CloudSEK’s TRIAD crew uncovered an energetic growth website deploying Clickfix-themed malware linked to the Epsilon Crimson ransomware.
This variant deviates from conventional clipboard-based command injection ways by directing victims to a secondary web page on the identical area, the place malicious shell instructions are executed silently by way of ActiveXObject(“WScript.Shell”) to facilitate payload supply.
The script leverages Home windows Command Shell (cmd.exe) for hidden execution, switching to the consumer’s house listing with “cd /D %userprofile%”, adopted by a silent curl command to obtain a binary from an attacker-controlled IP (155.94.155.227:2269) and put it aside as a.exe, which is then run invisibly with the parameter ‘0’ to suppress any window.
This culminates within the deployment of Epsilon Crimson ransomware, recognized by its MD5 hash 98107c01ecd8b7802582d404e007e493.
Superior Clickfix Malware Marketing campaign
To boost deception, the script shows a faux verification message by way of “echo Your Verificatification Code Is: PC-19fj5e9i-cje8i3e4 && pause”, full with an intentional typo to imitate amateurish, non-threatening habits, conserving the command immediate open for consumer interplay and reinforcing the social engineering lure.
Pivoting by way of related infrastructure revealed a broader ecosystem of impersonations, together with faux variations of the Discord Captcha Bot (captcha.bot), streaming platforms like Kick, Twitch, Rumble, and OnlyFans, in addition to romance-themed relationship lures, all designed to ship Home windows payloads by way of Clickfix mechanisms.
These websites exploit consumer belief in acquainted companies, urging clicks on verification buttons that set off JavaScript-based command execution with out overt interplay, aligning with MITRE ATT&CK strategies similar to T1189 (Drive-by Compromise) for preliminary entry, T1059.003 (Home windows Command Shell) and T1059.005 (JavaScript/VBScript) for execution, and T1204.001 (Malicious Hyperlink) for consumer manipulation.
Protection evasion is achieved by way of T1027 (Obfuscated Recordsdata or Data) with silent downloads and T1036 (Masquerading) by way of benign-themed interfaces, whereas anticipated persistence includes T1053.005 (Scheduled Job/Job). Command and management happens over T1071.001 (Internet Protocols) utilizing HTTP, resulting in T1486 (Information Encrypted for Influence) within the ransomware section.
Mitigation Methods
Attributed to Epsilon Crimson, first noticed in 2021, this ransomware attracts unfastened inspiration from REvil in its ransom observe styling, that includes minor grammatical refinements however missing deeper tactical or infrastructural overlaps.
The marketing campaign’s sophistication lies in abusing ActiveX for distant code execution straight from browser periods, bypassing standard obtain safeguards and enabling endpoint compromise that precedes lateral motion and full encryption.
In accordance with a CloudSek report, model impersonation considerably lowers consumer suspicion, growing an infection charges, whereas persistent reuse of themed supply pages signifies a well-planned, long-term operation.
Further indicators embrace domains like twtich.cc internet hosting .HTA recordsdata and capchabot.cc for normal Clickfix supply, alongside a Quasar RAT variant (MD5: 2db32339fa151276d5a40781bc8d5eaa) tied to a different C2 IP (213.209.150.188:8112).
To mitigate, organizations ought to disable ActiveX and Home windows Script Host by way of Group Insurance policies to dam legacy execution vectors.
Integrating risk feeds for IP and area blacklisting, together with Indicators of Future Assault from Clickfix campaigns, is essential.
Deploy endpoint detection and response guidelines to watch hidden executions, silent curl downloads, and anomalous browser-spawned processes.
Lastly, conduct safety consciousness coaching simulating impersonated companies to construct consumer resilience towards these socially engineered threats.
Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
| Indicator Sort | Worth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MD5 | 98107c01ecd8b7802582d404e007e493 | Epsilon Crimson Ransomware |
| Area | twtich[.]cc | Clickfix Supply [.hta] |
| IP:Port | 155.94.155[.]227:2269 | Command and Management |
| MD5 | 2db32339fa151276d5a40781bc8d5eaa | Quasar RAT Malware |
| Area | capchabot[.]cc | Clickfix Supply [regular] |
| IP:Port | 213.209.150[.]188:8112 | Command and Management |
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