New AI Attack Unlocks Chrome in Seconds.
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Update: This article was republished on March 21 with an updated report regarding browser security, highlighting the rapid increase in zero-hour and AI-based attacks.
Beware: This week marks a significant shift as AI technology has begun to play a pivotal role in cyber attacks. On the heels of an AI being manipulated into executing a phishing scheme, AI platforms were recently deceived into developing “a fully functional infostealer for Google Chrome.”
Last week, I discussed the first AI hijack, citing a report from Forbes. Symantec revealed a video demonstrating how its AI successfully executed a phishing attack and warned of even greater threats ahead. Now, Cato Networks has gone even further, manipulating AI models like ChatGPT, Copilot, and DeepSeek to create infostealing malware. This should serve as a serious warning. It’s time to stop relying solely on passwords and implement more robust security measures for key accounts.
Symantec’s AI attack was simpler compared to others. A researcher instructed an AI large language model (LLM) to locate user contact details, create a malicious PowerShell script, and set up an email with the script attached. The LLM’s built-in security was bypassed merely by presenting the request as authorized.
Shortly after, Cato introduced its “immersive world” attack, a novel strategy enabling a security researcher without coding experience to jailbreak LLMs and fabricate “a fully operational Google Chrome infostealer for Chrome 133,” capable of collecting sensitive data, including login credentials, financial details, and personal identifying information (PII).
This “immersive world” involves crafting a compelling narrative between the researcher and LLM, utilizing role-playing with fictitious characters. These LLM characters gain authorization to perform typically forbidden actions, like developing the infostealer. In this fictional scenario, the actions are not viewed as malicious, thus avoiding security flags.
The malware needed iterations and frequent encouragement to the LLM that progress was being made. The credentials harvested were from test profiles set specifically for this purpose. The intent of this exploration is not to provide a readily deployable attack but to highlight future threats, allowing time for us to strengthen our defenses. The core takeaway is clear: passwords are becoming obsolete. We must prepare for an era where AI-driven credential theft is commonplace.
The stakes are rising, as evidenced in Menlo Security’s “State of Browser Security Report,” revealing a “130% increase in zero-hour phishing attacks” and nearly 600 cases of AI-related fraud. With significant rises in browser-based phishing incidents, including a staggering 700% increase in newly registered phishing sites since 2020, the landscape is becoming more treacherous. It is evident that traditional security measures must evolve rapidly to keep pace with these advancing threats.
