{"id":209803,"date":"2025-03-17T00:00:27","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T07:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=209803"},"modified":"2025-07-29T17:46:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T00:46:29","slug":"bogus-deepseek-ai-installers-are-infecting-devices-with-malware-research-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/other-blogs\/mcafee-labs\/bogus-deepseek-ai-installers-are-infecting-devices-with-malware-research-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Bogus \u2018DeepSeek\u2019 AI Installers Are Infecting Devices with Malware, Research Finds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In a digital landscape hungry for the next big thing in Artificial Intelligence, a new contender called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/explaining-deepseek-the-ai-disruptor-thats-raising-red-flags-for-privacy-and-security\/\">DeepSeek recently burst onto the scene<\/a> and has quickly gained traction for its advanced language models.<\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Positioned as a low-cost alternative to industry giants like OpenAI and Meta, DeepSeek has drawn attention for its rapid growth, affordability, and potential to reshape the AI landscape.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"77\" data-end=\"426\">Unfortunately, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/deepseek-or-deep-threat-how-hackers-are-using-ai-hype-to-deliver-malware\/\">a recent investigation by McAfee Labs<\/a> found that the same hype is now fueling a barrage of malware attacks disguised as DeepSeek software and updates.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"77\" data-end=\"426\">Here&#8217;s a breakdown of those research findings:<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"1342\" data-end=\"1370\">How the Attacks Unfold<\/h2>\n<p>It starts with a user searching online to find DeepSeek to use for themselves. Innocent enough.\u00a0The problem comes from malicious results that promise access to DeepSeek, but actually steal data and infect computers.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1371\" data-end=\"1449\">McAfee Labs\u2019 blog post pulls back the curtain on three main deception methods:<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1454\" data-end=\"1486\"><strong data-start=\"1454\" data-end=\"1484\">1. Fake \u201cDeepSeek\u201d Installers<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Users find files named <em data-start=\"1504\" data-end=\"1536\">DeepSeek-R1.Leaked.Version.exe<\/em> or <em data-start=\"1540\" data-end=\"1576\">DeepSeek-VL2.Developer.Edition.exe<\/em> that appear legitimate.<\/li>\n<li>Once a computer runs the code in that file, it connects to hostile servers and downloads\u00a0a cocktail of malware\u2014ranging from stealthy keyloggers and password stealers to coin miners that can quietly siphon your computer\u2019s resources.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A keylogger is a type of malicious software<\/strong> <strong>designed to record every keystroke you make on your keyboard<\/strong>. That includes passwords, credit card numbers, email drafts, and everyday messages. The goal is to capture sensitive information without you realizing it\u2019s happening. Cybercriminals then use or sell that stolen data, potentially leading to account takeovers, identity theft, or financial fraud.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A coin miner (also known as a cryptominer) is software that uses your computer\u2019s processing power (CPU and sometimes GPU) to \u201cmine\u201d cryptocurrency<\/strong>, like Monero or Bitcoin. Mining is typically legitimate when you choose to do it yourself, but criminals sneak coin miners onto victims\u2019 machines so they can profit at your expense. You\u2019ll often see your computer slow down, overheat, or experience performance drops, because a portion of its resources are secretly diverted to generating cryptocurrency for the attacker\u2019s benefit.\n<div class=\"mb-2 flex gap-3 empty:hidden -ml-2\">\n<div class=\"items-center justify-start rounded-xl p-1 flex\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1810\" data-end=\"1855\"><strong data-start=\"1810\" data-end=\"1853\">2. Unrelated Third-Party Software Installs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Some \u201cDeepSeek installers\u201d turn out to be disguised versions of other applications, like free audio editors or system tools.<\/li>\n<li>Victims think they\u2019re getting the latest DeepSeek AI tool but end up with unwanted\u2014and potentially risky\u2014software.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2112\" data-end=\"2136\"><strong data-start=\"2112\" data-end=\"2134\">3. Fake Captcha Pages<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fraudulent websites display official-looking \u201cpartnership\u201d or \u201ccaptcha verification\u201d screens.<\/li>\n<li>Users are tricked into pasting secret commands into the Windows Run dialog, disabling antivirus programs and installing malware like Vidar Infostealer, which can swipe browser data and digital wallet credentials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-start=\"2823\" data-end=\"2845\">How to Stay Safe<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2846\" data-end=\"2961\">McAfee\u2019s experts underscore the importance of careful online habits and shares best practices to keep threats at bay:<\/p>\n<ol data-start=\"2963\" data-end=\"3857\">\n<li data-start=\"2963\" data-end=\"3124\"><strong data-start=\"2966\" data-end=\"2997\">Verify Before You Download:<\/strong> Stick to official DeepSeek or AI tool websites. If you\u2019re not sure, do more research or consult well-known developer forums.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3125\" data-end=\"3284\"><strong data-start=\"3128\" data-end=\"3146\">Check the URL:<\/strong> Criminals mimic legitimate domains or slightly alter them (like adding extra letters) to fool you. A single typo can be a warning sign.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3285\" data-end=\"3426\"><strong data-start=\"3288\" data-end=\"3321\">Never Paste Mystery Commands:<\/strong> If a site tells you to press <code data-start=\"3351\" data-end=\"3364\">Windows + R<\/code> and paste something you can\u2019t see in full, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong data-start=\"3408\" data-end=\"3423\">don\u2019t do it<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3427\" data-end=\"3552\"><strong data-start=\"3430\" data-end=\"3465\">Keep Security Software Updated:<\/strong> A strong antivirus that\u2019s regularly updated stands guard against the latest threats.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3553\" data-end=\"3704\"><strong data-start=\"3556\" data-end=\"3577\">Patch Everything:<\/strong> Whether it\u2019s your operating system, browser, or everyday apps, installing security updates promptly reduces vulnerabilities.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3705\" data-end=\"3857\"><strong data-start=\"3708\" data-end=\"3745\">Stay Alert to Performance Issues:<\/strong> Unexplained slowdowns or hot-running devices could signal hidden mining operations or other malicious activity.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3705\" data-end=\"3857\"><strong>Use Tools Like McAfee +:\u00a0<\/strong>Online protection tools like McAfee+ will alert you to suspicious websites, links, and downloads and help guard your devices against threats.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p data-start=\"3876\" data-end=\"4285\">McAfee Labs\u2019 findings reveal just how adaptable\u2014and opportunistic\u2014cybercriminals can be when fresh digital gold rushes emerge. By following basic security practices and staying skeptical about anything that seems too good to be true, you can explore new AI frontiers without handing over the keys to your device.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4287\" data-end=\"4556\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">When in doubt, stop, do your due diligence, and only download from verified sources. Your curiosity about the latest tech trends shouldn\u2019t come at the cost of your personal data or system security.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4287\" data-end=\"4556\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/deepseek-or-deep-threat-how-hackers-are-using-ai-hype-to-deliver-malware\/\">READ OUR FULL RESEARCH HERE<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a digital landscape hungry for the next big thing in Artificial Intelligence, a new contender called DeepSeek recently burst&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1407,"featured_media":210445,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10661,442],"tags":[],"coauthors":[15735],"class_list":["post-209803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-internet-security","category-mcafee-labs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Bogus \u2018DeepSeek\u2019 AI Installers Are Infecting Devices with Malware, Research Finds | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a digital landscape hungry for the next big thing in Artificial Intelligence, a new contender called DeepSeek recently burst onto the scene and has\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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