Ethical Hacking News
ClickFix attacks are silent clipboard manipulation tactics used by threat actors to gain unauthorized access to devices through social engineering tactics. The attack has an initial version called ClickFix and its subsequent iteration called FileFix, which can lead to severe impacts on the compromised device, including data theft and remote control. Learn how to prevent these types of attacks with our article about ClickFix.
ClickFix attacks compromise devices and data through social engineering tactics.The attack involves tricking users into executing malicious code outside of their browsers.The initial version, ClickFix, populates the user's clipboard with malicious JavaScript code, leading to further malware deployment.The FileFix iteration dupes users into pasting commands directly into the File Explorer's address bar.Threat actors can gain remote control, access sensitive data, and create persistent footholds using ClickFix attacks.Precautions can be taken by monitoring clipboard access patterns and employing browser security platforms to prevent these types of attacks.
In a recent security incident, ClickFix attacks have been observed, leading to the compromise of devices and data theft by malicious actors. The attack, which has been dubbed "ClickFix" and its subsequent iteration "FileFix," relies on social engineering tactics to trick users into executing malicious code outside of their browsers.
The initial version of this attack is called ClickFix, where a user's clipboard is silently populated with malicious JavaScript code that instructs the user to paste the code into their device's terminal. This results in the execution of PowerShell commands on the host machine, ultimately leading to further malware deployment and access to sensitive data. The attackers use this method to gain unauthorized access from the browser to the host device.
The ClickFix attack has been seen on both malicious and compromised web pages, with various threat groups employing it to compromise victim machines and deploy malware such as AsyncRAT, Skuld Stealer, Lumma Stealer, DarkGate malware, DanaBot stealer, among others. The seemingly simple clipboard attacks can escalate into full-system compromise if left undeterred by technical defenses.
The next iteration of this attack is called FileFix, which dupes users into pasting commands directly into the File Explorer's address bar. In a typical scenario, the malicious command appears harmless as a standard Windows file path but contains a hidden threat. The "file path" that follows in the pasted output is actually a comment containing the malicious command.
Threat actors are already using this newer technique, and powershell.exe is used to carry out the operation. It has been observed that once the user clicks on the fake CAPTCHA, the malicious JavaScript updates their clipboard with malicious PowerShell code and prompts them to paste it into the Windows Run dialog.
The impact of ClickFix attacks can be severe, allowing threat actors to gain remote control, access sensitive data, and create persistent footholds that are difficult to detect. However, by being aware of this attack vector, users can take precautions to protect themselves from potential threats.
To prevent these types of attacks from reaching their full potential, several technical controls can be employed. For instance, a user's clipboard access patterns can be monitored in real-time using tools and browser security platforms that flag suspicious web pages and disrupt lateral movement techniques such as ClickFix.
One particular tool that detects deceptive interactions in real-time is Keep Aware, the purpose-built browser security platform. It monitors clipboard access patterns, flags suspicious web pages, and disrupts lateral movement techniques like ClickFix by empowering organizations to shut down attacks before they ever leave the browser and reach the host.
To learn more about ClickFix attacks and prevent them from affecting your device, please visit our article explaining the what, why, where, and how of ClickFix. If you need further assistance or want to know how Keep Aware can help protect your users from malicious threats, we recommend scheduling a demo with our experts.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/ClickFix-Attacks-The-Silent-Manipulation-of-User-Clipboard-ehn.shtml
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/inside-a-real-clickfix-attack-how-this-social-engineering-hack-unfolds/
https://github.com/hackirby/skuld
https://deepwiki.com/hackirby/skuld/1-skuld-stealer-overview
Published: Thu Jul 31 10:02:32 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
