For the vast majority of users, finding something on the Internet involves doing a Google search, even if it’s for basic things like accessing a popular website. However, this practice can also open doors to potential scams and malware.
A new scam has recently been discovered that takes advantage of the browser name “Brave” to try to trick users into downloading malware onto systems. The scam starts when Google searches for the term “Brave”, as criminals use the Google advertising system to deliver sites that promise to download the browser in the first results.
These sites have a very similar design to the real browser sites, and at first glance you can’t even detect any difference. However, the installers available in them have built-in malware that installs itself on systems, leading to potential data theft and other problems.
the gate ArsTechnica It states that the scheme starts directly from the ignorance of users, who can click on the first result from Google thinking that they are entering the browser’s official site, but in return they enter a third-party site, which redirects them to malicious content.
To make matters worse, the fake sites have domains that can deceive even the most attentive users. One example reported by users is using a domain that is exactly the same as the official one (brave.com), with the only difference being the letter E. The site even has a valid SSL certificate, which presents itself as a secure website in the browser.
The download provides an executable file that has been modified to contain malware, which can be installed on the system that can perform many other malicious activities. However, the domain initially used for the scheme has been removed by the scheme’s administrative entity and a warning left by the Brave and Google team, but it is important that users pay attention to the sites they access, even if they seem “official”.
“Friendly zombie fanatic. Analyst. Coffee buff. Professional music specialist. Communicator.”