---
id: "CMP-202610-fake-chatgpt-and-claude-desktop-apps-on-github-gpt-5-6-sol-g"
kind: "campaign"
aliases: []
title: "Fake ChatGPT and Claude desktop apps on GitHub (GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-6 Astra, Claude Opus) use signed OpenAI/Anthropic installers to load Yoba malware and a crypto miner"
severity: "high"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "ai-tooling"
products: [{"name": "ChatGPT Desktop", "fixed": [], "vendor": "OpenAI"}, {"name": "Claude Desktop", "fixed": [], "vendor": "Anthropic"}, {"name": "Windows", "fixed": [], "vendor": "Microsoft"}]
ecosystems: []
tags: ["campaign", "early-warning"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: null
first_seen_at: "2026-10-29T15:48:03+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-29T15:48:03+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "analyst", "url": null, "first_seen_at": "2026-10-29T15:48:03+00:00"}]
---

# Fake ChatGPT and Claude desktop apps on GitHub (GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-6 Astra, Claude Opus) use signed OpenAI/Anthropic installers to load Yoba malware and a crypto miner

Check Point Research (27 Oct 2026) tracked the Yoba campaign for about two months. Fake GitHub repos and GitHub.io pages pushed up in Google results through SEO poisoning offer ZIP releases of made-up desktop apps (GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-6 Astra, Claude Opus). Each ZIP holds a real, signed OpenAI Setup.exe or Claude executable plus a malicious winmm.dll, which the signed file loads (DLL sideloading). YobaDropper asks for admin rights and adds a scheduled task so YobaLoader starts at boot. YobaLoader turns a Telegram channel's profile image into a domain, fetches a TXT record through Google DNS-over-HTTPS and downloads an encrypted payload from Catbox. In the samples seen, the payload was the XMRig 6.26.0 miner over Tor, but the loader can run any EXE or PowerShell payload. An earlier version posing as the Cursor coding agent appeared in early June. At risk: staff who download AI desktop apps from search results or GitHub instead of the vendor's site. OpenAI and Anthropic were not compromised.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- :ChatGPT Desktop affected ? fixed ?
- :Claude Desktop affected ? fixed ?
- :Windows affected ? fixed ?

## How to check

Look for winmm.dll next to an OpenAI Setup.exe or Claude executable in Downloads or extracted ZIP folders, a ProgramData\WMProcess folder, a scheduled task posing as Windows Media Player, XMRig processes or Tor traffic, and endpoints contacting Telegram and dns.google DNS-over-HTTPS and then catbox.moe. Also check for downloads from GitHub repos or github.io pages named GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-6 Astra or Claude Opus desktop.

## Fix

Install ChatGPT and Claude desktop apps only from openai.com, anthropic.com or the managed app store, and block unapproved installers. Do not give local admin rights to unverified software. Treat an infected host as fully compromised, not just a miner cleanup: the loader can deliver other malware. Reimage the host and rotate any credentials used on it.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-29T15:48:03+00:00 analyst

## Documents

- [describes] @TheHackersNews: 🚨 Fake ChatGPT and Claude desktop apps on GitHub are delivering crypto-mining ma https://x.com/TheHackersNews/status/2115831281028317221
- [describes] Yoba Malware Abuses Signed ChatGPT and Claude Binaries to Target AI Users (Check Point Research) https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/yoba-malware-abuses-signed-chatgpt-and-claude-binaries-to-target-ai-users/

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_