Chinese Hacker Commands DeepSeek via Telegram to Launch Autonomous Attacks
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2025-68613 | Authenticated RCE in n8n Workflow Automation Expression Evaluation n8n, an open source workflow automation platform, contains a critical remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2025-68613, CWE-913) in its workflow expression evaluation system, affecting versions starting at 0.211.0 and prior to 1.120.4, 1.121.1, and 1.122.0. The flaw is triggered when expressions supplied by authenticated users during workflow configuration are evaluated in an execution context that is not sufficiently isolated from the underlying runtime, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the n8n process. Successful exploitation can result in full compromise of the affected instance, including unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of workflows, and execution of system-level operations. Any self-hosted or cloud n8n deployment running an affected version is exposed, with public scans indicating roughly 24,700 instances remain exposed on the internet. The flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-03-11, EPSS places the 30-day exploitation probability at 99.1% (100th percentile), and Akamai has documented a ZeroBot malware campaign targeting n8n instances. Do: Upgrade immediately to n8n 1.120.4, 1.121.1, or 1.122.0 (or later), as the flaw is in CISA KEV and actively exploited by the ZeroBot malware campaign documented by Akamai. If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict workflow creation and editing permissions to fully trusted users and run n8n in a hardened environment with restricted OS privileges and network access, keeping in mind these mitigations do not fully eliminate the risk. Review instances for signs of compromise, including unexpected workflow changes and suspicious process activity, and apply BOD 22-01 requirements if the product is used in federal cloud services. | 8.8 | 99% | KEV PoC |
| large≈24,700 internet-exposed n8n instances (public internet scan counts cited in exploit reporting) | |
| CVE-2026-21858 | Unauthenticated RCE in n8n Workflow Automation (Ni8mare) n8n versions 1.65.0 through below 1.121.0 contain an input-validation flaw (CWE-20) in the handling of certain form-based workflows, allowing an unauthenticated remote attacker to reach the underlying server through form endpoints. By triggering a vulnerable form workflow, the attacker can access files on the host and expose sensitive information stored there; the Cyera research team (which named the bug "Ni8mare") and the CVSS 10.0 score with high integrity impact indicate this yields unauthenticated remote code execution and potential full takeover. Any self-hosted n8n instance running an affected version that exposes form-based workflows over the network is at risk, with blast radius amplified by n8n's typical access to credentials, secrets, and connected internal systems. The issue is fixed in version 1.121.0; the flaw is not yet in CISA's KEV, but a public proof-of-concept is available and EPSS assigns a 78.4% probability of exploitation within 30 days, so defenders should treat exploitation as likely and imminent. Do: Upgrade n8n to version 1.121.0 or later immediately. If you cannot upgrade right away, check whether any workflows use form triggers and remove those form endpoints from untrusted network exposure — place them behind authentication, a reverse proxy, or an IP allowlist. Review instance logs for unexpected requests to form/webhook paths and unusual file access, given the high EPSS score and public proof-of-concept. | 10.0 | 78% | PoC ×2 |
| large≈50,000–100,000 internet-exposed n8n servers (self-hosted automation platform, affected range spans roughly a year of releases) | |
| CVE-2026-3055 | Out-of-Bounds Read in Citrix NetScaler ADC and Gateway When Used as SAML IDP CVE-2026-3055 is an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) in Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway caused by insufficient input validation when the appliance is configured as a SAML Identity Provider (IDP). An unauthenticated remote attacker can trigger the flaw by sending crafted input to the SAML IDP functionality, causing the appliance to read beyond the bounds of allocated memory and potentially disclose sensitive information from it. The CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.3 (critical) reflects a network-vector flaw requiring no privileges or user interaction. Only organizations running NetScaler ADC or NetScaler Gateway appliances with SAML IDP configured are affected, according to the available data. The flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-03-30, carries an 87.2% EPSS probability of exploitation within 30 days, has a public proof-of-concept, and headlines indicate active reconnaissance and exploitation against NetScaler deployments, including federal patch directives. Do: Apply the patched NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway releases from Citrix's advisory as soon as possible, prioritizing internet-facing appliances (exact fixed version numbers are not in this data; check the vendor bulletin). Determine whether SAML IDP is configured on your appliances and, if it is not needed, disable or unbind it as an interim mitigation while reviewing appliance logs for suspicious authentication or reconnaissance traffic. Federal agencies must follow the CISA required action and BOD 22-01 guidance, with CISA directing patching by the stated Thursday deadline. | 9.3 | 87% | KEV PoC |
| largetens of thousands of internet-exposed NetScaler ADC/Gateway appliances, with the directly exposed subset limited to those configured as SAML IDPs | |
| CVE-2026-33017 | Unauthenticated RCE in Langflow AI Workflow Builder CVE-2026-33017 is an unauthenticated remote code execution flaw in Langflow, an open-source tool for building and deploying AI-powered agents and workflows. The POST /api/v1/build_public_tmp/{flow_id}/flow endpoint, which by design requires no authentication for building public flows, accepts an optional data parameter; when present, attacker-controlled flow data — including arbitrary Python code embedded in node definitions — is used instead of the flow stored in the database and passed to exec() with no sandboxing. An attacker who can reach this endpoint on an affected instance can therefore execute arbitrary Python code without any credentials, typically yielding full compromise of the underlying server. All Langflow versions prior to 1.9.0 are affected; the issue was fixed in 1.9.0 and is distinct from CVE-2025-3248, which only added authentication to the /api/v1/validate/code endpoint. The flaw was added to CISA's KEV catalog on 2026-03-25 (confirming exploitation in the wild), carries a 96.2% EPSS probability of exploitation within 30 days, and related reporting describes Langflow RCE attacks, including ransomware activity targeting AI model files. Do: Upgrade all Langflow deployments to 1.9.0 or later. If immediate patching is not possible, keep Langflow off direct internet exposure (place it behind an authenticating reverse proxy or firewall) and review logs for unauthenticated POST requests to /api/v1/build_public_tmp/{flow_id}/flow that include a data parameter, which would indicate exploitation attempts. As a KEV entry, federal agencies must apply mitigations per vendor guidance and BOD 22-01, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. | 9.3 | 96% | KEV PoC ×4 |
| moderateon the order of several thousand internet-exposed Langflow instances (estimate) | |
| CVE-2026-39987 | Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution in Marimo Python Notebook Marimo, a reactive Python notebook, contains an unauthenticated remote code execution flaw (CVE-2026-39987, CWE-306; CVSS 4.0: 9.3 Critical) because its terminal WebSocket endpoint /terminal/ws skips authentication entirely. Unlike other WebSocket endpoints such as /ws, which call validate_auth(), /terminal/ws only checks the running mode and platform support before accepting connections, so any unauthenticated attacker who can reach the server can obtain a full PTY shell and execute arbitrary system commands on the host. All marimo deployments running versions prior to 0.23.0 are affected, with internet-exposed instances at greatest risk. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw was added to CISA's KEV catalog on 2026-04-23, public PoCs exist, and reporting shows it was exploited within roughly 10 hours of disclosure, with observed post-exploitation activity involving LLM agents. EPSS assigns a 98.9% probability of exploitation within 30 days (100th percentile). Do: Upgrade marimo to 0.23.0 or later; until patched, restrict access to the /terminal/ws WebSocket endpoint by binding the notebook to localhost, a VPN, or an authenticating reverse proxy. Identify whether any marimo instances are internet-exposed and review logs for connections to /terminal/ws and unexpected shell or process spawns, given reports of LLM-agent-driven post-exploitation on compromised instances. As a KEV entry (added 2026-04-23), this requires federal agencies to apply the vendor fix or mitigations per BOD 22-01 timelines. | 9.3 | 99% | KEV PoC ×4 |
| moderatelikely tens of thousands of users, with directly internet-exposed marimo servers plausibly in the low thousands |
Full article673 words · extracted from thehackernews.com · click to collapse
Swati KhandelwalJul 31, 2026Artificial Intelligence / Cyber Attack
Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 says a Chinese-speaking threat actor used DeepSeek through the open-source Hermes Agent framework to launch attacks autonomously.
After an initial Telegram instruction, the agent found internet-facing systems and selected public exploits. The researchers recovered no further operator input in the session.
The operator, tracked through the aliases knaithe and KnYuan, launched exploitation attempts against more than 460 targets using autonomous and conventional workflows.
Unit 42 described seven exploit tracks. They span eight Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) identifiers because the n8n chain combines two vulnerabilities. The DeepSeek-led attacks against Langflow and n8n failed because the exposed systems did not meet the exploits' configuration requirements.
In separate manual operations, Unit 42 reported data exfiltration from three organizations through the NetScaler memory-overread flaw CVE-2026-3055 and command execution on 11 Marimo instances through CVE-2026-39987. Yet it later says it could confirm only three successfully exploited targets across the entire operation. The report does not reconcile the two statements. The Hacker News has contacted Palo Alto Networks for clarification and will update the story with any response.
The agent checked versions, downloaded exploits, abandoned an unproductive path, and chose another vulnerability based on severity, deployment scale, and apparent exploitability. Organizations should patch exposed Langflow, n8n and Marimo systems, along with customer-managed NetScaler ADC or Gateway appliances configured as Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) identity providers. They should also remove unnecessary public access to workflow and notebook interfaces.
Hermes Agent exposed the operation by starting python3 -m http.server 8888 from /home/worker. The unintended HTTP server made the actor's model configurations, application programming interface (API) keys, exploit scripts, target lists, shell history, and autonomous-session logs accessible, according to the company's report.
DeepSeek was the primary reasoning model inside Hermes Agent, which supplied terminal access, reusable skills and unattended execution. Unit 42 found limited use of Claude Code and Qwen Code. It also found signs of Codex use in exploit-development directories, but could not verify actual use because the chat logs were not preserved.
The framework's own documentation confirms that it can operate through Telegram, run commands, and schedule unattended tasks.
In a recovered May 2026 session, DeepSeek downloaded a public exploit for the Langflow code-injection flaw CVE-2026-33017, enumerated 84 instances through FOFA, and found one target running version 1.3.4. Langflow is an artificial intelligence (AI) agent and workflow builder. The attack stopped because the system had neither auto_login enabled nor a usable public flow identifier.
The agent then surveyed 10 product families, searched GitHub for recent proof-of-concept repositories and selected n8n, the workflow automation platform. It obtained a chain combining the unauthenticated file-access flaw CVE-2026-21858 with the expression-injection issue CVE-2025-68613. FOFA returned 25,209 n8n systems in China during the session.
DeepSeek sampled about 100, probed roughly 40 and identified three running vulnerable versions. One target exposed three form endpoints, but all required authentication. More than 50 additional targets also lacked a usable public form, so no n8n system was compromised.
Langflow fixed CVE-2026-33017 in version 1.9.0. n8n fixed CVE-2026-21858 in version 1.121.0. It fixed CVE-2025-68613 in versions 1.120.4, 1.121.1, and 1.122.0. Version 1.121.1 is therefore the earliest release that addresses both flaws used in the attempted chain. Marimo fixed CVE-2026-39987 in version 0.23.0.
Citrix says CVE-2026-3055 affects customer-managed NetScaler ADC and Gateway appliances configured as SAML identity providers. Administrators can check the appliance configuration for add authentication samlIdPProfile .* and install the fixed builds listed in the company's security bulletin.
Unit 42 assesses the operator to be based in Zhuhai, China. Public material is consistent with, but does not independently verify, that assessment: the GitHub profile displays the name "KnYuan Knaithe," while an older blog under the same handle describes its author as a binary security researcher in Zhuhai. Those profiles do not establish the operator's legal identity or any state connection.
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Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://thehackernews.com/2026/07/chinese-hacker-commands-deepseek-via.html