Israel’s National Digital Agency on Monday revealed a large-scale international cyber campaign known as ShadowCaptcha, which exploits familiar security tools to spread malware. The attack, which has affected hundreds of websites worldwide and in Israel, focuses on WordPress-based sites, turning them into infection hubs that spread malicious software capable of stealing data, converting victims’ computers into bitcoin miners, or deploying ransomware to extort money.
The unique element of ShadowCaptcha is its cynical use of user trust. Malicious code injected into compromised sites redirects users to fake CAPTCHA pages, resembling the “I’m not a robot” verification. Instead of a simple authentication process, users are instructed to perform seemingly harmless tasks, such as pasting text into a field or running a command. In reality, these actions execute malware that installs dangerous software on their computers.
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