The emergence of ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and Tabnine, as powerful tools in software development, has significantly changed how developers approach coding. By leveraging AI, these models accelerate coding tasks and enhance creativity, but they also raise potential concerns related to open source vulnerabilities and license infractions.

Language models are revolutionizing software development, but the potential challenges they pose should be thoroughly understood so organizations can adapt and integrate these models effectively into their existing workflows. By understanding the challenges, they can better plan for the necessary changes, allocate resources, and develop strategies to leverage the benefits of language models successfully.

The ChatGPT Revolution in Software Development

ChatGPT can help software developers quickly code by assisting in several ways, acting as a useful tool throughout the development process, including:

  • Input a natural language description of the function to be created, and will generate code snippets that match the description to help speed up coding by providing a starting point or inspiration for the required functionality.
  • It helps quickly access and understand API documentation by providing relevant code examples or explanations in response to natural language queries.
  • When issues are encountered, such as syntax errors or logic errors will provide suggestions and solutions based on the problem description, helping to resolve issues faster.
  • Assist with learning new programming languages, libraries, or frameworks by answering questions and providing examples related to the new technology.
  • Acts as a virtual teammate, providing suggestions, ideas, or insights during brainstorming or problem-solving sessions.
    Identifies areas of the code that can be improved or refactored for better readability, maintainability, and performance.

Open Source Vulnerabilities for Security

While ChatGPT offers numerous benefits, its extensive use of open source content can introduce security risks that could include:

  • Providing outdated libraries exposes software projects to known security vulnerabilities.
  • Zero-day vulnerabilities in open source code, like Log4j, are security flaws unknown to the OSS community and have not been fixed.
  • Projects might come with insecure default settings or configurations that, if not properly adjusted, could expose applications.
  • Attackers pose as legitimate contributors of open source to introduce malicious code through seemingly innocent contributions or updates.
  • The quality of the code can vary significantly between projects and even within the same project, which may result in some parts of the code being more vulnerable to exploitation than others.
  • Contributors to projects might not be aware of or follow secure coding practices, potentially introducing vulnerabilities into the codebase.
    Hidden or malicious code can be injected into the AI model’s responses.

License Infractions in ChatGPT-Generated Projects

Another challenge posed is compliance with open source licenses. These infractions can occur when the generated content, code, or responses violate the terms and conditions of the licenses associated with the open-source components used. Failing to adhere to the terms of these licenses can result in legal complications and damage to a company’s reputation.

  • Potential license infractions include generating code snippets with incompatible licenses, leading to conflicts within a project.
  • Pulls from diverse repositories, which may unknowingly include code with restrictive licenses that impose additional obligations on users.
  • Could include code that infringes on copyrights, patents, or trade secrets, potentially leading to legal issues and security risks if the code is used inappropriately.
  • The MIT and Apache licenses (as well as others) require proper attribution of the original authors or projects.
  • If the generated project uses AGPL-licensed components but is not made available as open source when accessed over a network, it may be a violation of the license terms.
  • Using components with a restrictive license (e.g., GPL) alongside components with a permissive license (e.g., MIT) may result in a violation of the more restrictive license’s terms.
  • Some licenses, like the Mozilla Public License (MPL), require that modifications or changes made to the licensed code be disclosed.
    A number Include restrictions on the redistribution of the licensed code, such as requiring that the original license text or notices be included.

To name just a few notable lawsuits involving licensing adherence include Artifex Software v. Hancom (2019). CoKinetic Systems Corporation, filed suit against Panasonic Avionics Corporation seeking damages of over $100 million. (2020)

The most recent is a class-action law­suit that has been filed in a US fed­eral court chal­leng­ing the legal­ity of GitHub Copi­lot and the related OpenAI Codex. The suit against GitHub, Microsoft, and OpenAI claims violation of open-source licenses and could have a wide impact in the world of artificial intelligence.

Threatrix’s AI-Powered Solution is the ultimate protection for ChatGPT-driven projects.

We offer the only comprehensive solution to address the security and compliance concerns arising from ChatGPT-generated projects. By leveraging Threatrix, organizations receive:

  • An AI-driven solution that scans projects for vulnerabilities, allowing developers to automate fix requirements before deployment, thereby protecting your IP.
  • The only available autonomous platform to effectively eliminate open source security risks and manage license compliance at build time, dramatically cutting down on open source technical debt.
  • The only solution that provides proof of provenance, slashing audit times by 90% compared to legacy tools with coverage for over 420 languages.
  • Works seamlessly with modern development processes, providing real-time insights and recommendations throughout the development lifecycle.

ChatGPT is undeniably changing the way developers code, offering numerous benefits that boost innovation and efficiency. However, the potential open source vulnerabilities and license infractions it may introduce call for a robust safeguard. Threatrix’s AI-powered solution is the answer, providing comprehensive protection against these challenges and ensuring that organizations can harness the full potential of ChatGPT without compromising their intellectual property. Threatrix Revolutionizes Open Source Security and Compliance with AI – Empowering Innovation, Safeguarding Compliance, and Outpacing Risks.