YouTube videos created using neural networks spread viruses

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Analysts warn that AI-generated videos are increasingly appearing on the popular video service, which are used to distribute various malware, including Raccoon, RedLine and Vidar infostealers. This is reported by CloudSEK.

Usually, such videos are disguised as tutorials on downloading hacked versions of Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Autodesk 3ds Max, AutoCAD and other paid programs.

The researchers write that YouTube remains one of the most popular malware distribution channels. The activity of cybercriminals associated with the distribution of programs that steal data through video hosting increased by 200-300% compared to the previous month.
According to analysts, from 5 to 10 such videos are uploaded to YouTube every hour, SEO poisoning techniques to make videos appear at the top of search results.

Links to the virus are usually found right in the description under the video, and are often hidden using the URL shortener – Bitly or Cuttly, as well as a virus, can be hosted on MediaFire, Google Drive, Discord, GitHub and Telegra.ph. In some cases, hackers use data leaks and social engineering to take over other people's YouTube accounts, and then – popular channels to distribute their pests to their subscribers.

“Uploading videos to such accounts gives the video external legitimacy. Bloggers usually report account hacking to YouTube and restore access to their accounts within a few hours. But in a few hours, hundreds of users can become victims”, – experts say.

Recently, hackers have also turned to AI. Platforms such as Synthesia and D-ID allow you to generate such a realistic picture that it is simply impossible to suspect a trick on it. Such a generated character comments on what steps to take to download and install cracked software, viewers trust him, which leads to disastrous consequences.

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