A dangerous feedback loop in the cybercrime ecosystem is currently allowing attackers to leverage stolen credentials to take over trusted business websites. Once in control, these criminals transform the legitimate sites into distribution hubs for infostealer malware. This creates a continuous cycle where each new infection provides the login data needed to compromise even more platforms, turning unsuspecting victims into participants in the spread of the virus.
Central to this operation is a technique known as ClickFix which relies on social engineering rather than traditional software vulnerabilities. The process begins when a user visits a legitimate but compromised website and is met with a realistic looking fake security alert. These prompts are designed to mimic familiar interfaces like Google reCAPTCHA or standard browser error messages to lower the user’s defenses and create a sense of urgency.
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When a visitor interacts with these fraudulent alerts, they unknowingly trigger malicious JavaScript that operates silently in the background. Instead of performing a security check, the script copies a malicious PowerShell command directly to the user’s system clipboard. The victim remains unaware that their clipboard now contains the code necessary to bypass their computer’s security measures and install malware.
The attack concludes by guiding the user through a series of manual steps to execute the hidden code. The fake security prompt instructs the victim to open a run command box by pressing the Windows and R keys and then paste what they believe is a verification code using the control and V shortcut. This clever manipulation causes the user to bypass their own system protections by manually launching the script that infects their device.
By convincing users to perform these actions themselves, the attackers successfully bypass automated security filters that might otherwise block a direct download. This method ensures a high success rate for the infostealer malware, which then harvests more credentials to keep the cycle moving. The result is a highly effective and expanding network of compromised sites that continues to feed the global cybercrime infrastructure.
Source: Infostealers Let Attackers Abuse Legitimate Business Infrastructure