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ZDNET's key takeaways
Lockdown mode aims to prevent data theft from attackers.
This mode is now available to all ChatGPT users.
It does limit what you can do on the live web.
AIs can be vulnerable to different security threats. And one of the biggest is prompt injection. By feeding malicious commands into your prompts, an attacker could infiltrate your chats, access external files and services, and steal your personal data. An optional setting in ChatGPT called Lockdown mode tries to protect your account by limiting what you can do and where.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
Also: How indirect prompt injection attacks on AI work - and 6 ways to shut them down
First kicked off in February to subscribers of ChatGPT for Enterprise, Edu, Healthcare, and Teachers, Lockdown mode is now also available to all other plans, including Free, Go, Plus, Pro, and Business. Though accessible to everyone who uses ChatGPT, the option is designed for people and organizations that work with sensitive information in need of extra protection.
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