While the danger from fake videos created by artificial intelligence (AI), called Deepfake, has not subsided, another technology that threatens users, Clearfake, has appeared.
According to GearRice, researchers have now warned people about a new phishing technology called Clearfake. Basically, Clearfake is the same as Deepfake when scammers use videos, photos, and fake websites created by AI to trap people. Misinformation, videos, images, and malware will be sent to people through it.
More importantly, with Clearfake, scammers install fake software onto people’s systems and thereby steal their personal information from the system.
Concerns about Clearfake come after researchers discovered a new cyber threat earlier this year called Atomic macOS Stealer (AMOS) – a sophisticated malware primarily targeting Apple users. Once installed on a user’s system, it is capable of extracting sensitive information including iCloud Keychain passwords, credit card details, cryptocurrency wallets, and other types of files.
This malware is already a threat to users, but now scammers are inserting it into people’s systems through Clearfake. Using Clearfake, they are creating fake websites and asking users to update their browsers. These websites and prompts are designed in a way that makes the user believe that it is genuine and accepts the AMOS installation. As soon as AMOS is installed into the system, it will start collecting all kinds of information and from here the user’s privacy begins to end. After obtaining information, they will target victims in many different ways.
To avoid such attacks, experts advise users to always download software from the official website. Absolutely never install any software from third parties and perform software updates regularly. Also, be wary of apps that claim to bypass macOS Gatekeeper’s protections and don’t install them.