Local Control App for ChatGPT 'Chat On Steroids' Released

Chat On Steroids (CoS), which enables local file reading/writing and terminal command execution from the ChatGPT chat window, has been released. This tool is an Electron-based desktop app that works by running a local MCP server and registering it as a custom app in ChatGPT Developer Mode.

Key Features and Architecture

• Connection Method: Connects ChatGPT conversations with local sessions via a Chrome extension, using existing ChatGPT accounts (Developer Mode must be enabled) without requiring a separate API key.
• Permission Management: File access is restricted to folders approved by the user, with the ability to switch between read-only mode and write/execute mode. Shell commands are executed with the same privileges as the logged-in user.
• Connector Configuration: Composed of three connectors: Core for handling files and commands, Desktop for screen/mouse control (Windows/macOS), and Plugins for connecting tools like Blender or Playwright.

Security and Limitations

• Security Model: File paths are validated against approved folders, and credentials are stored in OS-specific secure storage (DPAPI, Keychain, etc.). However, since it operates at the process level rather than with kernel or VM isolation, it does not provide complete isolation.
• Release Status: A beta version maintained by a single individual, lacking signatures or notarization, making it unsuitable for organizational deployment. Linux desktop control is not supported.
• License: Follows the MIT license, but some native components are subject to GPL/LGPL/MPL licenses.