Topic
ClickFix
Scammers Abuse Custom GPT on ChatGPT.com to Deploy Windows RAT via ClickFix Technique
Fraud & Social Engineering
EtherHiding Campaign Hides Banking Trojan C2 in Polygon Smart Contracts
Malware & Botnets
Attackers Abuse Legitimate Node.js Runtime to Deploy Persistent Malware in Targeted Operations
Malware & BotnetsClickLock Stealer Locks macOS Until Victims Enter Real Passwords and Exfiltrates Browser, Crypto and Keychain Data
Researchers at Group-IB have discovered a new macOS infostealer called ClickLock that blocks normal computer operation until the user supplies valid account credentials. The campaign, active since May 2026, has already affected at least 100 victims across 33 countries. Infection begins with a fake Cloudflare verification page that tricks users into pasting a command into Terminal, after which the malware silently downloads four modules from compromised WordPress sites. A convincing macOS password prompt then appears; ClickLock validates the entered password locally and only forwards working credentials to the operators. Two persistent LaunchAgent modules repeatedly close all visible applications and force Keychain authorization, while a separate process disables Notification Center for several hours. The malware harvests data from eight browsers, 31 crypto-wallet extensions, seven password managers, eight desktop wallets, Keychain items, command history, FTP credentials and six blockchain addresses before exfiltrating everything via Telegram bots and hijacked domains, leaving behind a disguised GSocket backdoor.
TELEPUZ Malware Spreads via ClickFix Social Engineering, Targets Windows with Modular Capabilities and Resilient C2 Infrastructure
Since late April 2026, compromised websites have been distributing the new modular malware TELEPUZ through the ClickFix scheme. Attackers replace standard browser error fixes with instructions that trick users into pasting and executing a PowerShell command from the clipboard, which then downloads an intermediate loader, the Vidar infostealer, and finally TELEPUZ via rundll32.exe. The malware performs extensive environment checks to avoid sandboxes and debuggers before disabling Windows security features, escalating privileges, and persisting as a service inside svchost.exe. For command-and-control, TELEPUZ relies on WebSocket connections with multiple fallback mechanisms, including encrypted links stored in Telegram profiles, Steam accounts, DNS records, and a Polygon smart contract. It offers a wide range of capabilities such as file manipulation, keylogging, screenshot capture, process management, cookie theft from Chromium browsers, and arbitrary JavaScript execution in both Chromium and Firefox. Researchers at Elastic assess TELEPUZ as a malware-as-a-service offering still in early development, evidenced by a limited number of C2 domains yet frequent daily builds and rapid updates hosted on compromised sites in Brazil and India.