Hackers Exploit DeepSeek V4 Name to Spread Malware

DeepSeek V4 drew intense interest from developers following its release, making its name an attractive social-engineering lure. Microsoft’s threat intelligence team said attackers exploited users’ eagerness to download the new model by distributing software through projects posing as official repositories, highlighting supply-chain risks surrounding popular generative AI releases.

Microsoft recently found that hackers quickly created fraudulent GitHub repositories after DeepSeek V4’s release, tricking users into downloading the Vidar information stealer and GhostSocks proxy malware. Microsoft advised users to avoid unverified installers and obtain the model through DeepSeek’s official API or Hugging Face.