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Microsoft’s September 2026 Patch Tuesday addresses 964 CVEs (CVE-2026-81963, CVE-2026-85880)

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes a record 964 CVEs, including two zero-days actively exploited in the wild.

Microsoft patched a record 964 CVEs in its September 2026 Patch Tuesday release, with 101 rated critical and 824 rated important, making it the largest Patch Tuesday to date. The release includes fixes for two zero-days that were exploited in the wild, with CVE-2026-81963 and CVE-2026-85880 highlighted in the release. Affected products span Windows core components, Office, Exchange, .NET, Visual Studio, Active Directory services (including AD CS and AD FS) and numerous Azure services. Tenable notes the release surpasses July's as the biggest ever.

Tenable Blog · 8d agoVulnerability in the wildCVE-2026-81963CVE-2026-858801

Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday Fixes 973 Vulnerabilities and 2 Exploited Zero-Days

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 973 vulnerabilities, including two zero-days already exploited in the wild.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday addresses 973 vulnerabilities across Windows, Office, and Azure components, including two zero-days already exploited in the wild. CVE-2026-81963, an elevation of privilege flaw in the Windows Update Stack, is flagged as an exploited zero-day. The release includes numerous remote code execution and information disclosure fixes for Microsoft Excel and Word, plus patches for the Windows kernel, ALPC, Print Spooler, ReFS, Entra ID, and Azure CLI.

GBHackers · 8d agoAdvisory in the wildCVE-2026-85880CVE-2026-85877CVE-2026-85875+27 CVEs1

Microsoft Patch Tuesday, September 2026 Security Update Review

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 974 vulnerabilities, including 113 critical and two actively exploited Windows privilege escalation flaws.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 974 vulnerabilities, its largest release ever, including 113 critical and 860 important, covering Windows HTTP.sys, Hyper-V, Entra ID, Exchange Server, Office, DNS, and more. Two zero-days are confirmed exploited in the wild: CVE-2026-81963 (Windows Update Stack EoP) and CVE-2026-85880 (ALPC heap overflow), both letting authenticated attackers gain SYSTEM privileges. Notable criticals include an Entra ID authentication bypass (CVE-2026-62916) and multiple Windows DNS Server and Office remote code execution flaws.

The September 2026 Security Update Review

ZDI's September 2026 Microsoft update review lists two already-exploited Windows EoP zero-days and dozens of critical RCEs across Office, SQL Server, and Windows services.

The review catalogs Microsoft's September 2026 fixes, marking CVE-2026-85880 (Windows ALPC) and CVE-2026-81963 (Windows Update Stack) as already exploited elevation-of-privilege issues. It also lists critical RCE flaws in Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SQL Server, Windows DNS, DHCP and Failover Cluster, plus graphics component RCEs. Azure-side fixes include Entra ID, Copilot Studio, Azure AI Language and Azure AD B2C elevation-of-privilege flaws.

Microsoft: September updates cause RDS failures on Windows Server

Microsoft confirms September 2026 Patch Tuesday updates break Remote Desktop Services on Windows Server 2012+; Group Policy mitigations and rollback workarounds available.

Microsoft confirmed that September 2026 Patch Tuesday security updates cause Remote Desktop Services failures on Windows Server 2012 and later, plus Windows 10 and Windows 11. Symptoms include unstable RDS, RDP connection failures after several minutes, sign-in issues, servers hanging at 'Please wait for the Remote Desktop Configuration,' and unresponsive MMC, RDS Licensing Diagnoser, and File Explorer. Microsoft published per-version Group Policy mitigations (covering KBs such as KB5124008, KB5122880, KB5122878, KB5122871, KB5122882, KB5122876, KB5123099, KB5123065, KB5123066) and suggests restarting affected VMs. Rolling back the updates restores RDS functionality but removes this month's security fixes.

BleepingComputerupdated · 1d agofirst · 2d agoAdvisory 3 sources1

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for September 2026 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 973 vulnerabilities, including 113 critical, with two Windows privilege-escalation bugs (CVE-2026-81963, CVE-2026-85880) exploited in the wild.

Microsoft's September 2026 security update addresses 973 vulnerabilities across its product lineup, 113 rated critical, of which 82 are remote code execution flaws. Two vulnerabilities are confirmed exploited in the wild: CVE-2026-81963, an elevation-of-privilege flaw in the Windows Update Stack (CVSS 7.8), and CVE-2026-85880, a heap-based buffer overflow in Windows Advanced Local Procedure Call (CVSS 7.8). Microsoft flags several bugs as more likely to be exploited, including a 9.8 RCE in Windows DNS Server (CVE-2026-69730), an 8.8 RCE in Windows Kerberos (CVE-2026-69676), and a 9.0 EoP in Spring Cloud Azure (CVE-2026-69854). Cisco Talos published accompanying Snort rules to detect exploitation attempts against the prominent flaws.

Cisco Talos · 8d agoAdvisory in the wildCVE-2026-81963CVE-2026-85880CVE-2026-69676+27 CVEs1

Microsoft releases emergency Windows updates to fix RDS failures

Microsoft released emergency out-of-band Windows updates fixing Remote Desktop Services failures and Hyper-V issues caused by September 2026 security patches.

Microsoft issued out-of-band updates on September 14, 2026 to fix Remote Desktop Services instability introduced by the September security updates, which caused RDP connection and sign-in failures and unresponsive servers. Updates include KB5129194 (Windows 11 26H1), KB5129195 (Windows 11 24H2/25H2), KB5129236 (Windows 10), KB5129235 (Windows Server 2025), and KB5129237 (Windows Server 2022). The Windows 11 updates also fix a Hyper-V Plan9 shared folder issue and some USB Audio Class 1.0 multichannel problems, though remaining USB audio issues await a fix. Admins had previously used Group Policy mitigations or uninstalled the security updates, which removed security protections.

BleepingComputerupdated · 1d agofirst · 2d agoAdvisory 3 sources2

Windows Remote Desktop Client Vulnerability Allows Attackers to Execute Remote Code

Microsoft patched CVE-2026-69485, an 8.8 CVSS RCE flaw in the Windows Remote Desktop Client affecting Windows 10/11 and Server 2016-2025.

Microsoft's September 2026 updates fix CVE-2026-69485, an Important-rated remote code execution vulnerability (CVSS 3.1: 8.8, temporal 7.7) in the Windows Remote Desktop Client caused by use of an uninitialized resource. An authenticated attacker with low privileges could send a specially crafted network request to execute code on an affected server, with no user interaction required. Microsoft says the flaw was not publicly disclosed before patching and rates exploitation as 'Less Likely' with no evidence of active exploitation. Affected products span Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025 and Windows 10 (1607-22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2-26H1), with fixes delivered via KBs including KB5123099, KB5122876 and KB5122882.

September 2026 Microsoft Patch Tuesday, (Tue, Sep 8th)

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes a record 973 vulnerabilities, including 113 critical and two Windows privilege-escalation flaws already exploited in the wild.

Microsoft patched 973 vulnerabilities this month, its largest Patch Tuesday ever and far above the previous record of 664 set in July 2026, with 113 rated critical. Two Important elevation-of-privilege flaws (CVSS 7.8) are confirmed exploited in the wild: CVE-2026-81963 in the Windows Update Stack (improper link resolution, affects Windows 11 and Server 2025) and CVE-2026-85880 in Windows ALPC (heap-based buffer overflow allowing sandbox escape to SYSTEM, affects Windows 10 and Server 2012-2022). Critical unauthenticated RCEs (CVSS 9.8) were also fixed in Skype for Business Server (CVE-2026-66302), Windows Message Queuing (CVE-2026-69579), and Windows RRAS (CVE-2026-69590). SANS urges prioritizing the two exploited EoP fixes, then patching exposed MSMQ, RRAS, and Skype for Business deployments.

Windows 11 cumulative updates KB5124008 & KB5122880 released

Microsoft shipped mandatory September 2026 Patch Tuesday cumulative updates KB5124008 and KB5122880 for Windows 11, fixing vulnerabilities and adding features.

Microsoft released Windows 11 KB5124008 (versions 25H2/24H2) and KB5122880 (23H2) cumulative updates containing the September 2026 Patch Tuesday security patches, described as covering 1,000 vulnerabilities discovered in previous months. The updates are mandatory and add features including movable and resizable taskbars, Start menu customization, a Windows Search option to hide Bing and Store web suggestions, and Administrator Protection, a just-in-time admin privilege feature that is off by default and configurable via Intune OMA-URI or Group Policy.

BleepingComputer · 8d agoAdvisory1

Privileged File System Vulnerability Present in a SCADA System

Unit 42 details CVE-2025-0921 (CVSS 6.5), a privileged file operations flaw in Iconics Suite enabling DoS and privilege escalation.

Unit 42 disclosed CVE-2025-0921 (CVSS 6.5), an execution-with-unnecessary-privileges flaw in the Pager Agent of the AlarmWorX64 MMX feature of Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions GENESIS64. Attackers could misuse privileged file system operations to corrupt critical binaries, causing denial-of-service or integrity loss on vulnerable SCADA systems. The analysis demonstrates a chain with CVE-2024-7587, which grants excessive permissions to the C:\ProgramData\ICONICS directory via the GenBroker32 installer. Iconics released an advisory with a workaround that addresses the reported issues.

Windows BitLocker Vulnerability Allows Attackers to Execute Malicious Code Remotely

Microsoft patched CVE-2026-69449, a heap-based buffer overflow in Windows BitLocker enabling code execution, affecting Windows 10/11 and Server 2012-2025 in September 2026 updates.

Microsoft disclosed CVE-2026-69449, a heap-based buffer overflow in Windows BitLocker rated Important, which could allow an authorized attacker to execute arbitrary code locally, with possible in-network exploitation via arbitrary endpoint calls. Microsoft rates exploitation as Less Likely and there was no public disclosure or in-the-wild exploitation at release. The flaw affects Windows 10 (1607-22H2), Windows 11 (23H2-26H1), and Windows Server 2012 through 2025, including Server Core. Fixes shipped in the September 2026 Patch Tuesday cumulative updates via platform-specific KBs such as KB5124012 and KB5122871.

Windows Server 2022 reaches end of mainstream support next month

Microsoft says Windows Server 2022 ends mainstream support on October 13, 2026, entering extended security updates through October 14, 2031.

Windows Server 2022, the September 2021 Long-Term Servicing Channel release, will receive its last mainstream support update with the October 2026 security patch. After October 13, 2026, it transitions to extended support with free monthly security updates through October 14, 2031. Microsoft also extended hotpatching for Datacenter: Azure Edition until October 2027 and recommends upgrading to Windows Server 2025, the current LTSC release.

BleepingComputer · 22h agoIndustry1

September 2026 Patch Tuesday roundup: Plugs for two zero day holes among almost 1,000 fixes in Windows

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday ships 964 fixes including two exploited Windows zero-days (CVE-2026-85880, CVE-2026-81963) and a wormable DNS RCE.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday includes 964 Microsoft vulnerabilities requiring customer action, a record attributed to AI-assisted bug discovery, plus 174 third-party/open-source and 23 Chromium/Edge CVEs. Two zero-days are exploited in the wild: CVE-2026-85880, a Windows ALPC heap overflow enabling AppContainer sandbox escape and privilege escalation, and CVE-2026-81963, a Windows Update Stack escalation to SYSTEM. CVE-2026-69730, an unauthenticated Windows DNS RCE, is not yet exploited but Microsoft expects exploitation, and roughly 20 bugs could be wormable. Separately, SAP issued a critical CVSS 10.0 fix for the EPP component used in S/4HANA and NetWeaver.

CSO Online · 8d agoVulnerability in the wildCVE-2026-85880CVE-2026-81963CVE-2026-69730+2 CVEs1

Microsoft Patch Tuesday Update September 2026 – 974 Vulnerabilities Fixed, Including 2 Zero-Days

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 974 vulnerabilities across Windows and Office, including two actively exploited Windows privilege-escalation zero-days.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday addresses 974 vulnerabilities spanning Windows, Office, SQL Server, SharePoint, Exchange, Azure, and developer tools. Two Windows zero-days are confirmed exploited in attacks: CVE-2026-85880, a Windows ALPC elevation-of-privilege flaw, and CVE-2026-81963, a Windows Update Stack privilege-escalation flaw involving link following. The release also includes Critical fixes for Windows Secure Kernel Mode, VBS Enclave, Excel, and Word.

The AI policy window is open. We need to act.

OpenAI calls for mandatory national AI safety regulation and backs four California AI safety bills as capabilities accelerate.

OpenAI argues the rapid pace of AI progress, including signs of AI-accelerated research, requires urgent policy action through mandatory, capability-based national regulation. The company endorses four California bills (SB 813, AB 1405, SB 1119, AB 1864) covering independent safety assessments, AI auditor standards, youth protections, and safeguards against AI-enabled biological threats. It also commits to industry-led frontier standards, international coordination, and strengthening internal safeguards such as universal trajectory monitoring and mandatory alignment-evaluation gates for its Astra model. The post references chief scientist Jakub Pachocki's warning about recursive self-improvement and Greg Brockman's "defenders window" concept.

OpenAI News · 7d agoAI policy

Citrix UniconOS dual boot turns Windows endpoints into their own recovery device

Citrix released UniconOS dual boot in Release 7 2607, turning Windows endpoints into self-recovery devices after ransomware, failed updates or OS corruption.

Citrix announced dual boot in UniconOS Release 7 2607, which installs an isolated, hardened recovery environment alongside Windows in a separate partition protected by secure boot. If Windows is unavailable, users reboot into UniconOS and reconnect to applications via Citrix DaaS and SecurAccess with Chrome Enterprise. The capability is aimed at reducing reliance on spare hardware and central reimaging during ransomware or update failures, with automatic enrollment in UniconOS Management for fleet-wide boot policies.

Help Net Security · 23d agoTools

Windows 11 KB5124008 update breaks domain trust for some users

Microsoft is investigating Windows 11 KB5124008 breaking Active Directory domain trust, leaving some users unable to log in with valid credentials.

Administrators report the Windows 11 KB5124008 security update breaks the secure channel between domain-joined machines and Active Directory, causing login failures on Windows 11 25H2 systems after reboot. The failures are linked to the Machine Identity Isolation feature, which in enforcement mode moves machine account secrets into Credential Guard and removes the LSA copy; one admin saw 11 of roughly 256 devices affected. Workarounds include setting MachineIdentityIsolation to 0 and repairing the secure channel with Test-ComputerSecureChannel, though Microsoft has confirmed no root cause or official fix and warns disabling the feature can also break domain authentication.

BleepingComputerupdated · 7h agofirst · 10h agoVulnerability 2 sources

Microsoft Releases Emergency Windows 11 Update Following Patch Tuesday Bugs

Microsoft issued emergency Windows 11 update KB5129195 to fix Patch Tuesday regressions and fully close the CVE-2026-62721 privilege escalation flaw.

Microsoft shipped out-of-band cumulative update KB5129195 for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 (builds 26100.9457 and 26200.9457) after the September 8 Patch Tuesday rollup, which addressed over 960 CVEs including two actively exploited flaws, broke Remote Desktop Services, Hyper-V Plan9 folder sharing, and USB audio. The emergency release also strengthens the incomplete fix for CVE-2026-62721, an elevation-of-privilege flaw in the Windows User-Mode Power Service that could let a local attacker gain SYSTEM privileges. Companion patches cover Windows 11 26H1, Windows 10, and Windows Server. Some USB Audio Class 1.0 and AMD Radeon graphics issues remain unresolved.

Cyber Security News · 23h agoVulnerability in the wildCVE-2026-627211

12 Best Patch Management Software Compared (2026): Features & Pricing

GBHackers ranks NinjaOne, ManageEngine, and Automox atop twelve patch management tools for 2026, emphasizing third-party application coverage.

GBHackers scored twelve patch management platforms on coverage, automation, visibility, deployment, and value, with NinjaOne ranked highest at 4.55. Action1 is highlighted for its genuinely usable free tier, ManageEngine for third-party catalog breadth, and Automox for cloud-native cross-OS automation. The piece notes that unpatched known vulnerabilities remain a top initial-access vector, citing CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

GBHackers · 6d agoIndustry 4 sources1

China-Linked Hackers Exploit Chrome and Windows Zero-Days in BlueMoon Attacks

China-linked clusters deploy the BlueMoon kit chaining Chrome V8 CVE-2026-85046 and Windows LPE CVE-2026-85880 in espionage campaigns.

Proofpoint researchers identified BlueMoon, an exploit kit combining a V8 type-confusion RCE (CVE-2026-85046), a V8 sandbox escape, and a Windows kernel privilege-escalation flaw (CVE-2026-85880), first observed August 28, 2026. At least four clusters adopted it, led by TA412 (also tracked as APT31/Violet Typhoon) and followed by UNK_LateNight, UNK_DoubleCheck, and UNK_QuietRacket, targeting aerospace, manufacturing, government, consulting, and financial sectors. The kit exploited a nearly four-week patch gap between the public Chromium commit (August 7) and stable rollout (September 3). TA412 delivered the GemStone Chrome extension masquerading as a Gemini companion, while other clusters deployed ShadowPad via DLL sideloading, a Rust loader, and DoH-based C2.

GBHackers · 7d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-85046CVE-2026-858801

Microsoft Patches Record 974 Flaws, Including Two Exploited Windows Zero-Days

Microsoft's September Patch Tuesday fixed a record 974 flaws, including two Windows privilege-escalation zero-days actively exploited and added to CISA's KEV catalog.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday addressed a record 974 vulnerabilities (999 including 25 non-Microsoft CVEs), with over 110 rated critical; 723 affect Windows and 111 affect Office. Two Windows privilege-escalation zero-days are actively exploited: CVE-2026-85880, an ALPC heap-based buffer overflow, and CVE-2026-81963, an improper link resolution flaw in the Windows Update Stack, both allowing attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges. CISA added both flaws to its KEV catalog, giving federal civilian agencies until September 22, 2026 to apply fixes. Volexity, Proofpoint, MSTIC, and independent researchers were credited with the reports; notable additional fixes include network-reachable RCEs in Exchange, SharePoint, SQL Server, Remote Desktop Services, DNS, and DHCP.

The Hacker News · 8d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-85880CVE-2026-81963CVE-2026-55007+9 CVEs

Microsoft releases Windows 10 KB5122878 extended security update

Microsoft shipped Windows 10 ESU update KB5122878, delivering the record September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes, including patches for two actively exploited zero-days.

Microsoft released KB5122878 for Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC and ESU customers, moving builds 19045/19044 to .7725 with security and bug fixes. The update carries this month's record September 2026 Patch Tuesday set, which fixed 966 Microsoft vulnerabilities including two actively exploited zero-day flaws. It also fixes BitLocker recovery-key prompts and Remote Desktop audio redirection, and updates Secure Boot certificate rollout and Morocco time zone data. Microsoft reports no known issues with the update.

BleepingComputer · 8d agoAdvisory in the wild1

Four REVSTEALER-Linked Modules Disable Windows Update and Defender to Run a Crypto Miner

Elastic documents four persistent REVSTEALER-linked tools (ProManager, WinUpdate, SoftManager, LockAppHost); LockAppHost disables Windows Update and Defender to run a crypto miner.

Elastic Security Labs identified four previously unreported executables tied to REVSTEALER, a commercial Windows infostealer sold since at least February 2026: ProManager, WinUpdate, SoftManager, and LockAppHost. LockAppHost abuses CMSTP for elevation, adds Microsoft Defender exclusions, disables five Windows Update services and 13 scheduled tasks, then hides a miner in legitimate Windows processes; other modules steal wallets, clipboard-swap crypto addresses, and turn victims into reverse proxies. The components share REVSTEALER tradecraft including packer, runtime function resolution, and Polygon smart-contract backup configuration (EtherHiding). Elastic's detection rule matched about 4,700 VirusTotal samples over the past year; distribution uses hijacked YouTube channels promoting game cheats and a fake 'Claude Opus 5 Free Desktop' app.

The Hacker News · 10d agoMalware in the wild

Hackers Can Rent VectraRAT for $250 a Month to Take Control of Windows PCs

SOCRadar uncovered VectraRAT, a previously undocumented $250-per-month Windows RAT rental service delivered via Amadey and ClickFix lures.

SOCRadar's Threat Research Unit identified VectraRAT, a rental-only remote access trojan sold by a developer known as Vectra (formerly Nyxel), after an exposed online directory revealed samples, licenses, and operator logs across ten-plus servers. The toolkit includes a Linux control server, Windows implant, payload builder, and VectraHub panel, enabling hidden desktop access, keylogging, command execution, credential theft, file transfer, proxying, and silent privilege escalation. Of victims with OS data, 48 percent ran corporate Windows editions, and researchers recorded 38 genuine victim sessions in under a week, including file theft from business systems. Distribution occurs through the Amadey loader and ClickFix pages impersonating TurboTax, with custom TCP-based C2 over non-standard ports.

Cyber Security News · 16h agoMalware in the wild 3 sources

2026-007: Critical Vulnerability in Windows Netlogon

Actively exploited CVSS 9.8 Windows Netlogon flaw lets unauthenticated attackers execute code with SYSTEM privileges on domain controllers.

Microsoft's May 2026 advisory describes CVE-2026-41089, a stack-based buffer overflow in Windows Netlogon (CVSS 9.8) that allows unauthenticated remote code execution with SYSTEM privileges on domain controllers via specially crafted packets. The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium reports the flaw is currently being exploited by threat actors. All Windows Server versions from 2012 through 2025 acting as domain controllers are affected and require the May updates.

CERT-EU Advisories · 8d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-410891

Top 10 Best Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Solutions in 2026

A 2026 buyer's guide ranks UEM platforms, recommending Intune for Microsoft 365 shops, Jamf for Apple estates, and SOTI for rugged devices.

The guide ranks ten unified endpoint management platforms for 2026, recommending Microsoft Intune for Microsoft 365 organizations, Jamf for Apple-heavy estates, and SOTI for rugged, kiosk, and industrial devices. It notes VMware Workspace ONE now operates as Omnissa after Broadcom divested the End-User Computing division, and that BlackBerry sold Cylance to Arctic Wolf in February 2025 while retaining BlackBerry UEM. The article provides a coverage checklist spanning Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, kiosks, legacy on-prem Windows, and wearables/IoT.

Cyber Security News · 8d agoIndustry

Microsoft: Windows Server 2025 changes causing app crashes

Microsoft warns Windows Server 2025 memory-management changes crash AWE apps, including SQL Server with Lock Pages in Memory; disable LPIM as workaround.

Microsoft confirmed a known issue where Windows Server 2025 memory-management changes cause access violations, memory corruption, or unexpected termination in applications using Address Windowing Extensions (AWE). SQL Server running with the Lock Pages in Memory (LPIM) policy is affected, with symptoms including 0xC0000005 access violations, DBCC CHECKDB failures, crash dumps, and services stopping or restarting unexpectedly. Microsoft's temporary workaround is to disable the LPIM policy for the SQL Server service account or disable AWE in other affected apps, with a permanent fix promised in a future Windows update.

BleepingComputer · 8d agoAdvisory1

Microsoft Defender's Own Driver Can Be Weaponized to Delete Security Software at Boot

Check Point revealed BTR Reforged, a technique weaponizing Microsoft Defender's built-in BTR.sys driver to delete security software at boot without exploiting any vulnerability.

Check Point Research disclosed BTR Reforged, a technique that abuses BTR.sys, a legitimately signed Windows Defender boot-time remediation driver, to perform arbitrary kernel-level file and registry operations on Windows 7 through Windows 11 25H2 without exploiting a software flaw. The BTR_CLI proof-of-concept tool, presented at Black Hat USA 2026 and DEF CON 34, installs the driver via direct registry writes and executes deletions during the boot-time 'golden window' before Defender's user-mode services start, demonstrated by deleting the full Defender stack on a patched Windows 11 machine. Exploitation requires SeLoadDriverPrivilege; Microsoft confirmed it does not meet criteria for immediate servicing and no patch is planned. No evidence of real-world abuse was found, and related indicators of compromise via Sysmon events were published.

The Hacker News · 26d agoToolsCVE-2021-240921

VectraRAT Malware-as-a-Service Lets Hackers Bypass UAC and Hijack Windows Systems

New VectraRAT malware-as-a-service at $250/month combines RAT capabilities, credential theft, clipboard hijacking, and a UACME-based UAC bypass; 38 victims observed.

VectraRAT is a previously undocumented MaaS platform with a Go-based VectraHub Linux C2 server embedding a Vue3 operator panel and a C++ Windows implant, rented from $250/month and linked to the aliases Vectra and Nyxel. It communicates over TCP port 3308 via a proprietary MessagePack protocol, steals browser and file-based credentials, and abuses UACME method 41 with debug-object handle hijacking via winver.exe and computerdefaults.exe. SOCRadar identified 38 live victim sessions in one week, 48% on corporate Windows editions, with delivery via the Amadey loader and ClickFix pages impersonating TurboTax.

GBHackersupdated · 16h agofirst · 18h agoMalware in the wild 3 sources

China-Linked Hackers Exploit Chrome-Windows Zero-Day Chain to Deploy GRIMWEDGE

Volexity attributes spear-phishing campaign exploiting Chrome-Windows zero-day chain to Chinese actors UTA0560 and APT31 deploying GRIMWEDGE and LONGTALE.

Volexity attributes a September 1, 2026 spear-phishing campaign targeting NGOs to China-linked UTA0560, which abused a reflected XSS flaw on a US university website to trigger a three-part exploit chain (CVE-2026-85046, CVE-2026-87491, CVE-2026-85880) escaping the Chrome V8 and browser sandboxes to deploy the GRIMWEDGE JavaScript backdoor with reconnaissance, file management, and command execution capabilities. The same chain was used near-simultaneously by JungleBamboo (APT31) to deploy SUPERSTOMP, installing the LONGTALE/GemStone credential-stealing Chrome extension masquerading as Google Gemini. The Chrome flaws were patched in Chromium but not yet in stable Chrome, creating an unusual patch-gap zero-day window attackers raced to exploit.

The Hacker Newsupdated · 15h agofirst · 2d agoThreat actor in the wild 11 sourcesCVE-2026-85046CVE-2026-87491CVE-2026-858801· 1 read

Weekly Cybersecurity Newsletter Bulletin – Microsoft 0-day, FortiOS, PAN-OS Flaw, Revolut Data Breach, and 20+ Stories

Weekly roundup: Microsoft patches 973 flaws including two actively exploited zero-days; FortiOS CAPWAP flaw deploys PivotC2 RAT; PAN-OS root RCE disclosed.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixed 973 vulnerabilities, including two zero-days under active exploitation: CVE-2026-85880 (Windows ALPC) and CVE-2026-81963 (Windows Update Stack), both elevation-of-privilege bugs. SOCRadar reported active exploitation of CVE-2025-25249 (CVSS 9.8) in FortiOS CAPWAP, deploying a Node.js RAT called PivotC2 that exfiltrates Exchange mailboxes to Wasabi cloud storage; 178 devices were compromised out of 30,000 scanned IPs, attributed to a Russian-speaking financially motivated group. Palo Alto disclosed CVE-2026-0310, a 9.2-rated buffer overflow enabling root code execution on PA-Series firewalls, and Fortinet disclosed CVE-2026-84393, a ZTNA certificate validation MITM flaw. Cyera also revealed CVE-2026-6471 ('PostGREShell'), a 12-year-old PostgreSQL logical-decoding flaw allowing code execution via REPLICATION-privileged accounts.

Windows 11 Security Update KB5124008 Breaks Always-On VPN Connections

Microsoft's September 2026 Windows 11 update KB5124008 breaks certificate-based Always On VPN on some enterprise clients, forcing admins to pause rollout.

Microsoft's September 8, 2026 cumulative update KB5124008 for Windows 11 24H2 (build 26100.9445) and 25H2 (build 26200.9445) breaks certificate-based Always On VPN tunnels on some enterprise clients, with connectivity restored after uninstalling the update and rebooting. The issue was first detailed on Microsoft Q&A on September 9 by an administrator using Intune-deployed VPN profiles with RRAS and NPS on Windows Server 2019. The same mandatory Patch Tuesday package fixes two actively exploited zero-days, CVE-2026-81963 in the Windows Update Stack and CVE-2026-85880 in Windows Advanced Local Procedure Call, so many teams are pausing only VPN cohorts rather than blocking the full rollout.

Cyber Security Newsupdated · 15h agofirst · 5d agoVulnerability in the wild 11 sourcesCVE-2026-81963CVE-2026-858802

Remote Desktop Services Failures on Windows Servers Following September Update

September 2026 Patch Tuesday updates cause Windows Server 2019/2022/2025 RDS sessions to freeze, forcing administrators to roll back.

Cumulative updates KB5122876 (Windows Server 2019), KB5122882 (2022), and KB5122871 (2025) trigger Remote Desktop Services freezes hours after boot, with RDP connections hanging at 'Connecting…' and Event ID 20498 logged. Administrators trace the fault to an apparent deadlock in RDPSERVERBASE!WDLIB_Close during session teardown; only hard resets restore service and the issue recurs. The same September release patched roughly 973 vulnerabilities, including two actively exploited zero-days (CVE-2026-81963, CVE-2026-85880, both in CISA's KEV) and a critical RDS RCE, CVE-2026-69525 (CVSS 9.8). Workarounds include DISM-based removal of the update or an unofficial FeatureManagement registry key disabling the suspected audio-redirection code path; Microsoft has not yet confirmed the bug.

Microsoft fixes record 964 flaws, including 2 exploited zero-days

Microsoft's September Patch Tuesday fixes a record 964 CVEs, including two actively exploited Windows privilege-escalation zero-days, CVE-2026-81963 and CVE-2026-85880.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday addresses 964 customer-patchable CVEs (104 Critical, 860 Important), the largest release on record, out of 974 total listed. Two actively exploited zero-days are fixed: CVE-2026-81963, a link-following elevation-of-privilege flaw in the Windows Update Stack, and CVE-2026-85880, a Windows ALPC heap overflow enabling AppContainer sandbox escape, both with CVSS 7.8. Both zero-days were exploited before a patch was available and grant SYSTEM-level access after an initial foothold. The release also includes high-severity RCE fixes for Windows DNS Server, Remote Desktop Services, Exchange Server, SharePoint, and SQL Server.

Malwarebytes Labs · 7d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-81963CVE-2026-858801

Agents Gone Wild: An AI-Orchestrated Global Campaign Against PaperCut NG/MF

AI-orchestrated campaign exploited PaperCut NG/MF RCE (CVE-2026-81578/82078), compromising 440+ instances at 395 organizations in 48 countries.

GreyNoise tracked a likely Russian-speaking actor using AI (OpenAI Codex harness plus a DeepSeek model) to develop, test, and deploy exploits for PaperCut NG/MF (CVE-2026-81578, CVE-2026-82078) starting 31 August 2026. The actor compromised at least 440 PaperCut instances across 395 organizations in 48 countries, achieving domain admin at 12 victims — fastest time to domain admin was five minutes and a US high school was fully compromised in seven minutes. Attack paths involved LSASS memory and registry secret harvesting, pass-the-hash to domain controllers, noPac attacks, account additions to Domain Admins, and DCSync to exfiltrate full NTDS.DIT credential dumps. Impact scope suggests access development potentially for handoff, with prior PaperCut intrusions historically leading to extortion.

GreyNoise · 8d agoThreat actor in the wildCVE-2026-81578CVE-2026-82078CVE-2021-42278+1 CVEs1

August updates trigger 0xc0000409 errors on Windows Server 2016

Microsoft says the August 2026 security update causes recurring CompatTelRunner.exe 0xc0000409 crashes on Windows Server 2016 with Compatibility Appraiser enabled; no functional impact.

Microsoft confirmed a known issue in which the August 2026 Windows security update generates recurring Application Error events (Event ID 1000, exception code 0xc0000409) in CompatTelRunner.exe on Windows Server 2016. The issue affects physical and virtual machines, including VMware and Azure environments, and per Microsoft does not affect device functionality. A permanent fix is planned for a future update, and the event log entries can be dismissed temporarily.

BleepingComputer · 8d agoAdvisory

Microsoft’s Project Zenith is a ‘distraction-free Windows experience’ for developers

Microsoft branded its developer-optimized Windows setup Project Zenith, with 64GB+ memory devices from AMD that run 30B+ parameter AI models locally.

Microsoft named its developer-focused Windows configuration Project Zenith, targeting new hardware with 64GB or more of unified memory. AMD unveiled the first Project Zenith device at IFA, a miniature PC powered by Ryzen AI Halo chips, with more devices expected in the coming months. The setup ships with a preconfigured Windows install and preinstalled developer tools including Visual Studio Code, GitHub Copilot, PowerToys, WinAppCLI, and Windows Dev Skills. Microsoft says it lets developers run 30B+ parameter models locally and unmetered, reducing reliance on metered cloud tokens.

The Verge · AI · 12d agoAI industry1

Due to concerns about malicious applications, GPT2 will not be released (2019)

OpenAI's landmark 2019 GPT-2 post withheld the full 1.5B-parameter model over misuse concerns, releasing only a smaller variant and paper.

OpenAI announced GPT-2, a 1.5-billion-parameter transformer language model trained on 8 million web pages (40GB of text), achieving state-of-the-art zero-shot results including 70.70% on Winograd Schema and 63.24% on LAMBADA. Citing concerns about malicious applications such as scalable synthetic disinformation, OpenAI declined to release the trained model and instead published a smaller model and a technical paper as a 'responsible disclosure' experiment. The post, resurfaced on Hacker News in 2026, also documents failure modes like repetition and world-modeling errors, and discusses policy implications of controllable text generation.

Context Engineering Inside the Harness: 4 Mechanisms That Beat Context Overflow and Goal Loss on Long-Horizon Tasks

Survey of four harness mechanisms—context budgeting, compaction, todo-state, and memory—that keep long-horizon LLM agents on task across 200+ tool calls.

The article details how agent harnesses, not larger context windows, solve context overflow and goal loss on long-horizon tasks, citing Chroma's Context Rot report showing 18 LLMs (GPT-4.1, Claude 4, Gemini 2.5, Qwen3) degrade on long inputs. Concrete implementations include LangChain Deep Agents offloading tool responses over 20,000 tokens to the filesystem and truncating old tool calls at 85% window usage, and Claude Code capping auto memory at 25KB while re-reading the 5 most recently modified files after compaction. OpenAI's Responses API now offers server-side compaction via context_management with a standalone /responses/compact endpoint, which Codex uses for long-running coding tasks. Manus reports a roughly 100:1 input-to-output token ratio per ~50-tool-call task, motivating todo.md state recitation to prevent goal drift.

MarkTechPost · 4d agoAI research2