Behind the CAPTCHA: A Intelligent Gateway of Malware

Authored by Yashvi Shah and Aayush Tyagi

Govt abstract

McAfee Labs lately noticed an an infection chain the place faux CAPTCHA pages are being leveraged to distribute malware, particularly Lumma Stealer. We’re observing a marketing campaign concentrating on a number of international locations. Under is a map exhibiting the geolocation of units accessing faux CAPTCHA URLs, highlighting the worldwide distribution of the assault.

Determine 1: Prevalence on the sphere

We recognized two an infection vectors main customers to those faux CAPTCHA pages: one by way of cracked recreation obtain URLs, and the opposite by means of phishing emails. GitHub customers have been focused by phishing emails prompting them to handle a fictitious “safety vulnerability” in a mission repository to which they’ve contributed or subscribed. These emails direct customers to go to “github-scanner[.]com” for additional details about the alleged safety problem.

The ClickFix an infection chain operates by deceiving customers into clicking on buttons like “Confirm you’re a human” or “I’m not a robotic.” As soon as clicked, a malicious script is copied to the consumer’s clipboard. Customers are then misled into pasting the script after urgent the Home windows key + R, unknowingly executing the malware. This methodology of trickery facilitates the an infection course of, making it simple for attackers to deploy malware.

Determine 2: An infection chain

Assault Vectors and Technical Evaluation

As illustrated within the diagram, customers are redirected to faux CAPTCHA pages by means of two primary assault vectors:

1.     Cracked Gaming Software program Obtain URLs:

Customers trying to obtain pirated or cracked variations of gaming software program are redirected to malicious CAPTCHA pages.

Determine 3: Search to obtain the cracked model of the sport

When customers search the Web free of charge or cracked variations of in style video video games, they could encounter on-line boards, neighborhood posts, or public repositories that redirect them to malicious hyperlinks.

Determine 4: Runkit directing the consumer to obtain the sport

On this occasion, a public Runkit pocket book hosts the malicious hyperlink (highlighted in blue). When the consumer accesses the URL (highlighted in crimson), they’re redirected to faux CAPTCHA web sites.

Determine 5: Redirection taking place whereas accessing the hyperlink

On this web page, after the consumer clicks the “I’m not a robotic” button, a malicious PowerShell script is copied to their clipboard, and they’re prompted to execute it.

Determine 6: Backend script on the clicking button

The web site contains JavaScript performance that copies the script to the clipboard.

Determine 7: Decoded script

The script is Base64-encoded (highlighted in blue), to cut back the readability to the consumer. Upon decoding it (highlighted in crimson), mshta was discovered to be leveraged. The file hosted at https://verif.dlvideosfre[.]click on/2ndhsoru accommodates a Home windows binary, having scripts appended because the overlay. With out the overlay appended, the file is a clear Home windows binary.

Determine 8: Home windows binary with appended script

The mshta utility searches for the

Determine 9: Obfuscated script appended within the downloaded file

Upon evaluation, the script was discovered to be an encrypted JavaScript file, using two layers of encryption. This multi-level encryption obscures the script’s true performance, making detection and evaluation more difficult for safety instruments. Additional evaluation revealed that the decrypted JavaScript was designed to obtain Lumma Stealer utilizing AES-encrypted PowerShell command and drop it within the Temp folder. This system helps the malware keep away from detection by inserting the payload in a generally used, much less scrutinized listing, facilitating the subsequent stage of the an infection.

Determine 10: Course of tree

2.     Phishing Emails impersonating the GitHub workforce

Within the second vector, customers obtain phishing emails, usually concentrating on GitHub contributors, urging them to handle a faux “safety vulnerability.” These emails include hyperlinks resulting in the identical faux CAPTCHA pages.

Determine 11: Phishing e mail impersonating GitHub

As soon as the consumer clicks on the hyperlink, they’re redirected to the faux captcha pages.

Determine 12: Pretend CAPTCHA web page

These pages use the identical approach: the malicious script is copied to the clipboard when the consumer clicks the button, and they’re then prompted to execute it.

Determine 13: Script copied onto clipboard

This script retrieves and executes the contents of a textual content file hosted on a web-based server.

Determine 14: Invoking the distant script

The content material of the textual content file accommodates PowerShell instructions that obtain an executable file or a zipper file. These information are saved into the temp folder after which executed. The downloaded information, in these instances, are Lumma Stealer samples.

Detection and Mitigation Methods

McAfee blocks this an infection chain at a number of levels:

1. URL blocking of the faux CAPTCHA pages.

Determine 15: McAfee blocking URLs

2. Heuristic blocking of malicious use of mshta.

Determine 16: McAfee blocking the malicious conduct

Conclusion and Suggestions

In conclusion, the ClickFix an infection chain demonstrates how cybercriminals exploit widespread consumer behaviors—resembling downloading cracked software program and responding to phishing emails—to distribute malware like Lumma Stealer. By leveraging faux CAPTCHA pages, attackers deceive customers into executing malicious scripts that bypass detection, finally resulting in malware set up.

The an infection chain operates by means of two primary vectors: cracked gaming software program obtain URLs and phishing emails impersonating GitHub. In each instances, customers are redirected to malicious CAPTCHA pages the place scripts are executed to obtain and set up malware. The usage of multi-layered encryption additional complicates detection and evaluation, making these assaults extra refined and tougher to stop.

At McAfee Labs, we’re dedicated to serving to organizations defend themselves towards refined cyber threats, such because the Clickfix social engineering approach. Listed here are our advisable mitigations and remediations:

1. Conduct common coaching classes to coach customers about social engineering techniques and phishing schemes.
2. Set up and keep up to date antivirus and anti-malware software program on all endpoints.
3. Implement sturdy e mail filtering to dam phishing emails and malicious attachments.
4. Use community segmentation to restrict the unfold of malware inside the group.
5. Guarantee all working techniques, software program, and purposes are stored updated with the most recent safety patches.
6. Keep away from downloading cracked software program or visiting suspicious web sites.
7. Confirm URLs in emails, particularly from unknown or surprising sources.
8. Limit clipboard-based scripts and disable computerized script execution.
9. Preserve antivirus options up to date and actively scan.
10. Educate customers to keep away from suspicious CAPTCHA prompts on untrusted websites.
11. Commonly patch browsers, working techniques, and purposes.
12. Monitor the Temp folder for uncommon or suspicious information.

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)

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