State-Sponsored Cyber Gangs Exploit .LNK Files: Microsoft Ignores Zero-Day Threat
Malicious .lnk files are the new Swiss Army knife for nation-state actors and cybercrime gangs, expertly wielded for espionage and data theft. Trend Micro’s ZDI unearthed 1,000 of these sneaky shortcuts, with North Korean groups leading the charge. Meanwhile, Microsoft remains blissfully unaware, leaving users to play a digital game of Minesweeper.
Hot Take:
Just when you thought you were safe from clicking on suspicious email attachments, along comes the sneaky .lnk file, proving that even the humble Windows shortcut can lead you down a path of cyber doom. Who knew that state-sponsored hackers would find their calling not in coding complex malware, but in creating the world’s most dangerous desktop icons? Microsoft, the ball’s in your court—time to patch things up!
Key Points:
- 11 state-sponsored APT groups are exploiting .lnk files for espionage and data theft.
- Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) uncovered 1,000 malicious .lnk files used in attacks.
- Vulnerability ZDI-CAN-25373 is being exploited, with a significant focus on espionage.
- Microsoft has been notified but has not addressed the zero-day vulnerability.
- North Korean APTs use oversized .lnk files to evade detection.