Installing DeepSeek on Your PC? It Could be Malware—Indian Users Impacted

DeepSeek disrupted the AI industry for good and bad. It sparked the debate on whether foundational model training requires investing billions of dollars, but it also showed how AI can manipulate data as part of censorship. In both scenarios, DeepSeek emerged as a winner and drew attention, so much so that hackers are now misusing its name to target users.

Cybercriminals appear to have built a fake DeepSeek installer, which, instead of loading the Chinese startup’s application, injects the phone with an unknown malware called BrowserVenom. According to Kaspersky, this malware uses a server controlled by the attacker to redirect all traffic from browsers on your computer to a different destination, potentially compromising data, including personal details like bank account number, phone number, address, and even photos.

The fake DeepSeek installer has targeted “multiple” systems in India, Nepal, Egypt, South Africa, Cuba, Brazil, and Mexico. The cybersecurity firm said in its research note that cybercriminals have already targeted computers as part of a broad phishing campaign. They have created a fake website (https://deepseek-platform.com) that looks uncannily similar to that of DeepSeek, offering a free installer application for PCs. Kaspersky said the campaign has become “a global threat,” especially after the attackers started placing ads for the website on top of Google Search results.

How to protect your PC?

The best way to download an app is from the company’s official website. You can check the authenticity by verifying the URL of the website you are visiting. Even though attackers tend to mimic popular websites, they leave trails that, when inspected properly, reveal inaccuracies — these are signs the website may be fake. If you are unsure about whether a website is legitimate, the better way is to visit the app marketplace for your operating system. When using Windows 11, go to the Microsoft Store to download apps, while Mac users can download authentic apps from the App Store.

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