microsoft expanded a lawsuit against a cyber resort group STORM-2139, calling four key developers of tools for bypassing protection in generative AI services, including Azure Openai Service. Among the defendants: Arian Yadegarki (Iran), Alan Krysyak (Great Britain), Ricky Yuen (Hong Kong) and Fat Fang Tan (Vietnam). They developed and sold software solutions to change the functionality of AI in order to create prohibited content.
The Storm-2139 group worked according to the three-level scheme: the creators developed tools, suppliers distributed them with various access and payment levels, and end users used services to create illegal content. As a result of these actions, attackers generated images, including intimate pictures of celebrities, violating the conditions for using Microsoft.
Microsoft began a trial in December 2024 against a group of unidentified persons and, thanks to the investigation, was able to identify individual participants. In the course of the case, the company achieved a temporary court prohibition and closed one of the key sites of the criminal group, which caused an internal conflict among the participants of the Storm-2139.
After the publication of court materials, members of the group began to “prove” Microsoft lawyers, spreading their personal data. In addition, the company received emails with attempts to shift the blame on other participants.
Microsoft emphasizes that it continues to fight the illegal use of AI, developing protection measures and interacting with law enforcement agencies. The company also published recommendations for the modernization of legislation to counteract criminals using generative and technology for illegal purposes.