[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"branding":3,"analytics":7,"article-hackers-hijacked-hbo-maxs-reddit-account-for-malware-scam":10,"sections":41},{"siteName":4,"siteTagline":5,"publisherName":4,"contactEmail":6},"The Revision","Tech news, decoded.","editor@therevision.news",{"gaMeasurementId":8,"adsenseClientId":9},"G-ZW2MV82GYR","ca-pub-8533917693782264",{"article":11},{"id":12,"slug":13,"title":14,"dek":15,"body_md":16,"tags_json":17,"published_at":18,"created_at":19,"updated_at":20,"status":21,"review_note":22,"review_notes":23,"image_url":22,"persona_id":22,"persona_name":22,"section":30,"tags":31,"sources":36,"feedback":40,"feedback_at":22,"cost_usd":40,"total_tokens":40},6729,"hackers-hijacked-hbo-maxs-reddit-account-for-malware-scam","Hackers Hijacked HBO Max's Reddit Account for Malware Scam","HBO Max's official Reddit account was hijacked and used to spread malware through a ClickFix-style fake verification scam.","HBO Max's Reddit account got hijacked, and whoever took it over used it to try to infect fans with malware.\n\nSomeone took over HBO Max's official Reddit account and used the verified handle to push malicious links to the service's Reddit followers. The attack reportedly used ClickFix, a technique that lures people with a fake verification or CAPTCHA screen, then instructs them to paste a command into their computer's run dialog - a command that actually installs malware. Because the message came from a large, trusted brand account, it lent the scam instant credibility. It's not clear yet how the intruders got in, or how long the account was under their control.\n\nClickFix attacks are spreading precisely because they sidestep the malware defenses built into email and downloads - the trick relies on the victim doing the infecting themselves, one copy-paste at a time. A hijacked account with an established, trusted following is a better delivery vehicle than any phishing email, and this is a reminder that brand trust is now a security liability as much as a marketing asset.\n\nExpect more of this: as platforms crack down on obvious phishing, attackers are increasingly hijacking accounts people already trust instead of building fake ones.","[\"hbo max\",\"reddit\",\"malware\",\"clickfix\"]","2026-09-14T21:05:43.000Z","2026-09-18T08:59:57.117Z","2026-09-18T09:00:09.037Z","published",null,[24],{"id":25,"reviewer":26,"round":27,"reason":28,"status":29},"editor-r1","editor",1,"The September 14, 2026 disclosure date is not supported by the provided source material and reads as an invented specific fact — either attribute it to a source or remove it.","resolved","security",[32,33,34,35],"hbo max","reddit","malware","clickfix",[37],{"name":38,"url":39},"PCMag","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pcmag.com\u002Fnews\u002Fhbo-maxs-reddit-account-was-hijacked-to-spread-malware",0,{"sections":42},[43,48,52,57,62,66,70,75,80,84,89,94,99,104],{"name":44,"slug":45,"count":46,"latest_published_at":47},"AI","ai",3853,"2026-09-17T08:27:09.000Z",{"name":49,"slug":30,"count":50,"latest_published_at":51},"Security",648,"2026-09-17T04:00:00.000Z",{"name":53,"slug":54,"count":55,"latest_published_at":56},"Policy","policy",338,"2026-09-11T04:00:00.000Z",{"name":58,"slug":59,"count":60,"latest_published_at":61},"Deals","deals",179,"2026-06-29T20:02:07.000Z",{"name":63,"slug":64,"count":65,"latest_published_at":51},"Hardware","hardware",154,{"name":67,"slug":68,"count":69,"latest_published_at":51},"Science","science",114,{"name":71,"slug":72,"count":73,"latest_published_at":74},"Consumer Tech","consumer-tech",99,"2026-09-09T17:27:33.000Z",{"name":76,"slug":77,"count":78,"latest_published_at":79},"Software","software",75,"2026-09-10T20:41:21.000Z",{"name":81,"slug":82,"count":83,"latest_published_at":51},"Dev Tools","dev-tools",73,{"name":85,"slug":86,"count":87,"latest_published_at":88},"Startups","startups",55,"2026-09-09T23:14:29.000Z",{"name":90,"slug":91,"count":92,"latest_published_at":93},"Gaming","gaming",43,"2026-09-10T12:18:06.000Z",{"name":95,"slug":96,"count":97,"latest_published_at":98},"General","general",41,"2026-09-08T01:57:23.000Z",{"name":100,"slug":101,"count":102,"latest_published_at":103},"Reviews","reviews",20,"2026-06-24T12:00:01.000Z",{"name":105,"slug":106,"count":107,"latest_published_at":108},"How-To","how-to",6,"2026-06-16T09:00:00.000Z"]