MALWARE

P has issued its latest Threat

Insights Report, which shows attackers using trusted software, disguised malware and increasingly believable lures to gain access to user devices. The research highlights a growing challenge for both users and defenders as malicious activity becomes harder to distinguish from legitimate behaviour.

Based on the millions of endpoints running HP Wolf Security, notable campaigns identified by HP Wolf Security threat researchers include:

Legitimate remote access tools abused for backdoor access: Cybercriminals are abusing applications such as LogMeIn and ScreenConnect to take control of victim devices without raising suspicion. Campaigns initially used tax year-end phishing emails and fake desktop app downloads, including dating websites, to persuade users to install legitimate remote access tools. These tools are controlled by attackers and help them blend in with normal IT activity, giving them complete control over user devices.

Attackers preying on desperate users trying to recover lost crypto wallets: Fake crypto wallet recovery tools are being spread by attackers who claim to be helping users locate their lost wallets but instead steal them. Often shared via code-sharing platforms and media download sites, the emoji-filled infostealer scripts appear to be“ vibe-coded”, capable of harvesting credentials, wallet and system data before packaging it into archive files for exfiltration.

ClickFix campaigns hide malware in‘ audio’ files: Attackers behind recent ClickFix campaigns are disguising malware as audio files to evade detection. Victims are guided through realistic CAPTCHA prompts on welldesigned fake websites, triggering malicious commands that quietly execute disguised payloads in the background.

Patrick Schläpfer, Principal Threat Researcher, HP Security Lab, said:“ What stands out in these campaigns is how easily legitimate remote access tools are being turned into entry points for attackers. By combining trusted software with carefully designed social engineering – tied to events such as the end of the tax year – it’ s getting even harder to distinguish what can and can’ t be trusted.”

The report, which examines data from January to March 2026, details how cybercriminals continue to diversify attack methods to bypass security tools, revealing that:

• At least 11 % of email threats identified by HP Sure Click bypassed one or more email gateway scanners.

• Executable files were the most popular malware delivery type( 39 %), followed by archive files( 38 %) and PDF documents( 10 %).

• PDF-based malware increased by 2 %, with attackers using a wide range of lures, such as court documents and bonus payments, to create urgency and drive clicks.

Alex Holland, Principal Threat Researcher, HP Security Lab, commented:“ These attacks don’ t look like break-ins – they look like business as usual, blending in with normal IT activity and avoiding the warning signs associated with malware. To secure the future of work and reduce risk, organisations should restrict unnecessary privileges, control software installation and isolate risky activity such as downloads and unknown links. Detection alone is not enough when legitimate tools are being turned into backdoors.”

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