Researchers at Malwarebytes warn that a fake ChatGPT download site is delivering malware. The attackers use sponsored results and SEO manipulation to target users who search for “ChatGPT download.” The phishing page is a convincingly spoofed version of the legitimate ChatGPT website, which delivers malware tailored to Windows or Mac users.

“The dual-platform setup is what makes the operation notable,” Malwarebytes says. “Clicking the Windows download delivers a fake installer that opens a back channel to an attacker-controlled server. Clicking the macOS button delivers malware that steals browser passwords, cookies, Telegram sessions, cryptocurrency wallets, and other sensitive files. It also attempts to replace legitimate Ledger and Trezor wallet apps with trojanized versions.”

Threat actors always exploit popular trends, and the hype surrounding artificial intelligence makes ChatGPT and other AI tools an attractive lure.

“Most established software already has trusted download habits built around it,” Malwarebytes says. “If you want Chrome, you probably know to go to Google. If you want Photoshop, you go to Adobe. People already know where the real download lives. AI tools are different because most users are still installing them for the first time, and that means relying on search results, ads, YouTube links, or social posts to find the download page. That creates an ideal environment for fake sites. Over the last two years, products like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Sora, DeepSeek, Antigravity, and many others have launched or changed rapidly. Every new release creates another wave of users searching for ‘download ChatGPT’ or ‘install Claude’ without knowing the official URL. That search traffic is exactly where attackers set up shop.”

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Malwarebytes has the story: Fake ChatGPT download site infects Windows and Mac users with malware