Attackers are increasingly exploiting Windows shortcut (LNK) files for malware delivery. Palo Alto Unit 42 telemetry revealed 21,098 malicious LNK samples in 2023, which surged to 68,392 in 2024.
In this article, Unit 42 researchers present an in-depth investigation of LNK malware, based on analysis of 30,000 recent samples. Windows shortcut files use the .lnk file extension and function as a virtual link that allows people to easily access other files without having to navigate through multiple folders on a Windows host. The flexibility of LNK files makes them a powerful tool for attackers, as they can both execute malicious content and masquerade as legitimate files to deceive victims into unintentionally launching malware.
Read more…
Source: Palo Alto Unit 42
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest news and insights delivered right to your inbox.
Related:
- Hackers Can Steal Your Tesla by Creating Their Own Personal Keys
June 9, 2022
Last year, Tesla issued an update that made its vehicles easier to start after being unlocked with their NFC key cards. Now, a researcher has shown how the feature can be exploited to steal cars. For years, drivers who used their Tesla NFC key card to unlock their cars had to place the card on the ...
- LockBit 2.0: How This RaaS Operates and How to Protect Against It
June 9, 2022
LockBit 2.0 is ransomware as a service (RaaS) that first emerged in June 2021 as an upgrade to its predecessor LockBit (aka ABCD Ransomware), which was first observed in September 2019. Since its inception, the LockBit 2.0 RaaS attracted affiliates via recruitment campaigns in underground forums, and thus became particularly prolific during the third quarter of ...
- CISA Adds Three Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog
June 9, 2022
CISA has added three new vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, based on evidence of active exploitation. These types of vulnerabilities are a frequent attack vector for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risk to the federal enterprise. Note: to view the newly added vulnerabilities in the catalog, click on the arrow in the ...
- New Linux malware is ‘almost impossible’ to detect
June 9, 2022
A joint research effort has led to the discovery of Symbiote, a new form of Linux malware that is “almost impossible” to detect. On Thursday, researchers from BlackBerry Threat Research & Intelligence team, together with Intezer security researcher Joakim Kennedy, published a blog post on the malware – dubbed Symbiote because of its “parasitic nature.” The team ...
- Facebook phishing campaign nets millions in IDs and cash
June 9, 2022
An ongoing phishing campaign targeting Facebook users may have already netted hundreds of millions of credentials and a claimed $59 million, and it’s only getting bigger. Identified by security researchers at phishing prevention company Pixm in late 2021, the campaign has only been running since the final quarter of last year, but has already proven incredibly ...
- CISA Adds 36 Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog
June 8, 2022
CISA has added 36 new vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, based on evidence of active exploitation. These types of vulnerabilities are a frequent attack vector for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risk to the federal enterprise. Note: to view the newly added vulnerabilities in the catalog, click on the arrow in the ...