Cybercriminals are exploiting trust in familiar verification tools like CAPTCHAs. They are using fake CAPTCHAs to trick users into infecting their own systems, according to HP Wolf Security’s latest Threat Insights Report.
The report highlights a rise in social engineering campaigns built around a fake CAPTCHA page. Here users are lured into completing bogus verification steps, exploiting what HP terms “click tolerance”. This is a habit of blindly following prompts due to frequent exposure to login and security checks.
Victims are directed to attacker-controlled websites. Here clicking “I’m not a robot” secretly copies a malicious PowerShell command to their clipboard. They are then instructed to open the Windows Run prompt, paste the code, and execute it. Users are unknowingly launching a malware infection themselves.
The primary payload, Lumma Stealer, is a powerful information-stealing tool capable of grabbing credentials and crypto wallets. The malware is hidden in a disguised ZIP archive and deployed using DLL sideloading to avoid detection.
HP reports that these campaigns often use reputable cloud services to host the malicious content, helping them bypass web filters and email gateways. Victims are typically drawn in via search engine hijacking, ads, or compromised websites.
What does this mean for your business?
Both your IT system security and your end-users’ activities present potential risks to your business data.
It’s all too easy for people to click on dodgy links in emails, or frequently seen prompts, when their attention is distracted, they are caught off-guard or are in a hurry. Coupled with insecure IT systems, this is a recipe for disaster.
To protect users against accidentally installing malware, options might include disabling clipboard sharing and restricting access to the Windows Run command where possible.
To stay protected, why not engage us to conduct a security review on your systems? We can identify areas of weakness and make recommendations to tighten up security policy on your network. We can provide internal vulnerability scanning on a regular basis too.
Regular IT security training can also help staff recognise and resist deceptive prompts.
You need your employees to spot threats and take appropriate actions themselves to protect your business systems and data from malicious and criminal activity. We now offer training packages designed to improve your employees’ cyber security awareness.
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