Jakarta, ThedailyID — Cybercriminals are exploiting Google Search ads to distribute malware disguised as a legitimate Claude installer. The campaign targets Mac users who search for Claude, the AI assistant developed by Anthropic.
A report from cybersecurity firm Push Security identified the campaign, which uses a technique the company calls “Adception.” Attackers exploit Bing search redirects embedded in Google ads to lead victims to a fake Claude download page.
The method differs from typical malvertising campaigns. Instead of directing users straight to an attacker-controlled domain, the ads initially display the trusted bing.com domain. This helps the malicious campaign evade advertising security checks.
The attack begins when users search for “claude mac” on Google. A sponsored result appears to link to Bing. After clicking it, users pass through a Bing search result and a compromised retail website before reaching the fake download page.
According to Push Security, the campaign uses two layers of checks to conceal its malicious activity. The compromised website requires specific browser headers and a Bing referral, while the fake Claude page uses JavaScript to check the visitor’s referrer. Visitors who fail these checks may be redirected to a 404 page.
The final page closely resembles Claude’s legitimate download website. It offers a “Download for macOS” button and a one-line installation command for the Terminal app.
However, the page disguises the malicious command behind what appears to be a legitimate installation process. Although it displays an authentic Anthropic command, clicking the copy button places a different command on the user’s clipboard.
When pasted into the terminal, the command displays text referencing Claude’s official installation URL. It then decodes a hidden URL and pipes a script from lake-90.com into zsh for execution.
This technique can deceive users who check the displayed instructions but fail to inspect the actual command copied to their clipboard.
Push Security also identified several domains linked to the same ClickFix toolkit. The company tracks the campaign internally as “AcSig,” based on the headers and HMAC requirements used to retrieve malicious commands. The identified domains share the same macOS command, payload URL patterns, and installation-window code.
Mac users should avoid downloading software through sponsored search results when the source is uncertain. Instead, they should access Claude through Anthropic’s official website and carefully inspect terminal commands before running them.
