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Cybersecurity researchers have discovered malware campaigns using the now-prevalent ClickFix social engineering tactic to deploy Amatera Stealer and NetSupport RAT. The activity, observed this month, is being tracked by eSentire under the moniker EVALUSION. First spotted in June 2025, Amatera is assessed to be an evolution of ACR (short for "AcridRain") Stealer, which was available under the malware-as-a-service (MaaS) model until sales of the malware were suspended in mid-July 2024. Amatera is available for purchase via subscription plans that go from $199 per month to $1,499 for a year. "Amatera provides threat actors with extensive data exfiltration capabilities targeting crypto-wallets, browsers, messaging applications, FTP clients, and email services," the Canadian cybersecurity vendor said. "Notably, Amatera employs advanced evasion techniques such as WoW64 SysCalls to circumvent user-mode hooking mechanisms commonly used by sandboxes, Anti-Virus solutions, and EDR products." As is typically the case with ClickFix attacks, users are tricked into executing malicious commands using the Windows Run dialog in order to complete a reCAPTCHA verification check on bogus phishing pages. The command initiates a multi-step process that involves using the "mshta.exe" binary to launch a PowerShell script that's responsible for downloading a .NET downloaded from MediaFire, a file hosting service. The payload is the Amatera Stealer DLL packed using PureCrypter, a C#-based multi-functional crypter and loader that's also advertised as a MaaS offering by a threat actor named PureCoder. The DLL is injected into the "MSBuild.exe" process, following which the stealer harvests sensitive data and contacts an external server to execute a PowerShell command to fetch and run NetSupport RAT. "What is particularly noteworthy in the PowerShell invoked by Amatera is a check to determine if the victim machine is part of a domain or has files of potential value, e.g., crypto wallets," eSentire said. "If neither is found, NetSupport is not downloaded." The development dovetails with the discovery of several phishing campaigns propagating a wide range of malware families - Emails containing Visual Basic Script attachments that masqueraded as invoices to deliver XWorm by means of a batch script that invokes a PowerShell loader Compromised websites injected with malicious JavaScript that redirects site visitors to bogus ClickFix pages mimicking Cloudflare Turnstile checks to deliver NetSupport RAT as part of an ongoing campaign codenamed SmartApeSG (aka HANEYMANEY and ZPHP) Using fake Booking.com sites to display fake CAPTCHA checks that employ ClickFix lures to run a malicious PowerShell command that drops a credential stealer when executed via the Windows Run dialog Emails spoofing internal "email delivery" notifications that falsely claim to have blocked important messages related to outstanding invoices, package deliveries, and Request for Quotations (RFQs) in order to trick recipients into clicking on a link that siphons login credentials under the pretext of moving the messages to the inbox Attacks using phishing kits named Cephas (which first emerged in August 2024) and Tycoon 2FA to lead users to malicious login pages for credential theft "What makes Cephas noteworthy is that it implements a distinctive and uncommon obfuscation technique," Barracuda said in an analysis published last week. "The kit obscures its code by creating random invisible characters within the source code that help it evade anti-phishing scanners and obstruct signature-based YARA rules from matching the exact phishing methods."

We recently covered the ClickFix technique. Now, malicious actors have begun deploying a new twist on it, which was dubbed “FileFix” by researchers. The core principle remains the same: using social engineering tactics to trick the victim into unwittingly executing malicious code on their own device. The difference between ClickFix and FileFix is essentially where the command is executed. With ClickFix, attackers convince the victim to open the Windows Run dialog box and paste a malicious command into it. With FileFix, however, they manipulate the victim into pasting a command into the Windows File Explorer address bar. From a user perspective, this action doesn’t appear unusual — the File Explorer window is a familiar element, making its use less likely to be perceived as dangerous. Consequently, users unfamiliar with this particular ploy are significantly more prone to falling for the FileFix trick. How attackers manipulate the victim into executing their code Similar to ClickFix, a FileFix attack begins when a user is directed — most often via a phishing email — to a page that mimics the website of some legitimate online service. The fake site displays an error message preventing access to the service’s normal functionality. To resolve the issue, the user is told they need to perform a series of steps for an “environment check” or “diagnostic” process. To do this, the user is told they need to run a specific file that, according to the attackers, is either already on the victim’s computer or has just been downloaded. All the user needs to do is copy the path to the local file and paste it into the Windows File Explorer address bar. Indeed, the field from which the user is instructed to copy the string shows the path to the file — which is why the attack is named “FileFix”. The user is then instructed to open File Explorer, press [CTRL] + [L] to focus on the address bar, paste the “file path” via [CTRL] + [V], and press [ENTER]. Here’s the trick: the visible file path is only the last few dozen characters of a much longer command. Preceding the file path is a string of spaces, and before that is the actual malicious payload the attackers intend to execute. The spaces are crucial for ensuring the user doesn’t see anything suspicious after pasting the command. Because the full string is significantly longer than the address bar’s visible area, only the benign file path remains in view. The true contents are only revealed if the information is pasted into a text file instead of the File Explorer window. For instance, in a Bleeping Computer article based on research by Expel, the actual command was found to launch a PowerShell script via conhost.exe. What happens after the malicious script is run A PowerShell script executed by a legitimate user can cause trouble in a multitude of ways. Everything depends on corporate security policies, the specific user’s privileges, and the presence of security solutions on the victim’s computer. In the case mentioned previously, the attack utilized a technique named “cache smuggling”. The same fake website that implemented the FileFix trick saved a file in JPEG format into the browser’s cache, but the file actually contained an archive with malware. The malicious script then extracted this malware and executed it on the victim’s computer. This method allows the final malicious payload to be delivered to the computer without overt file downloads or suspicious network requests, making it particularly stealthy. How to defend your company against ClickFix and FileFix attacks In our post about the ClickFix attack technique, we suggested that the simplest defense was to block the [Win] + [R] key combination on work devices. It’s extremely rare for a typical office employee to genuinely need to open the Run dialog box. In the case of FileFix, the situation is a bit more complex: copying a command into the address bar is perfectly normal user behavior. Blocking the [CTRL] + [L] shortcut is generally undesirable for two reasons. First, this combination is frequently used in various applications for diverse, legitimate purposes. Second, it wouldn’t fully help, as users can still access the File Explorer address bar by simply clicking it with the mouse. Attackers often provide detailed instructions for users if the keyboard shortcut fails. Therefore, for a truly effective defense against ClickFix, FileFix, and similar schemes, we recommend first and foremost deploying a reliable security solution on all employee work devices that can detect and block the execution of dangerous code in time. Second, we advise regularly raising employee awareness about modern cyberthreats — particularly the social engineering methods employed in ClickFix and FileFix scenarios. The Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform can help automate employee training.