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This tiny Windows shortcut file is a bigger security threat than you think

Shortcuts (LNK files) in Windows are indicated by curved arrows. We often treat them as background noise and don't consider what they actually do beyond opening apps. In fact, there is a huge gap ...
Bleeping Computer

Emotet malware now installs via PowerShell in Windows shortcut files

The Emotet botnet is now using Windows shortcut files (.LNK) containing PowerShell commands to infect victims computers, moving away from Microsoft Office macros that are now disabled by default. The ...
CSOonline

Windows shortcuts’ use as a vector for malware may be cut short

A third-party patch management company is cutting short attackers’ use of LNK files to smuggle in malicious commands, while Microsoft prefers to tell the whole story. A longstanding problem with the ...
Ars Technica

Can someone analyze this MALWARE string?

Suspicious Activity: The obfuscation, especially with creating and executing a file in the %TMP% directory (a common place for malware), suggests this script could be part of a malicious payload. The ...
Computerworld

Windows shortcut files targeted by ransomware gang Global Group

When Microsoft patched a vulnerability last summer that allowed threat actors to use Windows’ shortcut (.lnk) files in exploits, defenders might have hoped use of this tactic would decline. They were ...
Bleeping Computer

Emotet malware infects users again after fixing broken installer

The Emotet malware phishing campaign is up and running again after the threat actors fixed a bug preventing people from becoming infected when they opened malicious email attachments. Emotet is a ...