The world is steadily moving away from legacy software applications and operating systems, such as Internet Explorer, yet the web browser and its vulnerabilities remain a favored target for malicious actors deploying tactics and tools to exploit known security issues and gaining access to user’s data. Unpatched or otherwise neglected Internet Explorer software is leaving users open to cybercriminals leveraging many exploit kits, allowing them to extort victims out of malware, thus creating havoc online.
The notorious Blackhole exploit kit is still one of the most successful malware tools using Internet Explorer (IE) vulnerabilities to infect targeted systems and spread malware, despite being relatively outdated in the criminal world. According to security researchers, cybercriminals have been manipulating legacy software systems in order to gain entry into user’s systems and steal data for years and new evasion techniques are still emerging.
At the core of IE’s vulnerability is its ActiveX controls, which is a scripting language used by Microsoft browsers and makes it easier to run specific processes from websites or applications. ActiveX controls are extremely efficient when it comes to give webpages interactive capabilities and makes them more dynamic. Yet this same advantage quickly turns into a disadvantage, as criminals often target the ActiveX controls making them the ideal vehicle to spread malicious code.
In truth, Blackhole is only a small part of the malware threat facing IE users, as there are a myriad of other malwares, exploit kits and attack vectors which are employed by cybercriminals to target the same vulnerable software.
To counter this threat, users should practice basic safety measures such as keeping their computers patched, running reliable anti-virus and firewall software, and never clicking on links or downloading files on suspicious websites. It is also important to remind users to remain vigilant about social engineering scams and cybercriminal campaigns which often make use of deceptive tactics, such as fake emails, phishing scams, and malicious ads, to lure victims into clicking on malicious links and downloading files.
Although many users have shifted to more secure browsers, it is important to remember that vulnerabilities in IE still exist, making users of the browser particularly vulnerable to attack. By taking precautionary measures and making sure that their Internet Explorer is updated, users are more likely to remain protected from cybercriminals intent on exploiting the software program’s vulnerabilities.
