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Password-protected docs 2017-05-10 : Ursnif 2002 - "payment confirmation.ab1_c23def4lg56hi#78j.docx"

Low
Published: Wed May 10 2017 (05/10/2017, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CIRCL
Vendor/Project: tlp
Product: white

Description

Password-protected docs 2017-05-10 : Ursnif 2002 - "payment confirmation.ab1_c23def4lg56hi#78j.docx"

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 07/02/2025, 16:42:30 UTC

Technical Analysis

The provided information describes a low-severity botnet-related threat associated with Ursnif malware variants, specifically referenced as "Ursnif 2002" and linked to password-protected documents named in a pattern such as "payment confirmation.ab1_c23def4lg56hi#78j.docx". Ursnif is a well-known banking Trojan family that primarily targets Windows systems to steal sensitive financial information, credentials, and other personal data. The use of password-protected documents is a common tactic employed by threat actors to evade detection by antivirus and sandbox environments, as these documents require a password to open, thereby limiting automated analysis. The mention of "snifula" in the tags suggests a connection to a tool or technique used for network sniffing or data exfiltration, which aligns with Ursnif's behavior of capturing credentials and other sensitive data. The threat level is indicated as low, with no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication (2017-05-10). The absence of affected versions and patch links implies this is more an observed threat behavior or campaign rather than a vulnerability in a specific product. The technical details are limited, but the timestamp and threat level suggest this is a historical reference to a known Ursnif campaign using password-protected documents as a delivery mechanism.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of this threat primarily revolves around potential credential theft and subsequent unauthorized access to financial accounts or internal systems. Ursnif's capability to harvest banking credentials and other sensitive information can lead to financial fraud, identity theft, and compromise of corporate networks. The use of password-protected documents may reduce detection rates, increasing the likelihood of successful infection. Although the severity is low and no active exploits were reported at the time, organizations with employees who handle financial transactions or receive external documents are at risk of inadvertent infection. The impact can extend to operational disruption if compromised credentials are used for lateral movement or data exfiltration. Additionally, organizations in sectors such as finance, government, and critical infrastructure in Europe could face reputational damage and regulatory consequences if sensitive data is leaked or fraud occurs.

Mitigation Recommendations

To mitigate this threat effectively, European organizations should implement targeted controls beyond generic advice: 1) Deploy advanced email filtering solutions capable of detecting and quarantining password-protected attachments, especially those with suspicious naming conventions or from unknown senders. 2) Educate employees about the risks of opening password-protected documents from untrusted sources and establish clear policies for handling such files, including verification of sender identity. 3) Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools with behavioral analysis to identify and block Ursnif-related activities, such as credential dumping or network sniffing. 4) Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all critical systems and financial accounts to reduce the impact of stolen credentials. 5) Regularly update and patch all systems, even if no specific patches are linked to this threat, to minimize exposure to other vulnerabilities that could be exploited in conjunction. 6) Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound connections indicative of data exfiltration attempts. 7) Conduct phishing simulation exercises to improve user awareness and resilience against social engineering attacks.

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Technical Details

Threat Level
3
Analysis
1
Original Timestamp
1495107593

Threat ID: 682acdbdbbaf20d303f0ba45

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

Last enriched: 7/2/2025, 4:42:30 PM

Last updated: 8/13/2025, 3:30:12 PM

Views: 10

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