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Rogue ScreenConnect Installations Across Unrelated Hosts Suggest Worm-Like Activity

Huntress observed rogue ScreenConnect deployments with worm-like VBScript propagation across unrelated organizations, prompting a ConnectWise advisory on file transfer behavior.

Huntress identified multiple incidents in late August 2026 where social engineering led to rogue ScreenConnect remote access clients deployed on victim machines, which then spawned wscript.exe to run four VBScript payloads (1.vbs through 4.vbs) for profiling, telemetry collection, and persistence via a WindowsServiceHost Run key. Modified ScreenConnect clients propagated the VBScript chain to connected endpoints, creating worm-like spread. ConnectWise published an advisory on September 3, 2026, confirming an issue affecting file transfer behavior in both cloud and on-premises ScreenConnect deployments, with a CVE and fix expected within the week; partners were advised to review and disable TransferFiles permissions in the interim.

Huntress · 13d agoExploit / PoC in the wild1

Modified ScreenConnect Clients Used in Worm-Like Campaign

Huntress warns of worm-like attacks using modified ScreenConnect clients to spread VBScript payloads; ConnectWise issued an advisory.

Campaigns starting in late August use social engineering, including Quick Assist abuse, to install rogue ScreenConnect clients that spawn wscript.exe and deploy four VBScript files for reconnaissance, staging, and PowerShell execution. The attackers persist via User Run Keys, attempt UAC bypass, install UltraViewer, and propagate the VBScript chain to other connected ScreenConnect endpoints. ConnectWise published an advisory about a file transfer behavior issue affecting cloud and on-premises ScreenConnect, with a CVE identifier and fix expected within a week; it recommends disabling file transfer meanwhile.

SecurityWeek · 8d agoExploit / PoC in the wild

Attackers use rogue ScreenConnect clients to spread malware

Attackers deploy rogue ScreenConnect clients that spread VBScript malware to newly connected machines while ConnectWise patches a file-transfer flaw.

ConnectWise confirmed a file transfer flaw in ScreenConnect affecting both Cloud and On-Premise deployments, with a CVE identifier and official fix promised within the week; administrators can mitigate immediately by disabling TransferFiles (or TransferFilesInSession) in each role. Huntress documented incidents where social engineering installs rogue ScreenConnect clients that spawn Windows Script Host processes running four VBScript files (1.vbs-4.vbs), add a WindowsServiceHost registry Run key, and propagate to newly connected endpoints. Payloads enabled host profiling, persistence, additional ScreenConnect installs, tunneling, security-control changes, and cryptocurrency mining. ConnectWise has not confirmed a technical link between the flaw and this campaign.

Help Net Security · 9d agoExploit / PoC in the wild

ConnectWise Patches ScreenConnect Vulnerability Exploited in Worm-Like Attacks

ConnectWise patched critical ScreenConnect flaw CVE-2026-84869 (CVSS 9.9) exploited since August 20 in worm-like attacks; CISA added it to KEV.

ConnectWise released urgent patches for CVE-2026-84869 (CVSS 9.9), a missing authorization and improper privilege management flaw in ScreenConnect allowing file transfer and execution through active remote sessions without host confirmation. Huntress reported in-the-wild exploitation since August 20, with attackers using rogue ScreenConnect clients to push four VBScript files for persistence and worm-like propagation to other ScreenConnect clients. The flaw is fixed in ScreenConnect 26.6.5, with disabling the TransferFiles permission as a temporary mitigation. CISA added the CVE to its KEV catalog, requiring federal agencies to patch within three days under BOD 26-04.

SecurityWeek · 2d agoExploit / PoC in the wild 3 sourcesCVE-2026-848691

U.S. CISA adds GitLab, JFrog Artifactory, and ConnectWise ScreenConnect flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

CISA added four actively exploited GitLab, JFrog Artifactory, and ConnectWise ScreenConnect flaws to the KEV catalog with imminent deadlines.

CISA added CVE-2026-42016 and CVE-2026-42018 (JFrog Artifactory), CVE-2026-84869 (ConnectWise ScreenConnect), and CVE-2026-85706 (GitLab, CVSS 10.0) to its KEV catalog. Artifactory flaws are being chained with CVE-2026-82329 in attacks observed August 15 to September 8, taking over self-hosted servers, creating persistent administrator accounts, and installing backdoors. ScreenConnect CVE-2026-84869 allows unauthorized file transfer and execution during remote sessions, linked by Huntress to malicious VBScript deliveries, and is fixed in version 26.6.5. GitLab's repository commits API path traversal exposes SSH keys, database credentials, deploy tokens, and CI/CD variables, with watchTowr already observing in-the-wild probes. Federal agencies must patch GitLab and ScreenConnect flaws by September 14, 2026, and Artifactory flaws by September 25, 2026.

ownCloud Flaw Exploited to Steal Nuclear Records From Philippine Research Body

A Chinese-speaking actor exploited ownCloud CVE-2023-49105 to steal 176 nuclear research files from Philippine organizations, prompting CISA to add the flaw to KEV.

CISA added CVE-2023-49105 (CVSS 9.8), an ownCloud WebDAV API authentication bypass fixed in version 10.13.1, to the KEV catalog after Hunt.io found an open directory hosting custom Python exploit scripts and tools including Sliver, Metasploit, and Mettle. The actor downloaded 176 files (~372 MB) from a Philippine nuclear research body, including nuclear-material account records, 2023-2028 strategic plans, BitLocker keys, and a KeePass database; a second intrusion exploited LiteSpeed Cache CVE-2024-28000 at a shipbuilding firm serving the Philippine Navy, with XML-RPC brute-force and an EtherHiding/ClickFix component. FCEB agencies must patch by August 30, 2026. CISA also added Linux Kernel CVE-2026-53362 and Artifactory CVE-2026-66384 after OpenAI said its AI agents exploited them against internal infrastructure.

The Hacker News · 18d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2023-49105CVE-2024-28000CVE-2026-53362+1 CVEs1

⚡ Weekly Recap: VMware Exploits, Windows 0-Day, MCP Attacks, Browser Hijacks and More

Weekly recap: suspected China-nexus APT exploited VMware vCenter CVE-2026-59310, Lazarus used Windows zero-day CVE-2026-68820, and macOS flaw dropped Monero miners.

The week's top stories included a suspected China-nexus APT exploiting VMware vCenter CVE-2026-59310 (CVSS 9.8), a directory-traversal flaw enabling arbitrary code execution, with backdoors, reverse SSH and Babuk-derived ransomware deployed, per QUIRSO. NCSC-NL reported active exploitation of macOS Screen Sharing flaw CVE-2026-65400 (CVSS 9.8) to install Monero miners on systems with port 5900 exposed. Lazarus Group exploited Windows zero-day CVE-2026-68820 (CVSS 7.0) in Operation Dream Job, delivering ForestTiger and Troy backdoors to defense and aerospace targets. GeoServer patched a critical SQL injection flaw exploited within hours of disclosure, and Jamf analyzed the new Amnesia Stealer for macOS with live browser control.