All news with #active exploitation tag

October 2025 Patch Tuesday: Critical WSUS and Modem Fixes

🔒 Microsoft’s October Patch Tuesday addresses 167 vulnerabilities, including seven rated critical that require immediate CISO attention. Notable fixes include a 9.8 RCE in Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) (CVE-2025-59287) and two Office RCEs exploitable via the Preview Pane. Two legacy Agere modem driver flaws include an in-the-wild zero day and a prior public disclosure, prompting Microsoft to remove ltmdm64.sys from Windows. Administrators should prioritize internet-facing services, kernel-mode drivers, and review WSUS exposure and patch management architecture.

Anatomy of a BlackSuit Ransomware Blitz at Manufacturer

🔐 Unit 42 responded to a significant BlackSuit ransomware campaign after attackers obtained VPN credentials via a vishing call and immediately escalated privileges. The adversary executed DCSync, moved laterally with RDP/SMB using tools like Advanced IP Scanner and SMBExec, established persistence with AnyDesk and a custom RAT, and exfiltrated over 400 GB before deploying BlackSuit across ~60 ESXi hosts. Unit 42 expanded Cortex XDR visibility from 250 to over 17,000 endpoints and used Cortex XSOAR to automate containment while delivering prioritized remediation guidance.

Patch Tuesday Oct 2025: 172 Flaws, End of Windows 10

⚠️ Microsoft’s October 2025 updates close 172 security holes and include at least two actively exploited zero‑days. The company removed a decades-old Agere modem driver to mitigate CVE-2025-24990 and patched an elevation-of-privilege zero-day in RasMan (CVE-2025-59230). A critical unauthenticated RCE in WSUS (CVE-2025-59287) carries a 9.8 threat score and should be prioritized. This release also marks the end of security updates for Windows 10, prompting ESU enrollment or migration options.

Oracle quietly patches E-Business Suite SSRF zero-day

🔒Oracle has silently fixed an Oracle E-Business Suite vulnerability (CVE-2025-61884) after researchers confirmed the update blocks a pre-authentication SSRF used by a leaked ShinyHunters proof-of-concept. Oracle issued an out-of-band security update over the weekend and warned the flaw could allow access to sensitive resources. The vendor did not disclose that the issue was actively exploited or that a public exploit had been released, drawing criticism from researchers and customers.

Oracle Quietly Patches E-Business Suite Zero-Day Exploit

⚠️ Oracle has quietly released an out-of-band update addressing CVE-2025-61884 in Oracle E-Business Suite, a pre-authentication SSRF exploited by a publicly leaked proof-of-concept published by the ShinyHunters extortion group. Oracle's advisory warns the flaw can expose sensitive resources but did not disclose active exploitation or the public exploit release, prompting follow-up from researchers. Independent testers confirm the new update now blocks the SSRF component that previously bypassed earlier patches.

Chinese APT Abuses ArcGIS SOE for Year-Long Persistence

🔒 Researchers say a Chinese state-linked actor, likely Flax Typhoon, exploited a component of the ArcGIS geo-mapping platform to maintain undetected access for over a year. Using valid admin credentials, the attackers uploaded a malicious Java SOE that acted as a web shell, accepting base64-encoded commands via a REST parameter protected by a hardcoded secret. They then installed SoftEther VPN as a Windows service to create an outbound HTTPS tunnel to 172.86.113[.]142 on port 443, enabling persistent lateral movement and credential harvesting even if the SOE were removed.

CISA Adds Five Exploited Vulnerabilities to KEV Catalog

🔒 CISA has added five vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog after evidence of active exploitation. The additions include CVE-2016-7836 (SKYSEA Client View), CVE-2025-6264 (Rapid7 Velociraptor), CVE-2025-24990 and CVE-2025-59230 (Microsoft Windows), and CVE-2025-47827 (IGEL OS). Under BOD 22-01, Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies must remediate KEV entries by the designated due dates; CISA strongly urges all organizations to prioritize timely remediation as part of routine vulnerability management.

Chinese APT Abuses ArcGIS Component to Maintain Backdoor

🔐 ReliaQuest linked the campaign to the Flax Typhoon APT, which converted a legitimate public-facing ArcGIS Java server object extension (SOE) into a stealthy web shell. The group activated the SOE through a standard ArcGIS REST extension, embedding a base64-encoded payload and a hardcoded key to trigger command execution while hiding activity behind normal portal operations. Attackers uploaded a renamed SoftEther VPN binary to preserve access and targeted IT workstations, and the SOE was later found in backups, enabling persistence after remediation. ReliaQuest warns organisations to go beyond IOC detection, proactively hunt for anomalous behaviour in trusted tools, and treat every public-facing application as a high-risk asset.

New SonicWall SSLVPN Compromises Linked to Credentials

🔒 Huntress reports a fresh wave of compromises targeting SonicWall SSLVPN appliances in early October, affecting at least 16 organizations and more than 100 accounts. Attackers are authenticating with valid credentials rather than brute forcing, often from recurring attacker-controlled IPs. Some sessions involved internal reconnaissance and attempts against Windows administrative accounts, but Huntress says it has no evidence linking the activity to September’s MySonicWall cloud backup disclosure. It urges administrators to reset credentials, restrict remote management, review SSLVPN logs, and enable MFA.

Microsoft restricts IE mode in Edge after zero-day attacks

🔒 Microsoft is restricting access to Internet Explorer mode in Edge after discovering attackers leveraged an unpatched zero-day in the Chakra JavaScript engine combined with social engineering to achieve remote code execution and privilege escalation. The company removed quick UI triggers (toolbar button, context menu, hamburger items) so IE mode now requires explicit configuration under Settings > Default Browser. Commercial, policy-managed deployments remain unaffected.

New zero-day in Gladinet re-enables patched RCE flaw

⚠️ Huntress has observed criminals exploiting a new zero-day (CVE-2025-11371) in Gladinet CentreStack and Triofox file-sharing servers that enables unauthenticated local file inclusion. The flaw can expose the application's Web.config machineKey, effectively re-enabling a prior ViewState deserialization RCE (CVE-2025-30406). Gladinet has not yet released a patch; Huntress advises disabling the UploadDownloadProxy temp handler as a mitigation. Huntress detected misuse across multiple customers and notes that SOC telemetry flagged irregular base64 payloads; administrators should assume 'fully patched' may not equal secure and isolate or disable vulnerable handlers until a vendor patch is available.

Massive Multi-Country Botnet Targets US RDP Services

🔍 Researchers at GreyNoise have identified a large-scale, multi-country botnet that began targeting Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) services in the United States on October 8. The campaign uses over 100,000 IP addresses and employs two RDP-specific techniques: RD Web Access timing attacks to infer valid usernames and RDP Web Client login enumeration to observe differing server behaviors. Nearly all sources share a common TCP fingerprint, indicating coordinated clusters. Administrators should block attacking IPs, review RDP logs, and avoid exposing remote desktop services to the public internet—use VPNs and enable multi-factor authentication.

SonicWall SSLVPN Accounts Breached With Stolen Credentials

🛡️ Researchers report that threat actors have compromised more than a hundred SonicWall SSLVPN accounts in a large-scale campaign that began on October 4 and persisted through at least October 10. The attackers appear to be using valid, stolen credentials rather than brute-force methods, and many malicious requests originated from IP 202.155.8[.]73. After authenticating, actors conducted reconnaissance and attempted lateral movement to access numerous local Windows accounts; investigators recommend immediate secret rotation, strict access restrictions, and multi-factor authentication for all admin and remote accounts.

Stealit Infostealer Campaign Deploys via Fake VPN Apps

🛡️ FortiGuard Labs has identified a campaign distributing the Stealit infostealer via disguised game and VPN installers shared on file‑hosting sites and platforms like Discord. Attackers use Node.js Single Executable Apps (SEA) and PyInstaller bundles, heavy obfuscation and multiple anti‑analysis techniques to avoid detection. Once executed, Stealit harvests data from browsers, game clients, messaging apps and cryptocurrency wallets, and its operators rotate C2 domains while marketing the toolkit commercially.

Aisuru IoT Botnet Cripples Major US ISPs at 29.6 Tbps

⚠️ Aisuru, an IoT botnet derived from Mirai, generated a nearly 29.6 Tbps DDoS surge on Oct. 8, 2025, briefly disrupting major US ISPs and online gaming platforms. Logs show most attack traffic originated from compromised home routers, IP cameras and DVRs on networks operated by AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, T‑Mobile and Charter. TCPShield reported over 15 Tbps of junk traffic, and researchers warn Aisuru now operates as both a DDoS engine and a residential proxy network.

Botnet Uses 100,000 IPs in Massive RDP Attack Wave

🛡️ GreyNoise researchers uncovered a massive RDP attack wave using more than 100,000 IP addresses across over 100 countries, which analysts link to a single large botnet targeting U.S. Remote Desktop infrastructure. The attackers used two enumeration techniques — an RD Web Access timing attack to infer valid usernames and an RDP Web Client login enumeration to guess credentials — enabling efficient compromise while reducing obvious alerts. GreyNoise published a dynamic blocklist template, microsoft-rdp-botnet-oct-25, and recommends that organizations review logs for unusual RDP access patterns and automatically block associated IPs at the network edge.

Researchers Warn RondoDox Botnet Expands Exploitation

🔍 Trend Micro warns that RondoDox botnet campaigns have significantly expanded their targeting, exploiting more than 50 vulnerabilities across over 30 vendors to compromise routers, DVR/NVR systems, CCTV devices, web servers and other networked infrastructure. First observed by Trend Micro on June 15, 2025 via exploitation of CVE-2023-1389, and first documented by Fortinet FortiGuard Labs in July 2025, the threat now leverages a loader-as-a-service model that co-packages RondoDox with Mirai/Morte payloads, accelerating automated, multivector intrusions. The campaign includes 56 tracked flaws—18 without CVEs—spanning major vendors and underscores urgent detection and remediation needs.

Microsoft Restricts Edge IE Mode After Active Exploits

🔒 Microsoft has tightened access to Internet Explorer mode in Edge after credible reports in August 2025 that unknown actors abused the legacy compatibility feature to compromise devices. Attackers used social engineering to coerce users into reloading pages in IE mode and then chained unpatched Chakra JavaScript engine exploits to gain remote code execution and elevate privileges. Microsoft removed the IE mode toolbar button, context-menu and hamburger-menu entries; IE mode must now be enabled explicitly via Edge settings and sites must be added to an IE mode pages list.

FBI and French Police Seize BreachForums Domain Again

🛡️ US and French authorities say they have seized at least one clearweb domain used by the cybercrime forum BreachForums, which has been acting as a leak site linked to recent Salesforce breaches. Screenshots of the site display logos for the FBI, DOJ, BL2C and JUNALCO, although the forum's .onion instance appears still accessible. Reports suggest breachforums[.]hn was disrupted while threat actors such as ShinyHunters claim backups and backend servers were compromised or destroyed. Experts warn the seizure may yield valuable historical data for investigations, but will not immediately stop ongoing extortion of victims.

Astaroth Banking Trojan Uses GitHub to Stay Operational

🔒 Cybersecurity researchers warn of a recent campaign delivering the Astaroth banking trojan that leverages GitHub repositories to host hidden configurations and regain functionality after C2 takedowns. The attack, concentrated in Brazil and across Latin America, begins with a DocuSign-themed phishing message that drops an LNK file which executes obfuscated JavaScript, retrieves an AutoIt loader and ultimately injects a Delphi-based DLL. Astaroth monitors browser activity for banking and cryptocurrency sites, exfiltrates credentials via Ngrok, and employs steganography, anti-analysis checks, and persistent LNK-based startup execution to maintain stealth and resilience.