ClickFix attacks are a growing source of security breaches that trick users into running malicious commands on their devices by copying malicious code from the page clipboard and running it locally. These attacks, known as ClickFix, use various tactics such as CAPTCHA challenges, error fixes, and legitimate-looking websites to gain user trust.
The effectiveness of these attacks can be attributed to several reasons:
1. User awareness has not shifted focus towards opening programs and running commands, making users less aware of the risks.
2. Malicious clipboard copy actions are often performed behind the scenes via JavaScript, reducing suspicion.
3. Modern ClickFix sites and lures have become increasingly legitimate-looking, further reducing user trust.
The top delivery vector identified by researchers is SEO poisoning and malvertising via Google Search, making it difficult to detect these attacks through traditional security tools.
Reason 1: Users are not trained to be suspicious of opening programs and running commands.
Reason 2: ClickFix attacks often go undetected by technical controls due to detection evasion techniques such as camouflaging domains, bot protection, and obfuscation.
Reason 3: Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is the last line of defense, but it may not detect all stages of the attack.
The standard recommendations are falling short, as most focus on restricting access to services like the Windows Run dialog box. However, attackers continue to evolve their tactics, making it essential to implement browser-based detection and blocking solutions like Push Security’s malicious copy and paste detection.
Push Security’s solution provides comprehensive attack detection and response capabilities against various techniques, including ClickFix attacks, and can be used to find and fix vulnerabilities across the apps employees use.
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2025/10