# Researchers find 186 AI lookalike domains directing users to malicious lures

_Published Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 11:40 AM EST · Security · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Researchers find 186 AI lookalike domains directing users to malicious lures — Primary](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJnc36Fxj4oKOmKhcPvspB_xQpv3VgpXjYnu29SOv8NbVJHeaGNKT26851QIPQbHozxeF5vmq5otdRbJBKEaN9557MtuxLwp5fxX-pQVDVKwvZJtPR9ayT2Njx83svW7TVsVkVpFUOt5JHqhdSkSI7uV0d4dxlf5pWAmHISttTHWjURyOpuuy0CzVCSmK/s1700-nu-rw-lo-l85-e365/lauce.jpg)

Security company Island identified 186 bogus domains impersonating 27 AI brands that redirect visitors to fake verification prompts, browser-hijacking software and search-hijacking extensions, The Hacker News reported. The routes include prompts that persuade users to run commands and fake security checks that deliver software called Net Guard.

A separate route leads to a Chrome Web Store extension that changes the default search provider and sends searches to a third party. Island linked it to a family of 16 extensions with 972,000 declared users as of November 3. Workplace searches routed this way can contain internal hostnames, customer names and project details.

## Sources

- [The Hacker News](https://thehackernews.com/2026/11/186-fake-ai-domains-redirect-users-to.html)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/P2Cgw1xEOrCJSde3g1UW0W
Published: 2026-11-12T16:40:39.880Z
Story chronology: 2026-11-12T15:15:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-11-12T19:04:14.262Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)