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While several sources have published articles analyzing AMOS stealer, the associated indicators constantly change. This article presents a snapshot of indicators seen in early August 2026 and is designed to help readers better understand AMOS stealer. ## Background AMOS stealer is an information stealer targeting macOS systems that was [advertised on Telegram as early as April 2024](https://cyble.com/blog/threat-actor-selling-new-atomic-macos-amos-stealer-on-telegram/). AMOS stealer represents a noticeable portion of macOS stealer-based malware and is [considered a growing threat](https://www.sophos.com/en-us/blog/why-amos-matters-the-macos-malware-stealing-data-at-scale). AMOS stealer exfiltrates system information, login credentials and other sensitive data from various applications, [including web browsers and cryptocurrency wallets](https://www.cyberproof.com/blog/inside-amos-stealer-how-this-threat-targets-macos-credentials-and-keychains/). Malware that we've assessed as AMOS stealer has been distributed through [ClickFix campaigns](https://github.com/PaloAltoNetworks/Unit42-timely-threat-intel/blob/b97ba6bd934e806421224e2bacd512ef70725145/2026-06-20-ClickFix-campaign-delivers-macOS-infostealer-via-DMG.txt#L22) as well as through [malicious ads](https://www.malware-traffic-analysis.net/2026/06/09/index.html). We've also seen AMOS stealer distributed through campaigns that claim to offer cracked versions of popular copyright-protected software. These sites offer instructions to install software such as [a macOS toolkit](https://isc.sans.edu/diary/Atomic+MacOS+AMOS+stealer+infection/33208/) but then actually install malware like AMOS stealer. This article examines an AMOS stealer infection generated on Aug. 5, 2026, from an instructional page claiming to install a "macOS toolkit." ## Characteristics of the Infection The domain hosting the malicious page claiming to have installation instructions for a macOS toolkit is getmacouscloud\[.\]com. An example of one of the pages is shown below in Figure 1. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/unnamed.png) Figure 1. A malicious website advertising a quick setup for "macOS toolkit." While the "quick setup" instructions from this page in Figure 1 are sometimes described as a ClickFix technique, this is not really ClickFix. The ClickFix technique generally uses a fake CAPTCHA or other type of verification page offering instructions to continue to the website a viewer intends to visit. ClickFix campaigns inject a script into a viewer's clipboard to paste into a Run window for Windows systems or a Terminal window for macOS systems. Regardless of what we call this copy/paste technique, we followed the instructions in our lab environment. We copied text from the page and pasted it into a Terminal window on our macOS system as shown in Figure 2. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-168966-187032-2.png) Figure 2. Malicious text pasted into a Terminal window. The command in Figure 2 retrieved [a Z-shell (Zsh) script](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/71781ad8adefb499aee9bcbe1a166e69ccc37a47066682f617d65c76d8cde88c) from hxxps\[:\]//ferncore13\[.\]com/curl/608e70d1338612686917ee5cd300ff7ed8e318dfd787a50257f92142e99bd688. That Zsh script contains Base64-encoded text for a GZIP-compressed payload as shown in Figure 3. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-185118-187032-3.png) Figure 3. Base64-encoded GZIP-compressed payload in the initial Zsh script. That GZIP-compressed payload contains [a follow-up Zsh script](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/7ea6ff8b12c59aaae1ab6f4f5a57045dad5a8127954f3ffd3d1c154d40d7ca3a) designed to retrieve and run [a Mach-O binary](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/search?query=a598fcdcd49247312861ff90c16cb4a5d49fede6072e30e7416dd276668fa2a9) to install AMOS stealer. That Mach-O binary for the AMOS stealer installer was saved as /tmp/helper, as shown below in Figure 4. The same directory also contained a [plist file](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/533304?sortBy=rank) named starter, also shown in Figure 4. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-193900-187032-4.png) Figure 4. Mach-O binary for AMOS stealer installer and plist file. The plist file at /tmp/starter contains text that hints at a newly created file in the user's /Library/Application Support/.com.apple.accountsd/ directory named .service. This file is a shell script that runs [a Mach-O file for AMOS stealer](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/6bfcdb4920383375b7e519918df7eb4db751b974b5571a15ce66b82478012620) in the same directory named AccountsHelper, as shown in Figure 5. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-197504-187032-5.png) Figure 5. Files in the /Library/Application Support/.com.apple.accountsd/ directory. We found an additional directory and similar files in the user's /Library/Application Support/.com.apple.metadata.mds/ directory named .mdworker and mdworker\_shared., as shown below in Figure 6. The .mdworker file is a shell script that runs [another AMOS stealer Mach-O file](https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/4504006d1911057be42435d4625f03d83c4d0b7b6898d14beb9cdeba6cf667b9) named mdworker\_shared. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-202523-187032-6.png) Figure 6. Files in the /Library/Application Support/.com.apple.metadata.mds/ directory. Of note, before the infection would proceed, the macOS host presented a prompt to enter the user's password as shown below in Figure 7. Since the user account on this macOS host was an administrative account, it proceeded when we entered the user's password. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-206592-187032-7.png) Figure 7. Prompt for the user's password. After entering the user's password, the host's Terminal process presented prompts requesting various permissions during the infection, as noted below in Figure 8. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-208812-187032-8.png) Figure 8. Prompts by the Terminal process during the infection. After running the initial malicious text in the Terminal window, the Terminal process requested the following permissions: * Access to control the macOS Finder application * Access to files in the user's Desktop folder * Access to files in the user's Documents folder * Access to control the macOS Notes application AMOS stealer collected and temporarily saved information under the host's /tmp directory, and compressed the data into a file named out.zip. The file and directory structure of the out.zip file follows: * Directory: deskwallets/Binance/ * Directory: deskwallets/TonKeeper/ * Directory: FileGrabber/aws/ * Directory: FileGrabber/docker/ * Directory: FileGrabber/filezilla/ * Directory: FileGrabber/gcloud/ * File: FileGrabber/zsh\_history * File: info * Directory: Telegram Data/ * File: username The infected macOS host was a clean installation with no additional added applications. However, the file and directory content of out.zip hints at the applications that AMOS stealer searched for during this infection. ## Infection Traffic Post-infection traffic consisted mainly of HTTP POST requests to a command and control (C2) server at 161.35.146\[.\]120. Figure 9 shows traffic from the infection filtered in Wireshark. ![](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/word-image-212143-187032-9.png) Figure 9. Traffic from the infection filtered in Wireshark. As shown above in Figure 9, URLs for the initial HTTP POST requests hint at the types of data collected by AMOS stealer. These initial URLs end with the following strings: * stage=boot * stage=init\_session * stage=messengers * stage=credentials * stage=browsers * stage=wallets * stage=resolve\_auth * stage=local\_data Comparing this AMOS stealer infection on Aug. 5, 2026, with a previous [infection on July 31, 2026](https://isc.sans.edu/diary/Atomic+MacOS+AMOS+stealer+infection/33208/), reveals similar post-infection URL patterns. However, that AMOS stealer infection generated traffic to a different C2 server at 188.166.78\[.\]138. This comparison underscores a notable characteristic of AMOS stealer and its supporting infrastructure. The associated domains, URLs and IP addresses frequently change for AMOS stealer activity. The same frequent changes apply to filenames, file hashes and directory paths seen in our post-infection forensic analysis. These different AMOS stealer characteristics over a relatively brief period indicate this is a malware family in active development, which is continually evolving. ## Conclusion This article reviewed an Atomic stealer malware infection from early August 2026. The resulting analysis includes behavior from the infected macOS host, malware samples, post-infection artifacts and traffic patterns that indicate the types of information collected by this malware. The key to understanding AMOS stealer is realizing this malware is continually evolving. The indicators frequently change, and the ones we present in this research are no longer the most current. However, the overall patterns of activity remain consistent. While this review is a snapshot, analysts and other security professionals can better understand AMOS stealer by keeping track of its changes in the coming weeks and months. ## Palo Alto Networks Product Protections Palo Alto Networks customers are better protected from AMOS stealer and related threats through the following products and services: * [Advanced URL Filtering](https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/advanced-url-filtering) and [Advanced DNS Security](https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/dns-security) identify known domains and URLs associated with this activity as malicious. If you think you may have been compromised or have an urgent matter, get in touch with the [Unit 42 Incident Response team](https://start.paloaltonetworks.com/contact-unit42.html) or call: * North America: Toll Free: +1 (866) 486-4842 (866.4.UNIT42) * UK: +44.20.3743.3660 * Europe and Middle East: +31.20.299.3130 * Asia: +65.6983.8730 * Japan: +81.50.1790.0200 * Australia: +61.2.4062.7950 * India: 000 800 050 45107 * South Korea: +82.080.467.8774 Palo Alto Networks has shared these findings with our fellow Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) members. CTA members use this intelligence to rapidly deploy protections to their customers and to systematically disrupt malicious cyber actors. Learn more about the [Cyber Threat Alliance](https://www.cyberthreatalliance.org). ## Indicators of Compromise We discovered the following five files during this AMOS stealer infection: Initial Zsh script downloaded from a command run from the macOS Terminal window * SHA-256 hash: 71781ad8adefb499aee9bcbe1a166e69ccc37a47066682f617d65c76d8cde88c * File size: 1,991 bytes * File type: Zsh script text executable, ASCII text * File location: hxxps\[:\]//ferncore13\[.\]com/curl/608e70d1338612686917ee5cd300ff7ed8e318dfd787a50257f92142e99bd688 Payload (Zsh script) extracted from the initially downloaded Zsh script * SHA-256 hash: 7ea6ff8b12c59aaae1ab6f4f5a57045dad5a8127954f3ffd3d1c154d40d7ca3a * File size: 1,213 bytes * File type: Zsh script text executable, ASCII text, ASCII text, with very long lines (323) Installer for AMOS stealer * SHA-256 hash: a598fcdcd49247312861ff90c16cb4a5d49fede6072e30e7416dd276668fa2a9 * File size: 330,768 bytes * File location: /tmp/helper * File type: Mach-O universal binary with two architectures: x86\_64 and ARM64 Binary from AMOS stealer infection persistent on the infected macOS host * SHA-256 hash: 6bfcdb4920383375b7e519918df7eb4db751b974b5571a15ce66b82478012620 * File size: 438,576 bytes * File location: /Users/\[username\]/Library/Application Support/.com.apple.accountsd/AccountsHelper * File type: Mach-O universal binary with two architectures: x86\_64 and ARM64 Another binary from AMOS stealer infection persistent on the infected macOS host * SHA-256 hash: 4504006d1911057be42435d4625f03d83c4d0b7b6898d14beb9cdeba6cf667b9 * File size: 568,368 bytes * File location: /Users/\[username\]/Library/Application Support/.com.apple.metadata.mds/mdworker\_shared * File type: Mach-O universal binary with two architectures: x86\_64 and ARM64 Malicious website with instructions that will infect a vulnerable macOS host: * hxxps\[:\]//getmacouscloud\[.\]com URL for the initial download decoded from Base64 text provided by the malicious website: * hxxps\[:\]//ferncore13\[.\]com/curl/608e70d1338612686917ee5cd300ff7ed8e318dfd787a50257f92142e99bd688 URLs from extracted from the payload returned from the initial download: * hxxps\[:\]//grove-89\[.\]com/api/metrics/run?event=pasted * hxxps\[:\]//ferncore13\[.\]com/2kqYRM0DCrnyJgoS4gVLl\_FHJRRdTUhGCbjyuYwpZ6c/m1/update ## Additional Resources * [2026-06-09: Atomic macOS (AMOS) Stealer infection](https://www.malware-traffic-analysis.net/2026/06/09/index.html) -- Malware-Traffic-Analysis.net * [AMOS (Malware Family)](https://malpedia.caad.fkie.fraunhofer.de/details/osx.amos) -- Malpedia * [Atomic MacOS (AMOS) stealer infection](https://isc.sans.edu/diary/Atomic+MacOS+AMOS+stealer+infection/33208/) -- SANS Technology Institute, Internet Storm Center * [Inside Amos Stealer: How This Threat Targets macOS Credentials and Keychains](https://www.cyberproof.com/blog/inside-amos-stealer-how-this-threat-targets-macos-credentials-and-keychains/) -- CyberProof * [Threat Actor Selling New Atomic macOS (AMOS) Stealer on Telegram](https://cyble.com/blog/threat-actor-selling-new-atomic-macos-amos-stealer-on-telegram/) -- Cyble * [Why AMOS matters: The macOS malware stealing data at scale](https://www.sophos.com/en-us/blog/why-amos-matters-the-macos-malware-stealing-data-at-scale) -- Sopho Back to top ### Tags * [MacOS](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/macos/ "macOS") * [Threat intelligence](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/threat-intelligence/ "threat intelligence") * [Unit 42](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/unit-42/ "Unit 42") [Threat Research Center](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com "Threat Research") [Next: Unmasking Cloud Identities: From Behavioral Clustering to Automated Detection](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/behavioral-clustering-map-to-cloud-identities/ "Unmasking Cloud Identities: From Behavioral Clustering to Automated Detection") ### Table of Contents * ### Related Articles * [Tracing Digital Intent: New MacOS Tahoe 26 Artifact Discovered](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/new-macos-artifact-discovered/ "article - table of contents") * [Operation FlutterBridge: macOS Malvertising Campaign Spreads New FlutterShell Backdoor](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/flutterbridge-new-fluttershell-backdoor/ "article - table of contents") * [Happy 9th Anniversary, CTA: A Celebration of Collaboration in Cyber Defense](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/cta-9th-anniversary/ "article - table of contents") ## Related Resources ![Pictorial representation of post-exploitation identity misuse in SPIFFE/SPIRE. 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A digital image of a skull formed by blue binary code on a black background, with scattered ones and zeros and digital noise, symbolizes how stealthy prompt injection attacks can exploit AI logic to bypass security controls.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/01_Malware_Category_1920x900-5-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 31, 2026 [#### Spring Ring: An Inside Look at Voice Phishing Campaigns in Microsoft Teams](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/spring-ring-voice-phishing-campaigns/) * [Cloaked Ursa](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/cloaked-ursa/ "Cloaked Ursa") * [Entra ID](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/entra-id/ "Entra ID") * [Microsoft Teams](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/microsoft-teams/ "Microsoft Teams") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/spring-ring-voice-phishing-campaigns/ "Spring Ring: An Inside Look at Voice Phishing Campaigns in Microsoft Teams") ![New research reveals that AI safety refusal lives in a thin neural layer, highlighting the critical need for external, multi-layered security.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/02_General_Overview_1920x900-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Insights-icon-white.svg)Insights](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/insights/) August 28, 2026 [#### Perturbation Probing: A New Diagnostic for the Fragility of LLM Safety](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/perturbation-probing-llm-safety/) * [AI](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/ai/ "AI") * [Jailbreak](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/jailbreak/ "Jailbreak") * [LLM](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/llm/ "LLM") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/perturbation-probing-llm-safety/ "Perturbation Probing: A New Diagnostic for the Fragility of LLM Safety") ![Pictorial representation of AI-enabled malware. A vibrant digital interface displaying various icons and graphs, resembling a futuristic network or data analysis dashboard. The scene is illuminated with glowing lights and patterns.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/AdobeStock_1270203474-2-1-786x368.png) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 25, 2026 [#### The State of AI-Enabled Malware August 2026: From Brand Abuse to Agentic Execution](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-enabled-malware-analysis/) * [Backdoor](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/backdoor/ "backdoor") * [Bitcoin](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/bitcoin/ "Bitcoin") * [DLL hijacking](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/dll-hijacking/ "DLL hijacking") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/ai-enabled-malware-analysis/ "The State of AI-Enabled Malware August 2026: From Brand Abuse to Agentic Execution") ![Pictorial representation of a male individual viewing multiple monitor screens. The blurred background indicates a female indiviual in the back, also viewing multiple monitor screens.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/09_Myth-Busting_Category_1505x922-718x440.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Insights-icon-white.svg)Insights](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/insights/) August 21, 2026 [#### Connecting the Dots: Securing the Overlooked Corners of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Supply Chain](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/sdlc-supply-chain/) * [ChainDrop](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/chaindrop/ "ChainDrop") * [Npm packages](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/npm-packages/ "npm packages") * [Software supply-chain attack](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/software-supply-chain-attack/ "software supply-chain attack") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/sdlc-supply-chain/ "Connecting the Dots: Securing the Overlooked Corners of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Supply Chain") ![Pictorial representation of identity abuse through trusted communication channels. Close-up view of a digital screen displaying a glitched and pixelated image of a skull-like shape.](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/02_Malware_Category_1920x900-2-786x368.jpg) [![category icon](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/icon-threat-research.svg)Threat Research](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/category/threat-research/) August 20, 2026 [#### Identity Abuse Through Trusted Communication Channels](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/communication-channel-identity-risks/) * [Authentication](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/authentication/ "authentication") * [Identity theft](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/identity-theft/ "identity theft") * [Malware](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/tag/malware/ "malware") [Read now ![Right arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/icon-right-arrow-withtail.svg)](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/communication-channel-identity-risks/ "Identity Abuse Through Trusted Communication Channels") * ![Slider arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/slider-arrow-left.svg) * ![Slider arrow](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/slider-arrow-left.svg) ![Close button](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/icons/close-modal.svg) ![Enlarged Image]() ![Newsletter](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/unit42-footer-subscribe-desktop.png) ![UNIT 42 Small Logo](https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/wp-content/themes/unit42-v6/dist/images/palo-alto-logo-small.svg) Get updates from Unit 42 ## Peace of mind comes from staying ahead of threats. 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