DLL Hijacking Attack
DLL hijacking is a type of cyber attack that occurs when a malicious person takes advantage of vulnerable DLL files to execute malicious code into a victim’s computer. DLL stands for “Dynamic Link Libraries”, which are files that contain code that can be used by different software programs at the same time, without having to write the same code several times. When the system tries to launch a program and that program needs a missing DLL file, that’s where the vulnerability is exploited.
Cyber criminals can insert their malware code into a legitimate DLL file or create a fake DLL with a similar name as the legitimate one, hide it in a different location, and then trick the targeted user to access it. Once executed, the malicious DLL can take over the legitimate application or gain access to sensitive information stored on the computer.
To mitigate this vulnerability, it’s important to keep your software applications up to date and to be careful when downloading files or opening attachments from unknown sources. Always make sure to scan your downloads and attachments with antivirus software before opening them.