Paid Google ads are directing users searching for Claude to fake installation guides hosted on Anthropic's claude.ai domain, tricking Mac and Windows users into installing malware.

Gen Digital researchers warn of two malicious campaigns using the official claude.ai domain to host fake Claude AI installation guides, leveraging Google Ads to appear in search results.

The attackers used a Claude download page on Anthropic's claude.ai site rather than registering a lookalike domain, increasing credibility and reach via paid search.

Windows payloads perform stealthy actions such as anti-AV checks, desktop screenshots, persistence, and targeting wallets like Electrum, Exodus, Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Ledger.

If users executed the commands, they should assume compromise, change passwords, log out sessions, enable MFA, and move funds to a new wallet with a fresh recovery phrase; report IOCs include domains, URL paths, and artifacts used to deliver the malware.

Researchers observed rotating artifacts tied to two ad campaigns, signaling an ongoing, funded operation rather than a single attack.

Attackers exploit Anthropic features like Artifacts and shared chats to distribute harmful content on a real domain, reducing the effectiveness of warnings based on misspellings.

The malware behaves as remote-access tooling, enabling ongoing attacker control and data exfiltration rather than a single-purpose theft.

Mac infections prompt users to run a Terminal command that downloads Atomic Stealer (AMOS), harvesting browser data and wallet backups, and potentially replacing Ledger Live or Trezor Suite with trojanized versions for recovery-phrase theft.

The fake page used Claude branding and instructed macOS users to paste a Terminal command, triggering an infection chain via AppleScript-based AMOS and requesting Full Disk Access.

macOS campaign uses a Quick install via Terminal workflow, where pasted commands download and execute an AppleScript payload (AMOS) and check for Full Disk Access.

Attribution and context come from Gen Digital researchers and GBHackers News, citing specific articles on the campaigns and malware behavior.