Data leak in ChatGPT: OpenAI recognizes a breach in user protection

OpenAI has confirmed a security incident at its third-party analytics provider, Mixpanel, that could have compromised limited user data from its API. Although regular users of ChatGPT have not been affected, this event once again highlights the dangers of trusting third parties without strict security controls in the digital supply chain.

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_{What has happened?}

On November 9, 2025, analytics provider Mixpanel detected unauthorized access to part of its infrastructure. Soon after, the attacker managed to extract a dataset containing identifiable information and analytical metadata linked to some OpenAI API accounts. On November 25, Mixpanel officially notified OpenAI of the incident and shared the compromised dataset.

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_{What data has been compromised?}

The information exposed does not include chats, API keys, passwords, payment details, or histories. The affected data are mainly profile and analytical data, such as:

• Name associated with the API account
• Registered email address
• Approximate location derived from the browser (city/country)
• Operating system and browser used
• Reference websites used when accessing the platform
• User or organization identifiers linked to the API account

Although considered “low-risk” information, this type of data can be valuable for social engineering attacks, targeted phishing, or other frauds based on real profiles.

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_{OpenAI reaction and consequences of the incident}

Following the incident, OpenAI:

• It completely eliminated Mixpanel from its production services.
• It initiated an internal audit to assess the extent of the impact.
• It directly notified potentially affected users and organizations.
• He recommended that those affected be alert to possible phishing attacks or impersonation attempts.

While the breach did not compromise sensitive data such as conversations, payments or accesses, it demonstrates that dependence on external services can weaken the overall security of the system.

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_{What does the dependence on tools like Mixpanel mean for the security of the digital ecosystem?}

The incident confirms an increasingly repeated reality: technological platforms must not only protect their code or their direct infrastructure, but also the tools they integrate to measure usage, performance or user behavior. Although a system may be natively secure, the inclusion of third parties with access to massive telemetry creates surfaces that are often not perceived as critical until an incident occurs. This case demonstrates that analytics services, apparently operational and not sensitive, can become the weakest point in the chain if they are not audited, segmented and monitored under strict cybersecurity standards, and that any breach in a provider can escalate to global trust impacts, especially when data travels between connected products, organizations and APIs.

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_{Strengthen your cybersecurity today, to protect your customers tomorrow}

Security is no longer just internal: any vendor can open the door to your organization. If you manage sensitive data or rely on external services, at Apolo Cybersecurity we help you audit your digital chain, assess third-party risks and deploy robust controls. Act today to prevent the next vulnerability from being decided by another company.