This crafty email scam smuggles malware behind .zipx files compression
Researchers have identified a new email scam that applies a number of crafty techniques to bypass security filters and infect victims with malware.
As described in a blog post from security firm Trustwave, cybercriminals are abusing file compression techniques to smuggle NanoCore malware into inboxes.
By concealing the malicious executable within a .zipx file, the scam operators improve their chances of circumventing security protections. The .zipx file is also dressed up as a PDF, complete with an Adobe Acrobat icon, in a bid to trick the victim into opening the attachment without thinking twice.
Once the .zipx file is unpacked by the recipient, using archive utilities WinRAR or 7zip (interestingly, WinZip fails to extract the executable), the remote access trojan (RAT) infects the device and relays any stolen data to command and control servers.
.zipx email scam
Although the scammers have gone to extreme lengths to conceal the malicious email attachment, the rest of the scam lacks the same level of sophistication.
The sender poses as a purchasing manager in urgent need of services, presumably in an attempt to prey on businesses struggling to survive under the strain of the pandemic. However, the email itself has all the hallmarks of malspam.
There are multiple errors of spelling and grammar, the sentence structure is awkward and the message is addressed to “Sir/Madam” as opposed to a specific recipient. As with many phishing and malspam campaigns, the opportunity offered up by the sender is also too good to be true.
In other words, the email gives the recipient every opportunity to identify the message as a fake.
As ever, to protect against email-based attacks of this kind, users are advised never to download unsolicited attachments from unknown sources, to scrutinize emails for errors that might betray a scam and to protect their machines with a leading antivirus solution.
Researchers have identified a new email scam that applies a number of crafty techniques to bypass security filters and infect victims with malware. As described in a blog post from security firm Trustwave, cybercriminals are abusing file compression techniques to smuggle NanoCore malware into inboxes. By concealing the malicious executable…
Recent Posts
- OpenAI is working on a new tool to help you spot AI-generated images and protect you from deep fakes
- A new iPhone shortcut replicates Android’s best new feature
- Stack Overflow is feeding programmers’ answers to AI, whether they like it or not
- US announces further crackdown on firms selling technology to Huawei
- Why organizations should revisit security responsibilities
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011