OpenAI glitch locks out vetted cyber researchers – and some can't get back in
Affected users say support cannot restore their previous approval or override the new decision
OpenAI experienced a technical glitch that temporarily stripped some vetted cyber researchers of their access to the Trusted Access for Cyber (TAC) program. Upon losing their approval status without warning, participants were prompted to reverify their access, despite previously having been cleared. Simultaneously, the Daybreak Blue tier, offering expanded capabilities to vetted cyber defenders, also disappeared from Codex Desktop and the command-line interface.
OpenAI acknowledged the issue and informed affected users that they would need to complete verification again. However, some users found the verification process impossible or ineligible, despite holding Daybreak Blue access for months. OpenAI's TAC program extends advanced cyber capabilities to security professionals, requiring identification verification before granting access.
This incident highlights an unexpected vulnerability, as trusted researchers were removed from the front door of OpenAI's cyber research access.
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