OpenAI Responds to GPT-5.6 File Deletion Issue: Root Cause Identified, Multiple Incidents Linked to $HOME

According to INSIGHTS, OpenAI's Chief Product Officer Tibo addressed the GPT-5.6 file deletion incident, stating that several related reports have been investigated. The most common cause was the model incorrectly setting the temporary directory to $HOME, leading to the deletion of the user's home directory instead of the temporary directory.

OpenAI stated that such incidents mainly occur in Full Access mode when Codex does not have sandboxing and automatic verification enabled. The team will update developer prompts, guide users to use a more secure permission mode, and implement additional security measures. The official described such incidents as "extremely rare" and will release a full incident report in the coming days.