PhishWP is a recently discovered WordPress plugin being exploited by cybercriminals to create fraudulent payment pages that closely resemble legitimate services like Stripe. This malicious plugin was found circulating on a Russian cybercrime forum and enables attackers to design highly convincing payment interfaces aimed at stealing sensitive financial and personal data. By capturing victims’ credit card information, billing addresses, and one-time passwords (OTPs), PhishWP transmits the stolen data directly to attackers via Telegram, often in real time. This makes the attack highly effective and difficult for users to detect, as the fake payment pages mimic trusted gateways.
The plugin is deployed either by compromising existing WordPress sites or by creating entirely fraudulent websites. Its customizable nature allows cybercriminals to generate checkout pages that look nearly identical to those of legitimate payment processors. PhishWP even collects OTPs, bypassing security measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA), further increasing the risk to users. Once the stolen information is captured, it is transmitted in real-time to the attacker, enabling rapid exploitation of the data.
PhishWP also contains advanced features that make it particularly dangerous. It can profile users’ browser information, send misleading confirmation emails to victims, and collect data such as IP addresses along with financial details. The plugin even supports multiple languages, which broadens its reach for global phishing campaigns. The attackers behind PhishWP use it to target unsuspecting individuals, stealing credit card data and even bypassing security measures to maximize the theft. Additionally, the inclusion of 3D Secure (3DS) code popups ensures that even when users are prompted for further authentication, the stolen data is still captured.
To safeguard against attacks like PhishWP, experts recommend using advanced browser-based phishing protection tools that offer real-time threat detection. These tools can block malicious URLs across major browsers and identify phishing attempts before users unwittingly provide sensitive information. The growing sophistication of such attacks highlights the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures to prevent data theft and safeguard financial information from exploitation.
