INSPECTING ARCHIVED INTELLIGENCE (OUTDATED VERSION).

OpenAI's ChatGPT Experiences Image Generation Errors Due to Outage

| 2026-09-08 16:28 CRITICAL HIGH
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Executive Summary
AI-generated
On September 8, 2026, OpenAI reported that an outage of its ChatGPT AI model caused image generation errors. The targeted sector is Technology and the affected organisation is OpenAI. According to Sergiu Gatlan's article in BleepingComputer, no specific numbers are mentioned regarding the number of users or entities impacted by this incident. The attack works by exploiting a technical issue with the ChatGPT outage, which caused image generation errors. As of the reported time, the current status is that OpenAI has acknowledged the problem and attributed it to the outage, but further details on resolution or mitigation are not provided in the article.
Technical Mitigations AI-generated
• Patch Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes to address the two zero-days. • Detect and block ShinyHunters hackers' activity related to the breach of Florida's "DAVID" DMV database. • Use a Linux rootkit detection tool to identify potential F5 BIG-IP APM device breaches.
Technical Observables Login Required
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Intelligence Metadata
Actors / Malware / CVEs / Campaigns
ShinyHuntersShinyHunters
Target & Sectors
NORTH_AMERICA NORTH_AMERICA technologytechnology
Incident Timeline
‎2016 August
August 2016 updates for Windows Server 2016 triggered a specific error code, 0xc0000409.
infrastructure Windows
[Image 5: August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016 August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016]( * !
tactic T1584.004 - Server
[Image 5: August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016 August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016]( * !
infrastructure 2016 Windows Server
[Image 5: August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016 August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016]( * !
‎2026/08/09
OpenAI experienced an outage that caused errors in its image generation capabilities.
organisation OpenAI
​Last month, OpenAI addressed another outage that was preventing users across multiple subscription plans from starting or continuing tasks.
‎September 2026
Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, including two zero-days, may have inadvertently caused errors in OpenAI's image generation capabilities.
organisation Microsoft
[Image 2: Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, 2 zero-days Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, 2 zero-days]( * !
general_metric 966 flaws
[Image 2: Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, 2 zero-days Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, 2 zero-days]( * !
general_metric 2 days
[Image 2: Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, 2 zero-days Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, 2 zero-days]( * !
‎September 8, 2026
Threat actors used an unspecified vulnerability to target the Images API, causing elevated errors in image generation within ChatGPT.
industry Technology
[Image 34: ThreatLocker]( * Home * News * Technology * OpenAI says ChatGPT outage causes image generation errors # OpenAI says ChatGPT outage causes image generation errors By ###### Sergiu Gatlan * September 8, 2026 * 12:28 PM * 0 !
organisation ThreatLocker
[Image 34: ThreatLocker]( * Home * News * Technology * OpenAI says ChatGPT outage causes image generation errors # OpenAI says ChatGPT outage causes image generation errors By ###### Sergiu Gatlan * September 8, 2026 * 12:28 PM * 0 !
general_metric 0 Sergiu Gatlan
[Image 34: ThreatLocker]( * Home * News * Technology * OpenAI says ChatGPT outage causes image generation errors # OpenAI says ChatGPT outage causes image generation errors By ###### Sergiu Gatlan * September 8, 2026 * 12:28 PM * 0 !
organisation the Images API
"We're continuing to investigate elevated errors affecting image generation in ChatGPT and the Images API.
organisation The Blue Report 2026
The Blue Report 2026 measures defenses technique by technique across 338 million simulations run in customer production environments.
organisation EU CRA
Check your EU CRA readiness in 5 questions.
‎2003 - 2026
Social media platforms experienced errors in image generation due to the ChatGPT outage.
organisation Social & Feeds
* Advertising * Write for BleepingComputer * Social & Feeds * Changelog Terms of Use - Privacy Policy - Ethics Statement - Affiliate Disclosure Copyright @ 2003 - 2026 Bleeping Computer® LLC - All Rights Reserved []( "Back to Top")
‎2026/09/08
ChatGPT experienced an outage that caused image generation errors, with users reporting hangs and freezes when trying to upload files.
infrastructure Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 phishing BigBear Microsoft 365 phishing service bypassed MFA at 258 organizations]( * !
organisation BigBear Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 phishing BigBear Microsoft 365 phishing service bypassed MFA at 258 organizations]( * !
organisation MFA
Microsoft 365 phishing BigBear Microsoft 365 phishing service bypassed MFA at 258 organizations]( * !
victims 258 organizations
Microsoft 365 phishing BigBear Microsoft 365 phishing service bypassed MFA at 258 organizations]( * !
infrastructure Windows
[Image 11: How to enable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection in Windows 11 How to enable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection in Windows 11]( * !
[Image 12: How to use the Windows Registry Editor How to use the Windows Registry Editor]( * !
[Image 13: How to backup and restore the Windows Registry How to backup and restore the Windows Registry]( * !
[Image 14: How to start Windows in Safe Mode How to start Windows in Safe Mode]( * !
[Image 16: How to show hidden files in Windows 7 How to show hidden files in Windows 7]( * !
[Image 17: How to see hidden files in Windows How to see hidden files in Windows]( * Webinars * Downloads * Latest * Most Downloaded * !
organisation Stack Protection
[Image 11: How to enable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection in Windows 11 How to enable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection in Windows 11]( * !
organisation Windows Registry
[Image 12: How to use the Windows Registry Editor How to use the Windows Registry Editor]( * !
organisation the Windows Registry
[Image 13: How to backup and restore the Windows Registry How to backup and restore the Windows Registry]( * !
infrastructure Linux
[Image 9: Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit]( * Tutorials *
organisation APM
[Image 9: Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit]( * Tutorials *
organisation Hackers
[Image 9: Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit]( * Tutorials *
organisation Magento
[Image 3: Adobe fixes critical Magento zero-day exploited to backdoor servers Adobe fixes critical Magento zero-day exploited to backdoor servers]( * !
organisation Adobe
[Image 3: Adobe fixes critical Magento zero-day exploited to backdoor servers Adobe fixes critical Magento zero-day exploited to backdoor servers]( * !
threat_actor ShinyHunters
[Image 4: ShinyHunters hackers claim breach of Florida ShinyHunters hackers claim breach of Florida "DAVID" DMV database]( * !
organisation DMV
[Image 4: ShinyHunters hackers claim breach of Florida ShinyHunters hackers claim breach of Florida "DAVID" DMV database]( * !
organisation DoppelCart
[Image 7: DoppelCart fraud network uses 119,000 fake shops to steal credit cards DoppelCart fraud network uses 119,000 fake shops to steal credit cards]( * !
organisation IP
[Image 31: How to change IP address.jpg) How to change IP address]( * !
organisation safely.jpg
Access the dark web safely.jpg)
organisation DownDetector
According to hundreds of user reports on the outage tracking platform DownDetector, ChatGPT hangs and freezes when users try to upload a file and displays errors on image generation prompts.
organisation Images API
We saw an increase in failed Images API requests after our last update," OpenAI said.
organisation CTI
[Image 43: CTI Starter Kit + 2026 SANS CTI Survey CTI Starter Kit + 2026 SANS CTI Survey]( * !
organisation Upcoming Webinar
[Image 38: ThreatLocker]( Upcoming Webinar !
organisation ClickFix
Blockchain Over 5,400 hacked sites serve ClickFix payloads stored on the blockchain]( S ponsor Posts * !
organisation Freestar.com
Submitting... SUBMIT Freestar.com !
Tactical Metrics
Metrics
infrastructure
‎Microsoft 365
Affected Product
Microsoft 365 phishing BigBear Microsoft 365 phishing service bypassed MFA at 258 organizations]( * !
Metrics
victims
258
Organizations
Microsoft 365 phishing BigBear Microsoft 365 phishing service bypassed MFA at 258 organizations]( * !
Metrics
infrastructure
‎Windows
Affected Product
[Image 5: August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016 August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016]( * !
[Image 11: How to enable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection in Windows 11 How to enable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection in Windows 11]( * !
[Image 12: How to use the Windows Registry Editor How to use the Windows Registry Editor]( * !
[Image 13: How to backup and restore the Windows Registry How to backup and restore the Windows Registry]( * !
[Image 14: How to start Windows in Safe Mode How to start Windows in Safe Mode]( * !
[Image 16: How to show hidden files in Windows 7 How to show hidden files in Windows 7]( * !
[Image 17: How to see hidden files in Windows How to see hidden files in Windows]( * Webinars * Downloads * Latest * Most Downloaded * !
Metrics
infrastructure
2,016
Windows Server
[Image 5: August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016 August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016]( * !
Metrics
infrastructure
‎Linux
Affected Product
[Image 9: Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit]( * Tutorials *
Intelligence Sources
BleepingComputer 2026-09-08