Cyber criminals target Silverlight users with new exploit kit
The creators of a Web-based attack tool called Angler Exploit Kit have added an exploit for a known vulnerability in Microsoft's Silverlight browser plug-in to the tool's arsenal.
Exploit kits are essentially malicious Web applications that check if visitors run outdated software on their computers and then exploit vulnerabilities in that software to install malware. They usually target popular applications that are accessible through browser plug-ins, such as Java, Flash Player, and Adobe Reader.
The attacks launched by exploit kits are called drive-by download attacks and have become one of the main methods of distributing malware. According to an independent malware researcher who uses the pseudonym Kafeine, aside from Java and Flash Player, Angler EK is now also targeting Silverlight, a runtime environment for rich Internet applications developed by Microsoft.
