- A new phishing -campaign is targeting companies and individuals in over 50 countries
- Experts warn attackers hiding malicious links in pdfs using a never -seen veiling technique
- Use the best antivirus -software and activate advanced mobile threat defense solutions
PDF files, long considered a safe and reliable way of sharing documents, now becomes weapons by cyber criminals in a sophisticated phishing campaign aimed at mobile users.
New research from Zimperium’s Zlabs team claims that this new threat involves malicious PDFs delivered via SMS messages whose senders mimic the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Attackers use advanced techniques to hide malicious links within the files and utilize the trust users that users place in the format to steal sensitive data.
Why mobile users are vulnerable
This campaign is reportedly aimed at organizations and individuals in over 50 countries with over 20 malicious PDF files and 630 phishing sites identified so far.
Attacks begin when the victim clicks on the malicious link hidden in pdf; Normally, requests for personal information include names, addresses and credit card information.
Mobile devices are considered especially vulnerable to this type of attack because users on smaller screens have limited visibility in file content before opening them.
Malicious links in these PDFs are even more difficult to detect than usual because attackers do not use the default /URI mark to integrate links, enabling the malicious content to avoid detection of traditional endpoint security software.
“Although USPS has no involvement, cyber criminals are taking advantage of its trusted name for misleading and target users,” said Nico Chiaraviglio, Zimpium Zlabs’ Chief Scientist.
“This campaign shows the growing sophistication and continued increase in misthing attacks, emphasizing the need for proactive mobile security measures,” he added.
How to protect yourself
One of the most effective ways of staying in front of this type of attack is to verify the sender’s details and the metadata of any affiliation you open; Even more important measures to be taken as business E -email attacks become a greater threat than ever to businesses.
You may also want to avoid clicking links embedded in PDFS or SMS messages. Instead, navigate directly to the official site or use the organization’s mobile app.
To remain secure against malware on mobile devices, make sure you are using the best Android antivirus or best iPhone antivirus software.
