Update Windows to protect PC from critical Word exploit

Microsoft has rolled out security updates as part of its June 2022 Windows updates to address a serious security bug that has targeted programs including Microsoft Word. The Windows zero-day vulnerability is known as Follina (CVE-2022-30190) by security researchers and is “actively exploited in ongoing attacks,” according to Bleeping Computer.

Interestingly, if you have June's update installed, you can choose to make your system vulnerable to Follina / CVE-2022-30190 again if you set the TurnOffCheck registry value.
Presumably Microsoft has some customers where they need to be vulnerable to this? ? pic.twitter.com/PK5Wd9e7To — Will Dormann (@wdormann) June 15, 2022

Microsoft recommends those running Windows 7 or higher update their systems as soon as possible.

However, if you have automatic updates set up, you won’t have to take any actions. Researchers became aware of the security flaw in late May; however, Microsoft appeared to not closely address the situation, offering manual Command prompt workarounds for the issue rather than a software patch. Vulnerability Analyst Will Dormann noted that the June update rolling out even seems to be misdated, as if it became available in May rather than now.

The first Follina attacks might have started as early as mid-April, “with sextortion threats and invitations to Sputnik Radio interviews as baits,” Bleeping Computer added. Security researcher CrazymanArmy of Shadow Chaser Group told the publication that Microsoft’s security team rejected his submission at that time as not a “security-related issue.” The zero-day vulnerability is able to grant hackers access to the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT), according to the security company Proofpoint.

This tool is commonly associated with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Word. From there, hackers are able to access computer back ends, granting them permission to install programs, create new user accounts, and manipulate data on a device. The first documented Follina attack was traced to a Chinese TA413 hacking group, aimed at the Tibetan diaspora.

Follow-up attacks were phishing scams aimed at U.S. and E.U. government agencies.

The most recent attacks are connected to the TA570 Qbot affiliate, which is conducting phishing scams with Qbot malware, the publication added.