ChatGPT quietly routes data between connectors, bounty seeks ID card
| Source: HN | Original article
ChatGPT was found to silently transfer data across different connectors, prompting a security bounty that now requires an ID card for claim.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has been shown to route a follow‑up tool call through a different MCP connector than the one that initiated the interaction, and it does so without alerting the user. In the documented case, the first connector generated a one‑time confirmation code via its widget; the code was then redeemed by the second connector’s OAuth client. Because the code was tied to the original connector, the server rejected the request, exposing a mismatch in authentication flow. The flaw was highlighted by a developer who reproduced the behavior and submitted a security bounty that, according to the report, required an ID card for verification.
The incident matters because connector‑based tool calls are a core mechanism for extending ChatGPT’s capabilities in enterprise and developer environments. Silent cross‑connector data transfer undermines the isolation that developers expect, potentially allowing inadvertent leakage of authentication tokens or other sensitive payloads. It also raises broader questions about how AI agents manage state and credentials across modular components, a concern that gains urgency as more businesses embed AI agents into critical workflows.
OpenAI has not yet issued a public fix, but the community discussion on the OpenAI forum and on Hacker News suggests that the company will need to tighten connector validation and add explicit user notifications for any cross‑connector activity. Watch for an official security advisory from OpenAI, updates to the MCP connector framework, and any changes to the bounty program’s verification requirements. The episode underscores the growing need for robust security controls as AI agents become more autonomous and interconnected.
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