VOLTA malware uses an AI model to rank its victims by value

Researchers of the CAIRN research team found VOLTA, a Windows malware that steals passwords, cookies and crypto wallets, then deletes itself. Next, it sends a bundle of data about the victim to an AI model through the OpenRouter gateway. The model ranks the assets of the victim as low, medium or high value and writes a report for the criminal.

How it works

VOLTA puts the home address, employer, card last digits and more data in one bundle. It also uses stolen sessions to check the address in email receipts and food order history.

The model has the role of a forensic intelligence analyst. It gives a report on the value of the victim and on the security of the victim.

The numbers

The model runs at a low randomness level of 0.2, which gives more stable answers. If a model refuses, VOLTA goes to a chain of a maximum of three different models.

The researchers think that the maker knew that a model can refuse. They give no count of victims or of sales.

What is not known

The code has six slots for values that the buyer gives. The researchers think that the maker sells it as a kit. This is not proof.

The researchers saw no server of the maker.

Insight: Criminals use the AI of others and go to a different model

VOLTA goes to a different model after a refusal. SOCRadar found that an operator of Phantom rewrote an order that a model refuses as a security test. Criminals use the AI models of other companies, and one refusal only makes them go to a different model. The next move to look for is that the AI gateways, which see the traffic, start to stop this.