RedTail Crypto-Mining Malware Exploiting Palo Alto Networks Firewall Vulnerability

NoneCms V1.3, an open-source Chinese CMS built on the ThinkPHP 5.0.x framework, is vulnerable to unauthenticated remote code execution through the framework's URL dispatcher in thinkphp/library/think/App.php. Because the framework's 's' routing parameter can invoke arbitrary framework classes and methods, an attacker can pass a crafted 'filter' value (e.g., s=index/\think\Request/input&filter=phpinfo&data=1) that is applied to the 'data' argument as a callable, executing attacker-chosen PHP functions or code. Successful exploitation gives full code execution on the web server under the application's privileges, enabling web shells, botnet implants, and ransomware staging without any credentials or user interaction. Any internet-facing deployment of noneCms V1.3 — and, more broadly, applications running the affected ThinkPHP 5.0.x framework (the public PoC references 5.0.23) — is exposed. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2021-11-03), EPSS assigns a 99.5% probability of exploitation within 30 days, and headlines note botnets such as Enemybot and Chinese threat actors chaining ThinkPHP RCEs against CMS servers.

Do: Apply updates per vendor instructions: upgrade noneCms to the latest release and update the bundled ThinkPHP 5.0.x framework to a patched build. Inspect web server and WAF logs for requests using the s=index/\think\Request/input&filter=... pattern and other ThinkPHP route-invocation payloads, and hunt for web shells or post-exploitation artifacts. Until patched, block or strictly validate the 's' and 'filter' query parameters at a WAF/reverse proxy and limit internet exposure of the application.

SonicWall SMA100 secure-access appliances contain a SQL injection flaw (CWE-89) that requires no authentication to exploit. A remote attacker sends crafted input to the vulnerable appliance, most plausibly through its internet-facing web/remote-access interface, and gains read-only access to resources they are not authorized to see. An attacker is therefore limited to reading unauthorized data, but the flaw provides unauthenticated access to a network edge device and a basis for further reconnaissance. Any organization running a SonicWall SMA100 appliance — typically deployed as an internet-exposed SSL-VPN/remote-access gateway — is affected. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03 with ransomware use noted, and EPSS assigns a 99.9% probability of exploitation within 30 days (100th percentile).

Do: Apply firmware updates to SMA100 appliances per SonicWall's instructions, as CISA's required action states and no fixed version is given in this data. Because CISA notes known ransomware use, prioritize patching any internet-exposed SMA device, review appliance and firewall logs for unexpected unauthenticated access, and as an interim mitigation restrict exposure of the appliance's web interface to trusted source addresses.

In Visual Tools DVR VX16 4.2.28.0, an unauthenticated attacker can achieve remote command execution via shell metacharacters in the cgi-bin/slogin/login.py User-Agent HTTP header.

Apache Log4j2, an extremely widely used Java logging library, fails to protect its JNDI lookup feature against attacker-controlled JNDI-related endpoints (CWE-20, CWE-502), so crafted text processed by the logger causes the Java runtime to fetch and load attacker-supplied objects, leading to remote code execution. The flaw is triggered whenever attacker-controlled input reaches the logging API and is parsed for JNDI lookups, a pattern common in web servers and enterprise Java applications that log user-supplied fields such as headers or form values. Successful exploitation yields arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the affected application, giving attackers a foothold for lateral movement, data theft, and ransomware deployment. Any Java application or product that ships or bundles an affected Apache Log4j2 release is exposed, making this one of the most broadly deployed vulnerabilities ever disclosed. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-12-10 with known ransomware use, and EPSS assigns a 100% probability of exploitation within 30 days.

Do: Inventory all Java applications and dependencies for Apache Log4j2 and apply the vendor's patched updates, or remove affected assets from the network, as required by CISA's KEV catalog. Where updates are not yet available, use the temporary mitigations in CISA's ED-22-02 recommended-mitigation guidance, such as disabling message lookups, only until patches are applied. Prioritize internet-facing and business-critical systems and hunt for exploitation activity given known ransomware use.

CVE-2022-22954 is a server-side template injection vulnerability (CWE-94) in VMware Workspace ONE Access and VMware Identity Manager that allows remote code execution on affected appliances. It is triggered when attacker-controlled input is passed into a server-side template engine, allowing injected template directives to be evaluated and executed as code on the server. A successful attacker gains the ability to run arbitrary code on the identity appliance, and CISA notes the flaw has been used in ransomware campaigns, so compromise can serve as an initial foothold for broader enterprise intrusion. Any organization running Workspace ONE Access or Identity Manager, including deployments where the Identity Manager component is bundled into VMware Horizon environments, is potentially affected, though the source data does not specify affected version ranges. The vulnerability was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-04-14 with ransomware use confirmed and a required action to apply vendor updates, and EPSS currently assigns it a 100% probability of exploitation within 30 days (100th percentile); no public PoC is known.

Do: Apply the patches published in VMware advisory VMSA-2022-0011 (April 2022) to Workspace ONE Access and Identity Manager appliances as required by the CISA KEV listing, prioritizing internet-facing instances, and restrict or remove public exposure until patched. Review appliance and web-server logs for template-injection probes and unexpected processes spawned by the identity service, and investigate any indications of compromise for follow-on ransomware or lateral-movement activity.

CVE-2023-1389 is a command injection flaw (CWE-77) in TP-Link's Archer AX21 Wi-Fi 6 router that lets an attacker execute arbitrary operating-system commands on the device. It is triggered by sending crafted input to a remotely reachable service on the router, which passes attacker-controlled values to the device's shell without proper sanitization; the source data does not specify the vulnerable endpoint or exact affected firmware ranges. Successful exploitation yields remote code execution on the router, giving the attacker a foothold in the network where the router sits, from which they can pivot or abuse the device further. Any household or organization running an Archer AX21 router is affected, with the highest risk where the router's management interface is exposed to the internet. The flaw was added to CISA's KEV catalog on 2023-05-01, confirming exploitation in the wild; EPSS assigns a ~100% probability of exploitation within 30 days (top percentile), while no public proof-of-concept or ransomware association is documented in the source data.

Do: Update the Archer AX21 to the latest firmware available from TP-Link per the vendor's instructions (fixed firmware is published on the product's TP-Link support page). If updating is not immediately possible, disable WAN-side/remote management and restrict the router's web interface to the local network. Because exploitation is confirmed in the wild, also review exposed routers for signs of compromise, such as unexplained configuration changes or unexpected outbound traffic.

Ivanti Connect Secure (formerly Pulse Connect Secure) and Ivanti Policy Secure appliances contain a command injection flaw (CWE-77) in their web components, triggered when an authenticated administrator sends crafted requests to the appliance. The bug can be chained with the separate authentication bypass CVE-2023-46805, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to achieve the same result. Successful exploitation lets an attacker execute arbitrary commands and code on the appliance, providing a foothold into the networks behind the VPN or network access control gateway. Any organization running these appliances, typically enterprises and government agencies often deployed directly on the internet perimeter, is affected. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-01-10 with known ransomware use and EPSS assigns a 100% probability of exploitation within 30 days, although no public proof-of-concept is available.

Do: Apply Ivanti's mitigations or patched builds immediately per vendor instructions, addressing the chained authentication bypass CVE-2023-46805 at the same time, and discontinue or restrict use of any appliance for which mitigations are unavailable, especially if it is internet-facing. Because exploitation with ransomware use is known, assume compromise is possible: review appliance web logs for suspicious requests and run Ivanti's integrity-checking guidance to verify appliance images before and after remediation. Where feasible, restrict direct internet exposure of the appliance web interface and monitor for further vendor advisories.

Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS contains a command injection flaw (CWE-77, with improper input validation per CWE-20) in its GlobalProtect feature, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary operating-system commands with root privileges on the affected firewall. The flaw is triggered through the GlobalProtect interface, which in most deployments is reachable from untrusted networks, so no valid user credentials or prior access are required. Successful exploitation yields full root control of the firewall, the most powerful position in a network perimeter, enabling traffic interception, configuration tampering, and use as a foothold for further compromise. All PAN-OS firewalls running affected releases with the GlobalProtect feature are exposed; CISA added the issue to the KEV catalog on 2024-04-12 with ransomware use noted, and EPSS puts the 30-day exploitation probability at 100% (100th percentile). No public proof-of-concept is recorded in the source data, but confirmed in-the-wild exploitation makes patching urgent.

Do: Apply the PAN-OS patches released in Palo Alto Networks' bulletin according to its published patch schedule, prioritizing internet-facing firewalls. Until patched, enable the vendor's Threat Prevention signatures as required by CISA KEV, restrict exposure of the GlobalProtect interface to trusted sources where possible, and review logs and device configuration for signs of compromise given confirmed exploitation with known ransomware use.