Don\'t Download the Google Bard App—It\'s Malware

Scammers are taking advantage of Google's generative AI tool, Bard, to infect unsuspecting users with dangerous malware and steal their login credentials.

Although Google has filed a lawsuit to tackle the malware, the scammers are still up and running, and that's why you should avoid downloading anything like a "Google Bard app." It's malware waiting to infect your device.

What Is Google Bard?

Google Bard was launched in March 2023 and is Google's answer to OpenAI's ChatGPT. While offering similar functionalities, it doesn't perform as extensively as ChatGPT—which is what scammers have been exploiting to infect devices with malware.

There are many ways to use Google Bard. You can enter a prompt asking Google Bard to explain how something works, give you ideas for a project, and even write code for you.

The key issue is that Google Bard is only available in browsers and requires a Google account. So, don't be tempted to install an app advertised as Google Bard, as it's malware that Google is taking legal action to take down.

Why You Shouldn't Download the Google Bard App

On November 13, 2023, Google announced on its official blog, The Keyword, that it's filing a lawsuit and taking legal action against scammers said to be based in Vietnam. You can view the lawsuit complaint on Thomson Reuters [PDF].

The scammers created social media pages under account names such as Google AI, AIGoogle Bard FB, and AIGoogleBard and ran advertisements encouraging users to download an app version of Google Bard.

However, the download is malware that compromises a user's social media login credentials, which the scammers use to take over accounts and spread malware ads. It is unknown how many users have downloaded the malicious version of Google Bard.

To trick users, the scammers use Google trademarks, such as Google, Google AI, and Bard, and claim to offer the latest version of Google Bard for unsuspecting users to download.

The scammers, who have no affiliation with Google, specifically used Facebook posts to spread their malware. For instance, the scammers imply their version of Bard is a paid app to download when Google Bard itself is free to use and doesn't require a download.

Google has already submitted 300 takedown requests against these scammers since April 2023 and wants them prevented from registering future malicious domains and disabled with US domain registrars. Google hopes that providing appropriate legal action and cooperating with government officials will expose scammers and promote a safe space for users online.

Stick With Google Bard on Your Browser

If you're thinking about downloading an app version of Google Bard you saw advertised on Facebook, think twice; it's malware.

There is no app version of Google Bard at the time of writing, so users should stick to the free web-based version until Google officially announces an app. Until then, use the web-based version and always check the source's reliability before downloading or installing any software.

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