Windows Passwords Are Under Attack — Do These 7 Things Now
Micrsoft Windows is always a premier target for cybercriminal actors, and more often than not, passwords are front and center of their campaign payloads. From pray-and-spray hackers to state-sponsored advanced persistent threat groups, Windows passwords are the most valuable of low-hanging fruits.
Recently, Trend Micro has confirmed how one particular password threat is making a determined effort to get hold of yours. The Captcha Hackers
The Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (Captcha) is something that we have all encountered and all have much the same hatred for. Being asked to select squares containing images of bicycles or ticking a checkbox to prove we are not a robot (wouldn’t a robot be able to do that?) are largely pointless at the best of times, and downright dangerous at the worst.
If AI cannot solve a Captcha more often than not, then, frankly, we have nothing to fear from our robot overlords. What we do have to fear, however, are hackers using Captcha methods to initiate an infostealer malware infection chain that ultimately leads to password compromise.
What's Behind the Surge in Fake Captcha Attacks?
The latest Trend Micro research takes a deep dive into the technical details behind what it refers to as “a notable surge in fake Captcha cases.” According to the report, this wave of fake Captcha attacks is tricking users into pasting malicious commands into the Windows Run dialog, with payloads executed in memory and often employing PowerShell.
“These attacks enable data exfiltration, credential theft, remote access, and loader deployment,” the Trend Micro researchers warned, “via malware such as Lumma Stealer, Rhadamanthys, AsyncRAT, Emmental, and XWorm.”
The Risks of Fake Captcha Attacks on Windows Operating Systems
Microsoft has recommended that “customers always practice good computing habits online, including exercising caution when clicking on links to web pages, opening unknown files, or accepting file transfers,” as well as “switching to Passkeys wherever possible and using authentication apps such as Microsoft Authenticator, which warn users about potential phishing attempts.”
The Trend Micro report, however, concludes that organizations should apply the following seven mitigations:
Seven Steps You Must Take To Mitigate Windows Captcha Attacks
- Implement a security solution with intrusion detection and prevention capabilities to identify and block suspicious traffic.
- Restrict script execution in your operating system, especially on public computers or devices.
- Enforce strong password policies, including regular password rotation and multi-factor authentication.
- Maintain up-to-date anti-malware software to detect and remove malicious software.
- Limit network connectivity and restrict the number of trusted networks allowed.
- Monitor system logs and network activity for suspicious behavior, such as unexpected changes in system settings or unfamiliar processes running in the background.
- Use a reputable security suite that includes browser extensions and mobile apps to provide comprehensive protection against Captcha attacks.
By taking these steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to fake Captcha attacks on your Windows operating system. Remember, it's always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protecting your sensitive information online.