Covert Email Attack Utilizing Keyloggers Posed Threat

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, a new threat has emerged that underscores the importance of keeping systems up-to-date. The Snake Keylogger attack, a modular and resilient malware, is exploiting unpatched systems, leading to dangerous network breaches.

This malware, which records keystrokes, captures screenshots, and extracts data from the clipboard, has been causing concern among security experts. According to Verizon's Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), there are four main pathways for cyber attacks: known credentials, successful phishing, exploitation of vulnerabilities, and botnets. The Snake Keylogger attack falls under the exploitation of vulnerabilities category.

The attack process is well-choreographed, often starting with an email with an enticing subject line and a PDF attachment. Upon opening the attachment, a user is prompted to open an embedded DOCX file containing a macro that downloads and executes the malware.

The success of the Snake Keylogger attack is not surprising, as it exploits a security vulnerability (CVE-2017-11882) that was supposedly patched in November 2017 but many operating systems still seem to be unpatched. This vulnerability, a remote code execution error in the formula editor, allows the malware to infiltrate systems.

Email security is crucial due to its status as the number one attack vector for data breaches. However, certain email security threats can bypass traditional sandbox detection, potentially impacting productivity. This is where the Zero-Trust security approach comes into play.

The Zero-Trust security approach treats all attached files as potentially malicious and cleans them in real-time using methods such as file disinfection. Solutions like MetaDefender E-Mail Gateway Security can comprehensively secure the email attack vector, integrating into the email data stream and analyzing attachments, content, and integrated hyperlinks using the Anti-Malware Multiscanner, file disinfection, and DLP functions.

However, conventional email security and antivirus solutions can barely prevent zero-day attacks because there are no signatures to recognise them. This is where AI-driven cybersecurity tools, such as AI-supported intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) and AI-powered security information and event management (SIEM) systems, come into play. These tools can scan and clean attachments like the Snake Keylogger without impairing file functionality.

Despite these advancements, zero-day malware, such as the Snake Keylogger attack, remain an everyday and very serious residual risk in cyber defense. It is crucial for organisations to stay vigilant and ensure their systems are up-to-date to protect against such threats.