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Mac ClickFix Attack Moves to Script Editor Via Applescript Links

The switch evades macOS 26.4 paste warnings by launching a trusted app from the browser.

Overview

  • Jamf Threat Labs, which published findings Wednesday, said active fake Apple-themed sites use applescript:// links to open Script Editor with code preloaded.
  • The lure poses as a storage cleanup guide and shows an Execute button that triggers a normal-looking browser prompt to open Script Editor.
  • After the user runs it, the script starts an obfuscated curl to zsh chain that decodes a base64 and gzip payload, writes a file in /tmp, clears xattr, and executes it.
  • The final payload is Atomic Stealer, which can take Keychain items, browser wallet data, autofill entries, passwords, cookies, stored credit cards, and system details.
  • The change avoids Apple’s new Terminal paste scanning, so defenders are blocking domains like dryvecar[.]com and urging users to treat Script Editor prompts as high risk and to avoid running scripts launched from webpages.