Finance Sector

The Incident: SSRF Exploit Through ChatGPT Proxy Integration

A large financial services firm recently faced a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) attack — a severe security flaw that allowed attackers to trick a server into making unintended requests to internal systems. But what made this attack unique? The attack vector wasn’t a misconfigured firewall or outdated software — it was a ChatGPT integration.

• The company had embedded a third-party proxy layer to route requests to ChatGPT, aiming to streamline internal workflows. Unfortunately, this proxy had inadequate input sanitization, allowing malicious actors to:
• -Craft deceptive requests via the ChatGPT interface

• -Gain unauthorized access to internal resources

• -Steal sensitive data stored on internal servers

How It Worked

• -Attackers submitted a specially crafted prompt to the ChatGPT interface

• -The third-party proxy failed to validate external inputs properly

• -ChatGPT’s request, via the proxy, accessed internal endpoints

• -Internal metadata, credentials, and customer financial records were exposed

The Business Impact

This wasn’t just a technical hiccup — it was a business catastrophe:

• -Unauthorized Internal Access: Attackers accessed internal APIs not meant to be publicly reachable

• -Data Exfiltration: Sensitive financial records, employee metadata, and client data were copied before detection

• -Operational Downtime: Core systems had to be isolated, leading to delays in transactions and client servicing

• -Regulatory Fallout: The incident triggered scrutiny from regulators and required mandatory disclosure under GDPR and financial data protection laws

• -Reputation Damage: Clients lost trust, and competitors capitalized on the breach

How 3F MSP Safeguards Against AI Integration Threats

• 1. Patch Management for AI Services
• Your firewall may be up to date, but is your ChatGPT plugin? We audit and manage patches not just for traditional software, but also for third-party AI APIs, proxies, and language model integrations. Our systems automatically flag outdated endpoints tied to LLM tools or extensions that are vulnerable to exploitation.

• 2. Threat Detection and Real-Time Monitoring
• Modern attacks exploit gaps in visibility. That’s where we come in. Using AI-driven security analytics, we monitor both inbound prompts and outbound AI-generated traffic for abnormal patterns. If a ChatGPT proxy tries to reach an internal URL or server, we catch it before it can do harm.

• 3. Vendor and Supply Chain Risk Management
• AI integrations often come via third-party vendors. We help you know who you’re trusting. - Detailed assessments of AI plugins, libraries, and proxies - Full lifecycle management of external AI vendors - Zero Trust model enforcement to isolate external requests from core systems

What Should Business Owners Do Now?

• 1. Audit Your AI Integrations: Ask your IT team which services are connected to ChatGPT or other LLMss

• 2. Evaluate Your Vendors: Ensure any third-party tools have proper security certifications

• 3. Partner with Experts: Don’t navigate this alone. The risks are too high

Why 3F MSP is the Right Partner for Financial Firms

We understand both the innovation pressure and compliance burden that financial institutions face. Our team works at the intersection of: - Cybersecurity - AI governance - Regulatory compliance Whether you’ve already integrated ChatGPT or are planning to, we’ll help you do it safely, scalably, and strategically.

Ready to Secure Your AI Integrations?

Contact 3F MSP today for a free AI Risk Assessment tailored to your financial operations. Visit Our Website: https://www.3f.com/support Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 510.800.2411 Don't let innovation outpace your security. With 3F MSP, you can embrace AI without fear.