All news with #active exploitation tag

Sitecore ViewState Flaw Under Active Exploitation Now

⚠️ Mandiant reports attackers are actively exploiting a leaked ASP.NET machineKey sample from old Sitecore deployment guides to carry out ViewState code-injection attacks that execute arbitrary .NET assemblies in server memory. The issue, tracked as CVE-2025-53690, affects multi-instance deployments of Sitecore XM, XP, and XC that used the static sample key, and may also impact some Sitecore Managed Cloud Standard container configurations. After initial access, adversaries deploy tools Mandiant calls WEEPSTEEL and EARTHWORM, escalate to SYSTEM, create administrative accounts, dump SYSTEM/SAM hives, and move laterally. Sitecore customers are advised to inspect environments for indicators of compromise, rotate and encrypt <machineKey> entries, and follow Microsoft ASP.NET ViewState guidance.

Legacy Sitecore ViewState Zero-Day Allows WeepSteel Backdoors

🔐 Mandiant observed attackers exploiting a zero‑day ViewState deserialization flaw (CVE-2025-53690) in legacy Sitecore deployments that reused a sample ASP.NET machineKey. Adversaries delivered a WeepSteel reconnaissance backdoor to collect system and network data and disguised exfiltration as normal ViewState traffic. Sitecore advises replacing and encrypting static machineKey values and instituting regular key rotation to mitigate further risk.

GhostRedirector: China-aligned IIS SEO Fraud Campaign

🔍 ESET researchers identified GhostRedirector, a China-aligned threat group active since at least August 2024 that has compromised at least 65 Windows servers across multiple countries, notably Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam. The group deployed two novel tools: a C++ backdoor Rungan for remote command execution and a malicious IIS module Gamshen that manipulates search rankings to boost targeted sites. Operators also leveraged known privilege escalation exploits like BadPotato and EfsPotato to obtain administrator access and create persistent accounts. Organizations are advised to monitor IIS modules, patch promptly and audit high-privilege accounts and PowerShell activity.

North Korea-Linked Actors Target Cyber Threat Intel

🔍 Cybersecurity firm SentinelLabs and internet intelligence company Validin uncovered a coordinated effort by a North Korea-aligned cluster, tracked as Contagious Interview, to exploit CTI platforms between March and June 2025. The actors repeatedly created accounts on Validin’s portal, reused Gmail addresses tied to prior operations and registered new domains after takedowns. Investigators observed team-based coordination, probable Slack use, and operational slip-ups that exposed logs and directory structures. The probe also identified ContagiousDrop malware delivery applications that harvested details from more than 230 mostly cryptocurrency-sector victims, underscoring the campaign’s revenue-driven motive and the need for vigilance from job seekers and infrastructure providers.

Sitecore Issues Patch After Critical Exploited Zero-Day

🔒 Mandiant disrupted an active exploitation of a critical zero-day in Sitecore's Experience Manager and Experience Platform that permits remote code execution via ViewState deserialization. Publicly disclosed on September 3 as CVE-2025-53690 (CVSS 9.0), the flaw affects Sitecore versions up to 9.0 when deployments retained the sample ASP.NET machine key published in older deployment guides. Attackers used the vulnerability to deliver WEEPSTEEL and other tooling, harvest credentials and perform lateral movement. Sitecore has issued a security advisory, notified impacted customers and says recent deployments now auto-generate unique machine keys.

Scattered Spider Claims Responsibility for JLR Cyber Attack

🔐 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is investigating claims by an English‑speaking cybercrime syndicate calling itself “Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters,” which says it accessed JLR systems and is attempting to extort the company. The group shared unverified screenshots on Telegram that allegedly show internal logs and troubleshooting notes. JLR confirmed a cyber incident on September 2 that disrupted sales and production after the company proactively shut down systems; analysts warn that alleged collaboration with ShinyHunters and Lapsus$ could amplify the threat.

CISA Adds Two Exploited TP-Link Router Vulnerabilities

🔔 CISA has added two TP-Link router vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog after observing in-the-wild exploitation activity. The flaws—CVE-2023-50224 (CVSS 6.5), an authentication bypass via spoofing in the httpd service exposing stored credentials at /tmp/dropbear/dropbearpwd, and CVE-2025-9377 (CVSS 8.6), an OS command injection enabling remote code execution—affect multiple TL-WR841 and Archer C7 models. TP-Link says several affected models are End-of-Life, released firmware updates in November 2024, and recommends upgrading hardware; CISA urges federal agencies to apply mitigations by September 24, 2025.

Agentic Tool Hexstrike-AI Accelerates Exploit Chain

⚠️ Check Point warns that Hexstrike-AI, an agentic AI orchestration platform integrating more than 150 offensive tools, is being abused by threat actors to accelerate vulnerability discovery and exploitation. The system abstracts vague commands into precise, sequenced technical steps, automating reconnaissance, exploit crafting, payload delivery and persistence. Check Point observed dark‑web discussions showing the tool used to weaponize recent Citrix NetScaler zero-days, including CVE-2025-7775, and cautions that tasks which once took weeks can now be completed in minutes. Organizations are urged to patch immediately, harden systems and adopt adaptive, AI-enabled detection and response measures.

U.S. Offers $10M Reward for Info on FSB Cyber Hackers

🛡️ The U.S. Department of State is offering up to $10 million for information on three Russian FSB officers accused of carrying out cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure. The named individuals — Marat Valeryevich Tyukov, Mikhail Mikhailovich Gavrilov, and Pavel Aleksandrovich Akulov — are tied to the FSB's Center 16, tracked under aliases such as Berserk Bear and Dragonfly. Charged in March 2022, the officers are alleged to have run intrusions from 2012–2017 targeting government agencies and energy firms, and recent activity shows exploitation of CVE-2018-0171 in end-of-life Cisco devices. The State Department directs tips to its Rewards for Justice Tor channel; eligible informants could receive rewards and relocation assistance.

Google fixes actively exploited Android flaws in September

🔒 Google has released the September 2025 Android security update addressing 84 vulnerabilities, including two zero-day flaws observed in limited, targeted exploitation: CVE-2025-38352 (Linux kernel) and CVE-2025-48543 (Android Runtime). The bulletin also patches four critical issues — including an RCE in the System component and three Qualcomm vulnerabilities affecting modem and data stacks. Users are urged to install security patch level 2025-09-01 or 2025-09-05 via Settings > System > Software updates > System update.

Sitecore ViewState Deserialization Zero-Day Advisory

🔒 Mandiant and Sitecore investigated an active ViewState deserialization exploit that allowed remote code execution on internet-facing Sitecore instances that used publicly exposed sample ASP.NET machine keys. Tracked as CVE-2025-53690, the vulnerability enabled attackers to craft malicious __VIEWSTATE payloads, deploy a reconnaissance backdoor (WEEPSTEEL), and stage tunneling and remote access tooling. Sitecore has updated deployments to auto-generate unique machine keys and notified affected customers; Mandiant recommends rotating keys, enabling ViewState MAC, and encrypting secrets in web.config to mitigate similar attacks.

Threat Actors Try to Weaponize HexStrike AI for Exploits

⚠️ HexStrike AI, an open-source AI-driven offensive security platform, is being tested by threat actors to exploit recently disclosed vulnerabilities. Check Point reports criminals claim success exploiting Citrix NetScaler flaws and are advertising flagged instances for sale. The tool's automation and retry capabilities can shorten the window to mass exploitation; immediate action is to patch and harden systems.

Cloudflare, Palo Alto Hit by Salesloft Drift Breach

🔒 Cloudflare and Palo Alto Networks disclosed that threat actors accessed their Salesforce tenants via the third‑party Salesloft Drift app after compromising OAuth tokens. Cloudflare reported reconnaissance on 9 August 2025 and said data was exfiltrated from Salesforce case objects between 12–17 August 2025. The exposed fields principally contained support case text and business contact information; Cloudflare identified 104 API tokens and has rotated them, urging customers to rotate any credentials shared in cases. Google’s Threat Intelligence Group links the activity to UNC6395 and warns harvested data may be used for targeted follow‑on attacks.

Iran-linked Spear-Phishing Targets 100+ Embassies Worldwide

📧 Israeli cybersecurity company Dream has attributed a coordinated, multi-wave spear-phishing campaign to Iranian-aligned operators connected to Homeland Justice, targeting embassies, consulates, and international organizations globally. Attackers used geopolitical lures and 104 unique compromised sender addresses — including a hacked mailbox at the Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris — to distribute Microsoft Word documents that prompt users to Enable Content and run embedded VBA macros. The macros drop executables that establish persistence, contact command-and-control servers, and harvest system information; ClearSky has also documented related activity and linked it to prior Iranian techniques.

CISA Adds TP-Link and WhatsApp Vulnerabilities to KEV

🔒 The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added a high‑severity flaw in TP‑Link TL‑WA855RE Wi‑Fi range extenders (CVE‑2020‑24363, CVSS 8.8) to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog after evidence of active exploitation. The missing authentication issue lets an unauthenticated attacker on the same network submit a TDDP_RESET request to factory‑reset the device and set a new administrative password. CISA also added a WhatsApp vulnerability (CVE‑2025‑55177, CVSS 5.4) that was chained with an Apple platform flaw in a targeted spyware campaign; federal agencies must apply mitigations by September 23, 2025.

HexStrike-AI Enables Rapid Zero-Day Exploitation at Scale

⚠️ HexStrike-AI is a newly released framework that acts as an orchestration “brain,” directing more than 150 specialized AI agents to autonomously scan, exploit, and persist inside targets. Within hours of release, dark‑web chatter showed threat actors attempting to weaponize it against recent zero‑day CVEs, dropping webshells enabling unauthenticated remote code execution. Although the targeted vulnerabilities are complex and typically require advanced skills, operators claim HexStrike-AI can reduce exploitation time from days to under 10 minutes, potentially lowering the barrier for less skilled attackers.

Lazarus Group Expands Cross-Platform RATs Against DeFi

🔍 Researchers link a social engineering campaign to the North Korea–linked Lazarus Group that distributed three cross-platform RATs — PondRAT, ThemeForestRAT, and RemotePE — against a decentralized finance (DeFi) organization. Fox-IT observed the actors impersonating an employee on Telegram and using fake Calendly/Picktime pages to arrange meetings and gain a foothold via a loader named PerfhLoader. The intrusion delivered multiple tools (screenshotter, keylogger, credential stealers, Mimikatz, proxy programs) and saw an operational progression from the primitive PondRAT to the in-memory ThemeForestRAT, culminating in the more advanced RemotePE for high-value access.

ICE Reinstates Contract with Paragon Spyware Vendor

🔁 ICE has reinstated a $2m contract with Israeli-founded vendor Paragon Solutions, now owned by US private equity, enabling delivery of hardware and perpetual license software to the agency. The agreement, originally signed on 27 September 2024 and suspended after a White House review on 8 October 2024, was cleared to resume work on 30 August. Paragon has been linked to the Graphite spyware used against European journalists and implicated in Italian government investigations, raising procurement and national security concerns.

Malicious npm Package Masquerades as Nodemailer Library

⚠️ A malicious npm package named nodejs-smtp impersonating the popular nodemailer library was discovered to both send mail and inject malware into Electron-based desktop cryptocurrency wallets. When imported, it unpacked and tampered with Atomic Wallet on Windows, replacing vendor files and repackaging the app to silently redirect transactions to attacker-controlled addresses. Socket's researchers prompted npm to remove the package and suspend the account.

Jaguar Land Rover Cyber Incident Disrupts Sales & Production

🔒 JLR has disclosed a cyber incident that has severely disrupted global sales and production. The company said it proactively shut down systems and is working to restart applications in a controlled manner. At this stage there is no evidence customer data has been stolen, but retail and manufacturing activities remain affected. Tata Motors disclosed related "global IT issues" to investors.