Beware this CAPTCHA scam designed to steal your data
CAPTCHAs are one of the great annoyances of the modern internet, yet they play an important role in keeping the web secure. These tests, which usually involve solving simple puzzles or deciphering distorted text, help websites determine whether a visitor is human, thus helping prevent malicious bot attacks. But now scammers are using the ubiquitous test to attack the humans—and if you fall victim…
CAPTCHAs, long a frequent annoyance on the internet, serve a crucial purpose in maintaining online security by distinguishing human users from bots. However, a new scam exploits this familiar test to steal sensitive data from unsuspecting victims. These fraudulent, or "fake," CAPTCHAs pop up on malicious websites, masquerading as legitimate ones such as Amazon or Facebook.
Instead of requiring users to decipher distorted text or solve simple puzzles, the fake CAPTCHA prompts users to press certain keyboard keys, ostensibly to verify their humanity or account. When users comply, they unwittingly copy and paste malicious code onto their devices, allowing scammers to download and install keyloggers or spyware designed to steal usernames, passwords, and other personal data.
This data is often used for financial crimes and other malicious purposes. Users can recognize a CAPTCHA scam by being aware of its existence and how CAPTCHAs function. Legitimate CAPTCHAs never request keyboard commands or open command line interfaces. Unexpected CAPTCHAs appearing on unfamiliar sites, or those that mimic a site you're not currently using, are also red flags.
To protect oneself, users should avoid interacting with suspicious CAPTCHAs and disconnect their computers from the internet immediately if they suspect being targeted. The FTC advises running security software to detect and remove any malware that may have been installed.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
