You’ve probably seen it already.
An AI tool that promises to:
- save you time
- automate boring tasks
- help you code faster
- manage your files, emails, or crypto
- “just make life easier”
Sounds great, right?
But here’s the part most people don’t think about:
What happens when that AI gets compromised?
AI today doesn’t just talk. It acts.
This isn’t about chatbots answering questions anymore.
Modern AI tools — especially AI agents — can:
- access your computer files
- connect to your browser and email
- install add-ons or “skills”
- run commands automatically
- connect to other apps and services
That means AI isn’t just helping you.
It’s operating inside your digital life.
And when something operates with power, it becomes a target.
The OpenClaw incident: what actually went wrong
OpenClaw was an AI platform that let users install third-party “skills” — basically add-ons that give the AI new abilities.
Sounds familiar?
It’s the same idea as:
- browser extensions
- plugins
- mods
- add-ons
- packages from open marketplaces
Security researchers later analyzed the platform and found something scary:
- Out of 2,857 skills, 341 were malicious
- That’s about 12%
- Many looked legit
- Some were popular
- Some were among the most downloaded
In other words:
being popular didn’t mean being safe.
How people actually got hacked
These malicious skills didn’t scream “virus”.
They:
- looked professional
- had clean descriptions
- promised useful features
- claimed to be “official” or “verified”
Behind the scenes, they were doing things like:
- stealing browser sessions (even with MFA on)
- grabbing saved passwords and tokens
- accessing crypto wallets
- collecting API keys and developer secrets
One of the most common malware tools used was designed specifically to harvest everything valuable from a computer quietly.
The AI agent itself became the delivery system.
It got worse: one click was enough
On top of the malicious add-ons, OpenClaw had a serious security flaw.
If the AI agent was running and the user:
- clicked a bad link
- or visited a malicious website
The attacker could:
- bypass confirmations
- disable safety checks
- run commands directly on the computer
No pop-ups.
No warnings.
No “are you sure?”
Just… compromise.
Why this matters to YOU (even if you’re not “technical”)
You might be thinking:
“I’m not a developer. I’m not a security person. Why should I care?”
Because this affects:
- students
- gamers
- creators
- crypto users
- anyone testing AI tools
- anyone installing stuff outside official platforms
If an AI tool has access to:
- your browser
- your email
- your files
- your accounts
Then a bad add-on doesn’t just break the app —
it breaks your digital identity.
The hidden danger: spreading the problem
Here’s the part that really matters.
When people use AI tools to:
- help write code
- generate scripts
- automate workflows
- create projects others will use
A compromised AI doesn’t just hurt one person.
It can:
- inject bad code
- create unsafe automations
- spread problems to other users
- quietly contaminate projects and systems
That’s how small risks turn into big, viral problems.
The cyber hero mindset: how to stay safe
Being a cyber hero doesn’t mean being paranoid.
It means being aware.
Here are simple rules that actually matter:
- Don’t install AI tools or add-ons from random marketplaces
- Stick to official platforms whenever possible
- Question “free” tools that ask for deep permissions
- Separate personal and work devices
- Remember: automation = power, and power needs control
If a tool can act for you, it can also act against you if compromised.
Final thought
AI is powerful.
Automation is exciting.
But blind trust is dangerous.
Before installing any AI tool, skill, plugin, or add-on, ask yourself:
“If this goes wrong… how much damage can it do?”
That single question is what separates:
- users from cyber heroes
- curiosity from awareness
- convenience from regret
Be curious.
Be smart.
Be a Cyber Heroe.
Daniel Ferreira Porta
Cybersecurity Leader | CISO
Co-Founder – DANRESA Security & Network
Founder – Be a Cyber Hero Brasil, Be a Cyber Hero (USA) & Stay Cyber Aware (USA)
Author of “Cyber Heroes League and the Park of Codes”