Trojan.PDF.Phishing

Classification

Category :

Malware

Type :

Trojan

Aliases :

Trojan.PDF.Phishing.[variant]

Summary

This detection indicates that the detected file is a phishing-trojan - a document file that is designed to look legitimate, but actually serves as a delivery vehicle for harmful programs. If the file is opened, embedded code will either drop and install a harmful program onto the user's device, or will download additional harmful components from a remote site to install.

Removal

Based on the settings of your F-Secure security product, it will either move the file to the quarantine where it cannot spread or cause harm, or remove it.

A False Positive is when a file is incorrectly detected as harmful, usually because its code or behavior resembles known harmful programs. A False Positive will usually be fixed in a subsequent database update without any action needed on your part. If you wish, you may also:

  • Check for the latest database updates

    First check if your F-Secure security program is using the latest updates, then try scanning the file again.

  • Submit a sample

    After checking, if you still believe the file is incorrectly detected, you can submit a sample of it for re-analysis.

    Note: If the file was moved to quarantine, you need to collect the file from quarantine before you can submit it.

  • Exclude a file from further scanning

    If you are certain that the file is safe and want to continue using it, you can exclude it from further scanning by the F-Secure security product.

    Note: You need administrative rights to change the settings.

Technical Details

The email messages used to deliver phishing-trojans are typically designed to look like normal business communications, often related to taxes, invoicing, deliveries, salaries or other work-related matters. They may also use the branding or names of legitimate companies to further the impression of authenticity. Such messages are also known as phishing emails.

The attached files are most frequently Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, etc), though PDF, HTML or ZIP files are also common. The files usually use fairly innocuous file names, such as 'Invoice', or 'Delivery statement'. to give the impression that they are legitimate.

The careful crafting of the email message and file attachments to appear authentic are all examples of social engineering.

Decoy documents and enabling macros

If the user opens the file, most will also display an authentic-looking document as a decoy, to distract the user from any unauthorized actions that occur in the background.

If the file is a Microsoft Office document, and the user's Office settings disable macros by default, a notification message may be displayed asking the user to enable macros, supposedly so that they can view the document contents correctly. In reality, doing so would allow the malicious code embedded in the document to run and install malware on the device.

Installing malware

If the attached file is opened, code embedded in it will run and either:

  • Drop a malicious component or program contained in the file onto the device and install it OR
  • Contact a remote server and download a malicious component or program from the server onto the device

The specific harmful program installed onto the device varies, and may be separately detected by security products.