Specifically, what cybercriminals are doing is using a new trick which consists of using emails that have supposedly been scanned by Microsoft Outlook security tools. Basically, they pretend to be emails that have passed a prior check and give a false sense of security.
Phishing in Outlook
It is known as the technique of ZeroFront Phishing. It is not something new, since it has been used on other occasions, but it is in the case of Outlook, at least it has been documented. The ISC Sans security researchers who are behind this discovery warn that this strategy can have a significant impact and be highly effective.
This trick takes care of exploit bugs when processing language in order to analyze a text and decide if it is safe or not. What hackers do is insert words or characters secretly into those emails. Set the font size to zero, so the text will be invisible to people.
What they are looking for is bypass security filters. They seek to distort the interpretation that the AI makes to determine whether an email is secure or not, since they mix words within the message and some are visible. They can manipulate the previews of an Outlook message, so it can pass as a reliable email.
Therefore, the objective of all this is to give a feeling of security that, in reality, is not the case. A way to scam victims and sneak fraudulent messages through Microsoft Outlook. An important problem, since Phishing attacks of this type can expose passwords and personal data.
Protect yourself
So what should you do to protect yourself? Something fundamental is always to maintain the common sense. Although an email may be marked as secure, you should never log in through links that you receive through this means. Be careful with this, as you could be facing a classic Phishing attack. Log in from official pages and applications.
It is best that you always have a good antivirus. This will help you detect malicious files, in case, by mistake, you end up downloading a document that could be dangerous. Check this, since you should always have software that helps you protect yourself, both on mobile devices and on your computer.
Beyond these tips, another thing that you should keep in mind is the importance of have everything updated. This will help you fix vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Always make sure you have the latest versions of the operating system, as well as any programs you use.
In short, we are facing a new strategy to steal passwords or data through Outlook. Be careful not to fall into the trap. You should always take precautionary measures and not make mistakes. They could compromise your security if they enter the mail.