“I am not a robot” can infect your computer: hackers attacked over 100 Ukrainian websites

In September, cyber experts discovered more than 100 compromised websites through which hackers are distributing malware. To infect computers, they use a fake “I’m not a robot” verification and convince people to manually execute a dangerous command.

This was reported by the CERT-UA team at the State Special Communications Service.

The scheme works like this: a person visits a hacked website and sees a fake Cloudflare page. They are asked to complete a supposedly routine security check and perform certain actions on their computer.

If the user agrees, malware is downloaded to their device, allowing attackers to gain access to personal data.

According to CERT-UA, the attack targets Windows users who access infected sites through search engines. The malicious page is not displayed to every visitor.

Experts warn: a real “I’m not a robot” check will never ask you to press Win+R, open a command prompt or PowerShell, and paste commands there. If a site asks you to do this, you should close it immediately.

Once infected, the malware can install a fake browser extension called “Microsoft Office Word Editor.” It can steal logins, passwords, and browsing history, as well as give attackers access to your computer.

CERT-UA advises not to execute incomprehensible commands requested by websites and not to install suspicious extensions. If a person has seen such a fake check or the site owner has detected signs of hacking, you can report it to CERT-UA at cert@cert.gov.ua.

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