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Fortinet researchers reported a phishing campaign exploiting the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool flaw Follina (CVE-2022-30190) to infect Windows systems with the Rozena backdoor. The attack used a weaponized Microsoft Office document that fetched remote HTML content from a Discord CDN URL, abused msdt.exe to launch PowerShell, and downloaded additional payloads without requiring macros, ultimately placing the malware as Word.exe in the Windows Tasks folder.
Once executed, Rozena injected shellcode and opened a reverse shell to microsofto.duckdns[.]org, giving the attacker remote control of the compromised host. The reporting said Microsoft had already issued a patch for CVE-2022-30190, while the campaign analysis also provided file hashes and detection guidance for defenders to identify malicious documents, payload retrieval, and follow-on activity tied to the intrusion.
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Microsoft released a patch for CVE-2022-30190, also known as Follina, a remote code execution vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT).
Fortinet FortiGuard Labs reported a phishing campaign targeting Windows systems that exploited Follina via a weaponized Office document to deliver the Rozena backdoor. The attack chain used remote content from a Discord CDN, invoked msdt.exe with PowerShell, and ultimately established a reverse shell to microsofto.duckdns[.]org.
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Microsoft disclosed **CVE-2022-30190** ("**Follina**"), a remote code execution flaw in the Windows **Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool** (**MSDT**) that could be triggered through the `ms-msdt` URL protocol from applications such as Microsoft Word. A successful exploit allowed arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the calling application, enabling attackers to install programs, alter or delete data, and create accounts within the victim’s user context. Microsoft later issued security updates and a defense-in-depth fix through cumulative updates, while also advising customers on protections for older Windows versions. Technical analysis showed attackers used malicious **DOC**, **DOCX**, and **RTF** files to fetch remote HTML that invoked `ms-msdt` and launched attacker-controlled PowerShell, with some **RTF** attacks requiring only the Windows preview pane to trigger. Observed exploit chains involved processes including `WINWORD.EXE`, `msdt.exe`, and `sdiagnhost.exe`, and were used to download follow-on payloads, steal data, and stage malware. Microsoft and independent researchers recommended disabling the MSDT URL protocol as a workaround until patching, and highlighted Defender detections, Microsoft 365 Defender alerting, YARA opportunities, and forensic artifacts such as `PCW.debugreport.xml` to help defenders identify exploitation attempts.
Sep 3, 2026
Attackers used **CVE-2017-0199** in malicious Microsoft Word and RTF documents to trigger the `hta` handler and pull follow-on payloads from attacker-controlled infrastructure, enabling code execution without relying on macros. One observed chain used a fake invoice attachment disguised as a `.doc` file to fetch a malicious HTA, then downloaded a Remcos RAT installer and an AutoIt-based persistence component over HTTPS from `streetsave[.]club` and `regwide[.]club`; the infected host later communicated with `darlz.freeddns[.]org` on port `1695`. Separate in-the-wild activity documented the same exploit delivering Visual Basic script stages that killed `winword.exe`, retrieved a payload disguised as an image, copied it as a Startup-folder `winword.exe`, and opened a decoy document to hide the intrusion. Researchers linked final payloads to **WingBird** and **FinFisher-like** malware, while other malicious documents delivered **LATENTBOT**; the campaigns relied on obfuscation, anti-analysis techniques, and persistence through registry Run keys or Startup-folder placement, underscoring the need to patch vulnerable Office systems.
Aug 15, 2026
Attackers have been exploiting the Windows MSDT `Follina` vulnerability to compromise systems and deliver follow-on malware, including remote access trojans and information stealers. Reporting from Symantec said the flaw was used as an initial access vector that enabled attackers to execute code through malicious documents and establish broader footholds on victim networks. SecurityScorecard separately linked suspected exploitation of `Follina` to a ransomware incident affecting a major U.S. public housing authority that was later claimed by LockBit. Investigators found network traffic between the authority and infrastructure previously tied to malicious activity and earlier ransomware victims, likely use of remote access software, and large outbound transfers to suspicious DigitalOcean and Rackspace IP addresses that may indicate data exfiltration before the organization appeared on LockBit’s leak site.
Aug 21, 2026