Source: CyberNews – Analysis by Aras Nazarovas.
Not so long ago, we saw highly visible events, such as mainstream chatbots ChatGPT and Grok conversations ending up on Google results and exposing sensitive prompts, private data, and company strategies, which showed as examples of systemic control failure.
If that is not enough, Vyro AI followed by leaving an Elasticsearch server completely open, which included prompts, tokens, and user agents. This is like leaving a data center’s doors wide open for everyone to see.
It is, without a doubt, a C-suite issue. In addition to operational risks such as stolen bearer tokens and session artifacts, supply chain vulnerabilities, and trust damage, it also presents significant legal risks that invoke data protection obligations. It’s a clear warning for all CTOs, CISOs, and other executives.
These are not nation-state intrusions, sophisticated attacks, or zero-days. These are simple security mistakes with large consequences. A database was left open for anyone to see, and the pattern is repeating across the industry.
Free AI, Hidden Risks
Vyro AI leak? There is no password protection, authentication requirements, or network restrictions. It just misses the basic security that every developer or system engineer needs to follow.
Traditional security frameworks do not work for most AI systems, with unpredictable data flows, processing, and AI operating across different principles. The attack surface extends beyond traditional boundaries.
For example, prompt injection. Attackers can manipulate AI responses by crafting prompts, leading to unauthorized access to user data. This requires no specialized technical skills, only the ability to craft persuasive language that influences the system’s behavior. It requires more thought about security than apparently some can provide.
Since 73% of enterprises faced at least one AI-related security incident in the past year, with an average cost of $4.8 million per breach, there is preparation for warfare, but the door is left wide open. Or, as we see, some are building defenses against AI-powered attacks and discussing cutting-edge threats while leaving databases exposed, and nobody admits they forgot to enable authentication.
Human Error or Technical Incompetence?
I agree that human error is inevitable. Not everything needs to be perfect, but it should not be neglected. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, but the leak connected to Vyro AI is not that. It proves that a simple mistake, like leaving a database open to everyone, can expose user data to attackers for months. And it could have been avoided if it had been given more attention.
Some people, myself included, think twice before putting sensitive info into AI tools. The Vyro AI server was left unsecured for several months, and once data goes into someone else’s system, we can lose control over where it might end up.
Transparency Is Not Profitable
Most AI services do not tell you how they protect or store your data, who has access to it, or how long they keep it. This becomes dangerous whenever everything gets exposed and users know it.
Communities notice the excuses. When the Tea App incident happened, Reddit users immediately questioned the official narrative. A user asked, “Was it just a poorly configured cloud bucket that allows public users to view and download data, meaning it was negligence and not force?” Others called out the official statements that said, “The information was stored in accordance with law enforcement requirements related to cyber-bullying,” a blatant lie.
Users have seen it before: vague statements and blaming external factors, hoping that the attention will not shift to actual security practices. We have noticed that these “sophisticated attacks” have become a lot less complicated to commit.
Everyone deserves to know how their data is stored and protected. Some things should take precedence over saving money while hoarding personal data. And it is your responsibility to do so.
First Steps Towards Compliance
Yes, you can lecture employees on what data they can input into AI and train them to protect sensitive company information, but this is not sustainable, mostly because people are too lazy to think.
Start by considering implementing role-based training using scenario prompts or pre-approved prompt templates. Block high-risk tools, and provide authorized alternatives with safe defaults. It is your job to minimize the risk, starting from the basics.
However, this process should not be limited to recommendations. It needs to be enforced and supported by tooling. Your job is not only about convenience but also about making the easiest path the most secure path.
And no, that does not mean you should stop using AI. You should use it more wisely. Before I type anything into a chatbot, I often ask myself, “Would I be okay if this info were leaked tomorrow?”
Handle Your Infrastructure (and People) Better
Can your team and your entire infrastructure handle AI demands? Hoping for the best is not a security strategy. If you are planning to add AI or are already using it, treat it like a Tier‑1 data system.
Start with vendor reassurance: invest in and pay for reputable providers, validate private modes and retention settings, do not allow your data to train the models, review SOC 2/ISO and all that you can possibly think of, keeping in mind that you have company secrets to keep.
Try to establish technical guardrails by routing AI traffic through CASB/SSE, enabling DLP on prompts and outputs, deploying masking or redaction for PII and secrets, default-minimizing and encrypting logs. Try to build an infrastructure you would be proud of, not something that can crumble at the first issue.
The bottom line is that you should not blindly trust your employees. Set clear rules and use necessary tools. Data deserves protection, and until companies face consequences, everyone will continue to be surprised when another “sophisticated” attack is left to be simple negligence.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aras Nazarovas is a Senior Information Security Researcher at Cybernews, a research-driven online publication. Aras specializes in cybersecurity and threat analysis. He investigates online services, malicious campaigns, and hardware security while compiling data on the most prevalent cybersecurity threats. Aras along with the Cybernews research team have uncovered significant online privacy and security issues impacting organizations and platforms such as NASA, Google Play, App Store, and PayPal. The Cybernews research team conducts over 7,000 investigations and publishes more than 600 studies annually, helping consumers and businesses better understand and mitigate data security risks.
ABOUT CYBERNEWS
Cybernews is a globally recognized independent media outlet where journalists and security experts debunk cyber by research, testing, and data. Founded in 2019 in response to rising concerns about online security, the site covers breaking news, conducts original investigations, and offers unique perspectives on the evolving digital security landscape. Through white-hat investigative techniques, Cybernews research team identifies and safely discloses cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, while the editorial team provides cybersecurity-related news, analysis, and opinions by industry insiders with complete independence. For more, visit www.cybernews.com.
Cybernews has earned worldwide attention for its high-impact research and discoveries, which have uncovered some of the internet’s most significant security exposures and data leaks. Notable ones include:
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Cybernews researchers discovered multiple open datasets comprising 16 billion login credentials from infostealer malware, social media, developer portals, and corporate networks – highlighting the unprecedented risks of account takeovers, phishing, and business email compromise.
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Cybernews researchers analyzed 156,080 randomly selected iOS apps – around 8% of the apps present on the App Store – and uncovered a massive oversight: 71% of them expose sensitive data.
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Bob Dyachenko, a cybersecurity researcher and owner of SecurityDiscovery.com, and the Cybernews security research team discovered an unprotected Elasticsearch index, which contained a wide range of sensitive personal details related to the entire population of Georgia.
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The team analyzed the new Pixel 9 Pro XL smartphone’s web traffic, and found that Google’s latest flagship smartphone frequently transmits private user data to the tech giant before any app is installed.
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The team revealed that a massive data leak at MC2 Data, a background check firm, affects one-third of the US population.
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The Cybernews security research team discovered that 50 most popular Android apps require 11 dangerous permissions on average.
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They revealed that two online PDF makers leaked tens of thousands of user documents, including passports, driving licenses, certificates, and other personal information uploaded by users.
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An analysis by Cybernews research discovered over a million publicly exposed secrets from over 58 thousand websites’ exposed environment (.env) files.
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The team revealed that Australia’s football governing body, Football Australia, has leaked secret keys potentially opening access to 127 buckets of data, including ticket buyers’ personal data and players’ contracts and documents.
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The Cybernews research team, in collaboration with cybersecurity researcher Bob Dyachenko, discovered a massive data leak containing information from numerous past breaches, comprising 12 terabytes of data and spanning over 26 billion records.
