Hackers Now Using James Webb Space Telescope's Images To Spread Malware

The James Webb Space Telescope has been delivering some astonishing images from space since its successful launch. Now, it appears that hackers are taking advantage of the telescope's hype by hiding malware in James Webb telescope images.

The new malware campaign was discovered by threat analysts and has been dubbed "GO#WEBBFUSCATOR" and uses emails, documents, and images of space from the James Webb Space Telescope to spread malware.

Its creators used Golang to write the malware because the language works on all platforms and can evade analysts. In this case, the campaign was discovered by researchers at Securonix.

Unsplash

How does it spread?

Researchers say that hackers use an email with an attached malicious document to install the malware. The document goes by "Geos-Rates.docx" that is downloaded as a template file.

Also read:?James Webb Telescope Detects CO2 In A Planet’s Atmosphere Outside Our Solar System

ESA

For instance, in the image viewer, the file will show the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 that was shared by NASA in July 2022. Bleeping Computer reported that if the file is opened with a text editor, it reveals additional content in which the malicious executable is present.

In the meanwhile, the James Webb Space Telescope is showing us some of the most thrilling views of the universe from far-off. With its superior capabilities, the telescope hopes to capture the earliest galaxies that formed right after the Big Bang.

NASA

Also read:?James Webb Space Telescope's Largest Image Of The Cosmos Yet Is Here

What do you think about this strange way to spread malware? Let us know in the comments below.?For?more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.

References

Toulas, B. (2022, August 31). Hackers hide malware in James Webb telescope images. BleepingComputer.?