{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/media/hbo-max-reddit-account-hijacked-to-push-malware","slug":"hbo-max-reddit-account-hijacked-to-push-malware","url":"https://mediabias.news/media/hbo-max-reddit-account-hijacked-to-push-malware","title":"HBO Max Reddit account hijacked to push malware","subtitle":"Malicious ads used a social engineering trick to infect Windows and macOS devices.","excerpt":"Hackers compromised the official HBO Max Reddit account, using it to spread malicious advertisements over approximately 48 hours. These ads employed a technique called ClickFix, tricking users into running commands that installed information-stealing malware on their devices.","category":"Media","area":null,"publishedAt":"2026-09-14T21:46:04.790Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-09-14T21:05:43.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-14T21:46:04.790Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":42,"critic":61,"hype":41,"notes":{"trust":"Central claims attributed to named researchers, but no named on-record sources or documents were cited.","critic":"Reporting is clear and holds together, with affected parties quoted or given right of reply.","hype":"Headline promises more than the body delivers, with mild emphasis and a lively but fair headline."}},"tags":["#Cybersecurity","#Malware","#HBO Max","#Reddit","#ClickFix","#PasteSwitch"],"entities":["HBO Max","Reddit","Hudson Rock","ADAMnetworks","Windows","macOS"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Hackers compromised the official HBO Max Reddit account, using it to post malicious advertisements.","The compromised account was used to launch 108 ads over about 48 hours, targeting Windows and macOS users.","The ads employed a social engineering technique known as ClickFix, prompting users to copy and paste commands into their operating systems.","Security researchers from Hudson Rock and ADAMnetworks analyzed the campaign, linking it to a larger operation called PasteSwitch."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Hackers gained control of the official HBO Max Reddit account and used it to distribute malicious advertisements. These ads were designed to trick users into infecting their Windows and macOS devices with information-stealing malware through a technique called ClickFix. The compromised account posted approximately 108 such advertisements over a period of about 48 hours."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The ClickFix attack method involves social engineering, where users are prompted to copy and paste commands into their operating system's command line interface, such as Windows Run, PowerShell, or macOS Terminal. This action, performed by the user themselves, can bypass some security software. The advertisements, while sometimes impersonating HBO Max, also promoted fake AI tools, developer software, and macOS utilities, broadening the potential reach of the campaign."},{"type":"heading","text":"Disagreement on response time"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"TechCrunch reported that Reddit stated it \"recently learned that an HBO Max account authorized to run advertisements on Reddit was compromised and used to run ads containing malicious links,\" and that the company locked the account and removed the ads. Reddit did not specify how many users were targeted or clicked the ads. BleepingComputer noted that HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery had not responded to questions about the incident."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the reports printed below mention any specific number of users who clicked on the malicious ads or were ultimately compromised. TechCrunch noted it was unclear how many people were affected, and Reddit declined to provide figures when asked. Warner Brothers Discovery did not respond to requests for comment in the TechCrunch report."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"MacMagazine","url":"https://macmagazine.com.br/post/2026/09/14/usando-contas-oficiais-ataque-do-tipo-clickfix-tem-se-espalhado-pelo-reddit","headline":"Using Official Accounts, ClickFix Type Attack Has Spread Across Reddit","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T21:32:39.000Z"},{"sourceName":"PC Mag","url":"https://pcmag.com/news/hbo-maxs-reddit-account-was-hijacked-to-spread-malware","headline":"HBO Max's Reddit Account Was Hijacked to Spread Malware","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T21:05:43.000Z"},{"sourceName":"National Cyber Security","url":"https://nationalcybersecurity.com/hackers-hijack-hbo-max-reddit-account-to-push-malware-in-clickfix-ads-hacking-cybersecurity-infosec-comptia-pentest-hacker","headline":"Hackers hijack HBO Max Reddit account to push malware in ClickFix ads | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #hacker - National Cyber Security Consulting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T19:10:17.000Z"},{"sourceName":"mezha.net","url":"https://mezha.net/eng/news/bde40dae_hackers_hijack_hbo","headline":"Hackers Hijack HBO Max Reddit Account to Spread ClickFix Malware","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T19:03:50.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Tech Observer","url":"https://techobserver.in/news/cybersecurity/hbo-max-reddit-account-hijacked-clickfix-malware-329304","headline":"HBO Max Reddit account hijacked for ClickFix malware campaign","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T18:57:06.000Z"},{"sourceName":"IT Security News - cybersecurity, infosecurity news","url":"https://itsecuritynews.info/clickfix-attacks-are-tricking-mac-and-windows-users-into-hacking-themselves","headline":"ClickFix attacks are tricking Mac and Windows users into hacking themselves","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T18:31:18.000Z"},{"sourceName":"TechCrunch","url":"https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/14/clickfix-attacks-are-tricking-mac-and-windows-users-into-hacking-themselves","headline":"ClickFix attacks are tricking Mac and Windows users into hacking themselves","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T18:08:43.000Z"},{"sourceName":"technewstube.com","url":"https://technewstube.com/techcrunch/1867251/clickfix-attacks-tricking-mac-windows-users-into-hacking","headline":"ClickFix attacks are tricking Mac and Windows users into hacking themselves","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T18:08:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"HotHardware","url":"https://hothardware.com/news/clickfix-malware-is-going-viral","headline":"ClickFix Malware Is Going Viral, Infecting PCs And Macs With CAPTCHA Prompts","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T14:55:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"BleepingComputer","url":"https://bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-hijack-hbo-max-reddit-account-to-push-malware-in-clickfix-ads","headline":"Hackers hijack HBO Max Reddit account to push malware in ClickFix ads","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T14:34:16.000Z"},{"sourceName":"infostealers.com","url":"https://infostealers.com/article/hbo-max-ads-on-a-compromised-reddit-account-exposed-a-massive-pasteswitch-clickfix-operation","headline":"HBO Max ads on a compromised Reddit account exposed a massive PasteSwitch ClickFix operation","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T14:34:16.000Z"},{"sourceName":"mallory.ai","url":"https://mallory.ai/stories/01a0a079-0d9c-79d1-9d8f-e76c02c256ea","headline":"Compromised HBO Max Reddit Account Served PasteSwitch ClickFix Malware Ads","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T14:34:16.000Z"},{"sourceName":"thegne.online","url":"https://thegne.online/science-hi-tech/fake-captcha-clickfix-malware-hits-5400-websites-via-windows-run/118882","headline":"Fake CAPTCHA ClickFix malware hits 5,400 websites via Windows Run | Tech, Entertainment, Sport, Fashion, Travel News","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T12:55:52.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":67,"centre":33,"right":0},"count":{"left":2,"centre":1,"right":0},"totalSources":13,"untracked":10,"rated":3,"observedAt":"2026-09-15T00:00:08.896076+00:00"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-09-15T00:45:06.477Z","closedAt":null,"checks":12,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":["The left-rated reports led on the compromise of the HBO Max Reddit account and the subsequent distribution of malware. TechCrunch described how the ClickFix attacks trick users into hacking themselves, detailing the process of copying and pasting commands into system terminals. PC Mag also highlighted the hijacking of the HBO Max account as a method for spreading malware, noting the incident underscores the increasing use of ClickFix-style attacks."],"centre":["The centre-rated report from BleepingComputer focused on the technical details of the attack, identifying the number of malicious advertisements launched (108) and the duration (about 48 hours). It named the security researchers involved, Hudson Rock and ADAMnetworks, and linked the campaign to a larger operation called PasteSwitch. 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