Iran-linked hackers used Microsoft Word flaw against Israeli targets, security firm says
Hackers allegedly linked to the Iranian government launched a digital espionage operation this month against more than 250 different Israel-based targets by using a recently disclosed and widely exploited Microsoft Word vulnerability, cybersecurity experts tell CyberScoop. The hacking group, dubbed OilRig by security researchers and believed to be tied to Iranian intelligence services, utilized a software flaw in Word officially known as CVE-2017-0199 that allows attackers to execute a remote computer intrusion to take full control of a target device while leaving little or no trace, said Michael Gorelik, vice president of Israeli security firm Morphisec. Over the last month, Morphisec has investigated the incident on behalf of multiple victims. Clients showed forensic evidence on their respective networks that could be linked back to OilRig. After its disclosure in March, CVE-2017-0199 was quickly exploited by nation-states and cybercriminals alike. OilRig has been around since at least 2015, according to numerous security industry experts who have […]
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