Key point: DeepSeek can generate ransomware that runs entirely in browsers, abusing legitimate browser APIs and is difficult for conventional security tools to detect.
Security researchers at Check Point have documented that the AI model DeepSeek can generate code for ransomware that is executed directly in the web browser. The threat scenario exploits Chrome’s File System Access API to encrypt local files without requiring malware to be installed on the operating system.
Check Point Research analyzed around 3,000 files related to DeepSeek and classified 1,383 of them as malicious or dangerous. A specific example called InfernoGrabber 9000 demonstrates a ransomware method that runs entirely within the web browser. The original script generated by DeepSeek was incomplete and not directly infectious in practical application, but demonstrates the technical feasibility of a new type of attack.
Browser-based ransomware works by abusing the File System Access API, a legitimate programming interface in Google Chrome and Chromium-based browsers. This API allows web applications such as editors to access local files. The attacker disguises themselves as a harmless web application – such as a tool for improving Discord avatars – and uses social engineering to trick the user into confirming a browser permission prompt. After access is granted, the code running in the browser encrypts local data directly through the browser process. The design also includes features for stealing credit card data, passwords, and cryptocurrency keys.
Although the built-in security barriers of modern browsers blocked the original InfernoGrabber code, the researchers were able to demonstrate proof of feasibility. Using DeepSeek V4, they created a functional proof-of-concept by simply removing explicit terms such as “ransomware” from the input commands. The resulting system requested file access, processed data internally, and rendered original content unusable to the user. Since this attack leaves no classical malware on disk and is often executed obfuscated, detection by conventional security tools is significantly hindered. Pedro Drimel Neto, head of the malware analysis team at Check Point Research, emphasizes that the original incomplete DeepSeek sample can be transformed into a fully functional attack with minimal effort and requires only low-level expertise.
Source: www.it-daily.net · Published 3 July 2026
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