**The Security Vulnerability, Explained**
The flaw in question is a zero-day vulnerability designated as CVE-2025-9491. This vulnerability affects the processing of LNK files on Windows systems and has already been exploited thousands of times.
A recent blog post by researchers from Arctic Wolf has brought renewed attention to this issue. They discovered that a hacker group has been using CVE-2025-9491 to carry out attacks once again.
The primary targets appear to be several European Union countries. Hackers have repeatedly exploited this flaw to target diplomats and government officials. The most recent attacks took place at the end of 2024 in Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, and the Netherlands.
The method of attack is relatively simple. Attackers only need to deliver a malicious LNK file to a target device. If the target opens the file, it triggers the execution of malicious code. This code can then be used for espionage or other malicious activities.
Users are advised to exercise caution when opening unknown files, especially LNK files, and keep their systems updated to mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2961752/this-8-year-old-windows-security-flaw-is-still-being-exploited-by-hackers.html