DeepSeek’s App Store Victory Leads to a Cybersecurity Nightmare

 

DeepSeek Hit by Cyber-Attack Following AI Chatbot’s App Store Success

Chinese AI company DeepSeek announced it had been targeted by a large-scale cyber-attack on Monday, just days after its AI assistant app soared to the top of Apple’s App Store as the highest-rated free app in the US. The app also climbed the ranks on Google’s Play Store, making it a breakout success. As a result of the attack, the company temporarily limited new user registrations, although existing users were able to access the platform without disruption.

DeepSeek’s status page confirmed the attack late Monday night Beijing time. After two hours of monitoring the issue, the company identified the incident as a “large-scale malicious attack”. Despite the setback, DeepSeek has since resumed allowing new registrations, signaling a quick recovery.

The Rise of DeepSeek’s AI Assistant

DeepSeek’s AI assistant app, a competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has captured global attention for its functionality and cost-effectiveness. The app’s rapid rise to prominence sent ripples through the tech industry, with some US technology stocks taking a hit. Nvidia, the leading AI chip manufacturer, saw its stock plummet by 13.6% in early trading on Monday, wiping out $500 billion in market capitalization.

What sets DeepSeek apart is its ability to rival AI giants like Google and OpenAI while operating on a modest budget of approximately $5 million. This achievement is particularly noteworthy given China’s strict chip export controls, which limit access to advanced computational power. DeepSeek’s efficiency and ingenuity have raised questions about the US’s continued dominance in the AI market.

Industry Reactions: A "Sputnik Moment"

The success of DeepSeek’s AI app has sparked widespread debate. Prominent investor Marc Andreessen described the development as AI’s “Sputnik moment” on social media platform X, comparing it to the Cold War-era launch of the Soviet satellite that challenged US technological supremacy. Similarly, entrepreneur and politician Vivek Ramaswamy commented, “Sputnik-like moments are a good thing. We don’t need to freak out, we just need to wake up.

Source  www.theguardian.com