Stealthy social engineering assaults by hackers are on the rise. These attacks could bypass your security measures, with potential consequences not becoming apparent until it's too late.
In a recent development, cybersecurity researchers at Check Point have identified a new social engineering technique called FileFix, which is already being used aggressively in the wild and successfully tricking users in large numbers.
The technique, a variant of the ClickFix tactic, tricks users into running malicious commands in the Windows Run dialog by pasting them into the Explorer address bar. While the current payloads are benign, there is a possibility of an imminent shift to delivering real malware.
FileFix opens a Windows File Explorer window from a web page and loads a disguised PowerShell command into the clipboard. The attack relies on exploiting routine user actions and trust, not on software vulnerabilities. This underscores the importance of user awareness and training in cybersecurity.
To protect against FileFix, cybersecurity professionals recommend a three-pronged approach: user training, technical restrictions, and detection readiness.
Firstly, users should be educated to recognize the social engineering traits of FileFix. Legitimate websites do not request uploading or executing local commands for CAPTCHA verification or “fixing” issues. Encouraging skepticism about any browser or website asking for local system interaction is critical.
Secondly, vulnerable features such as the Windows + R shortcut can be disabled or restricted through registry settings to reduce the attack surface. This prevents command execution through both the Run dialog and Explorer address bar.
Thirdly, endpoint protection tools and security monitoring should be employed to detect unusual PowerShell or command prompt activity, especially commands executed via clipboard pasting or from File Explorer address bar launches. Network and endpoint detection can be adjusted to recognize indicators of FileFix campaigns in the wild.
Incorporating FileFix-specific indicators and attack patterns into incident response plans, phishing detection rules, and other cybersecurity frameworks is also essential to prepare for imminent deployments of malicious payloads using this technique.
Huntress, a cybersecurity firm, advises that legitimate websites and software rarely require manual execution of commands to fix issues. They recommend monitoring phishing pages that mimic popular services and security verification screens, implementing detection rules for suspicious clipboard activity or PowerShell executions triggered by user actions, and encouraging a culture of verification.
The rapid rise of FileFix indicates that social engineering remains a cost-effective and enduring method used by cybercriminals to breach defenses. Staying current with emerging social engineering trends and regularly updating user training, incident response plans, and security playbooks is crucial in the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape.
- The current FileFix technique, which is a variant of the ClickFix tactic, is a severe concern in the realm of data-and-cloud-computing, as it leverages cybersecurity vulnerabilities by exploiting user trust.
- To counteract FileFix, it is essential to adopt a comprehensive strategy that encompasses user education, technical restrictions, and detection readiness in technology, as outlined by cybersecurity professionals.
