In late May 2026, suspicious emails were identified being sent to Japanese partner companies of Booking.com, with the subject line “Important: Guest Stay Review Request” (重要:ゲスト滞在レビュー依頼). In this attack, a zip file was downloaded by accessing a hyperlink to a suspicious web site, and the infection began when the user clicked a shortcut link file (LNK) disguised as a photo file within the zip archive. Unlike conventional phishing campaigns, the malware abuses The Open Network (TON) blockchain platform as a dead drop resolver, a technique that allows attackers to update their command-and-control (C&C) server destination without hardcoding it into the malware, making detection and takedown significantly more difficult.
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Source: Trend Micro
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