Experts warn DeepSeek is 11 times more dangerous than other AI chatbots

DeepSeek
(Image credit: Getty Images)

DeepSeek’s R1 AI is 11 times more likely to be exploited by cybercriminals than other AI models – whether that's by producing harmful content or being vulnerable to manipulation.

This is a worrying finding from new research conducted by Enkrypt AI, an AI security and compliance platform. This security warning adds to the ongoing concerns following last week's data breach that exposed over one million records.

China-developed DeepSeek sent shockwaves throughout the AI world since its January 20 release. About 12 million curious users worldwide downloaded the new AI chatbot in the space of two days, marking a growth even faster than ChatGPT. Widespread privacy and security concerns have, however, prompted quite a few countries to either begin investigating or banning, in some capacity, the new tool.

Harmful content, malware and manipulation

The team at Enkrypt AI performed a series of tests to evaluate DeepSeek's security vulnerabilities, such as malware, data breaches, and injection attacks, as well as its ethical risks.

The investigation found the ChatGPT rival "to be highly biased and susceptible to generating insecure code," experts noted, and that DeepSeek's model is vulnerable to third-party manipulation, allowing criminals to use it for developing chemical, biological, and cybersecurity weapons.

Nearly half of the tests conducted (45%) bypassed safety protocols in place, generating criminal planning guides, illegal weapons information, and terrorist propaganda.

Worse still, 78% of the cybersecurity checks successfully tricked DeepSeek-R1 into generating insecure or malicious codes. These included malware, trojans, and other exploits. Overall, experts found the model to be 4.5 times more likely than its Open-AI counterpart to be manipulated by cybercriminals to create dangerous hacking tools.

"Our research findings reveal major security and safety gaps that cannot be ignored," said Sahil Agarwal, CEO of Enkrypt AI, commenting on the findings. "Robust safeguards – including guardrails and continuous monitoring – are essential to prevent harmful misuse."

As mentioned earlier, at the time of writing DeepSeek is under scrutiny in many countries worldwide.

While Italy was the first to launch an investigation into its privacy and security last week, many EU members have followed suit so far. These include France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, and Portugal.

Some of China's neighboring countries are getting worried, too. Taiwan, for example, has banned all government agencies from using DeepSeek AI. Meanwhile, South Korea initiated a probe into the service provider's data practices.

Unsurprisingly, the US is also taking aim at its new AI competitor. As NASA blocked DeepSeek usage on federal devices – CNBC reported on Friday, January 31, 2025 – a proposed law could now outright ban the use of DeepSeek for all Americans who could risk million-dollar fines and even prison time for using the platform in the country.

All in all, Agarwal from Encrypt AI said: "As the AI arms race between the US and China intensifies, both nations are pushing the boundaries of next-generation AI for military, economic, and technological supremacy.

"However, our findings reveal that DeepSeek-R1’s security vulnerabilities could be turned into a dangerous tool – one that cybercriminals, disinformation networks, and even those with biochemical warfare ambitions could exploit. These risks demand immediate attention."

Chiara Castro
News Editor (Tech Software)

Chiara is a multimedia journalist committed to covering stories to help promote the rights and denounce the abuses of the digital side of life – wherever cybersecurity, markets, and politics tangle up. She writes news, interviews, and analysis on data privacy, online censorship, digital rights, cybercrime, and security software, with a special focus on VPNs, for TechRadar and TechRadar Pro. Got a story, tip-off, or something tech-interesting to say? Reach out to chiara.castro@futurenet.com

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
A person using DeepSeek on their smartphone
DeepSeek ‘incredibly vulnerable’ to attacks, research claims
A phone showing the DeepSeek app in front of the Chinese flag
DeepSeek is under fire – is there anywhere left to hide for the Chinese chatbot?
DeepSeek on a mobile phone
Australian and Indian governments block DeepSeek from worker devices
DeepSeek
What is DeepSeek: China’s AI has got people talking
A laptop with digitally inserted hack warnings around it
Is DeepSeek AI safe to use? Think twice before you download DeepSeek for the time being
DeepSeek on an iPhone
US Navy bans use of DeepSeek “in any capacity” due to “potential security and ethical concerns"
Latest in VPN
Close up of PS5 DualSense controller leaning on a PS5
5 reasons your PS5 needs a VPN
Harry Halpin, CEO and co-founder of Nym Technologies, and Chelsea Manning, Nym Technlogies' security consultant, on stage at the Frontline Club in London during the NymVPN launch on March 13, 2025.
NymVPN is now live – here's everything you need to know
Tor
What is Onion over VPN?
A representational concept of a social media network
What are data removal services?
ExpressVPN's Lightway Turbo upgrade – promo image
Can fast be faster? ExpressVPN promises it’s possible
AdGuard VPN during TechRadar tests
AdGuard becomes the latest VPN to add post-quantum encryption
Latest in News
Brad Pitt looks over his right shoulder with 'F1' written behind him
Apple Original Films will take you behind-the-scenes of a racing cockpit in this new thrilling F1 movie trailer
AI writer
Coding AI tells developer to write it himself
Reacher looking down at another character from the Prime Video TV series Reacher
Reacher season 3 becomes Prime Video’s biggest returning show thanks to Hollywood’s biggest heavyweight
Image showing detail of the Leica D-Lux 8
Still can't get a Fujifilm X100VI? This premium Leica compact costs less, and it's in stock
Man using iMessage on an iPhone
Apple will finally enable encrypted RCS messages between iOS and Android, and it's about time
Google Messages update
Google Messages could soon follow WhatsApp with an upgrade that makes it much easier to join group chats