Infostealer
Also called info-stealer, infostealers, stealer malware
Malware that quietly copies saved passwords, browser cookies, card details and crypto wallets from a computer and sends them to criminals.
An infostealer doesn't lock your computer or ask for a ransom. It grabs what it can in seconds (passwords saved in the browser, autofill data, cookies that keep you logged in, crypto wallets) and sends it away. You may notice nothing until an account is used.
They're sold as a service. Microsoft counted over 394,000 Windows computers infected by one stealer, Lumma, in just 2 months before it and partners seized the operation's websites.
AI has become their favourite bait. Fake AI video tools advertised on social media handed out stealers instead of videos, and AI-narrated "activation" tutorials on TikTok led viewers to install them by pasting a command. Wanting the newest AI tool for free is exactly the impulse they rely on.
For example
A "free premium" download installs a stealer, and days later someone logs into your email without needing your password or code.
Put it to use
Where you'll meet infostealer in ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, how to use it there, and the mix-up most people make.
Daily Bytes Plus is in the Android app.