|
|
|
|
August 21, 2025
|
Hackers Infiltrate Alleged North Korean Operative’s Computer, Leak Evidence of...
|
|
August 21, 2025
|
Ecosia Proposes Unusual Stewardship Model for Google Chrome
|
|
August 21, 2025
|
OpenAI Presses Meta for Evidence on Musk’s $97 Billion Takeover Bid
|
|
August 15, 2025
|
ChatGPT Mobile App Surpasses $2 Billion in Consumer Spending, Dominating Rivals
|
|
|
McDonald’s AI Hiring Chatbot Exposed Millions of Applicants’ Data Through “123456” Password
July 11, 2025
A shocking lapse in cybersecurity exposed the personal data of up to 64 million McDonald’s job applicants, after researchers discovered that the company’s AI-powered hiring chatbot, McHire, could be accessed using the embarrassingly simple password “123456.”
Security researchers Ian Carroll and Sam Curry uncovered the vulnerability during what they described as a “cursory security review of a few hours.” In addition to the weak login credentials, they also found an insecure internal API that allowed them to access historical conversations between job applicants and the chatbot—revealing sensitive personal information like full names, email addresses, home addresses, and phone numbers.
McHire is developed by Paradox.ai and used by McDonald’s to streamline hiring through conversational AI. According to Paradox, the vulnerabilities were patched “within a few hours” of being reported, and the company claims that “at no point was candidate information leaked online or made publicly available.”
While no public data breach has been confirmed, the discovery highlights the growing concern around enterprise use of AI tools—especially those handling large volumes of personal and sensitive information. Weak security practices, like using default or simple passwords, leave companies and their users dangerously exposed.
The incident was first reported by Wired, sparking fresh debate over how seriously companies are taking security in the rush to adopt AI-powered systems.
As more organizations turn to automation in hiring, healthcare, finance, and beyond, the McHire debacle serves as a critical reminder: AI may help scale operations—but basic security hygiene still matters. A chatbot is only as safe as the system behind it.
|
|
|
Sign Up to
Our Newsletter!
Get the latest news in tech.
|
|
|
