CAPTCHA: The Latest Gateway To MALWAREs

 

This is NOT an Armageddon-like alert BUT let's NOT be complacent because if things turn from BAD to WORSE, we might be threading towards that path of the worst case scenarios in cybersecurity.  Recently, almost all tech labs of cybersecurity experts observed a confirmed pattern of worsening 'INFECTION CHAINS' where fake CAPTCHA pages are being leveraged to distribute malware which can then lead to steal passwords from a device❎❎❎

In the simplest layman's terms, this latest malware is distributed through those fake CAPTCHAs with instructions and clicking the "I'M NOT A ROBOT" button copies a PowerShell script to the clipboard and displays so-called 'verification steps' including:

• PRESS Win + R
• PRESS CTRL + V 
• PRESS ENTER [this executes the code!]

SO HOW?  To protect ourselves from that Lumma Stealer and other malware threats, be Xtra cautious of those suspicious CAPTCHA pages and if you encounter a CAPTCHA page that seems out of place OR unusual, it is best to avoid interacting with it.  KEY REMINDERS here:

• Legit CAPTCHA pages are found on websites that require user verification such as login or account creation
• Be cautious of CAPTCHA pages that appear on unexpected websites OR applications [WHICH you never expected]
• Always check the website's URL for its legitimacy
• Keep your operating system and software updated with patch vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malwares

Proactive and preemptive measures WHICH cybersecurity experts advise are as follows:

• AVOID websites that present fake CAPTCHA challenges indefinitely
• WHEN in doubt, halt and stop!
• WHEN CAPTCHA pops-up even when you are NOT logging in OR creating a new account, that's a BIG RED FLAG

Our takeaway:  These days, it seems the norm and the prevailing [default] standard is to be quick and swift in CLICKING and CLICKING, especially with ultra fast processors which enables the lightning quickness of mobile applications.  WHAT is way beyond our naked eyes is that the 'BOT DETECTION' business is huge, AS IN huge with no less than Google 's reCAPTCHA service offering website owners a trade LIKE let Google track your users and in exchange, they promise to stop bots and spams.  To date, the hundreds of millions of daily solves should be more enough to awaken even the cynics WHEN it comes to these CAPTCHA malwares😡😡😡😡