Hackers Using LinkedIn to Spread Malware

Attackers posing as recruiters on LinkedIn are conducting a social engineering scam using potential job openings as bait.

  • Bill Wootton

    Bill Wootton

    Chief Growth Officer

Looking for a job? Beware of fake recruiters.

Hackers are posing as recruiters, targeting and messaging people about potential job openings using LinkedIn’s direct messaging service.

Victims will receive a direct message with their professional title, as it appears on LinkedIn, as the subject line. These messages will either ask victims to click a link or download malicious attachments to view the job description.

These fake recruiters even have fake websites that impersonate real staffing agencies. But unlike real staffing agencies, they also host malicious payloads.

The malicious files will appear as a Word document that then attempts to download and execute the “More_eggs” payload. This will install malware on your computer, which can then compromise your data and technology functions.

According to Proofpoint, these campaigns are targeting US companies in various industries, including retail, entertainment, pharmacy, and others that use online shopping portals.

So if you get one of these recruiter messages, just be careful about what you are clicking and downloading. Only download from known sources, and be wary about the way they respond.

Happy hunting!

Meet the Author

Bill Wootton

Bill Wootton

Chief Growth Officer

Bill Wootton is a co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer of C3, a full-service IT provider that accelerates CMMC compliance by designing, implementing, and managing IT & cybersecurity solutions purpose-built for the U.S. Defense Industrial Base. Through its C3 Suite of CMMC Solutions, C3 delivers an expertly managed environment that brings together everything contractors require to confidently meet CMMC requirements. A graduate of Drexel University and Georgetown McDonough School of Business, Bill is passionate about bringing cyber awareness and maturity to the DIB, working with clients to help them achieve CMMC and NIST 800-171 compliance. Bill lives in Arlington with his partner Sharon and their dogs Brooks and Lemmy.