02/08/2026
For years, the advice has been simple: “Be careful what you click on in Google.”
Now we might need to start saying the same thing about AI 🤖
Microsoft has warned that cyber criminals are finding ways to manipulate AI tools into recommending fake software downloads.
And honestly, it makes sense when you think about how people use the internet now.
A lot of us don’t search the way we used to anymore 🔦
Instead of typing something into Google and scrolling through websites, people are asking AI questions directly…
“What’s the best tool for checking PC temperatures?”
“Where can I download this app?”
“What software should I use for…?”
The problem is that attackers are adapting to that behaviour.
Researchers found criminals creating fake websites pretending to be popular tools.
Somehow, they’re managing to get these malicious sites recommended by AI systems.
Instead of tricking search engines, they’re now trying to trick AI.
And if someone trusts the recommendation and downloads the file, malware gets installed on the device.
In some cases, that malware gives the attacker remote access to the computer. They can then explore the network and steal data.
They may even install something called a “crypto jacker”.
That’s software which uses your computer’s power to mine cryptocurrency for the attacker.
Your machine slows to a crawl while somebody else profits from your electricity bill 💸
The bigger point here is that cyber criminals follow behaviour.
If people move from search engines to AI, attackers move there too.
That means we need to treat AI recommendations with the same level of caution we’d use for search results or emails ⚠️
Helpful doesn’t always mean safe.
AI is an incredible tool, but it doesn’t “fact check” the internet in the way many people assume.
It can still surface bad information, fake sites, or manipulated recommendations.
So, if you’re downloading software, especially business software, you should still check the source properly before clicking install.
💭 Have you started using AI instead of Google for searches yet?