In recent incidents, cybercriminals have been aiming their attacks at vulnerable Facebook profiles and pages with inadequate security measures. Researchers at Bitdefender uncovered that organized criminal groups are exploiting compromised Facebook pages to deceive users into downloading fake applications posing as official desktop versions of popular AI software.
Understanding How It's Being Conducted
The criminals execute this attack by seizing control of Facebook profiles and leveraging them for sponsored advertisement campaigns across Meta's platforms. These campaigns direct users to web pages where they are urged to download malware from infected websites. The criminals impersonate well-known AI software brands such as Midjourney, ChatGPT, Evoto, DALL-E 3, Sora AI, and many others.
Their ads employ persuasive descriptions alongside AI-generated visuals and videos to present a credible image. Within these campaigns, they pretend to be legitimate sources offering desktop applications for popular AI software. However, the advertisements will direct users to landing pages containing malware designed to steal sensitive user information such as passwords, usernames, credit card details, crypto wallet information, and other personal data. Additionally, the criminals will constantly modify their malicious content to avoid detection by security software.
Bitdefender's Insights
Bitdefender's investigation revealed that the criminal-sponsored ad campaigns gained substantial traction through Meta's sponsored ad system. These campaigns primarily targeted male Facebook users aged 25 to 55, with a focus on European countries including Spain, France, Poland, Italy, Germany, and others.
A noteworthy discovery during the investigation was a Facebook page impersonating Midjourney with approximately 1.2 million followers. This page operated for nearly a year until its closure on March 8, 2024. Despite its shutdown, similar fake pages have emerged, attempting to replicate the successful tactics employed by the initial page.
Self-Protection Tips
As a user of social media platforms, like Facebook, it’s important to remember to follow proper security procedures to ensure that your account isn’t compromised. Here are some ways to increase the security of your Facebook profile:
- Use a strong, unique password with letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security.
- Customize privacy settings to control who sees your information.
- Avoid sharing sensitive information publicly.
- Be cautious of phishing attempts.
- Log out of unused devices.
- Review and update app permissions regularly.
