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How to Secure Tax Documents Before Sending to Your Accountant

19 March 2026 at 13:15

Filing your taxes may not feel risky. You download a W-2. Upload a PDF. Email a document. Move on. 

But tax season is one of the most active times of year for scammers, and the moment you start collecting and sharing tax documents is often when people are most exposed. 

W-2s, 1099s, prior-year returns, and identity documents contain nearly everything criminals need to commit tax fraud or identity theft. And increasingly, scammers don’t need to break into systems to get them. They rely on rushed filers, familiar workflows, and convincing messages that blend into tax season noise. 

The good news: securing your tax documents doesn’t require expensive tools or technical expertise. With a few deliberate steps, you can dramatically reduce your risk before anything leaves your device. 

Why Scammers Want Your Tax Documents

Tax documents are valuable because they’re complete.A single W-2 includes your full name, Social Security number, employer information, and income data. Combined with other files, like a prior return or ID scan, that’s enough to: 

  • File a fraudulent tax return 
  • Open new credit accounts 
  • Access financial services 
  • Sell your identity on criminal marketplaces 

That’s why tax-related phishing and document theft spike every filing season. Many scams don’t look like scams at all. They look like routine requests, delivery notices, or “quick questions” from someone you already trust. 

How to Safely Handle and Share Tax Documents 

Tax forms contain some of the most sensitive personal information you have. Taking a few precautions when storing and sharing them can reduce the risk of identity theft and tax fraud. 

Store Your Tax Documents Securely 

Before sending anything to an accountant or tax service, make sure your files are organized and stored safely. 

Use a single secure folder
Create one folder, on your device or in a trusted private cloud service account, specifically for tax documents. Avoid scattering files across downloads, email attachments, and screenshots. 

Rename files clearly
Use descriptive names such as “2025_W2_EmployerName.pdf” so you can easily identify documents without opening multiple files or re-downloading forms. 

Avoid public Wi-Fi
If you’re downloading tax documents, do it on a secure home network whenever possible. Public Wi-Fi can increase the risk of interception. If you must connect in public, using a trusted VPN adds another layer of protection. 

Watch for Tax-Season Phishing Scams 

Many tax scams don’t target software, they target people. 

Common examples include: 

  • Emails pretending to be from the IRS asking you to “verify” information 
  • Messages that appear to come from your employer requesting a copy of your  W2 
  • Fake tax portals asking you to re-upload documents 
  • Urgent messages claiming there is a problem with your return 

These scams often arrive when you’re already expecting tax-related communication, which makes them easier to trust. 

Important: The IRS does not initiate contact by email, text message, or social media to request personal or financial information. 

Use Secure Ways to Share Tax Documents 

Email attachments are convenient, but they can also expose sensitive information. 

Safer options include: 

  • secure client portal provided by your accountant or tax preparer 
  • Encrypted file-sharing services 
  • Password-protected documents sent through a secure channel 

If you must email a document, avoid sending the password in the same message. 

Verify Requests Before Sending Documents 

Even if a request looks legitimate, pause before sharing sensitive files. 

Ask yourself: 

  • Did I expect this request? 
  • Is the sender using their normal contact method? 
  • Does the message create urgency or pressure? 

If something seems unusual, verify the request through a separate channel, such as calling the person directly or starting a new email thread. 

Secure the Devices You Use to File 

Protecting tax documents also means protecting the device where they’re stored. 

Before filing your taxes: 

  • Install the latest software updates on your computer and phone 
  • Enable automatic updates when possible 
  • Use security tools that can flag malicious links, fake websites, and suspicious messages, like McAfee’s WebAdvisor (free download here)

Tax scams increasingly arrive through text messages and social media, not just email, so protection needs to cover the places scammers actually reach you. 

File Early and Watch for Warning Signs 

Filing early reduces the opportunity for scammers to file a fraudulent tax return in your name. 

After filing: 

  • Watch for IRS notices you didn’t expect 
  • Monitor financial accounts for unfamiliar activity 
  • Be cautious of follow-up messages claiming problems with your return 

If something feels off, investigate before responding. 

Step-by-Step: How to Encrypt Tax Documents Before Sending Them 

Step  What to Do  Why It Matters 
1. Put all tax files into one folder  Gather your W-2s, 1099s, receipts, PDFs, and spreadsheets in one folder.  Keeps you organized and prevents accidentally leaving something unprotected. 
2. Convert photos into PDFs (if needed)  If documents are photos, save them as a PDF using your phone scanner app or printer settings.  PDFs are easier to encrypt and share securely than image files. 
3. Combine files into one ZIP folder  On your computer, select all files → right click → Compress / Zip.  Creates a single package you can protect with a password. 
4. Add a password to the ZIP file  Choose the “Encrypt” or “Password Protect” option when creating the ZIP file.  Password protection helps prevent unauthorized access if the file is intercepted. 
5. Use a strong password  Use at least 12 characters with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.  Weak passwords can be cracked quickly. 
6. Rename the file to something generic  Use a name like “Documents_2025.zip” instead of “Taxes_W2_SSN.zip.”  Avoids exposing sensitive info in the file name itself. 
7. Send the encrypted file through a secure method  Upload via your tax preparer’s secure portal or share through a secure cloud link.  Email attachments can be risky if the wrong person gains access. 
8. Send the password separately  Text or call the password—don’t include it in the same email as the file.  If someone intercepts the email, they won’t have both pieces. 
9. Confirm the recipient received it securely  Ask them to confirm download and access.  Prevents re-sending sensitive documents multiple times. 
10. Delete extra copies once filing is done  Remove unneeded copies from desktop, downloads folder, and email attachments.  Reduces the chance of future exposure if your device is compromised. 

What to Do If You Think Your Tax Information Was Exposed 

If you believe your tax documents were shared with the wrong party or compromised: 

  1. Stop further communication immediately 
  2. Contact your accountant or tax service 
  3. Notify the IRS if sensitive information was exposed 
  4. Monitor credit and financial accounts closely 
  5. Run a security scan on your device, check out our free trial 

Acting quickly can limit damage and help prevent long-term fallout. 

Final Thoughts

Securing your tax documents doesn’t require perfection, just intention. 

By slowing down, using safer sharing methods, and staying alert to tax-season scams, you can protect yourself before problems start. In a season where everyone feels rushed, a few extra minutes can save months of cleanup later. 

McAfee helps protect your identity, devices, and personal information so tax season doesn’t become scam season. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: Is it safe to email tax documents to my accountant? 

A: Email is not the safest option. Secure portals or encrypted file-sharing tools are preferred for sensitive documents like W-2s and tax returns. 

Q: How do W-2 phishing scams work? 

A: Scammers impersonate employers or tax authorities to trick people into sending W-2s or personal information, often using urgent or official-looking messag 

Q: Can scammers file taxes using my W-2? 

A: Yes. With enough personal information, criminals can file fraudulent returns or commit identity theft. 

Q: How can I tell if a tax message is fake?
A: Be cautious of unsolicited requests, urgent language, unfamiliar links, or requests for documents outside normal filing workflows. 
Q: What’s the safest way to share tax documents online? 

A: Use secure portals, encrypted file-sharing, and verified communication channels. Avoid public Wi-Fi and unprotected email attachments. 

 

The post How to Secure Tax Documents Before Sending to Your Accountant appeared first on McAfee Blog.

New Research: Hackers Are Using AI-Written Code to Spread Malware

18 March 2026 at 21:48

McAfee Labs has uncovered a widespread malware campaign hiding inside fake downloads for things like game mods, AI tools, drivers, and trading utilities. 

In January 2026, researchers observed 443 malicious ZIP files impersonating software people might actively search for online. Across those files, McAfee identified 48 malicious WinUpdateHelper.dll variants used to infect devices. The campaign was spread through a mix of file-hosting and content delivery services, including Discord, SourceForge, FOSSHub, and mydofiles[.]com. 

What makes this campaign especially notable is that some parts of it appear to have been built with help from large language models (LLMs). McAfee researchers found signs that certain scripts likely used AI-generated code, which may have helped the attackers create and scale the campaign faster. 

That does not mean AI created the whole operation on its own. But it does suggest AI may be helping cybercriminals lower the effort needed to build malware and launch attacks. 

Want the full research? Dive in here. 

We break down the top takeaways below. 

What McAfee Found 

Finding  What it means 
443 malicious ZIP files  Attackers created many different fake downloads to reach more victims 
48 malicious DLL variants  The campaign used multiple versions of the malware, not just one file 
1,700+ file names observed  The same threat was repackaged under many different names to look convincing 
17 distinct kill chains  Researchers found multiple attack flows, but they followed a similar overall pattern 
Hosted on familiar platforms  The malware was distributed through services users may recognize, including Discord and SourceForge 
AI-assisted code suspected  Some scripts contained explanatory comments and patterns that strongly suggest LLM assistance 
Cryptomining and additional malware observed  Infected devices could be used to mine cryptocurrency or receive more malicious payloads 

What Is “AI-Written Malware”? 

In this case, “AI-written malware” does not mean an AI system independently invented and launched the attack. 

Instead, McAfee Labs found evidence that the attackers very likely used AI tools to help generate some of the code used in the campaign, especially in certain PowerShell scripts. 

Put simply: 

Term  Plain-English meaning 
Large language model (LLM)  An AI system that can generate text and code based on prompts 
AI-assisted malware  Malware where attackers appear to have used AI tools to help write or structure parts of the code 
Vibe coding  A style of coding where someone describes what they want and an AI does much of the writing 

This matters because it can make malware development faster, easier, and more scalable for attackers. 

Figure 1: Attack Vector
Figure 1: Attack Vector

 

How The Fake Download Attack Works 

The attack begins when someone searches for software online and downloads what looks like the tool they wanted. 

That tool might appear to be a game mod, AI voice changer, emulator, trading utility, VPN, or driver. But behind the scenes, the ZIP archive includes malicious components that start the infection. 

Step  What happens 
1. A user downloads a fake file  The ZIP archive is disguised as something useful or desirable, such as a mod menu, AI tool, or driver 
2. The file appears normal at first  In some cases, the package includes a legitimate executable so it feels more convincing 
3. A malicious DLL is loaded  A hidden malicious file, often WinUpdateHelper.dll, starts the real attack 
4. The user is distracted  The malware may display a fake “missing dependency” message and redirect the user to install unrelated software 
5. A PowerShell script is pulled from a remote server  While the user is distracted, the malware contacts a command-and-control server and runs additional code 
6. More malware is installed  Depending on the sample, the device may receive coin miners, infostealers, or remote access tools 
7. The infected device is abused for profit  In many cases, attackers use the victim’s system resources to mine cryptocurrency in the background 

What Kinds of Files Were Used as Bait 

McAfee found that the attackers cast a very wide net. The malicious ZIP files impersonated many types of software, including: 

Bait category  Examples 
Gaming tools  game mods, cheats, executors, Roblox-related tools 
AI-themed tools  AI image generators, AI voice changers, AI-branded downloads 
System utilities  graphics drivers, USB drivers, emulators, VPNs 
Trading or finance tools  stock-market utilities and related downloads 
Fake security or malware tools  fake stealers, decryptors, and other risky-looking utilities 

That broad range is part of what made the campaign effective. It was designed to catch people already looking for shortcuts, unofficial tools, or hard-to-find software. 

Why McAfee Researchers Believe AI Was Used 

One of the strongest clues came from the comments inside some of the attack scripts. 

McAfee researchers found explanatory comments that looked more like AI-generated instructions than the kind of shorthand attackers usually leave for themselves. In one example, a comment referred to downloading a file from “your GitHub URL,” which suggests the code may have come from a generated template and was not fully cleaned up before use. 

These details do not prove every part of the campaign was AI-made. But they do support McAfee’s assessment that certain components were likely generated with help from large language models. 

What Happens on an Infected Device 

In many cases, the malware was used to turn victims’ computers into quiet crypto-mining machines. 

McAfee observed mining activity involving several cryptocurrencies, including: 

  • Ravencoin 
  • Zephyr 
  • Monero 
  • Bitcoin Gold 
  • Ergo 
  • Clore 

Some samples also downloaded additional payloads such as SalatStealer or Mesh Agent. 

For victims, that can mean: 

Possible effect  What it may look like 
Slower performance  apps lag, games stutter, system feels unusually sluggish 
High CPU or GPU usage  fans run constantly, laptop gets hot, battery drains faster 
Background malware activity  unknown processes, suspicious downloads, unexpected behavior 
Potential data theft  if an infostealer or remote access tool is installed 

McAfee was also able to trace several Bitcoin wallets tied to the campaign. At the time of the report, those wallets held about $4,536 in Bitcoin, while total funds received were approximately $11,497.70. Researchers note the real total could be higher because some of the currencies involved are harder to trace. 

Who Was Targeted Most 

This campaign was observed most heavily in: 

  • United States 
  • United Kingdom 
  • India 
  • Brazil 
  • France 
  • Canada 
  • Australia 

That does not mean users elsewhere were unaffected. These were simply the countries where researchers saw the highest prevalence. 

Figure 2: Geographical Prevalence 
Figure 2: Geographical Prevalence 

  Red Flags To Watch For 

Even though the campaign used advanced techniques, the warning signs for users were often familiar. 

Red flag  Why it matters 
You found the file through a random link  Unofficial forums, Discord links, and file-hosting pages are common malware delivery paths 
The download is a ZIP for something sketchy or unofficial  Cheats, cracks, mod tools, and unofficial utilities carry higher risk 
You get a “missing dependency” message  Attackers may use this to push a second download while the real infection happens in the background 
The file name looks right, but the source feels wrong  Familiar names can be faked easily 
Your PC suddenly slows down or overheats  Hidden cryptominers often abuse system resources 
You notice new, unrelated software installed  The campaign sometimes used unwanted software installs as a distraction 

How To Stay Safe From Malware Hidden in Fake Downloads 

This campaign is a reminder that not every convincing file is a safe one. A few habits can reduce your risk significantly. 

Safety step  Why it helps 
Download software only from official sources  This lowers the chance of accidentally installing a trojanized file 
Avoid cheats, cracks, and unofficial mods  These categories are common bait for malware campaigns 
Be skeptical of dependency prompts  Unexpected requests to install helper files or missing components can be part of the attack 
Keep your security software updated  Current protection can help detect known threats and suspicious behavior 
Pay attention to system performance  A suddenly hot, loud, or slow PC may be a sign something is running in the background 
Review what you download before opening it  Even a familiar file name does not guarantee a file is legitimate 

McAfee helps protect against malware threats like these with multiple layers of security, including malware detection and safer browsing protections designed to help stop risky downloads before they can do damage. 

What To Do If You Think You Opened One of These Files 

If you think you downloaded and ran a suspicious file like one described in this campaign: 

Action  Why it matters 
Disconnect from the internet  This can help interrupt communication with attacker-controlled servers 
Run a full security scan  A trusted scan can help identify malicious files and behavior 
Delete suspicious downloads  Remove the file and avoid reopening it 
Check for unfamiliar software or startup items  The infection may have installed additional components 
Change important passwords from a clean device  This is especially important if data-stealing malware may have been involved 
Monitor accounts for unusual activity  Keep an eye on email, banking, and other sensitive accounts 

If your computer continues acting strangely after a scan, it may be worth getting professional help. 

What This Means for the Future of Malware 

This campaign highlights how cybercrime is evolving. 

The core risk is not just fake downloads. It is the fact that attackers are using AI tools to help generate code, create variations, and speed up parts of the malware development process. 

That can make campaigns like this easier to scale and harder to ignore. 

For everyday users, the takeaway is simple: if a file seems unofficial, rushed, or too good to be true, pause before opening it. A fake download may look like a shortcut, but it can quietly turn your device into a target.  

Frequently Asked Questions 

FAQs 
Q: What is AI-written malware?

A: AI-written malware generally refers to malicious code, or parts of a malware campaign, that appear to have been created with help from AI coding tools or large language models. 

Q: Did AI create this entire malware campaign? 

A: McAfee Labs did not say that. The research suggests that certain components, especially some scripts, were likely generated with help from large language models. 

Q: What was this malware disguised as? 

A: The malicious files impersonated game mods, AI tools, drivers, trading utilities, VPNs, emulators, and other software downloads. 

Q: What can happen if you open one of these fake files? 

A: Depending on the sample, the malware may install coin miners, steal data, establish persistence, or download additional malicious tools. 

Q: Can malware really use my computer to mine cryptocurrency? 

A: Yes. McAfee observed samples in this campaign that used victims’ CPU and GPU resources to mine cryptocurrency in the background. 

Q: What is the safest way to avoid this kind of malware? 

A: Download software only from official or trusted sources, avoid unofficial tools and cheats, be cautious of fake dependency prompts, and keep your security protection up to date. 

Want to learn more? Dive into the full research here. 

The post New Research: Hackers Are Using AI-Written Code to Spread Malware appeared first on McAfee Blog.

AI Wrote This Malware: Dissecting the Insides of a Vibe-Coded Malware Campaign

18 March 2026 at 18:21

Authored by Aayush Tyagi  

Background 

The term ‘Vibe coding,’ first coined back in February of 2025 by OpenAI researchers, has exploded across digital platforms. With hundreds of articles and YouTube Videos discussing the dangers of Vibe coding and warning the internet about the rise of “Vibe Coders”, while others labelled it as the fundamental shift in software development and the future of coding.  

Vibe Coding is an approach where the AI does heavy lifting, rather than the user. Instead of manually writing code or implementing algorithms, users describe their intent through text-based prompt, and the LLMs respond with fully functional code and explanation. Unsurprisingly, the internet is now flooded with guides on the best LLMs and prompts to generate “perfect” code. 

Given the ease of generating fully functional code, McAfee Labs has also seen a rise in vibe-coded malware. In these campaigns, certain components of the kill chain contain AI-generated code, significantly reducing the effort and knowledge required to execute new malware campaigns. This shift not only makes malware campaigns more scalable but also lowers the barrier to entry for new malware authors. 

Executive summary 

In January 2026, McAfee Labs observed 443 malicious zip files impersonating a wide range of software, including AI image generators and voice-changing tools, stock-market trading utilities, game mods and modding tools, game hacks, graphics card and USB drivers, ransomware decryptors, VPNs, emulators, and even infostealer, cookie-stealer, and backdoor malware, to infect users.  

Across the 440+ zip files, we observed 48 unique malicious WinUpdateHelper.dll variants, responsible for the infections. McAfee has been detecting variants of this threat since December 2024, although the vibe coding observed in certain components appears to be a recent addition. These files are distributed through various legitimate content delivery network (CDN) services and file-hosting websites, such as Discord, SourceForge, FOSSHub, and MediaFire, to name a few. Another website that was actively delivering this malware was mydofiles[.]com. 

Here, the attackers implement volume-driven malware distribution techniques to infect as many users as possible.  

Figure 1: Attack Vector
Figure 1: Attack Vector

This attack begins when users surf the internet looking for tools and software that promise to simplify their tasks. Instead, they encounter trojanized zip files.  

We discovered over 100 URLs actively spreading this malware, of which approximately 61 were hosted on Discord, 17 on SourceForge, and 15 on mydofiles[.]com. 

On running the executable, it loads a malicious WinUpdateHelper.dll file, which redirects the user to file-hosting websites, under the disguise that they are missing crucial dependencies and tricks them into installing unrelated software, which is a distraction. Meanwhile, the DLL has already requested and executed a malicious PowerShell script from a command-and-control (C2) server.  

This script infects the user’s system and downloads additional mining software, and abuses the system’s resources, or it downloads additional payloads such as SalatStealer or Mesh Agent, depending on the WinUpdateHelper.dll sample which infected the user.  

In this PowerShell script, the presence of explanatory comments and structured sections strongly indicates the use of LLM models to generate this code. 

Read more about this in the Using AI to generate malware? section below.  

So far, we’ve observed the mining of RavencoinZephyr, Monero, Bitcoin Gold, Ergo, and Clore cryptocurrencies.    

Due to the presence of hardcoded Bitcoin wallet credentials within these malware samples, we were able to trace on-chain transactions and identify wallets containing over $4,500 USD that are part of this campaign.  

Since most of the mining activity targets privacy-focused cryptocurrencies such as Zephyr, Ravencoin and Monero, the real financial impact is likely to be nearly double the amount identified through Bitcoin tracing alone.  

Geographical Prevalence 

Figure 2: Geographical Prevalence  
Figure 2: Geographical Prevalence  

This malware campaign has specifically targeted users in the following counties, ranked by prevalence: The United States of America, followed by United Kingdom, India, Brazil, France, Canada, Australia. 

Bottom Line

The availability of LLMs capable of generating code instantly, combined with the widespread accessibility of technical knowledge, has created a low-effort, high-reward environment, making malware deployment increasingly accessible. 

At McAfee Labs, we have been doing hard work so that you don’t need to worry. But it always helps to be informed and educated on the latest threat that steps into the threat landscape. 
We will continue monitoring these campaigns to ensure our customers remain informed and protected across platforms. 

Technical Analysis  

Impersonated Applications

Here we see malware distribution at a large scale and by analyzing the filenames of these ZIP archives, we can infer to the users that are being targeted. These are some of the names we’ve witnessed in the wild. 

Figure 3: Malware Impersonating gaming software
Figure 3: Malware Impersonating gaming software

The attackers are actively impersonating video game cheats and game mods for popular titles, and well-known script executors for Roblox, such as Delta Executor and Solara as seen above.  

Figure 4: Malware Impersonating tools, malware and drivers 
Figure 4: Malware Impersonating tools, malware and drivers

Names such as Panther-Stealer and Zerotrace-Stealer indicate that even users looking for malware on the internet are not safe either, reinforcing the notion that there is truly no honor among thieves. 

The campaign also leverages drivers and AI-themed tools as part of its lure portfolio among other tools. Interestingly, we see the name ‘DeepSeek.zip’, where attackers are exploiting a prominent LLM model, DeepSeek. McAfee had encountered these types of attacks in early 2025 and covered them extensively.  

Read the previous blog here: Look Before You Leap: Imposter DeepSeek Software Seek Gullible Users  

Stage 1 Payload – Misleading Installation  

Once the user downloads the ZIP archive from Discord or any other website. They get the following set of files.

Figure 5: Files within the zip archive. 
Figure 5: Files within the zip archive.

Here, the executable named ‘gta-5-online-mod-menu.exe’ (Highlighted in Blue) is a legitimate and clean file. Whereas the file named ‘WinUpdateHelper.dll’ (Highlighted in Red) is malicious.  

Figure 6: Command Prompt misinforming the user 
Figure 6: Command Prompt misinforming the user

On executing ‘gta-5-online-mod-menu.exe’, the malicious DLL is loaded. The user is informed that they are missing dependencies, and they’re redirected to the following URL via default browser.  

hxxps://igk[.]filexspace.com/getfile/XKQLPSK?title=DependencyCore&tracker=gta-5-online-mod-menu 

Here, within the URL, a tracker variable is used to identify which malware has infected the user. In this instance, it was ‘gta-5-online-mod-menu’.  

Figure 7: Website prompting users to download dependencycore.zip 
Figure 7: Website prompting users to download dependencycore.zip

Dependecycore.zip is a setup file. On execution, it installs unrelated 3rd party software on the victim’s system. 

Figure 8: Files dropped by Dependecycore.zip in temp folder 
Figure 8: Files dropped by Dependecycore.zip in temp folder

In this instance, iTop Easy Desktop was installed. 

This unwanted installation is meant to subvert users’ attention. As, the WinUpdateHelper.dll has already connected to the C2 server and infected the system.   

Stage 1 Payload – Malicious Functionality  

Once the redirection code is executed, the malware executes the malicious code.  

Figure 9: Malicious code within WinUpdateHelper.dll 
Figure 9: Malicious code within WinUpdateHelper.dll

In the above code snippet, which is present in the WinUpdateHelper.dll, we can see that a new service has been created under the name “Microsoft Console Host” to make it appear to be benign (Highlighted in Red). The parameters passed to this service ensure that it executes at system boot. This is done to maintain persistence in the system.

The service executes a PowerShell command that dynamically generates the C2 domain using the UNIX time stamp.  

Using the following code, 
$([Math]::Floor([DateTimeOffset]::UtcNow.ToUnixTimeSeconds() / 5000000) * 5000000).xyz 

It generates a domain name that changes once every 5,000,000 seconds or 58 days. 

The latest C2 domain we’ve discovered that is up and running is 
1770000000[.]xyz/script?id=fA9zQk2L0M&tag=WinUpdateHelper

During our analysis we observed the following domain 
1765000000[.]xyz/script?id=fA9zQk2L0M&tag=WinUpdateHelper, which is present in the following images.  

Here the id=fA9zQk2L0M is randomly generated, to uniquely identify the user and tag=WinUpdateHelper is used to identify the malware campaign.  

The malware connects to the above-mentioned C2 server to download a PowerShell script and execute it in memory. This fileless execution ensures improved evasion against signature-based detections. 

Stage 2 Payload – PowerShell Script  

Figure 10: PowerShell downloaded from the C2 server 
Figure 10: PowerShell downloaded from the C2 server

It is funny to note here, that the first comment of this script says “# I am forever sorry” which indicates that the attacks do carry some guilt regarding their actions, but not enough to stop the campaign. We found similar comments, such as “# sorry lol”, across multiple PowerShell scripts we discovered.  

The first set of commands (Highlighted in Green) are used to delete windows services and scheduled tasks. This is done to remove older or conflicting persistence mechanisms and to avoid duplicate miners from running on the same system. 

The second set of commands (Highlighted in Red) are registry modifications, that adds “C:\ProgramData” to Windows Defender exclusion paths. That is, ProgramData Folder won’t be scanned by Windows Defender anymore. This exclusion allows malware to drop additional payloads to disk, without the risk of them being detected and removed.  

The third set of commands (Highlighted in Blue) does exactly that. It downloads the next level payload from the URL “hxxps://1765000000[.]xyz/download/xbhgjahddaa” and stored it at this path “C:\ProgramData\fontdrvhost.exe”.

Again the name ‘fontdrvhost.exe’ imitates a legitimate Windows binary, to masquerade its true intent. After the download, the file is decoded using a simple arithmetic decryption routine. This provides protection against static signature detection and network detection. 

The payload is an XMRIG miner sample. In the next command, the miner is initialized and executed. Here, we see the miner connecting to “solo-zeph.2miners.com:4444” and start CPU based Zephyr coin mining using the following wallet address: ‘ZEPHsCY4zbcHGgz2U8PvkEjkWjopuPurPNv8nnSFnM5MN8hBas8kBN4hoNKmc7uMRfUQh4Fc9AHyGxL6NFARnc217m2vYgbKxf’. 

Figure 11: PowerShell downloaded from the C2 server continued  
Figure 11: PowerShell downloaded from the C2 server continued

In the second half of the script, we see another miner being set up and executed using the same technique (Highlighted in Red). This time the file is stored as “RuntimeBroker.exe” in the ProgramData folder. The miner is connecting to “solo-rvn.2miners.com:7070” to mine Ravencoin and it is using the system’s GPU instead of the CPU for mining (Highlighted in Blue).  

This is the wallet address used for mining in this instance ‘bc1q9a59scnfwkdlm6wlcu5w76zm2uesjrqdy4fr8r’.  

Hence, we see a dual coin-mining deployment infrastructure utilizing both CPU and GPU resources to optimize mining efficiency. 

Bitcoin? Interesting…  

What is interesting here is that attackers have used a bitcoin wallet address for mining Ravencoin, which indicates they are using multi-coin pools for mining. The attackers are using the victims’ machine to mine Ravencoin and automatically convert the mining rewards to Bitcoin before the payout.  

This is done for a variety of reasons, such as, bitcoin offers higher liquidity and has broader acceptance, but most importantly, Ravencoin is computationally easier and economically viable to mine on victim’s system. Bitcoin requires specialized ASIC hardware for profitable mining and attempting to mine Bitcoin directly on infected systems would generate negligible returns. We’ve seen the same behaviour in multiple samples. 

This is a smoking gun. Unlike Zephyr coin or Monero, Bitcoin’s blockchain is fully traceable. Every Satoshi, the smallest unit of Bitcoin, can be traced across the blockchain from the moment it was mined to its current holder. From there, it becomes easy to determine how much cryptocurrency the threat actor is receiving. More on this later.  

Anti-Analysis Techniques 

The attackers have meticulously designed the campaign and have implemented various anti-analysis techniques to thwart researchers.  

The PowerShell script we’ve seen above is responsible for downloading and initializing the coin miner samples. It is only accessible via PowerShell. If we try to access the server via Curl, we get the following response.  

Figure 12: 301 Response from the server 
Figure 12: 301 Response from the server

 This indicates that the server is actively monitoring the User-Agent of incoming requests and deploys the payload only when the request originates from PowerShell. 

 Similarly, the URLs embedded within the PowerShell script that download the next payload are unique to each victim and remain active for 60 seconds. After that, they return a 404 Not Found error.  

Figure 13: URLs within the PowerShell 
Figure 13: URLs within the PowerShell

These techniques are meant to confuse and disorient researchers, making the analysis difficult.  

Using AI to generate malware?  

While working on this malware campaign, we came across over 440 unique zip files. These same zip files were distributed with over 1700 different names, targeting various software. 

Across these 440 zip files, we noticed 48 unique variants of WinUpdateHelper.dll. These 48 files can be clustered together into 17 distinct kill chains, each featuring their own C2 infrastructure, misleading installation setups, second-stage PowerShell scripts and final payloads, yet the cryptocurrency wallet credentials remain similar. 

In the above technical analysis, we’ve only covered 1 kill chain. Yet, across these 17 kill chains, we’ve noticed the flow remain the same.  

Figure 14: PowerShell Script with LLM-Generated Comments 
Figure 14: PowerShell Script with LLM-Generated Comments

Across multiple second stage payloads, we encounter multiple comments such as the following, embedded within the code:

# === Create and execute run.bat in C:\ProgramData ===

:: This batch file:

:: – Creates the hidden folder C:\ProgramData\cvtres if it doesn”t exist (using CMD attrib for hidden + system)

:: – Downloads cvtres.exe from your GitHub URL

:: – Saves it to C:\ProgramData\cvtres\cvtres.exe

:: – Executes it immediately

:: – Runs completely hidden/minimized (no window visible)

The presence of such explanatory-style comments indicates that large language models were likely used during the development of these scripts. Especially, the comment “Downloads cvtres.exe from your GitHub URL”, where ‘Your GitHub URL’ refers to the threat actor’s GitHub repository that is hosting the malware, which indicates potential vibe coding.  

Tracking Bitcoin Across the Blockchain 

During analysis of this malware campaign, we came across few instances where the final payload was Infostealer malware. In most cases it was coin miner samples. 
In these cases, we encountered wallet credentials and mining pool URLs for several alternative cryptocurrencies such as RavencoinZephyr, Monero, which aren’t traceable.  

Fortunately, we came across 7 bitcoin wallets that are part of this malware campaign and are actively receiving mined cryptocurrency. 

bc1q9a59scnfwkdlm6wlcu5w76zm2uesjrqdy4fr8r     bc1q7cpwxjatrtpa29u85tayvggs67f6fxwyggm8kd 

bc1qyy0cv8snz7zqummg0yucdfzpxv2a5syu7xzsdq    bc1qxhp6mn0h7k9r89w8amalqjn38t4j5yaa7t89rp 

bc1qxnkkpnuhydckmpx8fmkp73e38dfed93uhfh68l    bc1qrtztxnqnjk9q4d5hupnla245c7620ncj3tzp7h 

bc1q97yd574m9znar99fa0u799rvm55tnjzkw9l33w 

As of writing this blog, these wallets contain Bitcoin valued at approximately $4,536.20 USD. 

Figure 15: Wallet Snapshot displaying the total value  
Figure 15: Wallet Snapshot displaying the total value  

These wallets have seen regular withdrawals, with total funds received amounting to approximately $11,497.7 USD. 

McAfee Coverage

McAfee has extensive coverage for this Coinminer Malware Campaign. We’re proactively covering new samples observed in the wild. 

Trojan:Win/Phishing.AP 

Trojan:Script/Coinminer.AT 

Trojan:Win/Dropper.AT 

Indicator of Compromise(s)

File Type  SHA256/URLs  File Name 
SHA256  94de957259c8e23f635989dd793cd

fd058883834672b2c8ac0a3e80784fce819 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  db8afdafbe39637fec3572829dd0a

1a2f00c9b50f947f1eb544ede75e499dca7 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  f15098661d99a436c460f8a6f839

a6903aebd2d8f1445c3bccfc9bf64868f3b0 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  3abf66e0a886ec0454d0382369dd6

d23c036c0dd5d413093c16c43c72b8ccb0b 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  767b63d11cee8cfb401a9b72d7bcc

a23b949149f2a9d7456e6e16553afcef169 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  12850f78fc497e845e9bf9f10314c4ecc

6a659dcd90e79ef5bd357004021ba78 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  0a8a58d18adc86977b7386416c6be8db

850a3384949b6750a6c6b2136138684a 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  1a60852904ff9c710cd754fa187ce58cb18c69

e35ea4962a8639953abe380f64 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  4ab63b5ccd60dfd66c7510d1b3bc1f45f0

c31c2d4c16b63b523d05ccac3fcb9d 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  1390e61a45dd81fa245a3078a3b305

e3c7cdeb5fa1e63d9daca22096b699f9e8 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  a0c3de95e5bf84cb616fe1ee1791e96ff57

53778b36201610e6730d025a6cb12 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  ea65298d8d8ce4b868511a1026f8657abcc

6b2e333854f4fc1bd498463b24084 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  6ea34fd213674f31a83c0eee2fb521303d2

a7c23e324bbdfa1a8edd7b6b6b6f1 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  7bec5e37777e6a2ca50e765b07e8cb

65e88f4822ab19d98c32f1c69444228e5c 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  64c96f0251363aaf35c3709c134aab52b9

81508b0ce9445e42774d151e43686b 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  393f6c6b307aecfe46acc603da812cc17f

0ebf24b66632660a2e533dfa4f463f 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  94077065d049e821803986316408b

82edad43fcd5a154f6807b4382eece705c3 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  a206ff592aea155d2bb42231afc3f060

494ffa8f3de8f25aaf8881639c500b44 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  cb2eebf27def80261eef6b80d898e06

f443294371463accd45ca24ce132fad98 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  3fea0a031ffd78c8d08f6499c2bbc

6a9edac5dc88b9ba224921f8f142e5a9adb 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  4fe5d461aaa752b94d016ca4e742e

02d30d3d4848a32787ce3564b5393017d77 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  04399f9f3ef87d8dd15556628532a84

d63d628eaae0ed81166d6efbee428cdba 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  dd37cd62fa18af798018a706f20a91a537f

0993f0254a0c84d64097c6480afb2 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  1d85ffe28d065780c9327078941cb76

2915c69c69012303e45eee44c092f8046 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  86e14dd0ab29ee0eab21874811b7e4

50d609feb606f77206627b62cccbd58afa 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  17704d58fb9c4e68c54a56fa97cd32599

792d00da53691b8bdb58e49296b7feb 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  491019e31af8f1489aea8d4c0f9816

813698def0301a2abb88e5248b37753d2b 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  c0ab89c3d9c7b9a04df5169eb175d517

3c6de08a4ef3674cd6d7f9a925d63151 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  df0ca0f15926964040bb43978f97faccc0

0bae5f6a00d8bd7d105d8c7d32efb1 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  e40f2628b2981226b1afe16c1cf3796b94

82b2ac070adac999707fc09909327c 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  f6093084196acded1179d3a1466908beb

966dceaba03e1dfeb02a2628fdb0423 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  fcc512630ee95d3f4c31e3aabc75ad2e29

dfacb4d4bcce7a12abe9a516979dbd 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  fe02d8d7a6b8f66624b238665d63094

a2bcd19c44a3f9c449788cadbb1b741a6 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  1967f6f42710b43506a0784a28ca8785a

f91b84dfa8629ec5be92be8eec564c6 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  5280b0ecb6c7246db84a9b194f5c85cc3

03c028475900b558306fdd4e51f4fc3 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  ce06d83adb53c8b9d240202193ca4c04d

0163994dad707aed0f0e67fdd2a42fe 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  13976bdc28d3b3ae88ed92fcf49ff9e083b

0ce5fd53e60680df00cd92bdfb33b 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  4135754b26dfac10cd19dcf6e03677b53

7244cf69fdce9c4138589e59449b443 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  7d69eca36c0f69b3007cdbf908f15545

e95611acf4bad8b9e30e54687a6d33bb 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  085dc279b422d761729374b01eae1e2

2375ef9538a6c4bc7cc35e8a812450f93 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  99ff2045d1377db7342420160eb254b7

b09cc4ce41a97b6bf0ec4d3f65d9ede6 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  396f397099a459f3adeba057788aa3d3488

2eea7d1665c828449f205a86dc80f 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  908d35e6afd90da2e7c71cf82c8a61b5534

10ca920e67dba1bae35c2b6b19bad 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  7029d68969814f1473e4e4a22abd4be8

5678a03bbe4c0f6194f3b7e421872ab3 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  d3ba17aa83748c539c75cee7eedb03a4

83f2e86af10b69da3f0c8e549f014ac3 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  d758820962ead89d5eaf7e45930a5eb

6ab11d5508988087faf84d8d7524408f1 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  e863f45099f3dc057a5aee5990fabfb4

e8ea8849cd5bc895092ff0a305a3f85d 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  0db26e9a1213d09521fc0dbfe15f807c9

960f62bc1cf4071001f58f210c53e9c 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
  94de957259c8e23f635989dd793cdfd

058883834672b2c8ac0a3e80784fce819 

WinUpdateHelper.dll 
     
C2 URLs   hxxp://85[.]235[.]75[.]242/script[.]ps11   
  hxxp://41[.]216[.]188[.]184/downloads/loader[.]ps1    
  hxxp://46[.]151[.]182[.]238:6969/script    
  hxxps://mydofiles[.]com/script[.]ps1   
  hxxp://45[.]141[.]119[.]191/jjj[.]txt    
  hxxps://getthishasg[.]live/cz8wl3k[.]php?

cnv_id=cee43wfhqb7b81&payout=1  

 
  hxxps://gocrazy[.]gg/script?id=fA9z

Qk2L0M`&tag=schtasks 

 
  hxxps://dystoria[.]cc/mon   
  hxxp://85[.]235[.]75[.]242/script[.]ps1   
  hxxps://github[.]com/dextamoggan4-sudo/

shineex/releases/download/python/script[.]ps1 

 
  hxxp://45[.]141[.]119[.]191/gg[.]txt   
  hxxps://codeberg[.]org/Yesdev123/

load/raw/branch/main/testfile[.]txt 

 
  hxxp://45[.]141[.]119[.]191/jjjj[.]tt   
  hxxps://kenovn[.]net/script   
  hxxps://1765000000[.]xyz/script?

id=fA9zQk2L0M&tag=WinUpdateHelper 

 
  hxxp://46[.]151[.]182[.]238:6969/scrpt   
  hxxp://46[.]151[.]182[.]238:6969/script   
  hxxps://cutt[.]ly/ke0WRr70   
  hxxps://cutt[.]ly/pe0WRidw   
  hxxps://1770000000[.]xyz/script?id

=fA9zQk2L0M&tag=WinUpdateHelper 

 
  hxxp://150[.]241[.]64[.]28/panfish    
Final Payload URLs  hxxps://github[.]com/gaescmo-ai/justin/

releases/download/son/xmrig[.]exe 

 
  hxxps://github[.]com/gaescmo-ai/justin/

releases/download/son/ethminer[.]exe 

 
  hxxp://41[.]216[.]188[.]184/downloads

/windows-service[.]zip  

 
  hxxp://46[.]151[.]182[.]238:6969/exe/rat[.]exe   
  hxxp://46[.]151[.]182[.]238:6969/exe/miner[.]exe   
  hxxp://46[.]151[.]182[.]238:6969/exe/titledetector[.]exe   
  hxxps://github[.]com/jimbrock44/filezilla2025/

raw/refs/heads/main/sc[.]msi 

 
  hxxps://github[.]com/softwarelouv/software/

raw/refs/heads/main/scvhosts[.]exe 

 
  hxxps://github[.]com/softwarelouv/software/

raw/refs/heads/main/cvtres[.]exe 

 
  hxxp://109[.]120[.]177[.]217:8082/download   
  hxxp://45[.]141[.]119[.]191/fontdrvhost[.]exe   
  hxxps://codeberg[.]org/Yesdev123/load/raw/

branch/main/source[.]exe 

 
  hxxps://1765000000[.]xyz/download/xbhgjahddaa   
  hxxps://1765000000[.]xyz/download/ebhgjahddaa   
  hxxp://46[.]151[.]182[.]238:6969/autoexec   
  hxxp://62[.]113[.]112[.]203/adm[.]exe   
  hxxps://evilmods[.]com/api/nothingtoseehere[.]exe   
  hxxps://evilmods[.]com/api/nothingbeme[.]exe   
  hxxps://evilmods[.]com/DependencyCore2   
  hxxps://evilmods[.]com/DependencyCore   
     
Unwanted Installers  CD1B15644BF0D7CBF270E8F21CEAE5E6  Dependecycore.zip 
  7d18257b55588bccb52159d261f9cd7f  Dependecycore.zip 
  A518FB6B9D2689737CE668675EEDE98F  iTop Easy Desktop 
  E3BB21152BA90990E3CCBC1A05842F8B  Opera Installer 
  A6BC4C6A58AC533D3DB5F96D24DDE0EF  Docs Helper Setup 
  FA24733F5A6A6F44D0E65D7D98B84AA6  Windows Manager 
  CDB67B1C54903F223F7DCCA14AEA67DF  eld4.exe 
     
Final Payloads  e07a76cc4258c6b4b3f85451ea2174d5  xmrig.exe 
  d32395a3a340e033e11bd89acddaa9cd  ethminer.exe 
  14f1de874c78221e7b6889af7463de69  WindowsService.exe 
  47c8731b2526613e1e3bc61a88680cd0  rat.exe 
  fbac126407b5735583dac5ea7cf519b3  SalatStealer 
  4dc93730ebe04a9b508a9f9dae74ae09  miner.exe  
  90e10b510144719613b1017abe227b87  titledetector.exe 
  8dadf8a4b77a340fcbb402789f9a07db  agent 
  4c8e8e2fdc23bb7b24e6b410eb69fb4a  scvhosts.exe 
  79ea41812bd3310e11fc95403504f048  sc.msi 
  1b1bd2783d4e8d1c2d444ffa8689677b  cvtres.exe 
  16b70d148b66c20c709b7eed70100a96  source.exe 
  e2af5595c9a0b7feaa9291b405d4c991  XMRIG _Miner 
  b133229ed0be8788c84a975656a7339c  CoinMiner 
  754b581c7e3593446f0a06852031564a  MeshAgent 
  a7400236ffab02ae5af5c9a0f61e7300  NiceHash Miner 
  d7d34c0559b3f6ba70be089e4cc6172c   lolMiner 
     
PowerShell Scripts  02a4d24d0cdaa6f9a3ecf4b71e3f2eec   
  2a153877acc9270406d676403e999490   
  77f491c1c50e224d0c61ed608445d8a9   
  c60a3307d21840d1e15ee78b07d3eb04   
  d17b85de54d0c438c092c1e889b8c63f   
  e35c04a7c31f8641757374404edea395   
  fa8b5b5a302c0e353f4983973cf4b37e   
  d2ad87a1fd1e8812c5ba4b259de4f885   
Wallet Address  46NgyMUVMf6Xzsao9XR

C6BTjJpjUJFfA12F8BPmD

86Y7biz4gZdjCWsSXMUZo

mtuUs8crujryAvhRFMyvhzb

s6naMKucHFi 

Monero (XMR) wallet address 
  RJe6FfyoWDq6M4i3b17LxvjdT2fSNTLTYA  Ravencoin (RVN) wallet address 
  ZEPHsCY4zbcHGgz2U8

PvkEjkWjopuPurPNv8nnSFn

M5MN8hBas8kBN4hooNKmc7uMRfU

Qh4Fc9AHyGxL6NFARnc217m2vYgbKxf 

Zephyr (ZEPH) wallet address 
  bc1qyy0cv8snz7zqummg0yucd

fzpxv2a5syu7xzsdq 

Bitcoin (BTC) address 
  bc1q7cpwxjatrtpa29u85tayvggs

67f6fxwyggm8kd 

Bitcoin (BTC) address 
  bc1qxhp6mn0h7k9r89w8amalqj

n38t4j5yaa7t89rp 

Bitcoin (BTC) address 
  bc1qxnkkpnuhydckmpx8fmkp73e3

8dfed93uhfh68l 

Bitcoin (BTC) address 
  bc1qrtztxnqnjk9q4d5hupnla245c762

0ncj3tzp7h 

Bitcoin (BTC) address 
  bc1q9a59scnfwkdlm6wlcu5w76zm2

uesjrqdy4fr8r 

Bitcoin (BTC) address 
  bc1q97yd574m9znar99fa0u799rvm

55tnjzkw9l33w 

Bitcoin (BTC) address 
URL Distributing Malware  http://www[.]mydofiles[.]com/

MultiClicker[.]zip 

 
  http://www[.]mydofiles[.]com/

ProCheatsInstaller[.]zip 

 
  http://www[.]mydofiles[.]com/

RobloxCheatEngine[.]zip 

 
  http://www[.]mydofiles[.]com/

ST-Bot[.]zip 

 
  https://sourceforge[.]net/projects/

delta-executor-for-pc/files/latest/download 

 
  https://ixpeering[.]dl[.]sourceforge[.]net/project/

delta-executor-for-pc/DeltaExecutor[.]zip?viasf=1 

 
  https://sourceforge[.]net/projects/

delta-executor-for-pc/files/DeltaExecutor[.]zip/download 

 
  https://cdn[.]discordapp[.]com/

attachments/1436383055471185961/

1454995091423887442/Keyser[.]zip?

ex=6953c606&is=69527486&hm=

e3ba56d122cc6b6228d787d29c6b5db31

709fd16be119fa8d3a09d92cb0291e4& 

 
  https://cdn[.]discordapp[.]com/attachments/

1436746541669945409/1454995359754358875/

Matcha[.]zip?ex=6953c646&is=695274c6&hm=

1bae58927d0bcd6a1971b604644035ad938c1d535

61f7d4e951fdf5454d52f8d& 

 
  https://cdn[.]discordapp[.]com/

attachments/1437009916224209018/

1454995174328500318/CheatLoverz[.]zip?

ex=69531d5a&is=6951cbda&hm=

f1ac26bebf4394c43cbf21ed531f5dfdf7

d31f30853b126611c1a39b970b81bc& 

 
  https://cdn[.]discordapp[.]com/attachments/

1438966596222849134/1454995223171170386/

Complex[.]zip?ex=69531d65&is=6951cbe5&hm=

b66d9539c0d487fc63125982db773e42eee01dfc

4bc5a28dc1a7a773134a7bc6& 

 
  https://cdn[.]discordapp[.]com/attachments/

1438966596222849134/1454995223171170386/

Complex[.]zip?ex=6953c625&is=695274a5&hm=

0d6ba0e247e275a9824a838969ee06452e188310

c434c5d852141bfad3eedff2& 

 
  https://cdndownloads[.]com/

download?clickid=277af8wcia4d4b 

 
  https://cdndownloads[.]com/

download?clickid=53ba0myoj8p617 

 
  https://download[.]fosshub[.]com/Protected/

expiretime=1735860643;badurl=aHR0cHM6L

y93d3cuZm9zc2h1Yi5jb20vQnVsay1DcmFwLVV

uaW5zdGFsbGVyLmh0bWw=/db8e43d66065d

d656635ff00c50d96369d2fc4dddad18f52c5d00

05f868649b8/5b964d315dc7e865ea596350/67

3508bbeeeeed04938b399f/BCUninstaller_5

[.]8[.]2_setup[.]exe 

 
  https://download[.]fosshub[.]com/

Protected/expiretime=1738877220;

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5b964d315dc7e865ea596350/673508bb

eeeeed04938b399f/BCUninstaller_5[.]8[.]

2_setup[.]exe 

 
     
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bluetoothCore.zip  
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octet-stream  
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FreeFireForPC.zip  
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AIVoiceChanger.zip  
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r6s-multi.zip  
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EZFN.zip  
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download  
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demonCore.zip  
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Nihon-Executor.zip  
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Panther-Stealer.zip  
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DeltaExecutor.zip  
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gta-5-online-mod-menu.zip  
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DeltaExecutor.zip  
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Fortnite-External.zip  
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roblox-multi.zip  
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Matcha.rar  
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roblox-counter-blox-multi.zip  
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AIAutoClicker.zip  
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demonCore.zip  
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TheExecutor.zip  
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AIVoiceChanger.zip  
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TemuForPC.zip  
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AutoClicker.zip  
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Roblox-Injector.zip  
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1vqckj.zip  
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Roblox-MMap-Injector.zip  
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release-delta-executor.zip  
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DeltaExecutor.zip  
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Osiris.zip  
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TLifeForPC.zip  
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ProExt.zip  
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Lo4f-Malware.zip  
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pubg-cheat.zip  
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Complex.zip  
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HWIDSpoofer.zip  
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AIVoiceChanger.zip  
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a1b38b78f34f230ea356f9403007ee 

sony-playstation-vita-emulator.zip  
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FortniteDev.zip  
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r6-multi.zip  

The post AI Wrote This Malware: Dissecting the Insides of a Vibe-Coded Malware Campaign appeared first on McAfee Blog.

1 in 3 Has Experienced a Betting Scam. What March Madness Fans Should Know

17 March 2026 at 12:55

Whether you’re a hardcore basketball fan or the office colleague who gets roped into filling out a bracket every year, March Madness is the season for brackets, office pools, and last-minute picks. 

More than half of Americans (57%) plan to watch the NCAA basketball tournament, and 55% say they participate in some kind of betting or bracket activity during March Madness, from office pools to licensed sportsbook wagers.  

But where there’s excitement and money, scammers aren’t far behind. 

New research from McAfee finds that 1 in 3 Americans (32%) say they’ve experienced a betting or gambling scam, and 24% say they’ve lost money to one, with victims losing an average of $547. 

Big events like March Madness create the perfect storm: massive attention, constant betting promotions, and fans searching online for predictions, tips, and an edge. 

Scammers know it, and they’re exploiting the moment. 

This example shows an incredible realistic, but fake, Fanduel site created by scammers to impersonate the real thing.
This example shows an incredibly realistic, but fake, FanDuel site created by scammers to impersonate the real thing.

Why March Madness is Prime Time for Betting Scams 

Sports betting promotions are everywhere during major events like March Madness. 

According to McAfee research, 82% of Americans say they’ve seen sports betting promotions or offers in the past year, often on social media, streaming broadcasts, and sports websites. 

That flood of promotions makes it easier for scams to blend in with legitimate content. 

Many scams start the same way legitimate offers do, through messages, ads, or links promising bonuses or tips. But once someone clicks or responds, the situation can escalate quickly. 

For example: 

  • 42% of Americans say they’ve been asked to click a link sent via email tied to a betting offer 
  • Others report links sent through social media messages or text messages directing them to betting sites, apps, or private betting groups 

In many cases, victims are then asked to send money to unlock winnings, activate accounts, or access premium betting picks. 

The payout rarely exists. 

The Most Common Betting Scams Fans Encounter 

Betting scams come in several forms, but many follow familiar patterns. 

Here are some of the most common tactics reported in McAfee’s research: 

Scam Type  Definition  How It Works  Red Flags 
Guaranteed Win Scam  A betting scam where someone promises a “guaranteed win,” “sure bet,” or “can’t lose” outcome in exchange for money, clicks, or sign-ups. According to McAfee Findings, about 1 in 6 Americans say they’ve received these kinds of messages, which are designed to lure fans looking for an edge.  Scammers send private messages, emails, or social posts claiming they have insider knowledge or a lock on a game. The goal is usually to get the victim to pay for picks, join a private group, or click a malicious link.  Claims that a bet is guaranteed, pressure to act fast, requests for payment to access picks, and promises that sound risk-free. 
Fake Free Bet Promotion Scam  A scam that pretends to offer bonus bets, deposit matches, or free credits through a fake sportsbook promotion.  The victim sees what looks like a real sportsbook offer, often through social media, email, or text. Clicking may lead to a fake site that steals login details, payment information, or deposits.  Unfamiliar brand names, unofficial links, urgent sign-up language, and promotions that seem unusually generous. 
Winnings Release Fee Scam  A scam where a victim is told they have winnings waiting, but must first pay a fee, deposit, or processing charge to collect them.  The scammer claims the user has won money, then invents a reason payment is required before the funds can be released. Once the fee is sent, the payout never arrives.  Requests to pay before receiving winnings, vague “processing” or “verification” fees, and pressure to send money immediately. 
Fake Betting App or Website Scam  A scam involving a fraudulent app or website designed to look like a real sportsbook or betting platform.  Victims are directed to a fake platform where they may create an account, enter personal information, or deposit money. The site may appear legitimate, but withdrawals are blocked or impossible.  Slightly misspelled URLs, strange app download paths, poor website quality, and platforms that make deposits easy but withdrawals difficult. 
Sportsbook Impersonation Scam  A scam in which someone pretends to represent a legitimate betting platform or sportsbook support team.  The scammer contacts the victim claiming there is an issue with an account, a bonus, or winnings. They then ask for login credentials, payment details, or personal information.  Requests for passwords, bank details, or identity information; unexpected outreach; and messages pushing you to resolve an “account issue” through a link. 
Fake Insider Tip Scam  A scam that uses claims of insider information, fixed games, or special access to make a betting offer sound exclusive and trustworthy.  Scammers position themselves as experts, insiders, or connected sources who can help the victim beat the odds. The real goal is usually payment, account access, or enrollment in a scam betting channel.  Claims of fixed outcomes, “insider” knowledge, exclusive access, and offers that rely on secrecy or urgency. 
Celebrity or Influencer Endorsement Scam  A betting scam that uses fake or misleading celebrity, athlete, or influencer endorsements to make an offer seem legitimate.  Scammers create ads, videos, or posts that appear to feature a public figure recommending a betting platform, app, or tip service. In some cases, AI-generated content makes these endorsements look more convincing.  Endorsements that seem off-brand, videos or graphics that look unnatural, unfamiliar accounts, and promotions tied to fake urgency or suspicious links. 
Private Betting Group Scam  A scam that tries to move betting conversations into private channels like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal.  After initial contact on social media or another public platform, the scammer encourages the victim to join a private group for “exclusive picks,” “VIP bets,” or “premium insights.” These groups are often used to pressure victims into sending money or clicking malicious links.  Pressure to move off-platform quickly, promises of VIP access, requests for payment to join, and little proof that the group is legitimate. 

Who Is Most Likely to Encounter Betting Scams 

McAfee’s research found that Americans under 45 are significantly more likely to encounter betting scams, with 44% saying they’ve experienced one compared with 19% of those over 45. 

Men also report higher exposure, with 40% saying they’ve experienced a betting scam, compared with 25% of women.  

Men and younger adults are also more likely to participate in brackets, fantasy sports, or sportsbook betting, the same spaces where scams often appear. 

Example of a scam March Madness betting opportunity
Example of a scam March Madness betting opportunity that uses real logos and imagery

AI Is Making Betting Scams Harder to Spot 

Artificial intelligence is beginning to change how scams look and sound. 

About 1 in 5 Americans say they’ve encountered betting scams that appeared more realistic because of AI, and 27% believe they’ve seen AI-generated betting content such as fake promotions, images, or videos.  

Among those who encountered AI-driven scams: 

  • 58% reported AI-generated images or graphics in betting ads 
  • 57% saw AI-written messages that sounded natural or personalized 
  • 45% encountered fake celebrity or influencer endorsements 
  • 36% interacted with chatbots posing as betting experts or support agents  

As these tools improve, scam messages are becoming smoother, more convincing, and harder to distinguish from legitimate promotions. 

Safety Check  What To Do 
Be skeptical of “guaranteed wins”  No bet is risk-free. Ignore messages promising sure bets, insider picks, or guaranteed outcomes. 
Use only licensed sportsbooks  Stick to official betting apps and well-known sportsbooks. Avoid unfamiliar websites or apps. 
Don’t click betting links from unknown messages  If you receive a betting offer via email, text, or social media, go directly to the official site instead of clicking the link. 
Never pay fees to unlock winnings  If someone says you must send money to claim winnings or activate a betting account, it’s almost certainly a scam. 
Be cautious of private betting groups  Invitations to “VIP betting groups” on apps like Telegram or WhatsApp are often used to promote scam picks or collect payments. 
Protect your accounts  Use strong passwords and turn on two-factor authentication wherever possible. Try our free strong password generator. 
Use scam detection tools  Tools like McAfee’s Scam Detector can flag suspicious links, websites, and messages before you engage. 

March Madness is meant to be fun, filling out brackets, debating picks with friends, and cheering for the next big upset. Betting can be part of that excitement, but it’s worth remembering that scammers are watching the tournament too. 

A simple rule of thumb can go a long way: if a betting offer promises guaranteed wins, asks for money upfront, or pushes you to act quickly, take a step back and verify it first.  

The safest plays are the ones where you slow down, stick to trusted platforms, and keep your personal information protected. 

This image shows another scam site built around sports betting.
This image shows another scam site built around sports betting. It’s important to remember these sports betting scams extend beyond basketball and the U.S. 

If You or Someone You Know Needs Help 

Sports betting can be fun, but for some people it can become difficult to manage. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, help is available through the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-MY-RESET), operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling. 

The post 1 in 3 Has Experienced a Betting Scam. What March Madness Fans Should Know appeared first on McAfee Blog.

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