is a major privacy concern for both users and businesses when using chatbots. Responsible developers outline how data is used for model training in their privacy policies.

Kaspersky’s analysis of popular chatbots, including ChatGPT, ChatGPT API, Anthropic Claude, Bing Chat, Bing Chat Enterprise, You.com, Google Bard, and Genius App by Alloy Studios, shows that in the B2B sector, there are higher security and privacy standards, given the greater risks of corporate information exposure.

Consequently, the terms and conditions for data usage, collection, storage, and processing are more focused on safeguarding compared to the B2C sector. The B2B solutions in this study typically don’t automatically save chat histories and in some cases, no data is sent to the company’s servers, as the chatbot operates locally in the customer’s network.

“After examining the potential risks tied to using LLM-based chatbots for work purposes, we’ve found that the risk of sensitive data leakage is highest when employees use personal accounts at work.

This makes raising staff awareness of the risks of using chatbots a top priority for companies. On the one hand, employees need to understand what data is confidential or personal, or constitutes a trade secret, and why it must not be fed to a chatbot. On the other, the company must spell out clear rules for using such services, if they are allowed at all,” comments Anna Larkina, security and privacy expert at Kaspersky.

 


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E-Business

Court Affirms ARCON’s Power to Regulate Ads on Social Media, Others

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Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared that Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has the legal authority to regulate advertising across all media platforms, including traditional outlets such as print and broadcast, as well as digital and social media.

Court Affirms ARCON’s Power to Regulate Ads on Social Media, Others

The landmark ruling strengthens the regulatory powers of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria.

The ruling was delivered by Honourable Justice Aluko in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1262/2024, filed by Digi Bay Limited (trading under the name and style of Betway Nigeria), Super Group Limited, and Otunba Kunle Olamuyiwa against the Attorney General of the Federation and ARCON.

The originating summons, dated 12 July 2024, sought a judicial determination of ARCON’s powers, particularly concerning advertising content published on digital platforms and by individuals not registered as advertising practitioners.

The court held that ARCON possesses the statutory authority to regulate all forms of advertising, regardless of the platform on which they appear.

The judgement also stated unequivocally that ARCON’s regulatory mandate extends beyond registered advertising agencies and includes private individuals who engage in advertising activities.

Justice Aluko emphasised that the determining factor is the nature of the activity—advertising—not the status of the individual or entity as a practitioner or non-practitioner.

One of the most significant outcomes of the ruling was the court’s position on social media regulation, affirming that ARCON, as the apex regulatory body in the nation’s advertising ecosystem, has the power to regulate advertisements on platforms such as Instagram, despite being privately owned.

The court noted that social media platforms are publicly accessible spaces used to broadcast advertising to wide audiences and, as such, fall under ARCON’s jurisdiction.

Regarding whether ARCON has the power to impose sanctions or fines on erring individuals or entities, the court provided clarity by affirming that ARCON may issue letters of violation or notices of infractions.

However, the power to determine and impose sanctions, it stated, resides solely with the Advertising Offences Tribunal, as prescribed by law.

The court also ruled that all advertising content—whether created by agencies, organisations, or individuals—must be vetted and approved by ARCON before being published or aired.

This decision reinforces ARCON’s role as the central authority responsible for ensuring that all advertising materials conform to ethical and professional standards, regardless of the platform.

Several practitioners in the nation’s advertising sector view the judgement as a significant legal victory for ARCON, especially in light of the increasing challenges it has faced since transitioning from the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) to ARCON under a revised legal framework, which extended the scope and influence of its powers.

In recent years, the agency has faced legal and media scrutiny from various quarters regarding the extent of its regulatory powers, particularly in the rapidly growing and often unregulated digital advertising space.

The decision, they argued, will have far-reaching implications for content creators, influencers, advertisers, and brands operating within the country, as compliance with ARCON’s vetting and regulatory processes becomes legally binding.

The ruling also signals a new phase in Nigeria’s advertising industry, where regulatory oversight will no longer be limited to traditional media and certain digital channels but will encompass the entire spectrum of public communication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Zoho Suspends $700m Chipmaking Plan

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Zoho, Indian software firmhas suspended its year-long pursuit of a $700 million plan to expand into chip manufacturing, its co-founder said, confirming a story and dealing another blow to the Indian government’s semiconductor plans.

Zoho Suspends $700m Chipmaking Plan

Zoho struggled to find the right technology partner required to advise on complex chipmaking processes, one source familiar with the matter told newsmen earlier.

Report said that Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s group has also paused discussions with Israel’s Tower Semiconductor for its $10 billion chip project following an internal evaluation by the Indian group.

Zoho, valued at around $12 billion, offers cheaper alternatives to cloud-based software tools made by the likes of Microsoft.

Its billionaire co-founder, Sridhar Vembu is known for his popular and unconventional approach of locating business operations in rural villages.

Vembu confirmed the decision after the story was published, saying “we did not have that confidence in the tech,” in a social media post.

“Since this business is so capital intensive, it requires government backing, we wanted to be absolutely sure of the technology path before we take taxpayer money,” he said.

In a bid to diversify, Zoho had planned to invest $400 million in a semiconductor facility in Karnataka state in south India.

The entire chipmaking plan, first reported by newsmen in May 2024, has for now been suspended.

Representatives for Karnataka state did not respond to a request for comment.

Zoho’s retreat will be a setback to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has for several years tried to lure companies in his pursuit to make India a global chip manufacturing hub.

India does not have a single operational chipmaking facility.

Zoho, established in 1996, offers software and related services on subscription to businesses in 150 countries and has over 18,000 employees and more than 120 million users.

Zoho’s Silectric Semiconductor Manufacturing last year made a handful of hires and formed a board to oversee chipmaking efforts, the source, who gave the reason for the failed plan, said.

The Karnataka government said in December it had given landmark approval to Zoho’s planned $400 million facility in Mysuru region, which would have generated 460 jobs and been the first such project in the state.

 

 

 

 


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FG Partners UK to Combat Cross-border Cyber-crime

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The federal government and the United Kingdom signed an agreement Tuesday to combat the growing threat of cyber-crime. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed following a courtesy visit by David George Hanson, minister of the home office, UK, to the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, Louis Edet House in Abuja.

Transnational crime is a big problem for both the UK and Nigeria, so the governments intend to strengthen existing collaboration efforts to crack down on cyber-criminals and protect their industries from unlawful activities.

Offences such as online fraud, identity theft, digital extortion, and ransomware , operate across many jurisdictions, and frequently necessitate sophisticated cooperation efforts, according to the two governments during a press conference.

Furthermore, Lateef Fagbemi, Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice, established the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime, which aims to address the need for a coordinated and robust approach to combating cybercrime, as stated in the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, which criminalises cyber-related offences.

Hanson underlined the importance of ongoing cooperation efforts to combat international crime in a number of areas, affecting vulnerable individuals.

He said: “We need to look again at how we can build cooperation between the Federal Government, the federal police, and our police forces and National Crime Agency to take action against these international criminals, who are exploiting vulnerable people in a whole range of areas. The National Crime Agency, the Home Office Fraud Department, and the High Commission need to make sure we make a big impact on this transnational crime.”

“The collaboration between the Nigerian Police Force and National Crime Agency continues to serve as a model in international law enforcement cooperation. We have successfully conducted joint operations into many cases of cybercrimes and online fraud. With your [UK government] cooperation, we have continued to bust other criminal networks around the world,” added inspector-general of Nigerian Police Force, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.

 


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