Security News
New details have emerged about the recent Windows CVE-2021-40444 zero-day vulnerability, how it is being exploited in attacks, and the threat actor's ultimate goal of taking over corporate networks. This Internet Explorer MSHTML remote code execution vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2021-40444, was disclosed by Microsoft on Tuesday but with few details as it has not been patched yet.
The ActiveX code activates the Windows MSHTML component, used for viewing web pages, exploits a bug in it to give itself the same level of control that you yourself would have right from the Windows desktop, and uses it to implant malware of the attacker's choice. MSHTML isn't a full-on browser, like Internet Explorer or Edge, but is a part of the operating system that can be used to create browsers or browser-like applications that need or want to display HTML files.
Both Microsoft and federal cybersecurity officials are urging organizations to use mitigations to combat a zero-day remote control execution vulnerability in Windows that allows attackers to craft malicious Microsoft Office documents. Microsoft has not revealed much about the MSHTML bug, tracked as CVE-2021-40444, beyond that it is "Aware of targeted attacks that attempt to exploit this vulnerability by using specially-crafted Microsoft Office documents," according to an advisory released Tuesday.
Attackers are exploiting CVE-2021-40444, a zero-day remote code execution vulnerability in MSHTML, to compromise Windows/Office users in "a limited number of targeted attacks," Microsoft has warned on Tuesday. CVE-2021-40444 is a set of logical flaws that can be leveraged by remote, unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the target system.
Microsoft on Tuesday warned of an actively exploited zero-day flaw impacting Internet Explorer that's being used to hijack vulnerable Windows systems by leveraging weaponized Office documents. "Microsoft is investigating reports of a remote code execution vulnerability in MSHTML that affects Microsoft Windows. Microsoft is aware of targeted attacks that attempt to exploit this vulnerability by using specially-crafted Microsoft Office documents," the company said.
Incident responders and blue teams have a new tool called Chainsaw that speeds up searching through Windows event log records to identify threats. Windows event logs are a ledger of the system's activities, comprising details about applications and user logins.
A recent wave of spear-phishing campaigns leveraged weaponized Windows 11 Alpha-themed Word documents with Visual Basic macros to drop malicious payloads, including a JavaScript implant, against a point-of-sale service provider located in the U.S. The attacks, which are believed to have taken place between late June to late July 2021, have been attributed with "Moderate confidence" to a financially motivated threat actor dubbed FIN7, according to researchers from cybersecurity firm Anomali. "The group's goal appears to have been to deliver a variation of a JavaScript backdoor used by FIN7 since at least 2018.".
Windows 11 brings a redesigned user interface and an overhaul to the system sounds, including different sounds for Light Mode and Dark Mode. Unlike all previous versions of Windows, Microsoft also created different versions of the system sounds for Windows 11, depending on whether you are in Light Mode or Dark Mode.
Relying on a simple recipe that has proved successful time and time again, threat actors have deployed a malware campaign recently that used a Windows 11 theme to lure recipients into activating malicious code placed inside Microsoft Word documents. Security researchers believe that the adversary behind the campaign may be the FIN7 cybercrime group, also known as Carbanak and Navigator, that specializes in stealing payment card data.
Microsoft is turning a blind eye to a loophole that allows you to install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware but warns that your device may no longer receive security updates. These system requirements, including a TPM 2.0 processor and newer CPUs, leave many Windows 10 users unable to upgrade to Windows 11 without purchasing new hardware.