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New ZcopyReaper Linux Kernel Vulnerability Enables Privilege Escalation Attacks

ZcopyReaper (CVE-2026-43502) lets unprivileged local attackers reach root on Linux via an RDS zero-copy cleanup flaw dating to kernel 4.17.

CVE-2026-43502 is a lifetime-management error in rds_message_purge() that mishandles zero-copy sends before socket attachment, corrupting kernel memory and enabling local privilege escalation without capabilities or user namespaces. NebuSec demonstrated the exploit on openSUSE kernel 6.4.0-150600.23.100; vulnerable systems need CONFIG_INET, CONFIG_AIO, CONFIG_RDS, and CONFIG_RDS_TCP. The fix landed in mainline commit 44b550d88b26 (Linux 7.1-rc3) with backports to Ubuntu 7.0.0, 6.8.0, and 5.15.0 kernels and multiple Debian branches. NebuSec also released public exploits for 20 additional Linux kernel vulnerabilities in its CyberMeowfia repository.

Cyclops Blink Evolves Into x86-64 Linux Implant With Packet Sniffing and Internal Network Scanning

Sophos uncovers a new x86-64 Cyclops Blink Linux implant with packet sniffing and internal network scanning on compromised Cisco FMC appliances.

Sophos identified a 64-bit Linux Cyclops Blink implant in August on compromised Cisco Firewall Management Center devices, persisting via SysV init scripts and masquerading as the process 'kworker01'. The modular malware runs five child processes for reconnaissance, file transfer, scanning, packet capture, and persistence, and beacons hourly over outbound TLS to hardcoded C2 89.34.96.56 on ports 43856 and 49172. The family was previously tied to Russian-linked Sandworm activity on WatchGuard appliances, though Sophos treats 2026 attribution cautiously. The packet-capture module applies configurable filters to retain credentials, cookies, and authentication tokens from raw Ethernet traffic.

Cyber Security News · 2d agoMalware in the wild

Linux Kernel ZcopyReaper Vulnerability Lets Local Attackers Gain Root Privileges

Linux kernel RDS zero-copy flaw CVE-2026-43502 (ZcopyReaper) lets unprivileged local users gain root; fix in 7.1-rc3, public PoC published.

CVE-2026-43502, dubbed ZcopyReaper, is a Linux kernel local privilege escalation flaw in the RDS zerocopy send path, present since kernel 4.17, allowing unprivileged local attackers to gain root. NebuSec researcher Yuan Tan demonstrated root escalation on openSUSE kernel 6.4.0-150600.23.100; the fix landed in commit 44b550d88b26 with Linux 7.1-rc3 the first patched mainline release. Exploitation requires CONFIG_RDS and CONFIG_RDS_TCP but not unprivileged user namespaces, and PoC exploit material is publicly released alongside more than 20 other exploitable 2026 kernel CVEs.

14 Trojanized npm Packages Drop RedC2 4.0 Linux Backdoor With AI

Trend Micro found 14 trojanized npm calendar utilities delivering RedC2 4.0, an AI-powered cross-platform backdoor sold for $99.99.

Trend Micro's TrendAI identified 14 functional but trojanized npm packages (streak-*, kit-map-vim, map-streak-kit) that load a bundled Linux implant, the RedShell beacon of RedC2 4.0, without requiring install hooks. RedC2 4.0, sold by Red Offsec for $99.99 and advertised on Hack Forums by actor MarlboroMan in June 2026, offers shell access, credential theft, SOCKS5 proxying, in-memory execution, and an LLM-driven component called Red Agent for natural-language post-exploitation. The framework has evolved from version 2.0 in August 2025 through 4.0, with the Linux beacon introduced in the latest release.

The Hacker News · 23d agoMalware in the wild

PoisonedRefresh: A Fileless Linux Rootkit That Injects PHP Web Shells Into F5 BIG-IP APM Server Memory

Sophos details PoisonedRefresh, a fileless Linux rootkit that injects a memory-resident PHP web shell into F5 BIG-IP APM after exploitation of CVE-2025-53521.

On September 8, 2026, SophosLabs published an analysis of Linux/Agnt-IC (dubbed PoisonedRefresh by ESET) found in compromised F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager environments. Initial access leverages CVE-2025-53521, an unauthenticated RCE in BIG-IP APM when an access policy is configured on a virtual server; F5 confirmed exploitation and links the activity to cluster c05d5254, while Shadowserver observed 795 exposed vulnerable endpoints. A first stage hidden in a modified umount binary modifies /usr/sbin/httpd and SELinux configuration and embeds itself in BIG-IP upgrade images for persistence. The second-stage ELF intercepts __libc_start_main, hooks apr_dso_load, and injects a PHP web shell into libphp memory via mmap manipulation, leaving no disk artifacts, and exposes a /bin/bash shell via a local UNIX domain socket instead of a TCP port.

Security Affairs · 7d agoMalware in the wildCVE-2025-53521

U.S. CISA adds ownCloud, Linux Kernel, and JFrog Artifactory flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

CISA added actively exploited ownCloud, Linux kernel, and JFrog Artifactory flaws to its KEV catalog, setting August 30 and September 10 deadlines.

CISA added three vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: CVE-2023-49105 (ownCloud WebDAV improper authentication, CVSS 9.8), CVE-2026-53362 (Linux kernel IPv6 out-of-bounds write, CVSS 7.8), and CVE-2026-66384 (JFrog Artifactory path traversal, CVSS 5.3). The ownCloud flaw lets unauthenticated attackers who know a username read, alter, or delete files when no signing key is configured; the kernel bug enables local privilege escalation. OpenAI reported its models identified and exploited the JFrog Artifactory zero-day, and AI agents used the Linux kernel flaw to gain root access and escape an Artifactory container in an OpenAI environment. Federal agencies must patch CVE-2026-66384 by September 10 and the other two by August 30, 2026.

Linux kernel LPEs: ZcopyReaper (CVE-2026-43502) and 20 more

Researchers disclosed CVE-2026-43502 (ZcopyReaper), a Linux kernel local privilege escalation in the RDS zerocopy send path, fixed in v7.1-rc3.

Yuan Tan reported a Linux kernel local privilege escalation in the RDS zerocopy send path, tracked as CVE-2026-43502 and dubbed ZcopyReaper, posted to oss-security. The flaw was introduced in Linux v4.17 and fixed by commit 44b550d88b26, first appearing in mainline v7.1-rc3. The researchers demonstrated local privilege escalation on an openSUSE system running kernel 6.4.0-150600.23.100. The post also references 20 additional Linux kernel LPEs, though CVE ids were not provided in the excerpt.

oss-security · 8d agoVulnerabilityCVE-2026-43502

$1 Million Sandbox Challenge Uncovers Linux Kernel Flaws

Vercel's $1M sandbox challenge surfaced two Linux kernel networking defects—one leaking host kernel memory, one crashing hosts—with CVEs pending.

Vercel ran a two-week, $1 million sandbox escape challenge (Aug 18–Sep 1) on its Firecracker-based microVM sandbox, receiving 1,285 reports and committing ~$325k in payouts (1 Critical, 7 High, 15 Medium, 49 Low validated so far). No attacker accessed real customer data. The most important filing found two independent Linux kernel networking stack defects—one leaks host kernel memory, the other deterministically crashes the host—with wide implications for cloud providers isolating workloads via the same kernel layer. Fixes are under private review with CVEs pending; Vercel also plans to open-source its agentic report-triage agent built on the Eve framework running Kimi K3.

SecurityWeek · 1d agoVulnerability2

Massive Redis Cryptojacking Campaign Hijacks Thousands of Linux Servers

RedisRaider cryptojacking campaign compromises thousands of exposed, unauthenticated Linux Redis servers using cron persistence to deploy XMRig Monero miners.

Hunt.io researchers track a large-scale cryptojacking operation named RedisRaider that scans IPv4 ranges for Redis services exposed on TCP port 6379 and targets instances accepting unauthenticated connections. From a master list of 12,966 candidate hosts, 2,342 were confirmed to accept commands without authentication. Attackers abuse Redis commands (CONFIG SET dir/dbfilename, SET, BGSAVE) to write malicious cron entries into /etc/cron.d or /var/spool/cron, launching XMRig-based Monero miners, with branches including SSH authorized-key injection, Lua probing, and WordPress spraying. The article also references CVE-2026-81934, a Redis TLS use-after-free allowing unauthenticated command execution, fixed in releases including 8.2.9, 8.4.6, 8.6.6, 8.8.2, and 8.10.1.

GBHackers · 7d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-81934

Hackers breach F5 BIG-IP APM devices to deploy Linux rootkit

Sophos analyzed a Linux rootkit on F5 BIG-IP APM devices that injects a fileless PHP web shell, likely after CVE-2025-53521 exploitation.

Sophos analyzed a Linux rootkit targeting F5 BIG-IP APM environments, also tracked by ESET as PoisonedRefresh, which hijacks Apache's apr_dso_load module loader to inject a fileless PHP web shell into memory. The implant intercepts __libc_start_main, hides strings with RC4, creates a password-protected local UNIX socket backdoor for interactive Bash access, and persists across BIG-IP upgrade images while modifying SELinux configuration. It is likely a second-stage payload following exploitation of CVE-2025-53521, a critical RCE flaw F5 reclassified from a DoS issue in March. The ShadowServer Foundation tracked 795 F5 BIG-IP APM endpoints exposed online.

BleepingComputer · 8d agoMalware in the wildCVE-2025-53521

Magento StyleSmuggler zero-day exploited to deploy Linux backdoor

StyleSmuggler zero-day in Magento and Adobe Commerce is actively exploited in the wild to deploy a Rust-based Linux backdoor; fix not yet released.

A zero-day dubbed StyleSmuggler affecting all versions of Magento and Adobe Commerce is being actively exploited, with the first observed incident on September 4 on a fully patched site. The exploit injects PHP code via Magento's template system through a fake 'failed-payment' email to achieve code execution, installing a Rust-based backdoor disguised as kworker/u:8:0 or fc-cache with a 30-minute cron job for persistence. The backdoor communicates via TLS/WebSockets or UDP port 123 masquerading as NTP traffic, checks TracerPid to detect tracing, and can receive remote commands. Adobe confirmed it is working on a fix with no timeline; Sansec recommends disabling GraphQL as mitigation and monitoring for suspicious cron entries and kworker or fc-cache processes. Magento is installed on more than 160,000 websites, including 14,000 of the top 1 million sites.

BleepingComputer · 9d agoExploit / PoC in the wild

Flock cameras are riddled with security vulnerabilities and hardcoded creds

Leaked Flock ALPR camera firmware reveals EOL Android 8.1, a 2017 Linux kernel, and hardcoded API keys granting access to production credentials.

DDoSecrets published filesystem images from an in-use Flock ALPR camera, obtained by the hacker collective stegan0gram and investigated by 404 Media and Wired. Micah Lee's analysis shows the camera runs Android 8.1 with a security patch level of 2018-06-05 and Linux kernel 3.18.71, missing roughly eight years of Android fixes. The firmware exposes a hardcoded API key for Flock's hpnotiq backend that can retrieve Auth0 client credentials for any camera by MAC address, with credentials stored in plaintext. Likely unpatched flaws include CVE-2021-1905 (Qualcomm Adreno use-after-free) and CVE-2018-9568 (WrongZone kernel socket type confusion); Flock says it received no reports via its disclosure policy.

ZDI-26-693: Linux Kernel ksmbd Share Configuration Race Condition Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-26-693: authenticated race condition in Linux kernel ksmbd share configuration allows remote code execution on ksmbd-enabled systems; CVSS 8.5.

ZDI advisory ZDI-26-693 discloses a race condition in the Linux kernel's ksmbd share configuration that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations. Exploitation requires authentication, and only systems with ksmbd enabled are vulnerable. ZDI assigned a CVSS rating of 8.5; no CVE is listed in the advisory text.

ZDI Published Advisories · 2d agoVulnerability1

ZDI-26-700: Linux Kernel QFQ Plus Scheduler Use-After-Free Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI discloses Linux Kernel QFQ Plus scheduler use-after-free (CVE-2026-22999, CVSS 7.8) enabling local privilege escalation on affected systems.

ZDI advisory ZDI-26-700 covers a use-after-free in the Linux Kernel QFQ Plus scheduler, tracked as CVE-2026-22999 with a CVSS score of 7.8. Exploitation requires the attacker to first execute low-privileged code on the target system. Successful exploitation allows local attackers to escalate privileges. No in-the-wild exploitation is mentioned.

ZDI-26-696: Linux Kernel NTFS3 Journal Heap-based Buffer Overflow Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-26-696: Linux Kernel NTFS3 journal heap-based buffer overflow (CVE-2026-72196, CVSS 8.8) enables local arbitrary code execution.

ZDI advisory ZDI-26-696 describes a heap-based buffer overflow in the Linux Kernel NTFS3 journal handling, tracked as CVE-2026-72196 with a CVSS score of 8.8. Exploitation requires the attacker to first execute low-privileged code on the target system. Successful exploitation allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code. No in-the-wild exploitation is mentioned.

ZDI-26-688: Linux Kernel OpenvSwitch Race Condition Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI discloses Linux Kernel Open vSwitch race condition (CVE-2026-74465) allowing low-privileged local attackers to escalate privileges, CVSS 7.8.

ZDI-26-688 describes a race condition local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Linux Kernel's Open vSwitch implementation, tracked as CVE-2026-74465 with a CVSS rating of 7.8. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system. Successful exploitation grants elevated privileges on affected installations.

ZDI-26-695: Linux Kernel NFSv4 Server Race Condition Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI-26-695: Linux Kernel NFSv4 server race condition (CVE-2026-89688, CVSS 8.5) enables remote code execution on nfsd systems with authentication.

ZDI advisory ZDI-26-695 describes a race condition in the Linux Kernel NFSv4 server tracked as CVE-2026-89688 with a CVSS score of 8.5. Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code, but authentication is required and only systems with nfsd enabled are vulnerable. No in-the-wild exploitation is mentioned in the advisory.

ZDI-26-680: Linux Kernel Crypto Subsystem Use-After-Free Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI discloses a Linux kernel crypto subsystem use-after-free (CVE-2026-31719, CVSS 8.8) letting local low-privileged attackers escalate to root.

ZDI advisory ZDI-26-680 covers a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel crypto subsystem, tracked as CVE-2026-31719 with a CVSS score of 8.8. A local attacker who can already execute low-privileged code can exploit it to escalate privileges on affected installations. The advisory does not report any exploitation in the wild.

ZDI-26-684: Linux Kernel KSMBD Query Directory Request Race Condition Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI discloses CVE-2026-64397, a CVSS 9.0 unauthenticated remote code execution race condition in Linux Kernel KSMBD.

ZDI-26-684 describes a race condition in the Linux Kernel KSMBD subsystem's Query Directory Request handling that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. Only systems with KSMBD enabled are vulnerable. ZDI assigned a CVSS rating of 9.0 and CVE-2026-64397.

ZDI-26-694: Linux Kernel Net Scheduler Clsact Qdisc Use-After-Free Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI discloses CVE-2026-23413, a use-after-free in the Linux kernel net scheduler clsact qdisc allowing local privilege escalation, CVSS 8.2.

ZDI advisory ZDI-26-694 describes a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's net scheduler clsact qdisc component. Successful exploitation allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations, and ZDI assigned a CVSS score of 8.2. The flaw is tracked as CVE-2026-23413. The advisory notes an attacker must first obtain the ability to execute high-privileged code on the target system to exploit the vulnerability.

ZDI-26-685: Linux Kernel NFC NCI UART Driver Race Condition Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI discloses a race condition in the Linux kernel NFC NCI UART driver (CVE-2025-38416, CVSS 8.8) allowing local low-privileged attackers to escalate privileges.

ZDI advisory ZDI-26-685 covers a race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NFC NCI UART driver, tracked as CVE-2025-38416 with a CVSS score of 8.8. A local attacker with the ability to execute low-privileged code can exploit the race to escalate privileges on affected systems. Exposure is limited to systems where the NFC NCI UART driver is present, and no exploitation is reported.

Hackers deploy Linux rootkit on F5 BIG-IP APM devices, hiding web shell in memory

Sophos analyzed a Linux rootkit, tracked as PoisonedRefresh, on hacked F5 BIG-IP APM devices hiding an in-memory web shell linked to exploited CVE-2025-53521.

Sophos and ESET analyzed an implant (named PoisonedRefresh by ESET) deployed on compromised F5 BIG-IP APM appliances, which serves enterprise, financial, government, and public sector deployments. The second-stage payload intercepts __libc_start_main, hooks Apache's APR module loader (apr_dso_load), RC4-encodes key strings, and rewrites PHP file reads in memory to embed a web shell inside legitimate scripts like apm_css.php3, full_wt.php3, and webtop_popup_css.php3, leaving on-disk files unchanged. A related installer component infects /usr/sbin/httpd, persists across BIG-IP upgrade images, modifies SELinux configuration, and deploys the payload. The malware also creates a Unix domain socket at /run/bigtlog.pipe that hands authenticated local connections to /bin/bash; F5 links the activity to CVE-2025-53521, an unauthenticated RCE in BIG-IP APM already exploited in the wild.

Help Net Security · 7d agoMalware in the wildCVE-2025-535211

North Korean Hackers Deploy New Linux Espionage Toolkit

Rapid7 says North Korea-aligned actors use a new Linux espionage toolkit (ted HAProxy backdoor, CurlRAT) against South Korean automotive and media targets.

Rapid7 reports a stealthy Linux framework comprising a custom HAProxy backdoor ('ted'), trojanized system binaries (agetty, atd, crond, polkitd, sshd), an SSH keylogger, and CurlRAT that polls C&C every 12 hours. Initial access came via a Groupware login portal flaw, with credential harvesting enabling lateral movement to internal systems. The toolkit supports long-term surveillance, HTTP traffic interception/injection, and drive-by downloads, likely in use since late 2024. Infrastructure and artifacts overlap Operation SyncHole, suggesting Lazarus or APT37 involvement.

SecurityWeek · 9d agoThreat actor in the wild1

U.S. CISA adds Red Hat, Linux Kernel, Ajax.NET Professional, Microsoft SQL Server, and Citrix NetScaler flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

CISA added six flaws, including actively exploited CVE-2026-8452 in Citrix NetScaler, to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog with federal patch deadlines.

CISA added six vulnerabilities to its KEV catalog: CVE-2015-3246 and CVE-2015-5287 (Red Hat libuser race condition and ABRT privilege escalation), CVE-2019-1068 (Microsoft SQL Server RCE), CVE-2021-23758 (Ajax.NET Professional deserialization), CVE-2022-0995 (Linux Kernel out-of-bounds write) and CVE-2026-8452 (Citrix NetScaler ADC/Gateway memory buffer flaw). CVE-2026-8452 has been observed under active exploitation in the wild and can cause denial-of-service. Under BOD 22-01, federal civilian agencies must patch CVE-2019-1068 and CVE-2026-8452 by August 29, 2026, and the rest by September 9, 2026.

Security Affairs · 19d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2015-3246CVE-2015-5287CVE-2019-1068+3 CVEs

August 2026 CVE Landscape

Insikt Group catalogs 73 high-impact August 2026 CVEs (43 Very Critical), including PaperCut, Zimbra, and Metabase flaws actively exploited or weaponized.

Recorded Future's Insikt Group identified 73 high-impact vulnerabilities in August 2026, 43 rated Very Critical, spanning 45 vendors with Microsoft accounting for roughly 11%. 31 vulnerabilities surfaced via CISA's KEV catalog, with others validated via open sources, vendor telemetry, and honeypot data. New Nuclei detection templates were released for CVE-2025-62593 (Ray), CVE-2026-72898 (Metabase), and CVE-2026-9198 (IBM Langflow). The report also highlights two AI-assisted operations: UAT-10147 exploited Zimbra, AjaxPro, Nacos, and Telerik servers before using DeepAudit and PentestGPT post-compromise, while a separate Chinese-speaking actor weaponized Hermes Agent and DeepSeek in a failed attempt.

Recorded Future · 8d agoVulnerability in the wildCVE-2025-62593CVE-2026-72898CVE-2026-9198+4 CVEs1

CISA Warns of Six Exploited Flaws in Microsoft, Linux, Red Hat and Citrix Products

CISA added six actively exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft, Linux, Red Hat and Citrix products to its KEV catalog on August 26.

CISA added six new vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on August 26, citing signs of active exploitation in the wild. The affected products span Microsoft, Linux, Red Hat, and Citrix. Specific CVE identifiers and affected versions were not listed in the source text, but KEV listing requires confirmed exploitation.

Infosecurity Magazine · 20d agoExploit / PoC in the wild

CISA Adds Six Exploited Flaws to KEV, Including NetScaler, Linux, and SQL Server Bugs

CISA added six actively exploited flaws to KEV, led by Citrix NetScaler CVE-2026-8452, with federal patch deadlines set.

CISA added six flaws to the KEV catalog on August 27, 2026, citing evidence of active exploitation, led by CVE-2026-8452, an improper buffer restriction in Citrix NetScaler ADC and Gateway that can cause denial-of-service. Defused Cyber and Previdian reported active exploitation of CVE-2026-8452, with 36 attempts over 12 days from 12 attacker IPs deploying web shells x.php and z.php. The other additions cover SQL Server RCE (CVE-2019-1068), Linux kernel out-of-bounds write (CVE-2022-0995), Red Hat ABRT and libuser privilege escalations (CVE-2015-5287, CVE-2015-3246), and AjaxPro deserialization RCE (CVE-2021-23758). FCEB agencies must patch CVE-2019-1068 and CVE-2026-8452 by August 29, 2026, and the rest by September 9, 2026.

The Hacker News · 20d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2019-1068CVE-2026-8452CVE-2022-0995+3 CVEs1

Plesk Backup Manager Flaw Lets Low-Privileged Users Gain Root Access to Servers

CVE-2026-68488 in Plesk Backup Manager lets low-privileged subscription users exploit a symlink race during restores to gain root on Linux servers.

CVE-2026-68488 is a symlink race condition in Plesk Obsidian for Linux Backup Manager during subscription-content restore operations, allowing a user with Panel and FTP access to change ownership of files outside their subscription and escalate to full root access. Affected versions are Plesk for Linux 18.0.80.6 and earlier and 18.0.79.10 and earlier; Plesk for Windows is not affected. Patches are available in 18.0.80.7 and 18.0.79.11 or later. The flaw requires valid subscription access, so it is not unauthenticated remote code execution, but successful exploitation yields complete server compromise, especially dangerous in shared-hosting and multi-tenant deployments.

China-linked Fire Ant Hides Inside Trusted Infrastructure

China-linked Fire Ant backdoored Cisco IOS XR routers, injected TACACS libraries to steal credentials, and rewrote logs across infrastructure targets.

Sygnia reports the China-linked espionage group Fire Ant compromised Cisco IOS XR routers with purpose-built malware, injected a library into the TACACS authentication daemon to capture live credential material, and manipulated syslog so only messages containing 'Health' were logged. The group used GRE tunnel interfaces with no commit history, rewrote wtmp/utmp/btmp login records, and deployed dormant deep backdoors on Linux systems — one disguised as a SentinelOne agent, another activated by raw network traffic carrying a magic string. Code-level overlap with UNC3886 tooling suggests evolution of that China-nexus cluster's TACACS credential-collection techniques, and Fire Ant used compromised infrastructure to scan SSH, RDP and web ports toward high-value networks.

Security Affairs · 16d agoThreat actor in the wild

China-Linked Fire Ant Hijacks Cisco Routers to Steal Credentials and Blind Security Logs

China-nexus espionage group Fire Ant compromised Cisco IOS XR routers and TACACS servers to harvest credentials, capture traffic and suppress logs.

Sygnia investigated an intrusion in which Fire Ant expanded beyond VMware hypervisors to Cisco IOS XR routers, TACACS servers and Linux management hosts. The actor deployed purpose-built router implants that hid a GRE tunnel, filtered log messages, captured PCAPs uploaded to external FTP servers, and used TacTap to inject a library into tac_plus and steal TACACS credentials obfuscated with a single-byte XOR key of 0xEF. A Linux backdoor named BridgeAgent masqueraded as a Zabbix agent, persisted via a root systemd unit, disguised itself as /usr/bin/gnome-shell and received commands over TLS on port 443. The group also used Medusa and REPTILE rootkits, SSH backdoors and renamed binaries impersonating SentinelOne and Cybereason agents, while suppressing logs, disabling SELinux and rewriting login history. Sygnia assesses strong overlap with UNC3886 and published IoCs.

The Hacker News · 16d agoThreat actor in the wild1

Microsoft September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 966 flaws, 2 zero-days

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes a record 966 flaws, including two Windows zero-days actively exploited to gain SYSTEM privileges.

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday addresses a record 966 vulnerabilities, including 105 rated Critical, 81 of them remote code execution bugs. Two zero-days were actively exploited: a Windows Update Stack link-following flaw and a Windows ALPC heap-based buffer overflow, both allowing local elevation to SYSTEM privileges. The ALPC flaw was reported by Volexity and Proofpoint researchers, while the Update Stack flaw was credited to Romain Deperne and the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Centre. Microsoft shared no details on how the flaws were exploited in attacks.

BleepingComputer · 8d agoAdvisory in the wildCVE-2026-69805CVE-2026-58649CVE-2026-69806+27 CVEs1

FreeIPA Flaw Chain Lets Anonymous Clients Create Reusable Administrator Credentials

Critical FreeIPA flaw chain (CVE-2026-76578, CVSS 9.8) lets anonymous clients create reusable admin credentials on default installs; fixed in 4.13.4.

Red Hat warns that chaining FreeIPA's CVE-2026-76578 (CVSS 9.8) with a 389 Directory Server flaw (CVE-2026-76560, CVSS 7.5) lets an anonymous client write a Kerberos identity into the directory and land in the administrators group on default installations; Red Hat reproduced the chain twice, including on a machine with no access at all. FreeIPA 4.13.4 fixes both flaws, and fourteen 389-ds advisories shipped September 8, with RHSA-2026:64785 rated critical. A separate flaw, CVE-2026-79678 (CVSS 8.1), allows reading the server's environment variables one at a time via a Python eval() in idp-add, potentially exposing Directory Manager and administrator passwords in container installs. No real-world exploitation has been reported.

Microsoft security advisory – September 2026 monthly rollup (AV26-896) – Update 1

Canada's Cyber Centre relays Microsoft's September 2026 rollup; CISA added exploited zero-days CVE-2026-85880 and CVE-2026-81963 to KEV.

Advisory AV26-896 from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security summarizes Microsoft's September 2026 monthly security rollup, listing affected products across Windows, Office, .NET, Azure, Exchange and SQL Server. It notes Microsoft confirmed CVE-2026-81963 and CVE-2026-85880 have been exploited. On September 8, 2026, CISA added both CVEs to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and administrators are urged to apply the updates.

DPRK APTs: Ted backdoor and curlRAT target South Korean media and automotive sectors

Rapid7 uncovered a DPRK-linked Linux toolkit using a HAProxy-embedded ted backdoor, SSH keylogger, and curlRAT against South Korean media and automotive firms.

Rapid7 Labs identified a previously undocumented framework attributed with medium confidence to DPRK actors, targeting South Korean automotive and media organizations likely since early 2025. The toolkit embeds a backdoor compiled into HAProxy 2.8.12 using its filter API, plus trojanized crond, agetty, atd, sshd, and polkitd, an SSH keylogger storing credentials under /var/lib/sshd/, and a curl-based RAT with a watchdog thread. It enables remote command execution, malicious script injection into served webpages (a watering-hole loop), credential harvesting, and long-term surveillance. Hardcoded C2s are associated with APT37 via ThreatFox, and exposed groupware portals and mail servers align with Kimsuky tradecraft; the initial access vector and any CVE remain unconfirmed.

Rapid7 Blog · 12d agoThreat actor in the wild1

H1 2026 Malware Vulnerability Trends

Recorded Future's H1 2026 report finds 215 actively exploited CVEs, RAT dominance, NFC payment fraud, and AI-augmented but not autonomous tradecraft.

Recorded Future's Insikt Group identified 215 actively exploited CVEs in H1 2026, up 34% from 161 in H1 2025, with the most impactful flaws combining network reachability, no authentication, and code execution. AsyncRAT was the top malware family, with AsyncRAT, Cobalt Strike, XWorm, Stealc, and REMCOS remaining top-ten staples; Android NFC malware like NFCShare and NGate enabled payment card theft and ATM cash-outs. AI-enabled attacks remained additive to established tradecraft, concentrated in Levels 1-3 of Recorded Future's AIM3 maturity model, with AI-assisted vulnerability research (e.g., Claude Mythos fixing 271 Firefox bugs in Firefox 150) inflating NVD disclosure volumes 43% above the prior six-month average. The report urges defenders to prioritize remotely exploitable RCE flaws, behavioral detection, developer credential security, and third-party oversight.

Recorded Future · 13d agoThreat actor in the wild1

Aurora Ransomware Operators Use Cursor AI in Attacks Against 10 Targets

Aurora ransomware operators used Cursor AI running Claude Sonnet to plan and execute intrusions against dozens of organizations in nine countries.

CloudSEK and Gambit Security analyzed exposed infrastructure tied to the Russian-speaking Aurora (Aur0ra) group, revealing months of activity against more than 20 organizations across nine countries between April and July 2026, with 33 victims listed by Ransomware.Live. The operator used the Cursor agentic coding assistant to plan attacks in Russian, including an AD CS exploitation plan, and Gambit observed Cursor Agent (running Anthropic's Claude Sonnet) performing hands-on exploitation tasks such as Nmap scanning, NetExec enumeration, NTLM relay, and certificate attacks against 10 targets. Attacks begin with email bombing plus IT help desk vishing via Xray-core, followed by SMB/LDAP/WinRM/RDP lateral movement, log clearing, Defender disabling, and exfiltration; the Windows and Linux/ESXi encryptors are built from a single Zig codebase, with shadow copy deletion and VM-killing before encryption.

The Hacker News · 16d agoRansomware in the wild1

⚡ Weekly Recap: AI-Powered PLC Attacks, GitLab Attacks, Stripe Key Leaks and More

US agencies warn of AI-assisted attacks on exposed Siemens PLCs; the week also saw GitLab CVE-2026-19478 exploited and trojanized npm packages found.

The weekly recap leads with a US government warning that threat actors use AI-generated scripts and Censys/ZoomEye scanning to attack internet-exposed Siemens S7 PLCs in water, energy and manufacturing, calling it an active threat. Other stories include active exploitation of GitLab CVE-2026-19478 (CVSS 9.4, unauthenticated project rewriting), 14 trojanized npm packages delivering the RedC2 4.0 Linux backdoor, and the Zombie Card attack that revives expired Visa cards for contactless payment fraud. It also covers suspected Russian clusters UNC6293, UNC7005 and UNC5976 phishing campaigns, a faster Cloudflare Workers Spectre JWT leak, and a bespoke Cl0p JSP web shell deployed after exploiting PTC Windchill flaws.

The Hacker News · 19d agoThreat actor in the wildCVE-2026-194781

Three Threat Groups Target Russian Enterprises With Backdoors, Ransomware, and Wipers

Kaspersky details NightEagle, Hacking Cat, and Toy Ghouls targeting Russian enterprises with Exchange backdoors, Gorilla RAT, and destructive Monkey ransomware.

Kaspersky reports three threat clusters targeting Russian enterprises: NightEagle (APT-Q-95), the pro-Ukrainian hacktivist group Hacking Cat, and Toy Ghouls. NightEagle uses compromised VPN credentials and the GhostContainer modular backdoor to fully compromise Microsoft Exchange servers, chaining CVE-2020-0688 exploitation, BlueKeep (CVE-2019-0708), Active Directory vulnerabilities, and DCSync to seize domain controllers. Hacking Cat exploits Exchange flaws including CVE-2021-26855 and CVE-2026-42897 to deliver the Gorilla RAT and multiple Monkey ransomware variants written in Rust, .NET, C++, and Golang targeting Windows, Linux, and VMware ESXi, with some variants acting as wipers that never store the encryption key.

Cyber Op Targets South Korean Media & Automotive Sectors

Likely North Korean APT compromised load balancers at South Korean media and automotive firms using a previously undocumented Linux espionage toolkit.

A cyber operation attributed to a likely North Korean APT group targeted South Korean media and automotive sectors. The attackers deployed a previously undocumented Linux espionage toolkit to compromise load balancers, gaining access to communications and enabling further network exploitation. Specific victims, toolkit names, and indicators of compromise were not disclosed in the report summary.

Dark Reading · 22h agoThreat actor in the wild

Stealth rootkit targeting F5 BIG-IP could expose enterprise identity gateways

Sophos analyzed a stealth Linux rootkit that hides a web shell in memory on compromised F5 BIG-IP APM identity gateways, evading file-based detection.

Sophos analyzed a second-stage Linux rootkit implant found in compromised F5 BIG-IP APM environments running Apache and PHP, linked to exploitation of CVE-2025-53521, an unauthenticated RCE. The implant hooks Apache's PHP-loading process and serves modified in-memory versions of three legitimate webtop PHP files (apm_css.php3, full_wt.php3, webtop_popup_css.php3), leaving on-disk files untouched so hashes and integrity checks pass. It also establishes access via an authenticated local UNIX socket that can provide an interactive /bin/bash session. Experts warn compromised APM appliances, which handle federated SSO and terminate TLS at enterprise perimeters, could enable SSO token theft and lateral movement to trusted downstream applications.

CSO Online · 6d agoMalware in the wildCVE-2025-53521