In this post, Unt 42 researchers look at the types of embedded payloads that attackers leverage to abuse Microsoft OneNote files. Our analysis of roughly 6,000 malicious OneNote samples from WildFire reveals that these samples have a phishing-like theme where attackers use one or more images to lure people into clicking or interacting with OneNote files.
The interaction then executes an embedded malicious payload. Since macros have been disabled by default in Office, attackers have turned to leveraging other Microsoft products for embedding malicious payloads. As a result, malicious OneNote files have grown in popularity.
Read more…
Source: Palo Alto Unit 42
Related:
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Recognizing Phishing Attacks
October 23, 2024
In conjunction with the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), SonicWall is participating in Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October to spread awareness about key issues in cybersecurity. In their last blog, SonicWall mentioned that while password hygiene and multifactor authentication are both crucial, they can be easily foiled by a ...
- Fake attachment. Roundcube mail server attacks exploit CVE-2024-37383 vulnerability.
October 15, 2024
In September 2024, threat intelligence experts from the Positive Technologies Security Expert Center (PT ESC) discovered an email sent to a governmental organization belonging to a CIS country. Timestamps indicate that the email was sent back in June 2024. The email appeared to be a message without text, containing only an attached document. However, the email ...
- File hosting services misused for identity phishing
October 8, 2024
Microsoft has observed campaigns misusing legitimate file hosting services increasingly use defense evasion tactics involving files with restricted access and view-only restrictions. While these campaigns are generic and opportunistic in nature, they involve sophisticated techniques to perform social engineering, evade detection, and expand threat actor reach to other accounts and tenants. These campaigns are intended to ...
- London Fire Brigade block almost 340,000 cyber attacks
October 8, 2024
The London Fire Brigade, the fire and rescue service for the UK’s capital, has been targeted by nearly 340,000 cyber-attacks over the past year. The data was collected under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), and analysed by the Parliament Street think tank, observing the number of blocked email attacks by the department. In total, the ...
- Threat Awareness – Shifting Phishing Techniques & Tips for Staying Safe
October 3, 2024
Phishing remains a significant and ever-evolving cybersecurity threat, with recent data showing a 28% rise in attacks between Q1 and Q2 of 2024. This trend highlights how persistent and evolving phishing tactics continue to be, impacting a staggering 94% of cybersecurity decision-makers in 2023. Attackers are increasingly using compromised internal accounts, shifting the platforms they ...
- Exotic SambaSpy is now dancing with Italian users
September 18, 2024
In May 2024, kaspersky researchers detected a campaign exclusively targeting victims in Italy. They were rather surprised by this, as cybercriminals typically select a broader target to maximize their profits. What sets this campaign apart is that, at various stages of the infection chain, checks are made to ensure that only Italian users are infected. This ...