Cybersecurity researchers have released a warning about a sophisticated cyberattack campaign in which users are attempted to access DeepSeek-R1, a widely recognized large language model (LLM), which has been identified as a large language model. Cybercriminals have launched a malicious operation designed to exploit unsuspecting users through deceptive tactics to capitalise on the soaring global interest in artificial intelligence tools, and more specifically, open-source machine learning models (LLMs).
As a result of a detailed investigation conducted by Kaspersky, a newly discovered Windows-based malware strain known as BrowserVenom is distributed by threat actors utilising a combination of malvertising and phishing techniques to distribute. In addition to intercepting and manipulating web traffic, this sophisticated malware enables attackers to stealthily retrieve sensitive data from users, including passwords, browsing history, and personal information.
It has been reported that cybercriminals are using Google Adwords to redirect users to a fraudulent website that has been carefully designed to replicate the official DeepSeek homepage by using a website name deepseek-platform[.]com. They are deceiving victims into downloading malicious files by imitating the branding and layout of a legitimate DeepSeek-R1 model installation, and they are deceiving them into doing so.
The emergence of BrowserVenom has a significant impact on the cyber threat landscape, as attackers are utilising the growing interest in artificial intelligence technologies to deliver malware in order to increase the level of exposure. Aside from highlighting the sophistication of social engineering tactics that are becoming increasingly sophisticated, this campaign also serves as an effective reminder to verify the sources of software and tools that may be related to artificial intelligence.
An analysis of security threats has revealed that attackers behind the BrowserVenom attack have created a deceptive installer posing as the authentic DeepSeek-R1 language model in order to deliver malicious payloads. This malicious software installer has been carefully disguised to make it seem authentic, and it contains a recently identified malware called BrowserVenom, an advanced malware that reroutes all browser traffic through the attacker's servers.
Using this redirection capability, cybercriminals can intercept and manipulate internet traffic, giving them direct access to the sensitive personal information of millions of people. Despite the fact that BrowserVenom is an important piece of malware, its scope of functionality is especially worrying. Once embedded within a system, the malware can monitor user behaviour, harvest login credentials, retrieve session cookies, and steal financial data, emails, and documents that may even be transmitted in plaintext.
As a result of this level of access, cybercriminals are able to access all the information they need to commit financial fraud, commit identity theft, or sell stolen data on underground marketplaces. Kaspersky reports that the campaign has already compromised systems in a number of countries. They have confirmed infection reports in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, India, Nepal, South Africa, and Egypt, highlighting the threat’s global reach.
An infection vector for DeepSeek is a phishing site that is designed to look just like DeepSeek's official platform, which is the primary channel through which it gets infected, inducing users to download the trojanized installer. Because BrowserVenom is still spreading, experts warn that it poses a persistent and ongoing threat to users worldwide, especially those who use open-source AI tools without verifying the authenticity of the source they are using.
According to a comprehensive investigation of the BrowserVenom campaign, it appears that a highly orchestrated infection chain has been crafted which begins at a malicious phishing website hosted at https[:]//deepseek-platform[.]com. Malvertising tactics have been employed by the attackers to place sponsored search results strategically atop pages when users search for terms like "DeepSeek R1" and similar.
Deceptive strategies are designed to take advantage of the growing popularity of open-source artificial intelligence models and trick users into visiting a lookalike website that is convincingly resembling the DeepSeek homepage in order to trick them into visiting a website based on a fake DeepSeek lookalike website. Upon arrival at the fake site, the fake site detects the operating system of the visitor silently.
A single prominent button labelled “Try now” is displayed on the interface for Windows users - the primary targets of this attack - in order to get a DeepSeek-R1 model for free.
There have been occurrences of the site serving slightly modified layouts on other platforms, but all versions share the same goal of luring users into clicking and unintentionally initiating an infection, regardless of which platform they're on. This malware was developed by the operators of the BrowserVenom malware to enhance the credibility of the malicious campaign and reduce the suspicion of users.
To accomplish this, multiple CAPTCHA mechanisms have been integrated into the attack chain at various points to confuse the user.
In addition to providing the fake DeepSeek-R1 download website with a sense of legitimacy, this clever use of CAPTCHA challenges is also a form of social engineering, implying that it is secure and trustworthy, which in turn reinforces the illusion of security. When a user clicks the "Try Now" button on the fraudulent DeepSeek platform, the first CAPTCHA will be triggered, according to cybersecurity researchers.
It is at this point that a victim is presented with a fake CAPTCHA page that mimics the appearance of a standard bot-verification interface. Interestingly enough, this isn't just a superficial challenge for the victim. By using an embedded snippet of JavaScript code, the embedded code evaluates whether a person is actually conducting the interaction, performing several verification checks to identify and block automated access to the system.
Once users click the button, they will be redirected to a CAPTCHA verification page, which is allegedly designed to stop automated robots from accessing the download. However, there is a layer of heavily obfuscated JavaScript behind this screen that performs advanced checks to ensure that a visitor is actually a human, and not a security scanner, by performing advanced checks. The attackers have been operating similar malicious campaigns in the past using dynamic scripts and evasion logic, which emphasises the campaign's technical sophistication.
A user is redirected to a secondary page located at proxy1.php once they have completed the CAPTCHA, where a “Download now” button appears once they have completed the CAPTCHA. When users click on this final prompt, they are prompted to download the tampered executable file AI_Launcher_1.21.exe, which they can find at
https://r1deepseek-ai[.]com/gg/cc/AI_Launcher_1.21.exe.
Using this executable, the malware can be successfully installed in the browser.
This entire process, from the initial search to the installation of the malware, has been cleverly disguised to appear as a legitimate user experience to illustrate how cybercriminals are using both social engineering as well as technical sophistication to spread their malware on an international scale.
Once a user has successfully completed the initial CAPTCHA, they are directed to a secondary page which displays the "Download" button to what is supposed to be an official DeepSeek installer.
It should be noted, however, that if users click on this link, they are downloading a trojanized executable file called AI-Launcher-1.21.exe, which stealthily installs BrowserVenom malware. As part of this process, a second CAPTCHA is required. In this case, the prompt resembles the Cloudflare Turnstile verification, complete with the familiar “I am not a robot” checkbox. As a result, the user is misled throughout the entire infection process, creating an illusion of safety.
It is the victim's choice to choose between two AI deployment platforms after the second CAPTCHA has been completed- "Ollama" or "LM Studio," both of which are legitimate tools for running local versions of AI models like DeepSeek. However, regardless of which option users select, the end result is the same - BrowserVenom malware is silently downloaded and executed in the background without being noticed.
Cybercriminals are increasingly weaponising familiar security mechanisms to disguise malicious activity in cybercrime, and this sophisticated use of fake CAPTCHAs indicates a broader trend. There has actually been a rise in similar attacks over the past few years, including recent phishing attacks involving Cloudflare CAPTCHA pages that coax users into executing malicious commands with the hope of getting them to do so.
As soon as the installer is executed, it entails the installation of a dual-layered operation that mixes both visual legitimacy and covert malicious activity. The user is presented with a convincing installation interface which appears to be a large language model deployment tool, but a hidden background process simultaneously deploys the browser malware, thereby presenting the false appearance of a legitimate tool.
During this behind-the-scenes sequence, an attempt is made to bypass traditional security measures to maintain stealth while bypassing traditional security measures.
A crucial evasion technique is used in the installation of the infection: the installer executes an AES-encrypted PowerShell command to exclude the Windows Defender scan of the user's directory.
In this case, attackers improve the likelihood that malware will install undetected and successfully if the malware's operating path is removed from routine antivirus oversight.
Once the malware is installed, the installer then proceeds to download additional payloads from obfuscated scripts, further complicating the detection and analysis of the malware.
Ultimately, the payload, BrowserVenom, is injected directly into system memory using a sophisticated technique which avoids putting the malicious code on disk, thus evading signature-based antivirus detections.
Once embedded in the system, BrowserVenom's primary function is to redirect all browser traffic towards a proxy server controlled by the attacker.
As part of this process, the malware installs a rogue root certificate that facilitates HTTPS interceptions and modifies the configuration of browsers on multiple platforms, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and other Chromium and Gecko-based browsers.
By making these changes, the malware can intercept and manipulate secure web traffic without raising the suspicion of users.
Furthermore, the malware updates user preferences as well as browser shortcuts to ensure persistence, even if the computer is rebooted or manual removal attempts are made. Researchers have found elements of Russian-language code embedded within the phishing website and distribution infrastructure of the malware that strongly suggests that Russian-speaking threat actors are involved in its development.
This is the first case of confirmed infections reported by the FBI in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, India, Nepal, South Africa, and Egypt, demonstrating the campaign's global spread and aggressive campaign strategy. In addition to communicating with a command-and-control (C2) infrastructure at the IP address 141.105.130[.]106, the malware also uses port 37121 as its primary port to communicate, which is hardcoded into the proxy settings it uses. This allows BrowserVenom to hijack and route victim traffic through attacker-controlled channels without user knowledge.
The growing threat of cyberattacks that exploit the AI boom, particularly the increasing use of popular LLM tools as bait, is emphasised by security experts. It is strongly recommended that users adhere to strict digital hygiene, which includes verifying URLs, checking SSL certificates, and avoiding downloading software from unauthorised sources or advertisements.
A growing interest in artificial intelligence has led to a surge in abuse by sophisticated cybercriminal networks, which has made proactive vigilance essential for users throughout all geographies and industries. In light of the recent BrowserVenom incident, which highlights the deceptive tactics that cybercriminals are using in order to get the user to take action, it highlights the urgency for users to be more aware of AI-related threats.
Today, adversaries are blending authentic interfaces, advanced evasion methods, and social engineering into one seamless attack, which makes traditional security habits no longer sufficient to thwart them. The cybersecurity mindset of organizations and individuals alike requires a combination of real-time threat intelligence, behavioral detection tools, and cautious digital behavior that is based on real-time threat intelligence.
Increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence is changing the landscape of artificial intelligence threats, which requires continuous vigilance to prevent a malicious innovation from getting a step ahead.
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