Avoid malware spread via fake "Product Specification For Korean Market" emails
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of email is "Product Specification For Korean Market"?
After inspecting the "Product Specification For Korean Market" email, we learned that it is malspam. It is presented as an inquiry seeking materials for manufacturing. This scam email lures recipients into opening a malicious attachment designed to infect their systems with malware.
"Product Specification For Korean Market" email virus overview
The spam email with the subject "RE:Purchase Inquiry: KPC/PU-231(MECH)NBI/20-24" (may vary) introduces the sender as an importer of industry safety products. The recipient is queried about material for manufacturing, which is detailed in the attached product specification.
As mentioned in the introduction, the information in this email is false, and this mail is not associated with any legitimate companies or other entities.
The file attached to this letter – "Purchase Inquiry-0012.xls" (filename may vary) – is intended to infect devices with malware. This malicious Microsoft Excel file is disguised as a product specification document overlaid with instructions to enable editing (macro commands) to access the protected information. Once the document's macros are enabled, it executes the malware download/installation chain.
It is currently unknown what malicious program this file proliferates. To elaborate on the most common malware types, the attachment could spread ransomware – a virus type that encrypts files in order to demand payment for their decryption.
It could also be a trojan – this term encompasses programs with a variety of capabilities, e.g., causing chain infections, injecting malicious code into programs/processes, stealing files, extracting data, recording audio/video via microphones and cameras, keylogging (recording keystrokes), stealing/replacing clipboard content, and so on.
In summary, victims of scam mail like "Product Specification For Korean Market" can experience system infections, permanent data loss, serious privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft. The threats can be of even greater significance if the malware is leveraged against high-sensitive targets (such as critical service providers).
| Name | "Product Specification For Korean Market" malspam |
| Threat Type | Malspam, malicious spam, trojan, password-stealing virus, banking malware, spyware. |
| Fake Claim | Recipient is asked to review the attached product specification for a potential purchase order. |
| Attachment(s) | Purchase Inquiry-0012.xls (filename may vary) |
| Detection Names | Avast (Other:Malware-gen [Trj]), Combo Cleaner (Exploit.CVE-2017-0199.05.Gen), Emsisoft (Exploit.CVE-2017-0199.05.Gen (B)), Fortinet (MSExcel/CVE_2017_0199.DDOC!exploit), Symantec (Scr.Malcode!gen59), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | Trojans are designed to stealthily infiltrate the victim's computer and remain silent, and thus no particular symptoms are clearly visible on an infected machine. |
| Distribution methods | Infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements, social engineering, software 'cracks'. |
| Damage | Stolen passwords and banking information, identity theft, the victim's computer added to a botnet. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Malspam campaign examples
We have written about countless spam campaigns; "DHL Airfreight", "Price And Delivery Time", and "Compromise Of Your Digital Identity" are just a few of our newest articles on malware-spreading emails.
However, spam mail is also used to promote various scams, including phishing, sextortion, tech support, refund, inheritance, lottery, and so on.
While the commonly held belief that these emails are poorly written and riddled with grammatical/spelling errors is not untrue, it is not always the case. This mail can be competently crafted and even convincingly disguised as messages from genuine entities (e.g., companies, service providers, institutions, authorities, etc.). Therefore, we highly recommend being vigilant with incoming emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, and other messages.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam campaigns proliferate malware by distributing malicious files as attachments or download links. The "Product Specification For Korean Market" email we examined had an infectious Microsoft Excel document attached.
While it is enough for some files to merely be opened for the infection process to be triggered, others require additional user interaction. The latter is true of Microsoft Office documents (including Excel files), as they need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content).
Keep in mind that malware is spread through various formats, e.g., documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Incoming emails and other messages must be approached with caution. Attachments or links found in suspicious/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be harmful or virulent.
It must be mentioned that malware is not distributed exclusively through spam mail. Therefore, we recommend being careful while browsing since the Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content.
Another recommendation is to download only from official and trustworthy channels. Additionally, all programs must be activated and updated using genuine functions/tools, as illegal product activation ("cracking") tools and third-party updaters can contain malware.
It is paramount for device/user safety to have a dependable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. This software must be used to perform regular system scans and to remove detected threats and issues. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "Product Specification For Korean Market" email letter:
Subject: RE:Purchase Inquiry: KPC/PU-231(MECH)NBI/20-24
Good day.
This is Yonhee kim from Dainnuri Co., Ltd in Korea.
We are the importer of industry safety products.
I am contacting you because I am looking for material as per attached Product Specification for Korean market.
Please see enclosed specification.
If you can produce it, I am happy to discuss with you.
Thank you & best regards,
Yonhee.
김연희 드림 (대리)
YONHEE KIM (International Trade Dept.)
Dainnuri Co., Ltd.
Address: 76-45, Bukhang-ro, Seo-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea (post code 22853)
Mobile +82-10-5358-2409
WeChat ID : yonheekim
Office direct +82 70 7858 8894
Tel +82 32 571 1728~9
Fax +82 32 266 1717
hxxp://www.dainnuri.com/
hxxp://dainnuricorp.com/
Screenshot of the malicious attachment distributed via this spam campaign ("Purchase Inquiry-0012.xls"):
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Quick menu:
- What is "Product Specification For Korean Market" malspam?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
My computer is infected with Product Specification For Korean Market malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?
Spam emails are not personal, even if they include information relevant to the recipients. Cyber criminals send out these messages in massive campaigns with the hopes that at least some recipients will fall for their scams.
What are the biggest issues that Product Specification For Korean Market malware can cause?
If you have provided your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all possibly exposed accounts and inform their official support. And if you've disclosed other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport scans, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – contact the appropriate authorities without delay.
What is the purpose of Product Specification For Korean Market malware?
Merely reading an email is harmless; devices are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.
How did Product Specification For Korean Market malware infiltrate my computer?
File formats can influence infection success rates. Once opened, executables (.exe, .run, etc.) cause infections almost without fail. Some formats – like documents (.xls, .doc, .pdf, .one, etc.) – might need extra actions. Hence, the infection is only triggered after macro commands are enabled, embedded content is clicked, or other actions are performed.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and eliminate practically all known malware infections. Note that high-end malicious software typically hides deep within systems – therefore, performing a complete system scan is paramount.
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