<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#467886;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>That is the question!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Given this week’s (alleged) security lapses, I felt it would be prescient to bring up the subject of macro-enabled worksheets. They’re ubiquitous. Almost all authorities that we deal with serve up some kind of spreadsheet-as-an-input-form via their websites (I’m looking at you LEED <span style='font-family:"Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif'>😐</span>). Invariably, they include some kind of active content to add extra inputs or hide/ show elements.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Furthermore, these things are typically password protected; secure enough to keep a pleb like me out, but not secure enough to keep a determined state-actor out. Considering how such an entity probably could compromise a website or server, we are all just two fragile steps away from downloading a Trojanized workbook that quietly seeks out sensitive content on our private company networks.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This kind of tool (as an email attachment) is essentially how Sony pictures were hacked in 2014, and the Bank of Bangladesh had close to US$ 1 billion raided from its foreign currency reserves. I’ve been listening to “the Lazarus heist” podcast recently on BBC sounds (also on Spotify if not available in your region). <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvg9">https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvg9</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Let’s stay 100% on OPSEC <span style='font-family:"Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif'>😊</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chris<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>