Computerworld

Critical Windows vuln. in .LNK files = Stuxnet (and IE IV)

Eeek! All versions of Microsoft Windows have a nasty shortcut-file vulnerability, it has emerged. Simply displaying the icon of a crafty .LNK file will cause malware infection. The Stuxnet worm has ...
Forbes

Microsoft Windows Cyberattack Warning — Do Not Open These Files

Beware these dangerous Windows LNK files. Update, June 9, 2025: This story, originally published on June 8, has been updated with a statement from Microsoft regarding the latest ongoing cyberattacks ...
InfoWorld

Watch out for this nasty zero-day exploit

Windows' dumb way of handling certain shortcut icons opens door to new rootkit exploit that can nail fully patched systems An antivirus company based in Belarus called VirusBlokAda claims that its ...
Bleeping Computer

Emotet malware now installs via PowerShell in Windows shortcut files

The Emotet botnet is now using Windows shortcut files (.LNK) containing PowerShell commands to infect victims computers, moving away from Microsoft Office macros that are now disabled by default. The ...
CSOonline

Windows shortcuts’ use as a vector for malware may be cut short

A third-party patch management company is cutting short attackers’ use of LNK files to smuggle in malicious commands, while Microsoft prefers to tell the whole story. A longstanding problem with the ...
Computerworld

Four new reasons why Windows LNK files cannot be trusted

The number of ways that Windows shortcut (.LNK) files can be abused just keeps growing: A cybersecurity researcher has documented four new techniques to trick Windows users into running malicious ...
Bleeping Computer

Malicious Windows 'LNK' attacks made easy with new Quantum builder

Malware researchers have noticed a new tool that helps cybercriminals build malicious .LNK files to deliver payloads for the initial stages of an attack. LNKs are Windows shortcut files that can ...
Dark Reading

Nation-State Groups Abuse Microsoft Windows Shortcut Exploit

State-sponsored APTs from North Korea, Iran, Russia, and China are targeting victims using a Windows shortcut file exploit, according to new research from Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI). In ...
CSOonline

Chinese hackers target Western diplomats using hard-to-patch Windows shortcut flaw

Chinese hackers have been spotted targeting European diplomats using a longstanding Windows shortcut vulnerability that’s been popular with threat groups as far back as 2017. According to security ...
CRN

Microsoft Launches 'Fix It' Tool For .LNK Flaw

Microsoft implemented the "Fix It" tool in an attempt to temporarily plug the security hole and prevent existing attacks that are already exploiting the vulnerability by disabling some icons from ...
CIOL

Sophos provides free tool against .LNK

BANGALORE, INDIA: IT security and control firm Sophos today released a free tool to protect against a Windows zero-day vulnerability that is being actively exploited to infect computers. The Sophos ...