Here's the New Hacker Trick to Trap You with Infected Emails

Here's the New Hacker Trick to Trap You with Infected Emails

Cybercriminals are getting more creative in their attempts to bypass security software and evade detection. Their latest trick? Sending attachments in a format you might not suspect.

Scammers are always coming up with new ways to lure you into their phishing campaigns. Now more than ever, you should be cautious with every message you receive—whether by email or SMS—especially if it contains a link or an attachment. It's worth repeating: never click on links embedded in messages, as they often lead to fraudulent websites. The same goes for attachments, which can carry malware capable of infecting your device.

When it comes to attachments, many people rely on their antivirus software to scan for potential threats. But cybercriminals are becoming more innovative, finding ways to slip past these defenses unnoticed.

A New Threat: SVG File Exploits

In the past, hackers commonly used infected .PNG and .JPG image files to spread malware. However, they've upgraded their methods and are now leveraging a less-expected file format: SVG.

SVG, or Scalable Vector Graphics, is a file type typically used for vector images. Unlike JPEG or PNG files, which are made of pixels, SVG files use text-based code to "describe" the image. This allows them to scale seamlessly to any screen resolution, making them especially useful in web applications.

However, the same text-based structure that makes SVGs versatile also makes them dangerous. Since SVG files can include embedded HTML or JavaScript code, cybercriminals exploit this capability to execute malicious scripts.

How Hackers Are Using SVG Files

Hackers have found ways to use SVG attachments for various attacks:

  • Phishing: They can create SVG files that display fake login pages or interactive forms, tricking users into entering credentials or sharing personal information.
  • Malware Distribution: SVG files can execute scripts that secretly download and install malware when opened.

One of the biggest concerns is that many antivirus programs don't flag SVG files as suspicious. Since they are essentially text-based representations, they often fly under the radar of standard security scans.

How to Protect Yourself

Receiving an SVG attachment in a legitimate email is highly unusual. Unless you are a developer expecting such files, treat them with extreme caution. The safest course of action? Delete any email containing an SVG attachment immediately.

Staying vigilant and skeptical of unexpected messages is your best defense against these increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.