When Documents Bite

Explore the evolution and impact of malicious documents as a primary malware delivery vector in this 48-minute conference talk from the 44CON Information Security Conference. Delve into the history of document-based attacks, starting with the Melissa virus in 1999, and learn how seemingly safe formats like Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF have become preferred tools for cybercriminals. Examine the reasons behind the high success rate of this attack vector in social engineering campaigns, including its ability to bypass email and virus filtering solutions. Gain insights into real-world attack techniques used in malicious documents and understand their significance in defending against targeted attacks, which pose a major security concern for enterprise networks.