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2017-05-16 Malspam Emailing:#####.pdf.pdf

Low
Published: Wed May 17 2017 (05/17/2017, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CIRCL
Vendor/Project: tlp
Product: white

Description

2017-05-16 Malspam Emailing:#####.pdf.pdf

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/02/2025, 16:40:36 UTC

Technical Analysis

The provided information describes a malware threat identified as a malspam campaign distributing emails with attachments named in the pattern "#####.pdf.pdf". This campaign was active around May 16, 2017, and is linked to the ransomware family known as "Jaff". Jaff ransomware is known to encrypt victims' files and demand ransom payments for decryption keys. The malspam emails typically contain malicious PDF attachments or links that, when opened, execute the ransomware payload. Although the exact infection vector or exploit details are not provided, the use of double extensions (".pdf.pdf") is a common social engineering tactic to trick users into opening malicious files. The threat level is indicated as low, with no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting, and no specific affected software versions listed. The lack of patch information and CWE identifiers suggests this is primarily a malware distribution campaign rather than a vulnerability exploitation. The ransomware's impact is primarily on data confidentiality and availability, as it encrypts files and demands ransom, potentially causing operational disruption.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of this threat could vary depending on the effectiveness of their email security controls and user awareness. Successful infections could lead to data encryption, resulting in loss of access to critical files and potential operational downtime. This can affect confidentiality and availability of data, with possible financial losses due to ransom payments or recovery costs. Sectors with high reliance on data availability, such as healthcare, finance, and critical infrastructure, could face significant disruption. However, since the threat level is low and no active exploits were reported, the immediate risk is limited. Nonetheless, organizations with insufficient email filtering or outdated endpoint protection could be vulnerable to infection through user interaction with malicious attachments.

Mitigation Recommendations

European organizations should implement advanced email filtering solutions that detect and block suspicious attachments, especially those with double extensions or unusual naming patterns. User training and awareness campaigns should emphasize the risks of opening unexpected email attachments, particularly PDFs with suspicious file names. Endpoint protection platforms should be kept up to date with the latest signatures and behavioral detection capabilities to identify ransomware activity. Network segmentation and regular offline backups are critical to limit ransomware spread and enable recovery without paying ransom. Organizations should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to Jaff ransomware and maintain incident response plans tailored to ransomware scenarios. Since no patches are available, focus should be on prevention, detection, and response.

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Technical Details

Threat Level
3
Analysis
1
Original Timestamp
1495010579

Threat ID: 682acdbdbbaf20d303f0ba62

Added to database: 5/19/2025, 6:20:45 AM

Last enriched: 7/2/2025, 4:40:36 PM

Last updated: 8/14/2025, 6:26:01 AM

Views: 16

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