- Phishing -e -emails carrying pdf -attached files are increasing, reports of warnings
- Checkpoint highlights how hackers love PDFs for customization
- Social technical attacks using PDFs are also increasing
At least one of every five phishing -e emails has a .PDF attachment, says researchers who warn that the popular file format is increasingly used in social technical attacks.
A new report from Check Point Research claims that PDF-based attacks now account for 22% of all malicious email attached files, making them special with regard to companies that share large quantities of these files every day.
In previous years, many of the attacks were dependent on JavaScript or other dynamic content that is embedded in the files. Although this approach is still seen in nature, it has become less common as Javascript-based attacks tend to be “noisy” and easier to detect after security solutions.
E-mail is still one of the most popular attack vectors out there, with more than two-thirds (68%) of cyberattacks beginning this way.
Customizing the link
Today, cyber criminals are turning a simpler, more effective approach, says Check Point – Social Engineering.
Generally, the attacks do not differ much from your usual phishing –email. The PDF attachment would act as a starting cushion that often carries a link that would redirect a person to a malicious destination page or a website that hosts malware.
In this way, the malicious links are hidden from security filters and make sure the files are received directly to the inbox.
Furthermore, placing the link in a PDF -attackers fully control – they can change the text, image or any other aspect of the link, making it more reliable.
The files are often designed to mimic reliable brands such as Amazon, Docusign or Acrobat Reader.
“Although these attacks involve human interaction (the victim has to click on the link), this is often an advantage for attackers as sandboxes and automated detection systems are struggling with tasks that require human decision making,” concluded Check Point.
