OpenAI adds Telefónica, BBVA and Deutsche Telekom to TAC

OpenAI added Telefónica, BBVA and Deutsche Telekom to its Trusted Access for Cyber (TAC) program this week, according to Reuters. Reuters also reported that software company Sophos and UK fintech Scalable Capital joined the same program. TAC gives verified organizations access to OpenAI's GPT-5.5 and GPT-5.5-Cyber cybersecurity models with fewer restrictions than standard commercial versions.

OpenAI said TAC is designed to help cybersecurity teams investigate security breaches, analyze complex code bases and manage incidents faster. The program reduces rejection rates for approved cybersecurity workflows including vulnerability identification, malware analysis, binary reverse engineering and secure code reviews. OpenAI said GPT-5.5 is the default model for most defensive uses, while GPT-5.5-Cyber is limited to a smaller group of authorized organizations for specialized tasks such as penetration testing and red team exercises.

OpenAI said Telefónica and BBVA will also be able to offer GPT-5.5-Cyber-based cyber protection tools to enterprise customers. The company said TAC includes safeguards that block credential theft, malware deployment and exploitation of third-party systems. The European Commission also confirmed this week that OpenAI offered it access to its latest cybersecurity models, and the company sent an EU Cyber Action Plan letter on Monday to the European Commission and EU member states.