Beware fake windows upgrade bringing malware! Windows device users must install software updates regularly to keep up with the latest security patches. Now hackers are tricking consumers into installing malware by posing as Windows 11 updates.
Hackers have set up a site that looks very similar to the Microsoft website, but it is infested with malware called Inno Stealer. Searching for “Windows 11 upgrade” or a similar term will likely lead you to this malicious website.
Once a system has been hijacked, malware can harvest cookies from web browsers and other credentials, including information from cryptocurrency wallets and the file system.
Beware fake windows upgrade bringing malware
The CloudSEK cyber security team has located the malicious software. Malware gets its name, “Inno Stealer,” because it infects computers using the Inno Setup Windows installer.
Users are duped into clicking the “Download Now” button on the fake Windows 11 update website. In place of the official Windows 11 upgrade, it will install malware designed to steal personal information.
This malware can infect various web browsers, including Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Vivaldi, 360 Browser, and Comodo. This malware steals sensitive information from users’ browsers, including cookies and login credentials, and sends it to cybercriminals.
This seems to happen only at night when the victim sleeps and not at their computer. TXT files, a relatively new payload type, have been found to weaken a PC’s defenses significantly. Information is copied to the clipboard, and the infection can steal other data.
Last year, Microsoft made Windows 11 available as a free upgrade for Windows PCs. The most current update has system requirements that make it incompatible with some older PCs.
Be aware of this malware since it aims to infect users who do not perform compatibility checks and whose systems are incompatible. Then, they try several techniques to get Windows 11 working on their computer.