Beware of the Windows MSHTML Spoofing Vulnerability: A Stealthy Threat

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, threat actors are constantly finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities. Recently, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a warning about a Windows flaw that allowed attackers to hide their malicious intent behind innocent-looking files. Let’s dive into the details.


The Windows MSHTML Spoofing Vulnerability (CVE-2024-43461)

  1. What Is It?
    • The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-43461, was dubbed the “Windows MSHTML spoofing vulnerability.”
    • It allowed threat actors to manipulate file extensions, making malicious files appear harmless to users.
  2. How Was It Exploited?
    • The hacking group Void Banshee leveraged this flaw to deploy an infostealer called Atlantida.
    • Here’s their clever approach:
      • They created a malicious HTML Application (.HTA) file. Unlike regular web pages, .HTA files run with elevated privileges, similar to desktop applications.
      • They added encoded braille whitespace characters to the file’s name, effectively hiding the true file type from users.
      • When victims opened the file, thinking it was a harmless PDF, the Atlantida infostealer silently installed itself, collecting sensitive data and login information.
  3. Delivery Mechanism: Weaponized Shortcut Files
    • The attackers used weaponized shortcut files (.URL) to deliver the .HTA file to victims’ devices.
    • These shortcuts, when clicked, would call the retired Internet Explorer (IE) to visit an attacker-controlled URL.
    • Social engineering or phishing likely played a role in distributing these malicious files.
  4. Patch and Mitigation:
    • Microsoft promptly addressed this vulnerability in a recent Patch Tuesday cumulative update.
    • Now, when users open an .HTA file, the actual file type won’t remain hidden. However, the braille whitespace characters might still confuse some people.
IE and a promote window dialog appear when the victim double-clicks on the .url file | Image: Check Point

Conclusion

Stay vigilant! Regularly update your systems, be cautious when opening files, and educate your users about potential threats. Cybersecurity is a collective effort, and awareness is our best defense.


Data Sources:

CISA: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2024-43461

CVE Record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-43461

NIST: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-43461

MSRC: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-43461

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