OpenAI · Usage Policies

Cybersecurity Dual-Use Restrictions

Medium severity
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Consumer impact (what this means for users)

OpenAI's Usage Policy directly affects what you can ask ChatGPT or other OpenAI tools to do, and violations — even unintentional ones — can result in account suspension or termination without a guaranteed restoration process. The policy also makes developers and businesses that build on OpenAI's API responsible for ensuring their own users comply, meaning the apps you use powered by OpenAI may impose additional restrictions beyond OpenAI's own defaults. You can submit an appeal if OpenAI takes action against your account by visiting https://openai.com/transparency-and-content-moderation/#:~:text=determining%20enforcement%20actions.-,Appeals%20process.

How other platforms handle this

Salesforce Medium

Terms of Service: [linked at https://www.salesforce.com/company/legal/sfdc-website-terms-of-service/]

BeReal Medium

BeReal never knowingly or willingly collects any personal data concerning children under 13 years of age. If you are under 13, please do not use BeReal.

Amazon Medium

If you do post content or submit material, and unless we indicate otherwise, you grant Amazon a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content t...

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

The cybersecurity dual-use restriction affects security researchers, penetration testers, and IT professionals who legitimately need to understand attack techniques, as the line between permitted security research and prohibited cyberweapon creation may be unclear.

View original clause language
We don't want our models to be used to create cyberweapons or malicious code that could cause significant damage if deployed. We want to support the security community through education about attack techniques and defenses, helping with CTFs and security research, assisting with penetration testing, and building tools that improve security. However, we need to balance this with the risk that this same assistance could be used to compromise systems, networks, and devices without appropriate authorization.

Applicable regulations

CFAA
United States Federal
DMCA
United States Federal
DSA
European Union

Provision details

Document information
Document
Usage Policies
Entity
OpenAI
Document last updated
March 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 10, 2026
Last verified
April 27, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002435
Document ID
CA-D-00005
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
d69a24617758e5b44e4be8eedeceb598a26dc4e280f2ab1469a45b64203e7403
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: OpenAI | Document: Usage Policies | Record: CA-P-002435
Captured: 2026-03-10 03:28:59 UTC | SHA-256: d69a24617758e5b4…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/openai/usage-policies/cybersecurity-dual-use-restrictions/
Accessed: April 29, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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