Magecart is the umbrella name for digital card-skimming attacks that inject malicious JavaScript into checkout pages to steal customers’ payment-card data. MageArgus scans your store for free and flags skimmer indicators, suspicious external scripts and risky checkout behaviour — in seconds, with no signup.
What is Magecart?
Magecart refers to dozens of criminal groups that specialise in web skimming: planting hidden JavaScript on e-commerce sites that copies card numbers as customers type them at checkout, then exfiltrates the data to an attacker-controlled server. The customer completes a normal purchase and never knows. Stores often discover it only when their payment processor or a bank flags fraud weeks later.
Skimmers commonly arrive through an unpatched Magento CVE, a compromised admin account, or a hijacked third-party script. Magento’s checkout is a prime target because of its transaction volume.
What our skimmer scan looks for
- Known skimmer indicators — patterns matching active card-skimming campaigns.
- Suspicious external scripts — unexpected third-party JavaScript loading on storefront pages.
- Exfiltration-style behaviour — risky calls associated with data theft.
- Exposure that lets skimmers in — missing patches, weak headers and leaked files an attacker uses to plant the skimmer in the first place.
The free scan is passive and external. For deeper, runtime-level detection on a store you own, verified scans can render the checkout in a real browser, and the MageArgus module scans your filesystem and database for injected code directly.
How to remove a Magecart skimmer
If a skimmer is found, treat it as an active breach:
- Take a forensic copy, then remove the injected script from templates, CMS content and any compromised third-party file.
- Find and close the entry point — patch the CVE or admin account that was abused, or the skimmer returns within days.
- Rotate all admin credentials and integration tokens.
- Notify your payment processor and follow PCI breach obligations.
Need hands-on help? See Magento malware removal.