Security News > 2024 > March > Hackers abuse Windows SmartScreen flaw to drop DarkGate malware
A new wave of attacks by the DarkGate malware operation exploits a now-fixed Windows Defender SmartScreen vulnerability to bypass security checks and automatically install fake software installers.
The flaw tracked as CVE-2024-21412 is a Windows Defender SmartScreen flaw that allows specially crafted downloaded files to bypass these security warnings.
Microsoft fixed the flaw in mid-February, with Trend Micro disclosing that the financially motivated Water Hydra hacking group previously exploited it as a zero-day to drop their DarkMe malware onto traders' systems.
Upon execution of the MSI installer, another DLL sideloading flaw involving the "Libcef.dll" file and a loader named "Sqlite3.dll" will decrypt and execute the DarkGate malware payload on the system.
Hackers used new Windows Defender zero-day to drop DarkMe malware.
Windows SmartScreen flaw exploited to drop Phemedrone malware.
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Related Vulnerability
| DATE | CVE | VULNERABILITY TITLE | RISK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-13 | CVE-2024-21412 | Unspecified vulnerability in Microsoft products Internet Shortcut Files Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability | 8.1 |