Subj : Microsoft Office security scams are on the rise - here's what you
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Thu Jul 20 2023 12:00:04

Microsoft Office security scams are on the rise - here's what you need to know

Date:
Thu, 20 Jul 2023 10:47:50 +0000

Description:
Old Microsoft Office vulnerabilities continue to be fruitful for attackers 
simply because users arent applying security fixes.

FULL STORY
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Kaspersky has identified a number of recent cases of threat actors exploiting 
a years-old Microsoft Office vulnerability, targeting both individuals and 
companies alike. 

According to the researchers, 11,394 users had encountered attacks leveraging 
the CVE-2017-11882 vulnerability during the second quarter of 2023, an 
increase of 483% compared with the three months before during which there 
were 1,954 cases. 

Despite transitioning to a largely subscription-based model several years 
ago, Kaspersky acknowledges that older versions of Microsoft office software 
remain popular, urging users to stay on top of their cybersecurity. Attackers 
exploiting old Office vulnerability 

The now-patched issue affects Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3, Microsoft 
Office 2010 Service Pack 2, Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1, and 
Microsoft Office 2016. Kaspersky says: 

This vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the equation editor in 
Microsoft Office documents, enabling them to execute malicious code on the 
targeted device. Read more 

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fixes 

In essence, an attacker is able to install malware onto a victims device 
without them knowing. 

While interest in that vulnerability in particular have spiked in recent 
months, attackers continue to exploit old vulnerabilities across the board. 
More than 130,000 attacked users have been tracked in relation to 
CVE-2018-0802. 

CVE-2010-2568, CVE-2017-0199, and CVE-2011-0105 have also proven popular 
among attackers, each accounting for thousands of attacks. 

Kaspersky Malware Analyst Team Lead Alexander Kolesnikov said: Attackers have 
indeed started using this exploit again, stressing the fact that It is no 
less important to install software updates and patches on time. 

In fact, that is the companys first recommendation for those looking to 
reduce their risk of attack. More generally, users are being advised to check 
for mistakes and irregularities in URLs and other message content and to use 
suitable endpoint protection software . Give your machine a cybersecurity 
boost with the best firewalls and the best malware removal



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/microsoft-office-security-scams-are-on-the-rise-
heres-what-you-need-to-know


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