Microsoft Disables MSIX App Installer Protocol Extensively Utilized in Malware Assaults

Dec 29, 2023 NewsroomMalware / Endpoint Safety
Microsoft on Thursday stated it is usually disabling the ms-appinstaller protocol handler by way of default following assaults by way of a couple of attackers to distribute malware. “Risk process has been seen exploiting the present implementation of the ms-appinstaller protocol handler so as to get admission to malware that can result in ransomware distribution,” the Microsoft Risk Intelligence crew stated. It additionally stated that a number of cybercriminals are providing malware this is bought as a provider that makes use of MSIX information and the ms-appinstaller protocol handler. This replace takes impact in App Installer model 1.21.3421.0 or later. Those assaults take the type of MSIX malware printed by way of Microsoft Groups or malicious commercials for standard device on search engines like google like Google. BEST WEBINAR From USER to ADMIN: Be informed How Hackers Acquire Complete Keep watch over Uncover the name of the game methods hackers use to turn out to be admins, tips on how to spot them and forestall them prior to it's too past due. Join our webinar these days. Sign up for Now No less than 4 other monetary passion teams had been observed exploiting the App Installer provider since mid-November 2023, the use of it as an access level to trace other people's actions – Typhoon-0569, the originator of the get admission to. which spreads BATLOADER via search engine marketing (search engine optimization) poisoning and malicious internet sites Zoom, Tableau, TeamViewer, and AnyDesk, and makes use of malware to ship Cobalt Strike and supply get admission to to Typhoon-0506 within the deployment of Black Basta ransomware. Typhoon-1113, the primary dealer that makes use of faux MSIX installers looks as if Zoom to distribute EugenLoader (aka FakeBat), which acts as an access level for quite a lot of forms of malware and faraway get admission to Trojans. Sangria Tempest (aka Carbon Spider and FIN7), who makes use of Typhoon-1113's EugenLoader to take down Carbanak himself, releases an implant known as Gracewire. On the other hand, the gang has depended on Google commercials to trap customers into downloading malicious MSIX applications from fraudulent internet sites to distribute POWERTRASH, which is used to obtain NetSupport RAT and Gracewire. Typhoon-1674, an get admission to attacker that sends faux internet sites that appear to be Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint via Groups messages the use of the TeamsPhisher software, encouraging recipients to open PDF information that, when clicked, activates them to replace their Adobe Acrobat Reader to obtain this system dangerous. MSIX installers with SectopRAT or DarkGate payloads. Microsoft described Typhoon-1113 as a bunch that still works “as-usage,” by way of providing malicious installations and touchdown pages that mimic standard malware systems corresponding to Sangria Tempest and Typhoon-1674.

In October 2023, Elastic Safety Labs reported every other marketing campaign wherein MSIX Home windows secret information for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Courageous, Grammarly, and Cisco Webex have been used to distribute malware known as GOSPULSE. This isn’t the primary time that Microsoft has disabled the MSIX ms-appinstaller protocol handler in Home windows. In February 2022, the tech large did the similar to forestall attackers from the use of Emotet, TrickBot, and Bazaloader. “Attackers will have selected the ms-appinstaller protocol handler vector as a result of it might bypass measures that assist offer protection to customers from malware, corresponding to Microsoft Defender SmartScreen and browser warnings which can be set to obtain executable information,” Microsoft stated.

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Author: OpenAI