While ClickFix attacks have previously been associated with ransomware campaigns, this marks the first confirmed use by Interlock, a ransomware operation that surfaced in late September 2024. The group targets both Windows systems and FreeBSD servers and maintains a dark web leak portal to pressure victims into paying ransoms that can reach millions of dollars. Interlock does not seem to operate as a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model.
According to Sekoia researchers, Interlock began using ClickFix tactics in January 2025. Attackers set up fake websites mimicking legitimate IT tools—such as Microsoft Teams and Advanced IP Scanner—to lure victims. These fake sites prompt users to click a “Fix it” button, which silently copies a malicious PowerShell script to the user’s clipboard. If run, the command downloads a 36MB PyInstaller payload that installs malware under the guise of a legitimate tool.
Researchers found the malicious campaign hosted on spoofed domains like microsoft-msteams[.]com, microstteams[.]com, ecologilives[.]com, and advanceipscaner[.]com. Only the last domain led to the actual malware dropper disguised as Advanced IP Scanner. When users unknowingly run the script, a hidden PowerShell window executes actions such as system reconnaissance, persistence via Windows Registry, and data exfiltration.
The attackers deploy a range of malware via command-and-control (C2) servers, including LummaStealer, BerserkStealer, keyloggers, and the Interlock RAT—a basic remote access trojan capable of dynamic configuration, file exfiltration, shell command execution, and DLL injection.
Post-compromise, Interlock operators use stolen credentials to move laterally through networks via RDP, leveraging remote access tools like PuTTY, AnyDesk, and LogMeIn. Data is exfiltrated to Azure Blob Storage, after which the Windows variant of Interlock ransomware is scheduled to run daily at 8:00 PM—a redundancy tactic to ensure encryption if the initial payload fails.
The gang’s ransom notes have also evolved, now placing emphasis on the legal and regulatory consequences of leaked data.
ClickFix attacks are gaining popularity among various cybercriminal groups, with recent reports also linking them to North Korean state-sponsored actors like the Lazarus Group, who use similar tactics to target job seekers in the cryptocurrency sector.
