Unmasking Hidden Dangers: How to Detect Malicious Attachments in .msg Emails with Oledump.py

Hot Take:

Just when you thought email attachments couldn’t get any sneakier, along comes the updated oledump.py plugin to turn .msg files inside out and shake them for loose bits of data. Whether it’s digging out hidden attachments or extracting timestamps, this tool is like a cybersecurity Swiss Army knife for emails.

• Didier Stevens enhanced his oledump.py tool with a new plugin, plugin_msg.summary.py, which helps analyze complex .msg email files more efficiently.
• The plugin highlights critical information such as body, headers, and attachments, including whether attachments are inline or hidden.
• New features include a JSON output option for attachments, allowing deeper analysis compatible with other tools like file-magic.py.
• The plugin also now parses property streams to reveal metadata like creation time and last modification time of email components.
• These updates aim to streamline the process of identifying and analyzing malicious attachments within emails.

Need to know more?

The Cybersleuth’s New Best Friend

Imagine you’re knee-deep in a digital dumpster, aka a suspicious .msg file. You’re searching for that smoking gun attachment that screams “I’m definitely malicious!” But where do you even start? Cue the plugin_msg.summary.py. This nifty little plugin acts as your guided tour through the murky waters of email files, highlighting the hotspots like inline attachments (those sneaky images masquerading as innocent content) and other hidden treasures.

It’s All in the Details

Details, details, details! If you’re a fan of the minutiae, the plugin’s new tricks will make your heart sing. Now, not only can you see which attachments are playing hide and seek, but you can also get their life story – think creation time, last modification, and what they had for breakfast (metaphorically speaking). This is thanks to the plugin’s new ability to parse property streams, which is just a fancy way of saying it can read the secret diary of every attachment.

JSON Me, Baby!

For the data nerds who love a good JSON output (and who doesn’t?), the updated plugin now allows you to export attachment details in JSON format. This can be particularly handy when you want to further analyze the data with other tools like file-magic.py, which can tell an innocent PDF from a villainous one disguised with a JPEG mask. It’s like having a backstage pass to the attachment’s true nature!

From Streamlined to Mainstream

With these updates, Stevens isn’t just making his tool better; he’s making our lives easier. No more sifting through endless streams trying to spot that one malicious needle in a haystack of data. Now, it’s more like having a metal detector at the beach. This enhanced functionality not only speeds up the analysis process but also makes it more accessible to those who might not be command-line warriors.

In a world where emails can be as dangerous as they are dull, tools like the updated oledump.py plugin are the unsung heroes. They don’t wear capes, but they do dive into the depths of .msg files to bring us the information we need to keep our systems and data safe. So, next time you’re faced with a potentially malicious email, remember that with the right tools, you can uncover more than just spam and phishing attempts—you might just uncover the secrets to keeping your digital life secure.