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Showing posts with label Vulnerabilities and Exploits. Show all posts
zero Day vulnerability
firmware Hardware router Vulnerabilities and Exploits WiFi zero Day vulnerability

Should You Still Trust Your Router? What Users Need to Know and How to Secure Home Wi-Fi today

 



Public discussion in the United States has intensified around one of the country’s most widely purchased home router brands after reports suggested that federal agencies are considering restrictions on future sales. The conversation stems from concerns about potential national security risks and the possibility of foreign influence in hardware design or data handling. While the company firmly denies these allegations, the ongoing scrutiny has encouraged many users to reassess the safety of their home Wi-Fi setup and understand how to better protect their networks.


Why the issue surfaced

The debate began when officials started examining whether equipment manufactured by the company could expose American networks to security risks. Investigators reportedly focused on the firm’s origins and questioned whether foreign jurisdictions could exert influence over product development or data processes.

The company has rejected these claims, saying its design, security functions, and oversight structures operate independently and that its leadership teams within the United States manage core product decisions. It maintains that no government has the ability to access or manipulate its systems.


Common router vulnerabilities users should understand

Even without the broader policy debate, home routers are frequently targeted by attackers, often through well-known weaknesses:

• Hardware-level risks. In rare cases, security issues can originate in the physical components themselves. Malicious implants or flawed chips can give attackers a hidden entry point that is difficult for users to detect without specialized tools.

• Unpatched security gaps. Zero-day vulnerabilities are flaws discovered by attackers before the manufacturer has prepared a fix. Some older or discontinued models may never receive patches, leaving users exposed for the long term.

• Outdated firmware. Firmware updates serve the same purpose as software updates on phones and computers. Without them, routers miss critical security improvements and remain vulnerable to known exploits.

• Botnets. Compromised routers are often absorbed into large collections of infected devices. These groups of hijacked systems are then directed to launch attacks, spread malware, or steal information.

• Weak login credentials. Many intrusions occur simply because users keep the default administrator username and password. Attackers run automated tools that test the most common combinations in an attempt to break in.

• Exposed remote settings. Some routers allow remote control panels to be accessed from outside the home network. If these remain active or are protected with simple passwords, attackers can quietly enter the system.

• Outdated Wi-Fi encryption. Older wireless standards are easy for attackers to crack. Weak encryption allows outsiders to intercept traffic or join the network without permission.


How to strengthen your home network today

Any user can substantially improve their router’s security by following a few essential steps:

1. Change default passwords immediately. Use strong, unique credentials for both the router’s control panel and the Wi-Fi network.

2. Check for firmware updates regularly. Install every available update. If your device no longer receives support, replacement is advisable.

3. Enable the built-in firewall. It acts as the first barrier between your home network and outside threats.

4. Turn off remote management features. Only leave such functions active if you clearly understand them and require them.

5. Use modern Wi-Fi encryption. Choose WPA3 whenever your device supports it. If not, use the most up-to-date option available.

6. Consider a trusted VPN. It adds an extra layer of protection by encrypting your online activity.

7. Upgrade aging hardware. Older models often lack modern protections and may struggle to handle security patches or stable performance.


What users should do now

A potential restriction on any router brand is still under government review. For now, users should focus on ensuring their own devices are secured and updated. Strengthening home Wi-Fi settings, using current security practices, and replacing unsupported hardware will offer the most immediate protection while the situation continues to escalate. 


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Zero-Day Vulnerabilities
chain attacks Cyble report October cyber threats Ransomware Groups SaaS provider attacks software supply Vulnerabilities and Exploits Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

Software Supply Chain Attacks Surge to Record Highs in October, Driven by Zero-Day Flaws and Ransomware Groups

 

Software supply chain intrusions reached an unprecedented peak in October, surpassing previous monthly records by more than 30%, according to new research.

Cyble revealed in a blog post that threat actors on dark-web leak forums claimed 41 supply chain attacks in October—10 more than the earlier high recorded in April 2025. The report notes that supply chain incidents have more than doubled since April, with an average of 28 attacks per month, compared to the monthly average of 13 from early 2024 through March 2025. Cyble attributed the escalation to multiple factors.

The sharp rise has been fueled primarily by a “combination of critical and zero-day IT vulnerabilities and threat actors actively targeting SaaS and IT service providers,” Cyble wrote, adding that “the sustained increase suggests that the risk of supply chain attacks may remain elevated going forward.”

Additional contributors include cloud-security weaknesses and AI-powered phishing campaigns, with vishing also playing an important role in recent Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters attacks on Salesforce environments.

All 24 industries monitored by Cyble experienced at least one supply chain breach this year, but IT and IT services firms were hit disproportionately. These organizations remain attractive to attackers due to their broad customer ecosystems and valuable access points. Cyble reported 107 supply chain attacks targeting IT companies so far this year—over three times more than those seen in financial services, transportation, technology, or government sectors.

Ransomware operations remain a major driver of this surge. Groups such as Qilin and Akira, which Cyble identified as the most active this year, have also carried out “an above-average share of supply chain attacks.”

Akira recently targeted a major open-source initiative, stealing 23GB of sensitive data including internal reports, confidential files, and issue-tracking information. Both Akira and Qilin have also compromised multiple IT providers serving high-risk verticals such as government, defense, intelligence, law enforcement, healthcare, energy, and finance. In one case, Qilin claimed to have obtained source code for proprietary tools used across public safety and security organizations.

Another Qilin incident involved breaching customers of a U.S. cybersecurity and cloud provider through “clear-text credentials stored in Word and Excel documents hosted on the company’s systems.”

A newer threat actor, Kyber, leaked more than 141GB of internal builds, databases, project files, and backups allegedly taken from a major U.S. aerospace and defense contractor specializing in communication and electronic warfare technologies.

Other notable October events included the Cl0p ransomware group's exploitation of Oracle E-Business Suite vulnerabilities and a breach involving Red Hat GitLab.

Cyble emphasized that mitigating supply chain threats is difficult because organizations inherently trust their vendors and partners. The firm stressed that security audits and third-party risk evaluations should become routine practice.

The researchers highlighted that the “most effective place to control software supply chain risks is in the continuous integration and development (CI/CD) process,” and advised that organizations thoroughly vet suppliers and enforce strong security requirements within contracts to strengthen third-party protection.
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
CISA Linux Kernel Ransomware Campaign Vulnerabilities and Exploits

CISA Warns: Linux Kernel Flaw Actively Exploited in Ransomware Attacks

 

A critical Linux kernel vulnerability (CVE-2024-1086) is now actively exploited in ransomware attacks, according to a recent update from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). First publicly disclosed on January 31, 2024, this flaw stems from a decade-old code commit to the netfilter: nf_tables kernel component and was patched early in 2024. 

However, the exploit—which allows attackers with local access to escalate privileges and gain root control over affected systems—remains a severe threat for systems running kernel versions from 3.15 to 6.8-rc1, affecting prominent distributions like Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and Red Hat.

CISA’s latest advisory confirms the vulnerability is leveraged in live ransomware campaigns but doesn’t provide detailed incident counts or victim breakdowns. The agency added CVE-2024-1086 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog in May 2024, mandating federal agencies patch by June 20, 2024 or implement mitigations. These mitigations include blocklisting ‘nf_tables’ if not in use, restricting user namespace access to shrink the attack surface, and optionally deploying the Linux Kernel Runtime Guard (LKRG)—though the latter may introduce instability.

Security experts and community commentators highlight both the significance and scope of the risk. The flaw enables threat actors to achieve root-level system takeover—compromising defenses, altering files, moving laterally within networks, and exfiltrating sensitive data. 

Its effects are especially critical in server and enterprise contexts (where vulnerable kernel versions are widely deployed) rather than typical desktop Linux environments. For context, a security researcher known as 'Notselwyn' published a proof-of-concept exploit in March 2024 that clearly demonstrates effective privilege escalation on kernel versions 5.14 through 6.6, broadening attack feasibility for cybercriminals.

Immutability in Linux distributions (such as ChromeOS, Fedora Kinoite) is noted as a partial defense, limiting exploit persistence but not fully mitigating in-memory or user-data targeting attacks. CISA stresses following vendor-specific instructions for mitigation and, where remedies are unavailable, discontinuing product use for guaranteed safety. 

Community debate also reflects persistent frustration at slow patch adoption and challenges in keeping kernels up to date across varied deployment environments. The ongoing exploitation—as confirmed by CISA—underscores the critical need for timely patching, rigorous access controls, and awareness of Linux privilege escalation risks in the face of escalating ransomware threats.
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WSUS exploit
CVE-2025-59287 Cybersecurity Microsoft patch failure Vulnerabilities and Exploits Windows Server Update Services vulnerability WSUS exploit

Attackers Exploit Critical Windows Server Update Services Flaw After Microsoft’s Patch Fails

 

Cybersecurity researchers have warned that attackers are actively exploiting a severe vulnerability in Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), even after Microsoft’s recent patch failed to fully fix the issue. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-59287, impacts WSUS versions dating back to 2012.

Microsoft rolled out an emergency out-of-band security update for the vulnerability on Thursday, following earlier attempts to address it. Despite this, several cybersecurity firms reported active exploitation by Friday. However, Microsoft has not yet officially confirmed these attacks.

This situation highlights how quickly both cyber defenders and adversaries respond to newly disclosed flaws. Within hours of Microsoft’s emergency patch release, researchers observed proof-of-concept exploits and live attacks targeting vulnerable servers.

“This vulnerability shows how simple and trivial exploitation is once an attack script is publicly available,” said John Hammond, principal security researcher at Huntress, in an interview with CyberScoop. “It’s always an attack of opportunity — just kind of spray-and-pray, and see whatever access a criminal can get their hands on.”

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, urging organizations to apply the latest patch and adhere to Microsoft’s mitigation steps.

A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the re-release of the patch, explaining: “We re-released this CVE after identifying that the initial update did not fully mitigate the issue. Customers who have installed the latest updates are already protected.” Microsoft did not specify when or how it discovered that the previous patch was insufficient.

According to Shadowserver, over 2,800 instances of WSUS with open ports (8530 and 8531) are exposed to the internet — a necessary condition for exploitation. Approximately 28% of these vulnerable systems are located in the United States.

“Exploitation of this flaw is indiscriminate,” warned Ben Harris, founder and CEO of watchTowr. “If an unpatched Windows Server Update Services instance is online, at this stage it has likely already been compromised. This isn’t limited to low-risk environments — some of the affected entities are exactly the types of targets attackers prioritize.”

Huntress has observed five active attack cases linked to CVE-2025-59287. Hammond explained that these incidents mostly involve reconnaissance activities — such as environment mapping and data exfiltration — with no severe damage observed so far. However, he cautioned that WSUS operates with high-level privileges, meaning successful exploitation could fully compromise the affected server.

The risk, Hammond added, could escalate into supply chain attacks, where adversaries push malicious updates to connected systems. “Some potential supply-chain shenanigans just opening the door with this opportunity,” he said.

Experts from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 echoed the concern. “By compromising this single server, an attacker can take over the entire patch distribution system,” said Justin Moore, senior manager of threat intel research at Unit 42. “With no authentication, they can gain system-level control and execute a devastating internal supply chain attack. They can push malware to every workstation and server in the organization, all disguised as a legitimate Microsoft update. This turns the trusted service into a weapon of mass distribution.”

Security researchers continue to emphasize that WSUS should never be exposed to the public internet, as attackers cannot exploit the flaw in instances that restrict external access.

Microsoft deprecated WSUS in September, stating that while it will still receive security support, it is no longer under active development or set to gain new features.
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
CISA E-Business Suite Oracle SSR Flaw Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Critical Oracle Suite Flaw Actively Exploited; CISA Orders Urgent Patch

 

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has confirmed that attackers are actively exploiting a critical server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability, CVE-2025-61884, in Oracle E-Business Suite's Configurator runtime component. Federal agencies have been directed to patch this flaw by November 10, 2025, as it is now listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

CVE-2025-61884, which carries a severity rating of 7.5, allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or even full access to all Oracle Configurator data. The vulnerability was first disclosed by Oracle on October 11, 2025, but the company did not initially confirm exploitation, despite evidence that the exploit was leaked by threat actors ShinyHunters and Scattered Lapsus$ in July. The patch fixes the SSRF flaw by validating the "return_url" parameter provided by attackers, blocking malicious requests if validation fails.

In early October, cybersecurity firm Mandiant disclosed that the Clop ransomware group had been extorting organizations using Oracle E-Business Suite zero-day flaws. Oracle responded by stating that Clop had exploited vulnerabilities patched in July. On October 3, ShinyHunters leaked an exploit for Oracle EBS, which was later linked to Clop. Oracle then disclosed CVE-2025-61882, which was unrelated and was patched for August attacks that targeted the /OA_HTML/SyncServlet endpoint.

Investigations by CrowdStrike and Mandiant revealed two distinct campaigns: the July campaign exploited the SSRF flaw in /configurator/UiServlet (CVE-2025-61884), while the August campaign targeted the /OA_HTML/SyncServlet endpoint, now fixed under CVE-2025-61882. The ShinyHunters exploit leaked earlier targets the UiServlet SSRF chain, not the SyncServlet flaw.

There is confusion about why Oracle listed the ShinyHunters exploit as an indicator of compromise for CVE-2025-61882 instead of CVE-2025-61884, despite evidence pointing to the latter. Oracle has not responded to media inquiries regarding this discrepancy or the status of CVE-2025-61882 as exploited. This incident highlights the ongoing risk to organizations using Oracle E-Business Suite and underscores the urgency of timely patching and robust vulnerability management.
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
ArcGIS Backdoor Attacks Flax Typhoon Geospatial Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Geospatial Tool Turned Into Stealthy Backdoor by Flax Typhoon

 

Chinese state-backed hacking group Flax Typhoon has been exploiting a feature within Esri’s ArcGIS software to maintain covert access to targeted systems for more than a year, according to new findings from ReliaQuest. The group, active since at least 2021 and known for espionage operations against entities in the U.S., Europe, and Taiwan, weaponized ArcGIS’s Server Object Extension (SOE) to transform the software into a webshell—essentially turning legitimate features into tools for persistent compromise.

Researchers found that the attackers targeted a public-facing ArcGIS server linked to a private backend server. By compromising the portal administrator credentials, they deployed a malicious extension that forced the system to create a hidden directory, which became their private command and control workspace. 

This extension included a hardcoded key, shielding their access from others while ensuring persistence. The hackers maintained this access long enough for the malicious file to become embedded in backup systems, effectively guaranteeing reinfection even if administrators restored the system from backups.

ReliaQuest described this as a particularly deceptive attack chain that allowed the group to mimic normal network activity, thereby bypassing typical detection mechanisms. Because the infected component was integrated into backup files, standard recovery protocols became a liability — a compromised backup meant a built-in reinfection vector. The tactic showcases Flax Typhoon’s hallmark strategy of exploiting trusted internal processes and tools rather than relying on advanced malware or sophisticated exploits.

This method is consistent with Flax Typhoon’s history of leveraging legitimate software components for espionage. Microsoft had previously documented the group’s capability to maintain long-term access to dozens of Taiwanese organizations using built-in Windows utilities and benign applications for stealth. The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned Integrity Technology Group, a Beijing-based company implicated in supporting Flax Typhoon’s operations, including managing infrastructure for a major botnet dismantled by the FBI.

ReliaQuest warned that the real danger extends beyond ArcGIS or Esri’s ecosystem — it highlights the inherent risks in enterprise software that depends on third-party extensions or backend access. The researchers called the case a “wake-up call,” urging organizations to treat every interface with backend connectivity as a high-risk access point, regardless of how routine or trusted it appears.
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Windows 10
Device Vulnerability Microsoft User Privacy Vulnerabilities and Exploits Windows 10

Windows 10 Support Termination Leaves Devices Vulnerable

 

Microsoft has officially ended support for Windows 10, marking a major shift impacting hundreds of millions of users worldwide. Released in 2015, the operating system will no longer receive free security updates, bug fixes, or technical assistance, leaving all devices running it vulnerable to exploitation. This decision mirrors previous end-of-life events such as Windows XP, which saw a surge in cyberattacks after losing support.

Rising security threats

Without updates, Windows 10 systems are expected to become prime targets for hackers. Thousands of vulnerabilities have already been documented in public databases like ExploitDB, and several critical flaws have been actively exploited. 

Among them are CVE-2025-29824, a “use-after-free” bug in the Common Log File System Driver with a CVSS score of 7.8; CVE-2025-24993, a heap-based buffer overflow in NTFS marked as “known exploited”; and CVE-2025-24984, leaking NTFS log data with the highest EPSS score of 13.87%. 

These vulnerabilities enable privilege escalation, code execution, or remote intrusion, many of which have been added to the U.S. CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, signaling the seriousness of the risks.

Limited upgrade paths

Microsoft recommends that users migrate to Windows 11, which features modernized architecture and ongoing support. However, strict hardware requirements mean that roughly 200 million Windows 10 computers worldwide remain ineligible for the upgrade. 

For those unable to transition, Microsoft provides three main options: purchasing new hardware compatible with Windows 11, enrolling in a paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) program (offering patches for one extra year), or continuing to operate unsupported — a risky path exposing systems to severe cyber threats.

The support cutoff extends beyond the OS. Microsoft Office 2016 and 2019 have simultaneously reached end-of-life, leaving only newer versions like Office 2021 and LTSC operable but unsupported on Windows 10. Users are encouraged to switch to Microsoft 365 or move licenses to Windows 11 devices. Notably, support for Office LTSC 2021 ends in October 2026.

Data protection tips

Microsoft urges users to back up critical data and securely erase drives before recycling or reselling devices. Participating manufacturers and Microsoft itself offer trade-in or recycling programs to ensure data safety. As cyber risks amplify and hackers exploit obsolete systems, users still on Windows 10 face a critical choice — upgrade, pay for ESU, or risk exposure in an increasingly volatile digital landscape.
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zero-day
Clop Ransomware Extortion Campaign Oracle Vulnerabilities and Exploits zero-day

Clop Ransomware Exploits Oracle Zero-Day in Major Extortion Campaign

 

The Clop ransomware gang has orchestrated a massive extortion campaign targeting Oracle E-Business Suite customers by exploiting a critical zero-day vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-61882. The vulnerability, which carries a CVSS score of 9.8, affects Oracle EBS versions 12.2.3 through 12.2.14 and allows unauthenticated remote code execution without requiring credentials.

Beginning September 29, 2025, Clop operatives sent high-volume extortion emails to executives at numerous organizations, claiming to have stolen sensitive data from their Oracle EBS environments. However, investigations by Google Threat Intelligence Group and Mandiant revealed that active exploitation began much earlier—as early as August 9, 2025, with suspicious activity dating back to July 10, 2025. This means attackers exploited the vulnerability weeks before Oracle released a patch on October 4, 2025.

The vulnerability affects the Concurrent Processing component's BI Publisher integration within Oracle EBS, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code and gain complete control over compromised servers. Researchers identified multiple distinct exploitation chains targeting various EBS components, including UiServlet and SyncServlet modules. The most probable attack vector involved the SyncServlet module, where attackers injected malicious XSL files into databases via the XDO Template Manager to trigger remote code execution.

The campaign involved sophisticated multi-stage malware frameworks, including GOLDVEIN.JAVA downloader and the SAGE malware family. These tools closely resemble malware families deployed during Clop's previous Cleo software compromise in late 2024, strengthening attribution to the notorious cybercrime group. Attackers successfully exfiltrated significant amounts of data from impacted organizations, affecting dozens of victims according to current assessments.

Clop, also known as TA505 or FIN11, has been active since 2019 and maintains a track record of exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities in enterprise platforms. The group previously targeted Accellion FTA, SolarWinds Serv-U FTP, GoAnywhere MFT, MOVEit Transfer, and Cleo file transfer systems. This latest campaign demonstrates Clop's continued focus on rapid zero-day exploitation of critical enterprise software for large-scale data extortion operations.

Oracle issued an emergency security alert on October 4, 2025, urging customers to apply the patch immediately. The FBI characterized the zero-day as "an emergency putting Oracle E-Business Suite environments at risk of full compromise". CISA added CVE-2025-61882 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and issued urgent alerts regarding active exploitation for ransomware attacks worldwide.
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
CISA Cisco Firewall Security Patch Shadowserver Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Cisco Firewall Vulnerabilities Leave 50,000 Devices Exposed Worldwide

 

Nearly 50,000 Cisco firewall devices worldwide are currently exposed to significant security risks following the disclosure of three critical vulnerabilities in Cisco’s Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) products.

Statistics from the Shadowserver Foundation have highlighted the scale of this problem, revealing that thousands of these devices remain directly accessible via the internet and have yet to receive urgent security patches. 

The vulnerabilities, which were publicly announced on September 25, prompted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to issue a rare emergency patching directive, reflecting the severity and potential impact of these flaws.

The United States leads in terms of exposure, with more than 19,000 vulnerable devices identified, outpacing every other country. The United Kingdom follows with over 2,700 exposed units, while Japan, Germany, and Russia also have substantial numbers. 

Across Europe, other countries report fewer than 1,000 vulnerable devices each, but the cumulative risk remains global in scope. Shadowserver’s ongoing data collection will track mitigation efforts over the coming weeks, providing insights into how organizations respond to these urgent warnings.

Central to the threat are two particular vulnerabilities, CVE-2025-20362 and CVE-2025-20333, which have already been exploited by a highly sophisticated threat actor. This campaign has successfully targeted and breached several federal agencies along with organizations worldwide.

The nature of these vulnerabilities makes them especially dangerous: both relate to improper validation of HTTPS requests by the affected Cisco firewalls. This weakness could allow attackers to submit malicious requests that effectively bypass authentication controls, leaving affected systems open to compromise.

Specifically, CVE-2025-20362 enables attackers to access restricted VPN-related URLs that should otherwise require strong authentication, while CVE-2025-20333 allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary code with root privileges, dramatically increasing the potential for damaging network intrusions. 

In light of these dangers, U.S. federal agencies have been given until the end of Thursday to confirm with CISA that all vulnerable devices have been patched or otherwise mitigated against potential exploitation.

The urgency surrounding these vulnerabilities is underscored by the demonstrated capability of attackers and the ongoing risks to national and organizational cybersecurity worldwide. As real-time data continues to be collected, the response from security teams will be crucial in minimizing exposure and preventing future incidents related to these Cisco firewall flaws.
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Zero-Click Exploit
cybersecurity threat Digital Espionage iOS Vulnerability Mobile Security Remote Code Execution Spyware Attack Vulnerabilities and Exploits vulnerability patch WhatsApp Security Zero-Click Exploit

Critical WhatsApp Zero Click Vulnerability Abused with DNG Payload

 


It has been reported that attackers are actively exploiting a recently discovered vulnerability in WhatsApp's iOS application as a part of a sophisticated cyber campaign that underscores how zero-day vulnerabilities are becoming weaponised in today's cyber warfare. With the zero-click exploit identified as CVE-2025-55177 with a CVSS score of 5.4, malicious actors can execute unauthorised content processing based on any URL on a victim's device without the need for user interaction whatsoever. 

A vulnerability referred to as CVE-2025-55177 provides threat actors with a way to manipulate WhatsApp's synchronization process, so they may force WhatsApp to process attacker-controlled content during device linking when they manipulate the WhatsApp synchronization process. 

Even though the vulnerability could have allowed crafted content to be injected or disrupted services, its real danger arose when it was combined with Apple's CVE-2025-43300, another security flaw that affects the ImageIO framework, which parses image files. In addition to this, there were also two other vulnerabilities in iOS and Mac OS that allowed out-of-bounds memory writing, which resulted in remote code execution across these systems. 

The combination of these weaknesses created a very powerful exploit chain that could deliver malicious images through the incoming message of a WhatsApp message, causing infection without the victim ever having to click, tap or interact with anything at all—a quintessential zero-click attack scenario. Investigators found that the targeting of the victims was intentional and highly selective. 

In the past, WhatsApp has confirmed that it has notified fewer than 200 people about potential threats in its apps, a number that is similar to earlier mercenary spyware operations targeting high-value users. Apple has also acknowledged active exploitation in the wild and has issued security advisories concurrently. 

Researchers from Amnesty International noted that, despite initial signs suggesting limited probing of Android devices, this campaign was mainly concerned with Apple's iOS and macOS ecosystems, and therefore was focused on those two ecosystems mainly. The implications are particularly severe for businesses.

Corporate executives, legal teams, and employees with privileged access to confidential intellectual property are at risk of being spied on or exfiltrated through using WhatsApp on their work devices, which represents a direct and potentially invisible entry point into corporate data systems. 

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials say that the vulnerability was caused by an "incomplete authorisation of linked device synchronisation messages" that existed in WhatsApp for iOS versions before version 2.25.2.173, WhatsApp Business for iOS versions of 2.25.1.78, and WhatsApp for Mac versions of 2.25.21.78. 

This flaw is believed to have been exploited by researchers as part of a complex exploit chain, which was created using the flaw in conjunction with a previously patched iOS vulnerability known as CVE-2025-43300, allowing for the delivery of spyware onto targeted devices. A U.S. government advisory has been issued urging federal employees to update their Apple devices immediately because the campaign has reportedly affected approximately 200 people. 

A new discovery adds to the growing body of evidence that advanced cyber threat actors increasingly rely on chaining multiple zero-day exploits to circumvent hardened defences and compromise remote devices. In 2024, Google's Threat Analysis Group reported 75 zero-day exploits that were actively exploited, a figure that reflects how the scale of these attacks is accelerating. 

This stealthy intrusion method continues to dominate as the year 2025 unfolds, resulting in nearly one-third of all recorded compromise attempts worldwide occurring this year. It is important for cybersecurity experts to remind us that the WhatsApp incident demonstrates once more the fragility of digital trust, even when it comes to encrypting platforms once considered to be secure. 

It has been uncovered that the attackers exploited a subtle logic flaw in WhatsApp’s device-linking system, allowing them to disguise malicious content to appear as if it was originating from the user’s own paired device, according to a technical analysis.

Through this vulnerability, a specially crafted Digital Negative (DNG) file could be delivered, which, once processed automatically by the application, could cause a series of memory corruption events that would result in remote code execution. Researchers at DarkNavyOrg have demonstrated the proof-of-concept in its fullest sense, showing how an automated script is capable of authenticating, generating the malicious DNG payload, and sending it to the intended victim without triggering any security alerts. 

In order to take advantage of the exploit, there are no visible warnings, notification pop-ups, or message notifications displayed on the user's screen. This allows attackers to gain access to messages, media, microphones, and cameras unrestrictedly, and even install spyware undetected. It has been reported to WhatsApp and Apple that the vulnerability has been found, and patches have been released to mitigate the risks. 

Despite this, security experts recommend that users install the latest updates immediately and be cautious when using unsolicited media files—even those seemingly sent by trusted contacts. In the meantime, organisations should ensure that endpoint monitoring is strengthened, that mobile device management controls are enforced, and that anomalous messaging behaviour is closely tracked until the remediation has been completed. 

There is a clear need for robust input validation, secure file handling protocols, and timely security updates to prevent silent but highly destructive attacks targeting mainstream communication platforms that can be carried out against mainstream communication platforms due to the incident. Cyber adversaries have, for a long time, been targeting companies such as WhatsApp, and WhatsApp is no exception. 

It is noteworthy that despite the platform's strong security framework and end-to-end encryption, threat actors are still hunting for new vulnerabilities to exploit. Although there are several different cyberattack types, security experts emphasise that zero-click exploits remain the most insidious, since they can compromise devices without the user having to do anything. 

V4WEB Cybersecurity founder, Riteh Bhatia, made an explanation for V4WEB's recent WhatsApp advisory, explaining that it pertains to one of these zero-click exploits--a method of attacking that does not require a victim to click, download, or applaud during the attack. Bhatia explained that, unlike phishing, where a user is required to click on a malicious link, zero-click attacks operate silently, working in the background. 

According to Bhatia, the attackers used a vulnerability in WhatsApp as well as a vulnerability in Apple's iOS to hack into targeted devices through a chain of vulnerabilities. He explained to Entrepreneur India that this process is known as chaining vulnerabilities. 

Chaining vulnerabilities allows one weakness to provide entry while the other provides control of the system as a whole. Further, Bharatia stressed that spyware deployed by these methods is capable of doing a wide range of invasive functions, such as reading messages, listening through the microphone, tracking location, and accessing the camera in real time, in addition to other invasive actions. 

As a warning sign, users might notice excessive battery drain, overheating, unusual data usage, or unexpected system crashes, all of which may indicate that the user's system is not performing optimally. Likewise, Anirudh Batra, a senior security researcher at CloudSEK, stated that zero-click vulnerabilities represent the "holy grail" for hackers, as they can be exploited seamlessly even on fully updated and ostensibly secure devices without any intervention from the target, and no action is necessary on their part.

If this vulnerability is exploited effectively, attackers will be able to have full control over the targeted devices, which will allow them to access sensitive data, monitor communications, and deploy additional malware, all without the appearance of any ill effect. As a result of this incident, it emphasises that security risks associated with complex file formats and cross-platform messaging apps persist, since flaws in file parsers continue to serve as common pathways for remote code execution.

There is a continuing investigation going on by DarkNavyOrg, including one looking into a Samsung vulnerability (CVE-2025-21043), which has been identified as a potential security concern. There was a warning from both WhatsApp and Apple that users should update their operating systems and applications immediately, and Meta confirmed that less than 200 users were notified of in-app threats. 

It has been reported that some journalists, activists, and other public figures have been targeted. Meta's spokesperson Emily Westcott stressed how important it is for users to keep their devices current and to enable WhatsApp's privacy and security features. Furthermore, Amnesty International has also noted possible Android infections and is currently conducting further investigation. 

In the past, similar spyware operations occurred, such as WhatsApp's lawsuit against Israel's NSO Group in 2019, which allegedly targeted 1,400 users with the Pegasus spyware, which later became famous for its role in global cyberespionage. While sanctions and international scrutiny have been applied to such surveillance operations, they continue to evolve, reflecting the persistent threat that advanced mobile exploits continue to pose. 

There is no doubt that the latest revelations are highlighting the need for individuals and organisations to prioritise proactive cyber security measures rather than reactive ones, as zero-click exploits are becoming more sophisticated, the traditional boundaries of digital security—once relying solely on the caution of users—are eroding rapidly. It has become increasingly important for organisations to keep constant vigilance, update their software quickly, and employ layered defence strategies to protect both their personal and business information. 

Organisations need to invest in threat intelligence solutions, continuous monitoring systems, and regular mobile security audits if they want to be on the lookout for potential threats early on. In order for individual users to reduce their exposure, they need to maintain the latest version of their devices and applications, enable built-in privacy protections, and avoid unnecessary third-party integrations. 

The WhatsApp exploit is an important reminder that even trusted, encrypted platforms may be compromised at some point. The cyber espionage industry is evolving into a silent and targeted operation, and digital trust must be reinforced through transparent processes, rapid patching, and global cooperation between tech companies and regulators. A strong defence against invisible intrusions still resides in awareness and timely action.
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
ASLR NSDictionary Project Zero Security flaw Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Project Zero Exposes Apple ASLR Bypass via NSDictionary Serialization Flaw

 

Google Project Zero has uncovered a sophisticated technique for bypassing Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) protections on Apple devices, targeting a fundamental issue in Apple’s serialization framework. Security researcher Jann Horn described how deterministic behaviors in NSKeyedArchiver and NSKeyedUnarchiver could enable attackers to leak memory pointer values without exploiting conventional bugs or timing-based side channels.

The vulnerability centers on the interaction between singleton objects, pointer-based hash values, and serialization routines. Specifically, Horn identified that NSNull—a singleton object within Apple’s Core Foundation (CFNull)—exposes its memory address through its hash value. Because this object resides in a fixed location in the shared cache, it creates a reliable oracle for leaking memory addresses, defeating standard ASLR defenses.

Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious serialized input which, when de-serialized and then re-serialized by a victim application, can allow inference of key memory locations. By leveraging the predictable hashing of NSNumber keys and understanding how NSDictionary structures its internal hash table based on prime-numbered bucket counts, an attacker controls where keys are placed during serialization. The relative position of the NSNull key reveals the outcome of hash_code % num_buckets, letting attackers deduce the memory address used by NSNull.

Scaling this approach involves using dictionaries with different prime-sized bucket counts, repeatedly measuring key placements, and applying the Extended Euclidean Algorithm. This enables precise reconstruction of the NSNull pointer address. Horn’s proof-of-concept demonstrated the feasibility, though no real-world application was found with this pattern in production services. The attacker’s tooling involved generating specialized serialized input and computing memory addresses after receiving the victim’s output.

Apple addressed the issue in its March 31, 2025 security updates. Horn cautioned against frameworks using raw memory addresses as hash values, especially when those addresses are static, and recommended strict allowlisting during deserialization, not returning re-serialized attacker input, and keeping outputs within trusted boundaries—aligning with broader best practices for deserialization risks.

Horn linked this exploit to earlier research on hash-based attacks, such as hashDoS, but highlighted that this method exploits hash order determinism for information leakage rather than denial-of-service. Ultimately, the finding broadens the understanding of how seemingly safe serialization behavior can be weaponized, and underscores the importance of robust serialization hygiene in software security.
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
Akira Ransomware Arctic Wolf security research CVE-2024-40766 exploit Ransomware SonicWall SSL VPN vulnerability Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Akira Ransomware Breaches Networks in Under Four Hours via SonicWall VPN Exploit

 

Akira ransomware affiliates need less than four hours to breach organizations and launch attacks, according to researchers at Arctic Wolf. The group is exploiting stolen SonicWall SSL VPN credentials and has reportedly found ways to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Once inside, attackers quickly begin scanning networks to identify services and weak accounts. They leverage Impacket to establish SMB sessions, use RDP for lateral movement, and eventually target Domain Controllers, virtual machine storage, and backups. Additional accounts, including domain accounts, are created to install remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools and enable data theft. The process also includes establishing command-and-control channels, exfiltrating sensitive data, disabling legitimate RMM and EDR tools, deleting shadow copies and event logs, and using WinRAR with rclone or FileZilla for data transfers. The attack culminates with the deployment of Akira ransomware.

Akira activity has been rising since July 2025. Early reports suggested a SonicWall zero-day exploit, but investigations revealed attackers were abusing CVE-2024-40766, an improper access control flaw in SonicWall SonicOS management access and SSL VPN. Though SonicWall released a patch in August 2024, some organizations failed to reset SSL VPN passwords after upgrading from Gen 6 to Gen 7 firewalls, leaving them exposed.

Experts believe that attackers harvested privileged account credentials months earlier and are now reusing them against organizations that patched but never rotated passwords. Rapid7 also identified other weaknesses being exploited, including misconfigured SSLVPN Default User Group settings and the externally exposed Virtual Office Portal, which attackers use to configure OTP MFA on compromised accounts.

“In our investigation, we observed repeated malicious SSL VPN logins on accounts with OTP MFA enabled, ruling out scratch code usage in those cases. We also found no signs of malicious use of the compromised accounts prior to SSL VPN login (event ID 1080), nor did we observe unauthorized OTP unbinding events or other malicious configuration changes (event ID 1382) in the five days leading up to the intrusions,” Arctic Wolf researchers stated.

“Taken together, the evidence points to the use of valid credentials rather than modification of OTP configuration, though the exact method of authenticating against MFA-enabled accounts remains unclear.”

So far, victim organizations span multiple industries and sizes, indicating opportunistic targeting rather than focused campaigns. Researchers emphasize that the minimal time between breach and ransomware execution makes early detection and rapid response essential.

Defensive Measures

Arctic Wolf recommends organizations take the following steps:
  • Monitor or block logins originating from VPS hosting providers.
  • Watch for abnormal SMB and LDAP activity linked to Impacket and discovery tools.
  • Detect unusual execution of scanning and archival utilities on servers.
  • Leverage App Control for Business to restrict unauthorized remote tools and block execution from untrusted paths.
“If your SonicWall devices have previously run firmware versions vulnerable to CVE-2024-40766, we strongly recommend resetting all credentials stored on the firewall, including SSL VPN passwords and OTP MFA secrets,” Arctic Wolf advised. “This includes both local firewall accounts and LDAP-synchronised Active Directory accounts, especially where accounts have access to SSL VPN. Threat actors are abusing these credentials even when devices are fully patched, suggesting that credential theft may have occurred earlier in the lifecycle.”
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
CISA KEV catalog Cyble vulnerabilities Ivanti Endpoint ransomware exploited vulnerabilities SolarWinds CVE-2025-26399 Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Cyble Flags 22 Vulnerabilities Under Active Exploitation, Including Ransomware Attacks

 



Cybersecurity researchers at Cyble have revealed 22 vulnerabilities currently being exploited by threat actors, with nine of them missing from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

In its latest blog post, Cyble explained that twelve of the vulnerabilities were flagged by its honeypot sensors after detecting real-world attack attempts. Out of these twelve, only four are listed in CISA’s KEV catalog.

The report also highlights 10 vulnerabilities actively abused by ransomware groups. Interestingly, nine of those have already made it into CISA’s KEV catalog, with just one — CVE-2025-7771 in ThrottleStop.sys — standing out as an exception. This flaw has reportedly been exploited by the MedusaLocker ransomware group.

Adding to the urgency, SolarWinds today rolled out a hotfix addressing CVE-2025-26399 in SolarWinds Web Help Desk. The flaw bypasses patches for CVE-2024-28988, which itself was a patch bypass for CVE-2024-28986. Since CVE-2024-28986 is already part of the KEV catalog, experts warn the new 9.8 CVSS-rated vulnerability could quickly attract attention from attackers.

Cyble researchers documented 12 vulnerabilities under active attack, including:

  • CVE-2025-49493 – Akamai CloudTest (before version 60, 2025.06.02)

  • CVE-2025-5086 – DELMIA Apriso (Release 2020–2025), recently added as a rare ICS/OT flaw in the KEV catalog

  • CVE-2025-48827 – vBulletin 5.0.0–5.7.5 and 6.0.0–6.0.3 on PHP 8.1+

  • CVE-2025-45985 – Multiple Blink router models

  • CVE-2025-4427 – Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile up to 12.5.0.0 (in KEV catalog)

  • CVE-2025-4009 – Evertz SDVN 3080ipx-10G management interface

  • CVE-2025-32432 – Craft CMS 3.0.0-RC1 to <3.9.15, 4.0.0-RC1 to <4.14.15, 5.0.0-RC1 to <5.6.17

  • CVE-2025-31161 – CrushFTP 10 (before 10.8.4) and 11 (before 11.3.1), listed in KEV

  • CVE-2025-29306 – FoxCMS v1.2.5

  • CVE-2025-20188 – Cisco IOS XE Software for Wireless LAN Controllers

  • CVE-2025-47812 – Wing FTP Server (before 7.4.4), also in KEV

  • CVE-2025-54782 – NestJS versions 0.2.0 and below in @nestjs/devtools-integration

Cyble’s threat intelligence division also identified 10 vulnerabilities exploited by ransomware groups, tracked via open-source intelligence and internal monitoring. Notable cases include:

  • CVE-2025-53770 – Microsoft SharePoint Server, exploited by Storm-2603

  • CVE-2024-40766 – SonicWall SonicOS, targeted by Akira

  • CVE-2024-23692 – Rejetto HTTP File Server, targeted by an unknown group

  • CVE-2025-8088 – WinRAR for Windows, exploited by RomCom (Storm-0978 / Tropical Scorpius / UNC2596)

  • CVE-2025-29824 – Windows Common Log File System, abused by RansomExx (Storm-2460)

  • CVE-2025-31324 and CVE-2025-42999 – SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer Metadata Uploader, exploited in tandem by Scattered Spider

  • CVE-2023-46604 – Java OpenWire protocol marshaller, linked to Linux malware Drip Dropper

  • CVE-2025-24472 – FortiOS 7.0.0–7.0.16, FortiProxy 7.2.0–7.2.12 / 7.0.0–7.0.19, exploited by INC Ransom

According to Cyble, these vulnerabilities “should be high-priority fixes by security teams if they haven't been patched or mitigated already, and a risk-based vulnerability management program should be at the heart of every organization's cyber defenses.”

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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
Cloud Breach Cloud Misconfiguration Threat Landscape Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Misconfigurations Still Fuel Most Cloud Breaches in 2025

 

Cloud misconfigurations persist as the foremost driver of cloud breaches in 2025, revealing deep-seated challenges in both technological and operational practices across organizations. 

While cloud services promise remarkable agility and scale, the complexity of modern infrastructure and oversight failures continue to expose companies to widespread risks, often overshadowing technical advancements in security.

Roots of misconfigurations

At their core, cloud misconfigurations typically arise from the interplay of speed-driven development practices, insufficient cloud expertise, and gaps in secure deployment workflows. 

Developers and DevOps teams, pressured by tight release timelines, often prioritize functionality and rapid deployment over robust security—leading to frequent mistakes such as leaving storage buckets public, excessive user privileges, and open network ports. 

These errors are amplified by the sprawling nature of cloud environments, where hundreds of microservices and resources each require detailed security settings. The mere failure to reset default configurations provided by cloud vendors, designed for ease of use rather than security, opens the door to potential attacks if not properly hardened from the outset.

Security alert fatigue also impedes effective responses: cloud monitoring tools tend to flood teams with poorly categorized alerts lacking real-world context, causing crucial warnings to be overlooked amidst false positives. 

Compounding these issues is the persistent skill gap, as the rapid evolution of cloud technologies outpaces many professionals' ability to keep up—especially in areas requiring hybrid knowledge of architecture and security. Hardcoded secrets within application code further undermine defenses, making it easier for attackers to exfiltrate sensitive data.

Pathways to improvement

True progress lies in shifting from a reactive stance—where breaches are detected after the fact—to a proactive security-first approach integrated throughout development cycles. 

This means embedding security protocols at every step, continuously training staff on new cloud attack techniques, and leveraging advanced tools that understand context to reduce unnecessary alert volume. Organizations should also regularly audit permissions, segment networks, and rigorously manage all access credentials to mitigate both insider and external threats.

Ultimately, misconfigurations endure because cloud security is too often sidelined for speed, and technology alone cannot solve human and procedural failings. To tame this leading breach vector, organizations must treat security as inseparable from innovation—building robust, resilient frameworks that safeguard data as effectively as they enable growth.
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zero-click
ChatGPT OpenAI Radware ShadowLeak Vulnerabilities and Exploits zero-click

ShadowLeak: Zero-Click ChatGPT Flaw Exposes Gmail Data to Silent Theft

 

A critical zero-click vulnerability known as "ShadowLeak" was recently discovered in OpenAI's ChatGPT Deep Research agent, exposing users’ sensitive data to stealthy attacks without any interaction required. 

Uncovered by Radware researchers and disclosed in September 2025, the vulnerability specifically targeted the Deep Research agent's integration with applications like Gmail. This feature, launched by OpenAI in February 2025, allows the agent to autonomously browse, analyze, and synthesize large amounts of online and personal data to produce detailed reports.

The ShadowLeak exploit works through a technique called indirect prompt injection, where an attacker embeds hidden commands in an HTML-formatted email—such as white-on-white text or tiny fonts—that are invisible to the human eye. 

When the Deep Research agent reads the booby-trapped email in the course of fulfilling a standard user request (like “summarize my inbox”), it executes those hidden commands. Sensitive Gmail data, including personal or organizational details, is then exfiltrated directly from OpenAI’s cloud servers to an attacker-controlled endpoint, with no endpoint or user action needed.

Unlike prior attacks (such as AgentFlayer and EchoLeak) that depended on rendering attacker-controlled content on a user’s machine, ShadowLeak operates purely on the server side. All data transmission and agent decisions take place within OpenAI’s infrastructure, bypassing local, enterprise, or network-based security tools. The lack of client or network visibility means the victim remains completely unaware of the compromise and has no chance to intervene, making it a quintessential zero-click threat.

The impact of ShadowLeak is significant, with potential leakage of personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), business secrets, legal strategies, and more. It also raises the stakes for regulatory compliance, as such exfiltrations could trigger GDPR, CCPA, or SEC violations, along with serious reputational and financial damage.

Radware reported the vulnerability to OpenAI via the BugCrowd platform on June 18, 2025. OpenAI responded promptly, fixing the issue in early August and confirming that there was no evidence the flaw had been exploited in the wild. 

OpenAI underscored its commitment to strengthening defenses against prompt injection and similar attacks, welcoming continued adversarial testing by security researchers to safeguard emerging AI agent architectures.
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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
Authentication cloud environment CVE Microsfot Entra ID Microsoft Azure Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Researcher Finds Entra ID Weakness That Could Have Granted Global Admin Access




Two critical weaknesses recently came to light in Microsoft’s Entra ID platform could have given attackers unprecedented control over nearly every Azure cloud customer. The flaws were discovered and reported responsibly, allowing Microsoft to release fixes before attackers were able to exploit them.

Entra ID, previously known as Azure Active Directory, is the identity management system that controls how users log in, what resources they can reach, and who has administrator rights. It is a core service for businesses worldwide, which means any failure in its security could ripple across countless organizations at once.

Dutch security researcher Dirk-jan Mollema, who specializes in cloud identity security, identified the flaws while preparing material for a cybersecurity conference. What he found was alarming: the two vulnerabilities, when combined, created a path for attackers to impersonate users and escalate privileges to the highest level, effectively granting full control of customer environments.

The first weakness involved so-called “Actor Tokens,” a type of authentication token issued by an old Microsoft system known as Access Control Service. These tokens carried unusual privileges that, on their own, posed little risk but became dangerous when chained with a second issue. That second vulnerability was buried in Azure Active Directory Graph, a legacy interface used to access Microsoft 365 data. Unlike its modern replacement, Microsoft Graph, the older system did not properly check which tenant— a customer’s isolated cloud environment was sending a request. By combining the two flaws, attackers could trick the system into accepting tokens from outside tenants, opening the door to total compromise.

With administrator-level access, attackers would have been able to add new privileged accounts, alter security settings, and access sensitive information. Experts warned that such attacks could bypass common safeguards like multifactor authentication and leave minimal traces in activity logs, making them particularly dangerous.

Mollema disclosed his findings to Microsoft on July 14. The company began work the same day, deployed a fix globally within days, and later introduced additional protections. A vulnerability identifier (CVE) was issued in September, and Microsoft confirmed that no evidence of exploitation was found during its investigation.

Security researchers have compared the potential fallout to past incidents where authentication weaknesses enabled large-scale breaches. While the flaws in Entra ID never reached that point, the discovery illustrates how overlooked legacy systems can undermine modern security frameworks.

Microsoft has since retired the affected components and emphasized its commitment to phasing out outdated protocols. For organizations using Entra ID, the incident highlights the need to remain alert to vendor advisories, apply updates quickly, and watch for unusual activity in administrative accounts.

The vulnerabilities may now be closed, but they reveal how hidden dependencies in cloud infrastructure can become high-risk targets. As cloud identity systems continue to expand, the security community will likely scrutinize them even more closely for weaknesses of this scale.


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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
Akira Ransomware CVE-2024-40766 SonicOS 7.3.0 SonicWall firewall vulnerability SonicWall Gen 7 SSLVPN exploit Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Ransomware Groups Still Exploiting SonicWall Firewall Vulnerability Despite Patch

 

More than a year after SonicWall released a patch for CVE-2024-40766, a critical vulnerability affecting its next-generation firewalls, attackers linked to the Akira ransomware-as-a-service operation continue to exploit the flaw to breach organizations.

Similar to incidents in September 2024 and earlier this year, affiliates of the Akira group are behind the latest wave of attacks. The spike observed in July 2025 was partly due to organizations upgrading from Gen 6 to Gen 7 SonicWall firewalls without resetting local user passwords as recommended by SonicWall.

Attackers have also expanded their techniques. According to Rapid7’s Incident Response team, there has been “an uptick in intrusions involving SonicWall appliances” since early August 2025. Their findings indicate that the Akira group may be chaining together three different security weaknesses to gain access and deploy ransomware.

CVE-2024-40766, which remains unpatched in some environments.

A misconfiguration in the SSLVPN Default Users Group setting. SonicWall explains:

“This setting automatically adds every successfully authenticated LDAP user to a predefined local group, regardless of their actual membership in Active Directory. If that default group has access to sensitive services – such as SSL VPN, administrative interfaces, or unrestricted network zones – then any compromised AD account, even one with no legitimate need for those services, will instantly inherit those permissions.”
“This effectively bypasses intended AD group-based access controls, giving attackers a direct path into the network perimeter as soon as they obtain valid credentials.”

Abuse of the Virtual Office Portal feature in SonicWall appliances, which attackers are using to configure MFA/TOTP on already compromised accounts.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has also issued warnings about increased Akira activity targeting Australian entities via CVE-2024-40766.

According to Rapid7, the attackers’ method remains consistent: they gain entry through the SSLVPN component, escalate privileges to elevated or service accounts, exfiltrate sensitive data from file servers and network shares, disable or delete backups, and finally execute ransomware at the hypervisor layer.

Recommended Mitigations

Organizations relying on SonicWall firewalls are advised to:

  • Rotate passwords on all SonicWall local accounts and delete unused ones.
  • Enforce MFA/TOTP for SSLVPN services.
  • Set the Default LDAP User Group to “None.”
  • Restrict Virtual Office Portal access to trusted local networks and closely monitor usage.
  • Ensure all appliances run the latest firmware updates.

SonicWall recently highlighted that SonicOS 7.3.0 introduces additional protections against brute-force attacks and enhanced MFA controls, providing stronger defense against ransomware intrusions.
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Zero Day exploit
Apple Security CVSS Cybersecurity Threats iOS Mobile Device Protection Spyware Campaign Vulnerabilities and Exploits WhatsApp Vulnerability Zero Click Attack Zero Day exploit

WhatsApp 0-Day Exploited in Targeted Attacks on Mac and iOS Platforms

 


Providing a fresh reminder of the constant threat to widespread communication platforms, WhatsApp has disclosed and patched a vulnerability affecting its iOS and macOS applications. The vulnerability has already been exploited in real-world attacks, according to WhatsApp, which warns it may already have been exploited in the past. 

It has a CVSS score of 5.4 and is tracked as CVE-2025-55177. The vulnerability is caused by an insufficient level of authorisation when handling linked device synchronization messages. As a result of the vulnerability, WhatsApp has warned that a malicious actor could potentially compromise the security of users by manipulating content processing using arbitrary URLs on the target device. 

In a statement, the Meta-owned company credited its in-house security team with discovering and analyzing this bug, which is thought to have been exploited in combination with a recently revealed Apple zero-day vulnerability as part of targeted attacks on the company. The incident was deemed to be the result of an "advanced spyware campaign" by Donncha Cearbhaill of Amnesty International's Security Lab, which notes it had been active for approximately 90 days and used zero-click delivery techniques. 

Through this technique, attackers were able to spread malicious exploits through WhatsApp without requiring any interaction from the victim, allowing them to steal data from Apple devices silently and raising serious concerns about the resilience of even highly secure platforms. By way of spokesperson Margarita Franklin, Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, confirmed that the flaw had been identified and patched several weeks ago, with notification sent to less than 200 users who had been affected. 

Even though the company has not attributed the operation to any specific threat actor or spyware vendor, the lack of attribution highlights how difficult it may be to trace such sophisticated campaigns when it comes to tracking them down. Technology providers are facing increasingly complex and stealthy attacks on popular communication tools, which is why the episode emphasizes the mounting challenges they face in defending them against such attacks. 

Recently, a critical flaw has been discovered in WhatsApp which has been catalogued as CVE-2025-55177, which has once again brought to the fore the security landscape around widely used communication platforms. Based on initial CVSS scores of 5.4 and 8.0, the vulnerability highlights how zero-day exploits continue to pose a challenge to users and device integrity, as well as undermine privacy and device integrity. 

It is believed that the root of the flaw is due to incomplete authorization in the handling of synchronization messages between linked devices. This weakness was the basis of the attack, which could be exploited as a tool to override the expected security features. Using this vulnerability, a malicious actor who has no legitimate association with the target could force a victim's device to process content from an arbitrary URL on its own behalf if exploited. 

The manipulation of trusted communication channels could serve as an entry point for remote code execution, or unauthorized delivery of malicious content, directly from the attacker's infrastructure, which can then be used to deliver malicious content. In such a scenario, users' trust is not only compromised, but it also highlights how vulnerable application-level security measures can be if authorization mechanisms are not properly enforced. 

There is an added level of seriousness to this discovery, since the exploit appears to have been a zero-click attack. In contrast to conventional attacks that require the user to open a file or click on a link, zero-click exploits do not require the user to interact with them whatsoever, which significantly reduces the chances of detection. 

As a result of silent compromises, attackers are able to install spyware or malicious code swiftly, discreetly, and with little or no trace until the damage has been done. WhatsApp's internal security team believes that the CVE-2025-55177 vulnerability was not an isolated occurrence. Rather than being isolated from the other vulnerability within Apple's ecosystem, it is thought to have been chained together with a separate vulnerability within the Apple ecosystem – CVE-2025-43300 – to allow sophisticated, targeted attacks.

In the Apple case, a CVSS score of 8.8 was assigned to the ImageIO framework that was characterized by an out-of-bounds write condition. When these vulnerabilities occur during the processing of images, they can corrupt memory, giving way to deeper system-level vulnerabilities. An exploit chaining strategy, whereby an application-level bug is paired up with an operating system vulnerability in order to maximize the scope and stealth of a campaign, is an increasingly popular strategy among advanced adversaries as a means of maximizing the scope and stealth of their operations. 

On August 20, Apple updated its entire product line in order to address CVE-2025-43300, issuing patches for iOS 18.6.2, iPadOS 18.6.2, and 17.7.10, Mac OS Sequoia 15.6.1, Mac OS Sonoma 14.7.2, and Mac OS Ventura 13.7.1. It was noted in the advisory that while the company had refrained from providing detailed technical details, they had been aware of reports that the flaw had already been exploited against specific individuals by users in the wild.

In line with the tactics used by state-sponsored groups and well-funded spyware vendors, these attacks were highly targeted and not indiscriminate, as they suggest that these attacks were highly targeted and not indiscriminate. In addition to mitigating the threat quickly, WhatsApp has also quickly rolled out patches that fix CVE-2025-55177 on all its platforms, rolling it out in late July and early August 2025. As with Apple, WhatsApp's version of iOS 2.2.21.73, WhatsApp Business, and WhatsApp for Mac all came with the patches. 

However, as Apple did, WhatsApp did not provide details of the observed attacks, and provided limited commentary on the nature or scale of the exploitation. The reticence that occurs when a zero-day exploitation is being actively exploited is not unusual, as revealing too much could help threat actors improve their techniques inadvertently. 

While the extent of the campaign is still unknown, the operational sophistication implied by these exploits suggests that an adversary with adequate resources has been engaged in this operation. This is because of the fact that zero-click vectors are being used as well as the seamless chaining of vulnerabilities across both application and operating system layers, which illustrates how complex cyber threats are becoming. 

In the broader context of these incidents, it is important to recognize that attackers are increasingly using multi-layered exploit chains to get around user defenses, get past traditional detection methods, and implant spyware in a highly precise manner. Taking a broader perspective of the WhatsApp and Apple vulnerabilities, it is important to note that today's interconnected digital environment creates a precarious balance between convenience and security. 

With the rapid expansion of messaging platforms, the attack surface is inevitably bound to increase, allowing adversaries to find weaknesses more easily. According to recent disclosures, it is imperative that timely patches, rigorous vulnerability management, and ongoing collaboration between vendors be implemented so that coordinated, high-level exploitation campaigns are limited in impact. 

In order to defend against zero-click exploit campaigns that leverage zero-click exploits, security specialists advise that a routine patch application does not suffice. There is a growing need for organizations to adopt a layered defense strategy that integrates technical safeguards with operational discipline in order to reduce exposure. 

Among the steps to take is updating WhatsApp and other messaging platforms to the most recent patched versions, enforcing mobile device management (MDM) baselines, and implementing solutions for detection and response of mobile endpoints (EDR) that can be used to detect as well as analyse the data. To further enhance resilience, system logs can be monitored for unusual activity, command-and-control traffic can be blocked at the network level, and threat intelligence data can be utilized. 

To eliminate possible persistence mechanisms, factory resets should be recommended when a compromise is suspected. Likewise, it is crucial to build user awareness by providing training on spyware risks and incident reporting, in addition to reviewing incident response playbooks to ensure they address zero-day and zero-click exploitation scenarios. In addition to these practices, organizations should adopt strict communication security policies, and conduct regular third-party risk assessments in order to strengthen their defense against stealthy spyware operations and reduce the impact of sophisticated intrusion attempts on their systems. 

There has been a sharp reminder resulting from the revelations surrounding WhatsApp and Apple vulnerabilities that no platform, no matter how popular or secure it appears to be, is immune to exploitation. In this day and age, zero-click spyware is becoming increasingly sophisticated, which underscores the necessity to treat mobile device security as a strategic priority rather than something people take for granted. 

The best way to do this for individuals would be to develop the habit of downloading and installing software updates as soon as they become available, to exercise caution when unusual behavior occurs on their mobile devices, and to consider the use of trusted mobile security tools. 

Organizations need to shift from compliance checklists and develop a culture of proactive resilience rather than relying on compliance checklists. This means investing in multiple defenses, continuous monitoring, and cross-team collaboration between the IT, security, and legal departments in order to better detect and contain incidents.

It is imperative that technology vendors, independent researchers, and civil society organisations collaboratively work together in order to hold spyware operators accountable for their actions and ensure that users retain trust in their digital communications in the future. 

In spite of vulnerabilities continuing to be found in the digital ecosystem, a combination of rapid response, transparency, and a security-first mindset can turn such incidents into opportunities for stronger defenses and more resilient digital ecosystems by eliminating vulnerabilities as quickly as possible.
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