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Malspam 2016-09-09 (.wsf in .zip) - campaign: "Documents Requested"

Low
Published: Fri Sep 09 2016 (09/09/2016, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CIRCL
Vendor/Project: tlp
Product: white

Description

Malspam 2016-09-09 (.wsf in .zip) - campaign: "Documents Requested"

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/02/2025, 19:27:16 UTC

Technical Analysis

The provided information describes a malspam campaign dated September 9, 2016, identified as "Documents Requested," which distributes malicious scripts packaged as .wsf files inside .zip archives. Malspam campaigns typically use unsolicited emails to deliver malware payloads by enticing recipients to open attachments or click links. In this case, the threat involves a Windows Script File (.wsf), a file format that can contain scripts written in VBScript or JScript, capable of executing arbitrary code on the victim's machine when run. The use of .zip archives is a common evasion technique to bypass email filters and reduce suspicion. Although the campaign is dated and classified with a low severity and threat level 3, the lack of detailed technical indicators or specific malware family information limits the depth of analysis. There is no evidence of known exploits in the wild or patches related to this campaign. The campaign's objective is likely to compromise systems by tricking users into executing the malicious script, potentially leading to malware infection, data theft, or further network compromise. The absence of affected versions or CWE identifiers suggests this is a generic malware delivery method rather than a vulnerability exploitation. Overall, this threat represents a typical phishing/malspam vector leveraging social engineering and script-based payloads to infect targets.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of this malspam campaign is primarily related to the risk of initial compromise through user interaction. If a user opens the malicious .wsf file, the malware could execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within the network. However, given the low severity rating and the age of the campaign, the direct impact today is likely minimal unless similar tactics are still in use or variants have evolved. Organizations with less mature email filtering or user awareness programs may be more vulnerable. The campaign's reliance on social engineering means that sectors with high volumes of document exchange, such as legal, finance, or government entities, could be targeted. Additionally, the use of .wsf files may be less effective against organizations that have disabled script execution or implemented application whitelisting. Overall, the threat underscores the ongoing need for vigilance against malspam and the importance of user education in Europe.

Mitigation Recommendations

To mitigate this threat effectively, European organizations should implement multi-layered defenses beyond generic advice: 1) Enhance email filtering to detect and quarantine suspicious attachments, especially compressed archives containing script files like .wsf. 2) Configure endpoint protection to block or alert on execution of script files from email attachments or temporary directories. 3) Enforce application control policies that restrict execution of Windows Script Host files unless explicitly required for business processes. 4) Conduct targeted user awareness training focusing on recognizing malspam campaigns and the risks of opening unexpected attachments, particularly those with uncommon file extensions. 5) Implement network segmentation to limit the spread of malware if a compromise occurs. 6) Regularly review and update incident response plans to include malspam scenarios. 7) Monitor email gateways and endpoints for indicators of compromise related to script-based malware. These measures, combined with timely patching of operating systems and applications, will reduce the risk posed by similar malspam campaigns.

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Technical Details

Threat Level
3
Analysis
0
Original Timestamp
1473435763

Threat ID: 682acdbdbbaf20d303f0b7f6

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

Last enriched: 7/2/2025, 7:27:16 PM

Last updated: 7/27/2025, 12:07:42 AM

Views: 10

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