MMPC – Computer Security Articles

Been shopping lately? Fake credit card email can spook you into downloading Cerber ransomware

January 23, 2017 admin Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, AppLocker Group Policy, Cerber, Device Guard, macro malware, Macro-based malware, malware, malware research, MMPC, ransomware, Social engineering, spam, Windows Defender

As the shopping sprees become increasingly frenetic during holiday season, it’s hard not to worry about how much credit card debt we’re piling. Some of us rely on email notifications from our banks to track the damage to our finances. So what happens when we suddenly get notified about charges for things we never bought?…

Microsoft Security

Don’t let this Black Friday/Cyber Monday spam deliver Locky ransomware to you

January 23, 2017 admin anti-malware, Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, JavaScript, JavaScript spam attachment, Locky, malware, MMPC, Nemucod, ransomware, research, spam, Windows Defender

We see it every year: social engineering attacks that take advantage of the online shopping activities around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, targeting customers of online retailers. This year, we’re seeing a spam campaign that Amazon customers need to be wary of. The fake emails pretend to be notifications from the online retailer that a purchase has…

Microsoft Security

No payment necessary: Fighting back against ransomware

January 23, 2017 admin Advanced persistent threats, antimalware, Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, Coordinated Malware Eradication, enterprise software security, malware research, microsoft, Microsoft Edge, MMPC, Product features and announcements, ransomware, research, Windows 10, Windows Defender, Windows Defender ATP, Windows Defender for Windows 10

Any IT professional who’s ever had an experience with malware knows how fast an intrusive attack can happen, and how difficult it can be to educate employees to be vigilant against such threats. And with ransomware attacks only growing, having information, tools and technologies to help protect your network can mean the difference between serious…

Microsoft Security

Fake fax ushers in revival of a ransomware family

January 23, 2017 admin antimalware, Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, Crimace, enterprise software security, fake fax, malware research, microsoft, Microsoft Edge, MMPC, Ransom:Win32/WinPlock.B, ransomware, research, spam, Trojan, TrojanDownloader:JS/Crimace.A, Windows 10, Windows Defender, Windows Defender for Windows 10, WinPlock

“Criminal case against you” is a message that may understandably cause panic. That’s what a recent spam campaign hopes happens, increasing the likelihood of recipients opening the malicious attachment. We recently discovered a new threat that uses email messages pretending to be fax messages, but in truth deliver a ransomware downloader. The attachment used in this…

Microsoft Security

Troldesh ransomware influenced by (the) Da Vinci code

January 23, 2017 admin Antimalware research for IT pros and enthusiasts, MMPC, ransomware, ransomware backup and recovery, ransomware da vinci code, ransomware mitigation, ransomware prevention, ransomware recovery, Trojan:Win32/Mexar.A, Win32/Troldesh, Windows 10, Windows update

We at the MMPC are constantly tracking new and emerging ransomware threats so we can be one step ahead of active campaigns and help protect our users. As part of these efforts, we recently came across a new variant of the Win32/Troldesh ransomware family. Ransomware, like most malware, is constantly trying to change itself in…

Microsoft Security

Digging deep for PLATINUM

January 23, 2017 admin Activity groups, Advanced persistent threats, advanced threat, enterprise software security, guidance, hunters, malware, malware research, Microsoft Security Essentials, MMPC, phishing, research, Uncategorized, Windows 10, Windows Defender, Windows Defender ATP, Windows Defender for Windows 10

This blog introduces our latest report from the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Hunting team. You can read the full report at: PLATINUM: Targeted attacks in South and Southeast Asia There is no shortage of headlines about cybercriminals launching large-scale attacks against organizations. For us, the activity groups that pose the most danger are the ones…

Microsoft Security

Keeping Browsing Experience in Users’ Hands, an Update…

January 23, 2017 admin Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge policy, MMPC, Objective Criteria, safe browsing, Unwanted software

Since we published the Keeping Browsing Experience in Users’ Hands blog in December 2015, we’ve received feedback from the ecosystem and engaged in discussions with the industry. Based on those discussions and feedback, we are making a couple of updates. We are broadening the scope of the evaluation criteria we blogged about to state: Programs…