All news with #active exploitation tag

Experts Say Scattered Spider 'Retirement' Is a Smokescreen

🕵️ Scattered Spider and roughly 15 affiliated ransomware and cybercrime groups posted a joint manifesto on BreachForums claiming to 'go dark' after recent arrests. Experts point to inconsistencies — an unlikely coalition, rapid timing, and no observed money‑movement — and call the announcement a likely smokescreen. They warn organizations not to lower their guard and to assume tactics and infrastructure remain active, taking immediate hardening steps.

Yurei Ransomware Uses Open-Source Tools for Extortion

🔒 A newly identified ransomware group called Yurei is conducting double-extortion attacks, encrypting files and exfiltrating sensitive data before demanding payment. First observed by Check Point Research on September 5, Yurei has targeted organizations in Sri Lanka, India and Nigeria and may have ties to Morocco. Built largely from open-source Prince-Ransomware code, the malware encrypts each file using per-file ChaCha20 keys protected with ECIES, appending a .Yurei extension, and attempts to provide a ransom page and .onion contact. Although the early variant omits some operational features (for example it fails to set a ransom wallpaper and does not remove Windows shadow copies), the group still threatens publication of stolen data to pressure victims.

Samsung image library flaw enables zero-click RCE exploit

📸 Samsung disclosed a critical remote code execution vulnerability in a closed-source image-parsing library, libimagecodec.quram.so, supplied by Quramsoft that affects devices running Android 13–16. The out-of-bounds write (CVE-2025-21043, CVSS 8.8) can be triggered by a specially crafted image and has been exploited in the wild. Messaging apps are a likely vector and the flaw can operate as a zero-click backdoor. Samsung released an SMR Sep-2025 Release 1 patch; enterprises should prioritize deployment.

VoidProxy PhaaS Uses AitM to Target Microsoft, Google

🔒 VoidProxy is a newly observed phishing-as-a-service platform that leverages adversary-in-the-middle techniques to capture credentials, MFA codes, and session cookies from Microsoft 365 and Google accounts. Discovered by Okta Threat Intelligence, the service routes victims through shortened links and disposable domains protected by Cloudflare, serving CAPTCHAs and realistic login pages to selected targets. When credentials are entered, VoidProxy proxies requests to the real providers, records MFA responses, and extracts session cookies which are exposed in the platform admin panel for immediate abuse.

FBI Alerts on UNC6040 and UNC6395 Targeting Salesforce

⚠️ The FBI released IoCs linking two threat clusters, UNC6040 and UNC6395, to a series of data theft and extortion attacks that targeted organizations' Salesforce environments. UNC6395 exploited compromised OAuth tokens tied to the Salesloft Drift app after a March–June 2025 GitHub breach, prompting Salesloft to isolate Drift and take its AI chatbot offline. UNC6040, active since October 2024, used vishing, a modified Data Loader and custom Python scripts to hijack instances and exfiltrate bulk data, while extortion activity has been associated with actors using the ShinyHunters brand.

CISA Warns of Active Exploitation of Dassault RCE Now

⚠ CISA has added a critical remote code execution flaw in DELMIA Apriso to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list as CVE-2025-5086, warning that attackers are actively exploiting the issue. The vulnerability is a deserialization of untrusted data that can lead to RCE when vulnerable endpoints process crafted SOAP requests containing a Base64-encoded, GZIP-compressed .NET executable embedded in XML. Dassault Systèmes confirmed the bug affects Releases 2020–2025; CISA has given federal agencies until October 2 to apply updates or mitigations or to cease using the product.

Apple Alerts French Users to Fourth 2025 Spyware Campaign

🔔 Apple has notified users in France that devices linked to some iCloud accounts may have been compromised in a fourth spyware campaign this year, CERT-FR confirmed on September 3, 2025. The agency said the alerts target high-profile individuals — journalists, lawyers, activists, politicians and senior officials — and follow prior notices on March 5, April 29 and June 25. Recent disclosures also link WhatsApp and iOS vulnerabilities exploited in zero-click chains, while Apple’s Memory Integrity Enforcement aims to harden new iPhones against such memory-corruption attacks.

SEO Poisoning Targets Chinese Users via Fake Software

🛡️ In August 2025, FortiGuard Labs uncovered an SEO poisoning campaign that manipulated search rankings to lure Chinese-speaking users to lookalike download sites mimicking legitimate software, notably a DeepL spoof. Victims downloaded a bundled MSI installer that combined genuine application installers with malicious components (EnumW.dll, fragmented ZIPs and a packed vstdlib.dll) and used anti-analysis, timing checks and parent-process validation to evade sandboxes. The in-memory payload implements Heartbeat, Monitor and C2 modules, exfiltrates system and user data, and supports plugins for screen capture, keylogging, Telegram proxy removal and crypto wallet targeting. Fortinet detections and network protections are updated; organizations are advised to apply patches, scan affected systems, and contact incident response if compromise is suspected.

Fileless AsyncRAT infection leverages in-memory loaders

🔍 Security researchers at LevelBlue Labs identified an open-source Remote Access Trojan, AsyncRAT, being deployed via a multi-stage, fileless in-memory loader that avoids writing executables to disk. Attackers gained initial access through a compromised ConnectWise ScreenConnect client, executing a VBScript which invoked PowerShell to fetch two staged .NET assemblies. The first-stage assembly decodes payloads into byte arrays and uses reflection to run the secondary assembly directly in memory, while operators disabled AMSI and tampered with ETW to evade runtime detection. Persistence was achieved with a scheduled task disguised as "Skype Update," and the RAT used an AES-256 encrypted configuration to connect to a DuckDNS-based C2.

DELMIA Apriso critical CVE-2025-5086 enables RCE in the wild

⚠️ CISA added a critical deserialization vulnerability, CVE-2025-5086, affecting Dassault Systèmes DELMIA Apriso Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) releases 2020–2025 to its KEV catalog following evidence of active exploitation. The flaw can allow remote code execution via the /apriso/WebServices/FlexNetOperationsService.svc/Invoke endpoint when attackers send a Base64 payload that decodes to a GZIP-compressed Windows DLL. Observed attacks delivered a DLL identified by Kaspersky as Trojan.MSIL.Zapchast.gen, capable of spying and exfiltrating data. FCEB agencies are urged to apply updates by October 2, 2025, to secure their networks.

France Alerts Apple Users to New Spyware Campaigns

🔔Apple has alerted some iCloud account holders to a newly identified spyware campaign that may have compromised at least one device tied to notified accounts. France’s national CERT (CERT-FR), run by ANSSI, published an advisory on 11 September after Apple issued notifications starting 3 September. CERT-FR urged recipients to contact the team immediately, retain the original Apple notification (from threat-notifications@email.apple.com or threat-notifications@apple.com), and avoid altering or restarting affected devices to preserve forensic evidence. The advisory reiterated basic and advanced risk-reduction steps including two-factor authentication, timely updates, enabling automatic updates, separating work and personal use, and activating Lockdown Mode.

Samsung patches actively exploited zero-day in image codec

🔒 Samsung has released a patch for a critical remote code execution vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-21043 that was actively exploited on Android devices. Reported by Meta and WhatsApp security teams on August 13, the flaw stems from an out-of-bounds write in libimagecodec.quram.so, a closed-source Quramsoft image parser, and affects devices running Android 13 and later. Samsung’s advisory notes an exploit was observed in the wild and that other messaging apps using the vulnerable library could also be at risk; users should apply the September SMR update promptly.

Akira Ransomware Exploits Unpatched SonicWall VPNs

🚨 The Australian Cyber Security Centre has observed increased exploitation of SonicWall SSL VPNs by the Akira ransomware group, leveraging CVE-2024-40766. The vulnerability, patched over a year ago, affects SonicWall Gen 5 and Gen 6 appliances and Gen 7 devices running SonicOS 7.0.1-5035 and earlier. Organisations remain at risk if they did not both install firmware updates and immediately rotate administrative credentials after migration. Security vendors Rapid7 and Recorded Future report automated intrusions tied to this issue; operators are advised to patch, reset passwords, restrict VPN access and enable robust MFA.

Apple warns customers targeted by recent spyware attacks

🔔 Apple warned customers that their accounts were targeted in a series of mercenary spyware attacks, according to France's CERT‑FR. Notifications were issued on March 5, April 29, June 25 and September 3 and appear at the top of account.apple.com and via the email or phone linked to users' Apple IDs. The alerts indicate highly sophisticated campaigns often using zero‑day and zero‑click techniques, meaning at least one device tied to the account may be compromised. Apple recommends enabling Lockdown Mode and seeking rapid-response assistance through Access Now.

Akira Ransomware Reuses Critical SonicWall SSLVPN Bug

🔒 The Akira ransomware gang is actively exploiting CVE-2024-40766 to target unpatched SonicWall SSL VPN endpoints and gain unauthorized network access. SonicWall released a patch in August 2024 and warned that exposed credentials could allow attackers to configure MFA or TOTP and bypass protections. Administrators should apply the vendor update, rotate local SSLVPN passwords, enforce MFA, mitigate Default Group risks, and restrict Virtual Office Portal access.

Fileless Malware Uses Legitimate Tools to Deploy AsyncRAT

🔍 Researchers uncovered a sophisticated fileless campaign that executes malicious code entirely in memory to deliver AsyncRAT. The attack began via a compromised ScreenConnect client and a VBScript that used WScript and PowerShell to download two payload blobs saved to C:\Users\Public\, which were never written as executables but loaded into memory via reflection. A .NET launcher (Obfuscator.dll) was used to orchestrate persistence, disable security logging and load the RAT, which exfiltrates credentials, browser artifacts and keystrokes.

Senator Wyden Urges FTC Probe into Microsoft's Security

🚨 Senator Ron Wyden has asked the FTC to investigate Microsoft for what he calls "gross cybersecurity negligence," arguing insecure defaults enabled widespread ransomware attacks. He cites the February 2024 Ascension Health breach that exposed 5.6 million patient records and describes how a single click enabled lateral movement via Kerberoasting and lingering RC4 support. Wyden criticizes Microsoft for building a >$20 billion security business of add-on protections while leaving core products vulnerable and says promised fixes and plain-language guidance were inadequate. The letter warns this pattern poses national-security and industry-wide risks.

Akira Exploits SonicWall SSL VPN Flaw and LDAP Settings

🔒 Rapid7 and SonicWall report a surge in intrusions tied to the Akira ransomware group exploiting a year-old SSL VPN vulnerability, CVE-2024-40766 (CVSS 9.3), and LDAP misconfigurations that retained local passwords during migrations. Attackers are brute-forcing credentials, abusing SonicWall's Virtual Office defaults to enable mMFA/TOTP, and using loaders like Bumblebee to deploy AdaptixC2 and persistent tools. SonicWall urges rotating local accounts, enabling Botnet Filtering and Account Lockout, enforcing MFA, restricting Virtual Office access, and reviewing LDAP default groups.

Largest npm Supply Chain Attack Injects Crypto Malware

🛡️ On September 8, 2025, a sophisticated phishing campaign led to the compromise of a trusted maintainer account and the insertion of cryptocurrency-stealing malware into more than 18 foundational npm packages. The malicious versions collectively represented over 2 billion weekly downloads and affected millions of applications from personal projects to enterprise systems. The debug package was among those compromised and alone exceeds 357 million weekly downloads. npm has removed several malicious package versions and is coordinating ongoing remediation.

Massive NPM Supply-Chain Attack Yielded Little Profit

🚨 A phishing attack against maintainer Josh Junon (qix) led to a widespread compromise of highly popular npm packages, including chalk and debug-js, whose combined footprint exceeds billions of weekly downloads. The attacker pushed malicious updates that attempted to steal cryptocurrency by swapping wallet addresses, but the community discovered and removed the tainted releases within two hours. According to Wiz, the compromised modules reached roughly 10% of cloud environments in that short window, yet the actor ultimately profited only minimally as the injected payload targeted browser crypto-signing and yielded just a few hundred dollars at most.