Threats Tagged 'lnk file'

In May and June 2026, the Clubfoot Wolf cluster executed a large-scale phishing campaign targeting Russian organizations across manufacturing, retail, e-commerce, agriculture, IT, transportation, healthcare, and science sectors, with primary focus on wholesale distributors of chemical products. Several Belarusian organizations were also compromised. The adversary sent phishing emails disguised as invoices or purchase requests, containing ZIP archives with decoy documents and malicious LNK files. Upon execution, a PowerShell script downloaded and installed NetSupport Manager, a legitimate remote administration tool, which was then used for malicious activities. The attackers employed URL shorteners to hide infrastructure and used multiple decoy files to build victim trust. The campaign demonstrated continuous evolution in delivery methods and infection chains.

MediumMalwareBelarusRussia#lnk file#chemical industry#powershell loader

In March 2026, a China-nexus threat actor launched a sophisticated campaign targeting countries in the Arabian Gulf region, exploiting renewed Middle East conflict themes within 24 hours of escalation. The attack utilized Arabic-language lures depicting missile strikes and employed a multi-stage infection chain beginning with weaponized ZIP archives containing malicious LNK and CHM files. The campaign deployed a heavily obfuscated PlugX backdoor variant through DLL sideloading, with components using control flow flattening and mixed boolean arithmetic techniques. The backdoor supports HTTPS command-and-control communications, DNS-over-HTTPS resolution, and multiple plugins for system manipulation. Based on tools, techniques, and procedures including specific RC4 decryption keys and rapid geopolitical weaponization, the activity is attributed with medium confidence to Mustang Panda.

MediumMalwareBahrainKuwaitOman+3#china-nexus#destroyrat#arabian gulf

This analysis details how threat actors are exploiting Windows File Explorer's WebDAV functionality to deliver malware. WebDAV, a legacy protocol, is being used to trick users into downloading malicious files without going through web browsers, potentially bypassing security controls. Campaigns often use complex chains of scripts and legitimate files to deliver Remote Access Trojans (RATs). The tactic has been observed since February 2024, with increased activity from September 2024. Threat actors frequently abuse Cloudflare Tunnel demo accounts to host WebDAV servers. The report explains WebDAV links, how File Explorer can be manipulated, and various methods used by attackers, including URL shortcut files and LNK files. It also highlights the prevalence of German and English language campaigns targeting European corporate email accounts.

MediumMalwareGermanyUnited KingdomFrance+5#malware delivery#remote access trojan#xworm rat

SORVEPOTEL has been observed to spread across Windows systems through convincing phishing messages with malicious ZIP file attachments. Interestingly, the phishing message that contains the malicious file attachment requires users to open it on a desktop, suggesting that threat actors might be more interested in targeting enterprises rather than consumers. Once opened, the malware automatically propagates via WhatsApp Web, causing infected accounts to be banned due to excessive spam activity.

MediumMalwareBrazilUnited KingdomGermany+4#malware#phishing#whatsapp

This report details a multi-stage malware campaign delivering the REMCOS backdoor via a malicious Windows LNK shortcut file. The attack begins with social engineering, leveraging PowerShell for initial execution and deploys a persistent backdoor capable of full system compromise. The infection chain involves file download, Base64 decoding, and execution of a malicious PIF file masquerading as a Chrome-related program. The LNK file contains a PowerShell command that downloads and executes a payload, which is then decoded and run as CHROME.PIF. This file is identified as the REMCOS backdoor, capable of various malicious activities including keylogging, screen capture, and remote access. The attack utilizes multiple stages to evade detection and establish persistence on the victim's system.

MediumMalwareRomaniaGermanyFrance+4#base64 encoding#multi-stage attack#remcos