The most credible warning comes from independent cybersecurity researcher Alina Zhao (@ZhaoSec). In a thread on X (formerly Twitter) from March 2024, Zhao posted a sandbox analysis of a variant of "Coyote - L.Aliens -2024-.zip" .
Her findings:
"This is classic spear-phishing wrapped in a mystery box. The 'cool file' name is the hook. Whoever 'Coyote' is, they understand the lure of the unknown." — Alina Zhao Coyote - L.Aliens -2024-.zip
Zhao’s analysis notes that the malware specifically targets users searching for UFO-related content, suggesting the "L.Aliens" part is tailored bait.
The emergence of "Coyote - L.Aliens -2024-.zip" didn't happen in a vacuum. 2024 has seen a dramatic resurgence in public interest regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs). With the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) releasing new historical reviews, and whistleblower testimony reaching Congress, the cultural appetite for "forbidden files" is at an all-time high. "This is classic spear-phishing wrapped in a mystery box
The "Coyote" figure exploits this perfectly. In Native American folklore, the coyote is a trickster—a breaker of rules, a border-crosser between the physical and spiritual worlds. In modern military slang, a "coyote" is also a smuggler of people or contraband across the US-Mexico border. The name implies a transporter of secrets, moving "L.Aliens" (literal extraterrestrials? or just classified UAP data?) across the digital frontier.
"2024" is not just a year. It is a statement of urgency. Files labeled with a future or current year create a psychological imperative: This is breaking news. Open now. and whistleblower testimony reaching Congress
Artist: L.Aliens
Release: 2024 (digital archive titled "Coyote - L.Aliens -2024-.zip")