We’ve all seen it, those amazing job offers on Linkedin that slide into your DMs when you’re least expecting it. Maybe it’s a Talent Acquisition Partner from that big name you wanted to work for, or a cool coding challenge. This is great, right?
Well, no, not always: According to our specialist Lead Consultant, Seb Pana, it might be malware in disguise.
What’s going on?
Once opened, the payload infected the victim’s system. No fancy Zero-Days here… just good old social engineering with a sleek coat of corporate paint.
Incidents have also been highlighted on LinkedIn. Last month, Nik Sherbakov revealed that a verified account sent a coding challenge to a colleague. The code looked harmless, until it was run. A snippet then fetched external scripts and used eval() to execute malware.
That’s right, run this and watch your filesystem wave goodbye.
How do you stay safe?
Seb spoke to David Rushmer, former Global Director of Threat Research at Blackpoint Cyber & Blackberry Cylance, now CEO of Wireless Noise, who he had this to say on how you can stay safe:
There are a number of steps you can take to avoid, as best as possible, suspicious links, but it is also best to follow good practice on endpoints too. Make sure that you’re running an AV and that it’s up to date. Where possible, I would also run links through something like URL Haus or urlscan.io. You could even go as far as only opening them inside virtual machines.
Seb’s safer steps
- Don’t run code you didn’t write or don’t understand.
- Use URLHaus or urlscan.io to verify sketchy links.
- Use sandbox environments!
- Keep your endpoint protection up to date – your instinct isn’t enough.
- Beware of the urgency tactic! It’s a classic pressure play so you don’t look too closely.
Whether you’re a recruiter or candidate, the new wave of attacks is sophisticated. They’re not just typo-ridden scams, or a prince from a far away land promising you millions of dollars. They’re smart, manipulative and industrious. But… follow the checklist, be skeptical, and you can stay one step ahead.
Are you a candidate thinking about a new role or a business looking for a new candidate? Do it the safest way possible and contact Insignis today. Just click the button below and Seb or another of our expert team will be in touch to discuss which of our solutions is right for you!
