LinkedIn is plagued with a massive problem on its platform, especially as threat actors have introduced a new way to bait people into opening the "more_egg" malware that could potentially damage or steal information. The act on LinkedIn is referred to as "spearfishing," and it involves a targeted tactic that preys over the massive case of unemployment in the country.
Job hunters would most likely open a link to an enticing job offer from companies or professionals from LinkedIn. It cannot be avoided as the platform is known to offer jobs directly from a user's post. While not all job applications are malware, there were several reports that different listings within the website were discovered to have viruses.
Kaspersky regards spearfishing as the selective and target-specific attack method, which allows hackers or threat actors to select or have a preferred group of people to terrorize, which have a high likelihood of engaging. There are different spearfishing methods in the online world, and it may come as an e-mail or a website that offers goods.
LinkedIn More_Egg Malware Attack
According to a cybersecurity group called eSentire, hackers are now looming over LinkedIn, with no real or known intention as to why they have been attacking people over the previous months. The cybersecurity group said that these threat actors might be seeking information or personal data to steal identity and sensitive information like bank details and the like or gain control over their computers.
eSentire regarded that as the job seeker opens the link, it could unravel secretly on Windows. It runs a normal process on the Microsoft operating system, which the anti-virus systems may not detect. eSentire's Senior Director of the Threat and Response Unit (TRU), Rob Mcleod, regarded that it is a more weaponized approach. It can surely gain the attention of an unemployed person seeking an opportunity.
What is more alarming is that the spearfishing attack can effectively spread out among the community and that it already had been released several months ago, and the intentions behind it remain unknown to experts. The threat actors can attack anytime, giving no warnings to the users that the data and computers are already subjected to a malware attack.
More_Egg Comes After Golden Chicken Malware?
The metaphor of the "Chicken or the Egg" has dawned on LinkedIn, as it was discovered earlier that another malware named "Golden Chicken" was widespread in the platform, focusing more on phishing attacks. Phishing is a different method of attack from Spearfishing, especially as the former is more of a general act of getting log-in credentials.
It is alarming that malware was discovered after another, and it preys upon the massive number of people who are part of the growing unemployment rate in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Threat actors have taken advantage of the "hunt" to secure a job in these trying times, and it is likely to gather victims as people search for livelihood.
Related Article: 'The Great Suspender' Extension Alternatives: 5 Malware-Free Chrome Extensions!
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Isaiah Alonzo
