Hackers attack McAfee users by tricking them into installing malware
Chinese government-backed hackers are tricking people into installing malware by posing as the antivirus provider McAfee through genuine online services like GitHub and Dropbox. The move comes ahead of the presidential elections in the US which are slated for November 3.
The hackers would motivate the users to install a legal version of McAfee anti-virus software from GitHub, while the malware was being installed into the system without any suspicion.
Google’s Threat Analysis Group that works towards thwarting cyberattacks identified the activity and sent them a prominent warning.
According to Google, the findings were shared with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for further investigation.
Google noted previous instances where attempts were made to hijack the email accounts of campaign staffers with President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden in June which it had successfully prevented.
Shane Huntley, the head of Google’s Threat Analysis Group did not specify if the current hacking attempt was aimed at the presidential candidates but said these attempts have increased attention to the threats posed by APTs in the context of the US election.
