Moscow Linked to Ukraine Cyberattack Using Fake CAPTCHA Checks

Cisco researchers have linked a suspicious cyberattack on a Ukrainian government organization to Moscow. The attack used fake CAPTCHA checks to target the organization, which was first noticed in April.

The researchers found malware known as Amatera running on the system, capable of stealing sensitive information and installing software that could give an attacker access to the computer.

Cisco's analysis suggests that the attack may have started with a compromised website showing fake versions of Google's CAPTCHA verification check. Instead of simply asking users to tick a box or identify images, the fake check told them to open a window on their computer and paste in text that would run malware.