In a recent report, cybersecurity experts have uncovered a disturbing trend where cybercriminals are taking over Facebook profiles to run malicious advertising campaigns. The group of hackers managed to maintain a fraudulent Facebook page promoting the download of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool called Midjourney for nearly a year, attracting up to 1.2 million followers.
According to Bitdefender researchers, these fraudulent campaigns are becoming more prevalent due to the increasing popularity of AI software. The malicious ads are distributed through social media platforms like Facebook, as well as on other platforms such as YouTube. It is estimated that global spending on cybersecurity will reach $215 billion by 2024.
The cybercriminals have targeted existing Facebook profiles, changing descriptions, profile pictures, and cover photos to promote various AI tools like Midjourney, Sora AI, DALL-E, Evoto, and ChatGPT 5. The pages are carefully crafted to deceive users into downloading what appears to be official desktop versions of the AI software tools.
To avoid detection by security solutions, the criminals have modified the malicious payloads and used convincing descriptions of the AI tools along with generated videos and photos. Users are then redirected to fraudulent links containing downloadable malware, allowing the hackers to collect sensitive information like credentials, credit card details, and cryptocurrency wallets.
Analysts warn that these malvertising campaigns are widespread and have specifically targeted European users in countries such as Spain, Poland, Italy, Germany, and France. It is essential for users to exercise caution and vigilance when encountering suspicious ads or links on social media platforms to protect themselves from falling victim to these cyber scams.