New Phishing Kit Streamlines ClickFix Attacks

KnowBe4 Team | Apr 13, 2026

A new commodity phishing kit called “Venom Stealer” allows threat actors to automate ClickFix attacks, according to researchers at BlackFog. ClickFix is a social engineering technique that tricks users into executing malicious commands on their computer, usually resulting in malware installation.

“Venom stands out from commodity stealers like Lumma, Vidar, and RedLine because it goes beyond credential harvesting,” BlackFog explains. “It builds ClickFix social engineering directly into the operator panel, automates every step after initial access, and creates a continuous exfiltration pipeline that does not end when the initial payload finishes running. The developer, operating under the handle ‘VenomStealer,’ sells access as a subscription ($250/month to $1,800 lifetime) with a vetted application process, Telegram-based licensing, and a 15% affiliate program.”

ClickFix attacks are more likely to evade detection by security tools because the malicious action is user-initiated.

“The infection begins when a target lands on a ClickFix page hosted by the operator,” the researchers write. “Venom ships four templates per platform (Windows and macOS): a fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA, a fake OS update, a fake SSL certificate error, and a fake font install page. Each one asks the target to open a Run dialog or Terminal, paste a command, and press Enter. Because the target initiates execution themselves, the process appears user-initiated and bypasses detection logic built around parent-child process relationships.”

As soon as the malware is installed, it instantly scans the machine for sensitive information and immediately sends it to the attackers.

“The moment the payload executes, it sweeps every Chromium and Firefox-based browser on the machine, extracting saved passwords, session cookies, browsing history, autofill data, and cryptocurrency wallet vaults from every profile. Chrome’s v10 and v20 password encryption is bypassed using a silent privilege escalation that extracts the decryption key without triggering any UAC dialog, leaving no forensic artifacts. System fingerprinting and browser extension inventories are captured alongside the credentials, giving cybercriminals a complete profile of each target.”

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BlackFog has the story: Venom Stealer Turns ClickFix Into a Full Exfiltration Pipeline

FAQs

What is "ClickFix" and why is it so effective?

ClickFix is a social engineering technique that tricks users into manually executing malicious commands on their own computers. By presenting fake prompts—such as a Cloudflare CAPTCHA, an OS update, or an SSL error—the attacker convinces the user to open a terminal or "Run" dialog and paste a specific command. Because the user initiates the action themselves, security tools often fail to flag it, as the process appears to be legitimate user behavior rather than a traditional automated exploit.

How does Venom Stealer differ from other malware like Lumma or RedLine?

While most commodity stealers focus primarily on harvesting credentials, Venom Stealer is built for automation and persistence. It integrates the ClickFix social engineering templates directly into the operator's control panel and automates every step following initial access. Unlike traditional stealers that stop after the initial payload runs, Venom creates a continuous exfiltration pipeline, meaning it can keep stealing data over time.

What specific data does Venom Stealer target?

The moment the malware is executed, it scans all Chromium and Firefox-based browsers to extract saved passwords, session cookies, browsing history, and autofill data. It also targets cryptocurrency wallet vaults and performs system fingerprinting to create a complete profile of the victim. Notably, it can bypass Chrome’s latest encryption (v10 and v20) without triggering User Account Control (UAC) dialogs, leaving almost no forensic trace of the theft.

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