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State-Backed Hackers Abuse AI Models for Advanced Cyber Attacks

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Last updated
3 unique sources, 4 articles

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Google's Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has identified new malware families that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) for dynamic self-modification during execution. These malware families, including PromptFlux, PromptSteal, FruitShell, QuietVault, and PromptLock, demonstrate advanced capabilities for evading detection and maintaining persistence. PromptFlux, an experimental VBScript dropper, uses Google's LLM Gemini to generate obfuscated VBScript variants and evade antivirus software. It attempts persistence via Startup folder entries and spreads laterally on removable drives and mapped network shares. The malware is under development or testing phase and is assessed to be financially motivated. PromptSteal is a data miner written in Python that queries the LLM Qwen2.5-Coder-32B-Instruct to generate one-line Windows commands to collect information and documents in specific folders and send the data to a command-and-control (C2) server. It is used by the Russian state-sponsored actor APT28 in attacks targeting Ukraine. State-backed hackers from China (APT31, Temp.HEX), Iran (APT42), North Korea (UNC2970), and Russia have used Gemini AI for all stages of an attack, including reconnaissance, phishing lure creation, C2 development, and data exfiltration. Chinese threat actors used Gemini to automate vulnerability analysis and provide targeted testing plans against specific US-based targets. Iranian adversary APT42 leveraged Gemini for social engineering campaigns and to speed up the creation of tailored malicious tools. The use of AI in malware enables adversaries to create more versatile and adaptive threats, posing significant challenges for cybersecurity defenses. Various threat actors, including those from China, Iran, and North Korea, have been observed abusing AI models like Gemini across different stages of the attack lifecycle. The underground market for AI-powered cybercrime tools is also growing, with offerings ranging from deepfake generation to malware development and vulnerability exploitation.

Timeline

  1. 12.02.2026 09:00 1 articles · 16h ago

    State-backed hackers abuse Gemini AI for all attack stages

    State-backed hackers from China (APT31, Temp.HEX), Iran (APT42), North Korea (UNC2970), and Russia have used Gemini AI for all stages of an attack, including reconnaissance, phishing lure creation, C2 development, and data exfiltration. Chinese threat actors used Gemini to automate vulnerability analysis and provide targeted testing plans against specific US-based targets. Iranian adversary APT42 leveraged Gemini for social engineering campaigns and to speed up the creation of tailored malicious tools.

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  2. 12.02.2026 09:00 1 articles · 16h ago

    AI-powered malware families HonestCue and CoinBait identified

    HonestCue is a proof-of-concept malware framework that uses the Gemini API to generate C# code for second-stage malware. CoinBait is a React SPA-wrapped phishing kit developed using AI code generation tools.

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  3. 12.02.2026 09:00 1 articles · 16h ago

    Cybercriminals use generative AI in ClickFix campaigns

    Cybercriminals used generative AI services in ClickFix campaigns to deliver the AMOS info-stealing malware for macOS. Users were lured to execute malicious commands through malicious ads listed in search results for troubleshooting specific issues.

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  4. 12.02.2026 09:00 1 articles · 16h ago

    Gemini AI faces model extraction and distillation threats

    Gemini AI has faced model extraction and distillation attempts, posing a significant commercial and intellectual property threat. Google has implemented targeted defenses in Gemini's classifiers to mitigate abuse and assure robust security measures.

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  5. 05.11.2025 16:59 4 articles · 3mo ago

    AI-Powered Malware Families Deployed in the Wild

    PromptSteal is a data miner written in Python that queries the LLM Qwen2.5-Coder-32B-Instruct to generate one-line Windows commands to collect information and documents in specific folders and send the data to a command-and-control (C2) server. It is used by the Russian state-sponsored actor APT28 in attacks targeting Ukraine. Additionally, state-backed hackers from China (APT31, Temp.HEX), Iran (APT42), North Korea (UNC2970), and Russia have used Gemini AI for all stages of an attack, including reconnaissance, phishing lure creation, C2 development, and data exfiltration.

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Information Snippets

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