05/06/2026
If a website ever tells you to press Windows Key + R, close the tab immediately. That’s the biggest red flag of the growing “ClickFix” scam behind a surge of infostealer malware attacks this year.
Infostealers are designed to grab saved passwords, browser cookies, session tokens, and even stored credit card details. The scam usually starts with a Google result leading to a hacked site. A fake CAPTCHA appears, telling you to press Win + R, Ctrl + V, then Enter to “verify” you’re human.
The moment you press Enter, you run malware yourself. Because no file is downloaded, many antivirus tools never detect it. To Windows, it simply looks like a user manually entered a command.
What you can do right now:
• Train staff to close any website asking them to open the Run box or paste commands.
• Restrict PowerShell access for non-IT users with AppLocker or Windows Defender Application Control.
• Use endpoint protection with behavioral monitoring, not just signature scanning. Modern EDR tools like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can detect this attack chain.
Fake CAPTCHAs are designed to look convincing, so anyone can fall for them. But once people know the Win+R trick, the scam loses its power.