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A new vulnerability found in Microsoft Internet Explorer affects Internet Explorer version 8.  The vulnerability allows attackers to execute code on a machine by just having the user visit a malicious website. This can happen, for example, when the user is tricked into clicking a link in an email or via compromised legitimate websites such as the recently compromised Department of Labor website which was subsequently used in a water-hole attack. Malicious payloads delivered from this compromise were confirmed by Microsoft to exploit the new vulnerability, designated CVE-2013-1347.

This blog describes briefly what WebShells are, and how attackers can use WebShells to gain powerful shell level/system level access to a server. WebShells have been used in attacks for quite a long time now, but with changes in attack trends, cyber criminals are getting more sophisticated with deployment techniques and methods to circumvent detection. With the help of our Websense® ThreatSeeker® Intelligence Cloud, we came across a few examples in which attackers have used different techniques.  These are elaborated on further in this blog.

Many mass compromises are accomplished in an automated fashion: vulnerabilities are enumerated, and after one is found, exploits are automatically deployed. The takeover process usually involves downloading a remote administration tool for the compromised website. One common tool deployed by attackers once they compromise a website is a WebShell.

Whilst the world recoils in shock at the atrocious events at Monday's Boston Marathon, cyber-criminals are actively seeking to exploit people's thirst for information and eagerness to help those affected by the attacks.

The Websense ThreatSeeker® Network is currently detecting and blocking multiple email-borne campaigns that attempt to lure unsuspecting recipients to malicious websites in order to exploit their machines for criminal gains.

Let's follow this campaign through the 7 Stages of Advanced Threats (as explained in our whitepaper) to see how cyber-criminals attempt to dupe and compromise users and their machines. We'll also show that breaking any one link in the chain can protect potential victims.

Websense® Security Labs™ got an alert from Websense ThreatSeeker® Network just one hour ago. The ThreatSeeker Network has detected that a DNS poisoning attack is happening in Kenya, with local big name websites in information technology targeted including Google, Bing, and LinkedIn. Although it is just a defaced page, it could easily be replaced with a malicious page by the attackers.