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:
- Russian threat group COLDRIVER expands its targeting of Western officials to include the use of malware
January 18, 2024
Over the years, TAG has analyzed a range of persistent threats including COLDRIVER (also known as UNC4057, Star Blizzard and Callisto), a Russian threat group focused on credential phishing activities against high profile individuals in NGOs, former intelligence and military officers, and NATO governments. In order to gain the trust of targets, COLDRIVER often utilizes impersonation ...
- New TTPs observed in Mint Sandstorm campaign targeting high-profile individuals at universities and research orgs
January 17, 2024
Since November 2023, Microsoft has observed a distinct subset of Mint Sandstorm (PHOSPHORUS) targeting high-profile individuals working on Middle Eastern affairs at universities and research organizations in Belgium, France, Gaza, Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In this campaign, Mint Sandstorm used bespoke phishing lures in an attempt to socially engineer targets into downloading ...
- Financial Fraud APK Campaign
January 12, 2024
During Unit 42 ivestigation discovering threats in legitimate network traffic, activity generated by a certain type of Android Package Kit (APK) files kept hitting their radar. The research revealed a family of malicious APKs targeting Chinese users that steals victim information and conducts financial fraud. To do this, the threat actor masquerades as a law enforcement ...
- Deceptive Cracked Software Spreads Lumma Variant on YouTube
January 8, 2024
FortiGuard Labs recently discovered a threat group using YouTube channels to distribute a Lumma Stealer variant. We found and reported on a similar attack method via YouTube in March 2023. These YouTube videos typically feature content related to cracked applications, presenting users with similar installation guides and incorporating malicious URLs often shortened using services like TinyURL ...
- Explained: SMTP smuggling
January 7, 2024
SMTP smuggling is a technique that allows an attacker to send an email from pretty much any address they like. The intended goal is email spoofing—sending emails with false sender addresses. Email spoofing allows criminals to make malicious emails more believable. Let’s take a closer look at what it is exactly, and how cybercriminals can use ...
- Israel’s Cyber Directorate warns of phishing attack by Iran-based hacking squad
December 26, 2023
Israel’s National Cyber Directorate issued a statement Tuesday warning of a phishing attack by Iranian hackers. Posing as American network security conglomerate F5, Iranian hackers sent an email to IT officials in multiple Israeli companies with instructions to download what seems like an update, but is actually malware, said the directorate. Working with an unnamed commercial ...