DUCKTAIL Spread via Compromised LinkedIn Profiles

By Cluster25 Threat Intel Team
October 25, 2023

Linkedin has been targeted as reported above using LinkedIn messages as a vector for executing identity theft attacks.

If it’s not enough for North Korean and Iranian hackers using this ultra-popular professional networking web site for cyber espionage, other groups are using it to distribute malware. Cybersecurity experts have tracked a malware strain known as ‘Ducktail’ on the platform that is targeting Italian company employees. Hackers are leveraging fraudulent profiles that offer lucrative job via the platform’s messaging system. The email proclaims that an attached .PDF file contains job details - but contains the Ducktail malware to infect the recipient’s system(s).Worth a quick read to be aware!

Click Here to read the article.

LinkedIn Learning

So… Microsoft is now using LinkedIn for creating a method of delivering training on their products. I just went through looking at some of the new features in Outlook that were just released and though their notification link it with  a tab to access one month of free access to LinkedIn Learning. According to the site they have over 4000 training videos on various subjects (see image below). This is probably a direct off-shoot of LinkedIn’s purchase of Lynda.com. The courses that are available on Lynda are also available on LinkedIn Learning so from that standpoint they are the same. However, the main difference is the platform that the courses are delivered on – LinkedIn Learning is built on the LinkedIn platform which provides the learner with additional value in the form of recommendations that are personalized for you based on your profile, your professional network, the company you work for, etc.

There is also better integration on the platform with the content itself so when you learn new skills from taking a course, you have the option to easily add those skills to your profile.

LinkedIn Learning Subscription

LinkedIn Learning is available as a Premium subscription and costs $29.99 a month for a monthly subscription, plus taxes. Annual subscriptions cost $299.88 per year, plus taxes.

Learn more about the benefits of a LinkedIn Learning subscription and payment plans.

Note: If you have signed up for the one month free trial, your billed subscription will begin automatically at the end of the trial period. Learn more about LinkedIn Premium account free trials.

Watch out LinkedIn Facebook now lest companies post job listings

While I am not really a candidate for looking for a jobs right now, I have been here at PAconnect for over 35 year at present, but if you are you will have a new place to dig into for your next potential employer. Facebook has initiated support for job listings on company pages in the US and Canada over the next few weeks. With Facebook being the world’s largest social network, it may be a perfect method of getting more eyeballs to your company’s job opportunities.

This is a good addition to most of the nonsense that appears in Facebook today. Hopefully these listing won’t get lost in the online clutter. If it works out for Facebook it could eventually harm Microsoft’s LinkedIn and other services that provide this already.

Accepting LinkedIn Invitations

An interesting article in inc.com suggests that you should ask yourself “11Questions to Ask Before Accepting a LinkedIn Invitation”.

My rule of thumb is that if I don't know the person, the company or organization they are with, or if the organization is not one that I think fits my general group of companies I want to work with then I probably don't want or need to accept their invitation.

So the reasons not to just accept any old invitation that comes along is that you'll start receiving all sorts of information that is not necessarily relative to you or even more dangerous you are very, you could possibly open yourself up to somebody that is trying to scam you.

So you will want to think about the parameters that you want to use, that makes sense to you, but if you feel you need a little more help than take a quick gander at the article listed above. It is a great is a starting place but is by no means definitive.

Inc’s Criteria:

1. Do I know this person?	5. What is their industry and job description?	9. Do they have any recent activity?
2. Did they send a personal message?	6. Where are they from?	10. What does the profile tell me about the person?
3. Who else are they connected to?	7. Do they have any endorsements or recommendations?	11. How many connections do they have?
4. Does their profile have a photo? If so, what does it convey?	8. Have they published anything on LinkedIn?