Shortcut zero-day attack code goes public

If you’ve been following Chet Wisniewski’s articles over the last few days you will already know about the serious zero-day vulnerability that has been found in versions of Windows.

Since confirmed by Microsoft, there exists a vulnerability in versions of Windows which allows a maliciously-crafted Windows shortcut file (.lnk) run a malicious DLL file, simply by being viewed on a USB stick.

Furthermore, the attack can be initiated automatically by viewing an affected USB storage device via Windows Explorer, even with AutoRun and AutoPlay are disabled. The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) says that the security hole can also be remotely exploited via WebDAV and network shares.

You can watch the following…

Read more in my article on the Naked Security website.

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Graham Cluley •   @gcluley

Graham Cluley is a veteran of the cybersecurity industry, having worked for a number of security companies since the early 1990s when he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows. Now an independent analyst, he regularly makes media appearances and is an international public speaker on the topic of cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. Follow him on Twitter, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, or drop him an email.