Threat Advisory: ClickFix and FileFix Attacks

Executive Snapshot

ClickFix, and its emerging variant FileFix, represent a new class of social-engineering attacks that manipulate users into executing malicious commands under the guise of legitimate prompts, leading to the installation of info-stealers, remote access trojans, and other advanced malware. By exploiting trust in familiar system tools and browser features, these techniques bypass traditional defenses and rely heavily on human error to succeed. Their evolution underscores a continuing shift from exploiting technical vulnerabilities to targeting human behavior, making awareness training, strict control of administrative utilities, behavioral endpoint monitoring, and layered defenses essential to organizational resilience.

UltraViolet Cyber Threat Intelligence and Detection Engineering (TIDE) Team recommends the following action items be considered to protect your organization against this ever-evolving threat:

• Enforce strict controls on administrative utilities such as PowerShell, Run dialog, and terminal access, including execution policies and allow-listing. Many of these strict controls can be implemented through Group Policy.
• Implement behavioral endpoint detection and response tools capable of spotting clipboard manipulation, obfuscated commands, and unusual use of system binaries.
• Conduct targeted awareness training and phishing simulations that specifically replicate ClickFix and FileFix lures to build user resilience.
• Apply application allow-listing and browser protections to block unauthorized scripts, suspicious downloads, and malicious domains.
• Enforce least-privilege access by removing unnecessary administrative rights and segmenting user roles to reduce the impact of compromise. Implementing a Tiered Access Model for all administrators is a good starting place.
• Strengthen incident response processes with logging and monitoring across endpoints, browsers, and networks to ensure rapid containment of attempted intrusions.

TIDE Team Analysis

Over the past year, the cybersecurity threat landscape has seen a 517% rise in social-engineering tactics grouped under the ClickFix technique, and more recently, a variant called FileFix. Both are being used to deliver info-stealers, remote access trojans, rootkits, and other malware payloads by tricking end users into executing malicious commands. While they share similarities, the methods differ in execution and require tailored defensive strategies. ClickFix has become prominent since 2024, with FileFix now emerging as a more evasive evolution that takes advantage of browser features to bypass detection.

ClickFix typically works by presenting victims with fake prompts, deceptive web pages, or instructions that appear legitimate. These lures encourage users to copy a command into the clipboard and execute it through interfaces such as the Run dialog, PowerShell, or terminal applications. Once run, the commands download and execute payloads ranging from information stealers to fileless malware that rely on built-in operating system binaries. The delivery vectors often include phishing emails, malvertising, search engine manipulation, and compromised legitimate websites, making the attacks appear credible to unsuspecting users.

FileFix represents a shift in the same family of threats by modifying how execution is initiated. Instead of relying solely on system dialog boxes, FileFix leverages browser-based functions to trick users into interacting with the file explorer in deceptive ways. Victims are encouraged to follow instructions that mask malicious PowerShell commands as benign file paths or documents. This evolution makes detection harder, while still relying on the victim’s cooperation to unknowingly enable execution. The end result is the same: the installation of malware capable of stealing credentials, exfiltrating data, and establishing long-term persistence.

Both ClickFix and FileFix demonstrate the growing reliance of attackers on social engineering over technical exploits. These threats exploit the trust users place in familiar system utilities, web pages, and corporate workflows. By embedding malicious instructions in what appear to be legitimate activities, attackers are able to bypass many security filters and focus instead on manipulating human behavior. The shift from purely technical vulnerabilities to human-centric exploitation underscores the importance of security awareness alongside technical defenses.

The potential impact of these attacks is broad. Both individuals and enterprises are targeted, with industries such as finance, government, education, and transportation particularly at risk. Attackers use the vectors opportunistically but also adapt them to specific targets, creating a blend of mass campaigns and focused operations. The theft of credentials, sensitive data, and the potential for remote control of compromised machines make this a high-priority concern for organizational security leaders.

To defend against these threats, organizations must address both people and technology. On the human side, awareness training should emphasize the dangers of copying and executing unfamiliar commands, responding to unsolicited “fix” prompts, and interacting with suspicious browser pop-ups. Security exercises and simulations should mirror these real-world techniques to build employee resilience and recognition of these specific lures.

On the technical front, organizations should consider restricting unnecessary use of tools such as PowerShell, Run dialogs, and other administrative utilities. Application allow-listing, endpoint monitoring, and restrictions on command execution policies are critical measures. Behavioral detection and advanced endpoint monitoring can identify anomalies such as clipboard manipulation, suspicious command execution, or unusual registry changes. Network filtering and proactive blocking of malicious domains and hosting platforms also play an important role in mitigation.

Ultimately, the rise of ClickFix and FileFix reflects a broader trend in cybercrime: the increasing exploitation of human behavior in combination with trusted system features. Traditional defenses are insufficient against these evolving tactics. By building layered defenses that combine user education, technical restrictions, behavioral monitoring, and strong incident response capabilities, organizations can reduce the risk of compromise and strengthen resilience against this growing class of social engineering–driven attacks.

Why It Matters

The rise of ClickFix and FileFix matters because these campaigns highlight a fundamental shift in attacker strategy: adversaries no longer need to rely exclusively on technical exploits when they can manipulate trusted system tools and exploit human behavior to achieve the same outcomes. For CTOs and CISOs, this means that traditional patching cycles and vulnerability management alone are insufficient defenses. Instead, these attacks thrive on human error, making them more unpredictable and harder to mitigate through purely technical controls. The consequence is a higher likelihood of credential theft, data loss, and unauthorized access that can bypass even well-maintained environments.

For security leaders, the significance lies in how these techniques exploit the weakest link in any organization—the end user—while simultaneously leveraging legitimate system features that defenders cannot simply remove or disable without disrupting operations. This dual approach creates blind spots for standard security tools and puts greater pressure on organizations to adapt their defenses. It also raises the stakes for employee awareness and security culture, since a single lapse can open the door to broader compromise across the enterprise. The threats demonstrate that attackers are adept at innovating around existing defenses and that organizations must be equally agile in their countermeasures.

Ultimately, these developments underscore the importance of a layered defense strategy that combines user education, technical controls, and proactive monitoring. For leadership teams, it means reassessing risk models to account for social engineering as a primary vector of compromise rather than a secondary concern. It also means aligning budgets and priorities to strengthen endpoint detection, tighten privilege management, and ensure rapid incident response when these attacks inevitably bypass frontline defenses. The “why it matters” is clear: without adapting to these evolving tactics, organizations risk falling victim to threats that exploit both human trust and the very systems designed to enable productivity.

How to Respond

• Strictly adhere to CyberSecurity Fundamentals and ensure all personnel undergo annual phishing and social engineering training. Speak with your UltraViolet Cyber TAM Representative to schedule a live phishing engagement.
• Warn your user base, including Systems and Network Administrators, about the threats that FileFix and ClickFix pose.
• Restrict access to Windows Run Prompt, Powershell, and Cmd Prompt through group policy for users with no business need to access these utilities.
• Perform annual tech refresh reviews to gain a holistic understanding of your infrastructure. Speak with your UltraViolet Cyber TAM Representative to schedule a RedTeam or PurpleTeam engagement to gain insight into the vulnerabilities in your environment.

What UltraViolet Cyber is Doing

• Reverse engineering ClickFix and FileFix payloads found in the wild, then adding useful strings and IOCs to our ever-growing Threat Intelligence Dataset.
• Parsing available victim dump data for any social, financial, business, or technical relations to UVCyber Clients and partner organizations.
• Aggregating threat intelligence from myriad sources and applying the most up-to-date knowledge to proactive threat hunting and response.