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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

Shared Hosting at Risk: LiteSpeed Enterprise Bug Can Grant Root from a Single Tenant

Critical LiteSpeed Web Server Enterprise flaw (pre-6.3.7) lets a low-privilege shared-hosting tenant escape CageFS isolation and gain root; forced update urged.

cPanel warned that a critical privilege-escalation vulnerability in LiteSpeed Web Server Enterprise (fixed in 6.3.7) lets a malicious low-privilege website user bypass account isolation controls including CloudLinux CageFS and gain root on shared-hosting servers, enabling cross-tenant compromise. No CVE, severity rating, or technical details have been published, and it is unclear whether the flaw is being exploited. This is the third root-level LiteSpeed escape on cPanel servers since May, following CVE-2026-48172 and CVE-2026-54420, which were actively exploited and added to CISA's KEV catalog.

xHunt Campaign: New PowerShell Backdoor Blocked Through DNS Tunnel Detection

xHunt's new CASHY200 PowerShell backdoor used DNS tunneling for C2; DNS security blocked beaconing at a Kuwait organization in September 2019.

Unit 42 describes CASHY200, a new PowerShell-based backdoor tied to the xHunt campaign that communicates with its C2 server windows64x[.]com via DNS tunneling, parsing commands from DNS answers. In September 2019, a Kuwait-based organization's DNS security service blocked the beaconing minutes after detection, cutting off adversary access. Samples dating to May and June 2018 and open source collection suggest the tool was used against Kuwait government organizations from spring 2018 through 2019, with malicious Word documents observed installing CASHY200 payloads configured with C2 domains such as firewallsupports[.]com and winx64-microsoft[.]com. The tool's name derives from identifiers stored under the registry key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Cashe and the command value 200.

Palo Alto Unit 42 · Aug 17, 2026Threat actor

⚡ Weekly Recap: Chrome 0-Day, Router Hijacks, Coder Supply Chain Attack and More

Weekly recap: actively exploited Chrome V8 zero-day, MikroTik RouterOS zero-day chain, Magento StyleSmuggler backdoor, and critical N-able N-central flaws.

Google patched an actively exploited Chrome V8 type confusion zero-day, CVE-2026-85046 (CVSS 8.8), the sixth exploited Chrome zero-day of 2026. CERT Polska warned of the MikroTrick exploit chain (CVE-2026-67276 and CVE-2026-86060, CVSS 9.2) giving unauthenticated full control of MikroTik RouterOS devices via SSH, observed since September 2. Sansec disclosed the StyleSmuggler Magento/Adobe Commerce zero-day used since September 4 to inject a Rust backdoor into online stores, while N-able patched three critical N-central flaws (CVE-2026-86206, CVE-2026-86207, and CVE-2026-86218, CVSS 10.0) with Huntress observing likely exploitation. Elastic and Morphisec also detailed RevStealer, an information stealer spread via game cheats and a fake Claude Desktop app.

The Hacker News · 9d agoExploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-85046CVE-2026-86206CVE-2026-86207+7 CVEs

cPanel LiteSpeed Web Server Vulnerability Allows Shared Server Users to Gain Root-Level Access

Critical LiteSpeed Enterprise flaw fixed in 6.3.7 lets low-privilege shared-hosting users escalate to root and bypass CageFS.

cPanel issued an urgent advisory for a critical privilege escalation in LiteSpeed Web Server Enterprise versions before 6.3.7, allowing a low-privilege shared-hosting account to gain root-level server control and bypass tenant isolation controls including CloudLinux CageFS. Root access would let attackers access other hosted sites, steal databases and credentials, deploy phishing pages, and install backdoors. Administrators are urged to upgrade to 6.3.7 immediately via lsup.sh and to review privileged account activity, cron jobs, SSH keys, and system binaries; no CVE identifier was published.

Cyber Security News · 1d agoVulnerability

Vali Cyber ZeroLock 5 brings MFA to the hypervisor command line

Vali Cyber released ZeroLock 5 adding CLI-MFA to protect VMware ESX and Linux hypervisors from insider threats and stolen credentials.

ZeroLock 5 introduces CLI-MFA, requiring time-based one-time passwords for file access, program execution, and network operations at the hypervisor command line on ESX and Linux hosts. The release targets ransomware and nation-state actor pivots to virtualization infrastructure, exemplified by ShinyHunters' shinysp1d3r RaaS platform that encrypts VMware ESX environments using stolen credentials and SSH keys. It adds remotely deployable collectors, reusable multi-site deployment blueprints, SIEM forwarding presets, and support for VCF and ESX 6.7+.

Help Net Security · 14d agoTools

Cavern C2 Uses DNS and Google Apps Script to Blend Into Legitimate Traffic

Kaspersky details Iranian Cavern Manticore's expanded C2 framework using DNS and Google Apps Script, plus APT42's TAMECAT spyware in nuclear-sector phishing.

Kaspersky reported new components in the Cavern (Cav3rn) C2 framework, used by Iranian MOIS-affiliated Cavern Manticore (with overlaps to MuddyWater and OilRig's Lyceum) against Israeli entities, monitored since December 2025. The new GoogleService.dll module performs DNS A-record queries to choose between direct HTTPS and a Google Apps Script relay per transaction, with the DNS infrastructure able to rotate the Google deployment ID; Kaspersky also found an inter-component broker (rnp.dll) and linked the framework's plugin-based pivot to late April 2026. Separately, Group-IB and Kaspersky detailed HOLLOWGRAPH, a .NET NativeAOT DLL first seen in the wild June 7, 2026, that uses Microsoft 365 calendar events via the Graph API as two-way dead drops dated May 13, 2050, with DNS tunneling refreshing Entra ID credentials. DarkAtlas also reported APT42's TAMECAT modular surveillance framework delivered via LNK masquerading as PDFs in spear-phishing targeting the nuclear energy sector in April-May 2026, with the group using generative AI to accelerate operations.

The Hacker News · 29d agoThreat actor

Product showcase: mSecure makes one vault do more than remember passwords

Product showcase reviews mSecure password manager's AES-256 zero-knowledge vault with passkeys, 2FA storage, and multi-device sync options.

mSecure is a password manager and data vault for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows using AES-256 encryption and a zero-knowledge architecture, with sync via mSecure Cloud, Wi-Fi, iCloud, or Dropbox, plus local-only storage. It supports passkeys, one-time passwords, a Security Center for weak/reused passwords, and a configurable password generator. Recovery features include two-factor authentication, auto-lock, a Self-Destruct option after failed unlock attempts, and iCloud backups on iOS.

Help Net Security · 1d agoTools1

A new open standard locks AI weights to approved hardware

OPAQUE releases Weight Custody Manifest, an open standard keeping AI model weights encrypted until receiving hardware cryptographically attests to builder-specified conditions.

OPAQUE, a confidential computing company, released the Weight Custody Manifest (WCM) standard as a developer-preview specification with a Python SDK and a public test suite of 91 cases. WCM keeps model weights encrypted until the receiving infrastructure proves via CPU/GPU attestation that it matches builder-signed conditions, and decryption access can be revoked later if conditions change. OPAQUE says it ran the attestation exchange on an NVIDIA H100 and on AMD and Intel confidential servers hosted on Azure and Google Cloud, with two independent SDK builds producing identical output across 5,948 files. The public quickstart only exercises protocol logic on synthetic evidence and skips GPU cryptographic verification, and the standard cannot distinguish an authorized key from one physically extracted from hardware.

Help Net Security · 6d agoAI safety & security

Can We Stop The Ads? Taxonomy and Characterization of Smartphone Splash Ads and Existing Countermeasures

Study of 108 ad-defense implementations finds only one tool blocked splash-ad navigation across ten popular apps, and it required Accessibility permission.

The paper taxonomizes smartphone splash ads — full-screen ads at app launch that trick users into trigger mechanisms such as moving the phone — and analyzes 108 documented advertising defenses for deployment barriers. Many defenses require device rooting, jailbreaking, runtime code injection, or application modification; others need extra permissions, rule maintenance, compilation, or payment. In evaluating 13 configurations of 11 tools across 10 popular apps, only one prevented ad-triggered navigation across all ten apps, requiring Accessibility permission and leaving ads visible roughly one second before dismissal. Documented harms include delayed emergency response, driver distraction, and degraded accessibility for vision-impaired users.

arXiv cs.CR · 1d agoResearch

Operation RapidRust: APT36 Deploys RUSTYSHADE, RUSTYMOVE, PSNATCH, and BASHNATCH

Zscaler details Operation RapidRust: APT36 deploys four new tools including RUSTYSHADE, a Rust backdoor using private GitHub repos for encrypted C2.

Zscaler ThreatLabz documents Operation RapidRust, a campaign by Pakistan-aligned APT36 deploying four new tools: RUSTYSHADE, a 64-bit Rust Windows backdoor that uses attacker-controlled private GitHub repositories with a hardcoded PAT and AES-256-GCM-encrypted messages for C2; RUSTYMOVE; PSNATCH, a PowerShell file stealer that scans Office documents, archives, media, and databases modified in the last 120 days and exfiltrates up to 5 GB per run to per-machine GitHub repositories; and BASHNATCH. The backdoor was dropped via PowerShell from attacker-controlled Backblaze B2 storage and supports screenshots, webcam capture, file listing, downloads, and shell command execution.

Zscaler ThreatLabz · 1h agoThreat actor in the wild

ZDI-26-590: libwebsockets HTTP/2 HPACK Path Header Parsing Out-Of-Bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

ZDI disclosed CVE-2026-19773, an unauthenticated out-of-bounds write allowing remote code execution in libwebsockets HTTP/2 HPACK parsing, rated CVSS 9.8.

The Zero Day Initiative published advisory ZDI-26-590 for an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in libwebsockets' HTTP/2 HPACK path header parsing. A remote attacker can execute arbitrary code on affected installations without authentication. The flaw is tracked as CVE-2026-19773 and carries a CVSS score of 9.8.

WebPros security advisory (AV26-861)

Canada's Cyber Centre relayed a cPanel advisory for CVE-2026-65643, a domain parking vulnerability fixed in multiple cPanel/WHM releases; admins should update.

Canada's Cyber Centre issued advisory AV26-861 relaying cPanel's disclosure of CVE-2026-65643, a vulnerability in cPanel's Domain Parking functionality. Affected cPanel & WebHost Manager (WHM) builds include all releases prior to 11.110.0.141, 11.134.0.53, 11.136.0.37, 11.138.0.2, and WP2 11.138.1.7. Administrators are urged to review vendor guidance and apply updates. No exploitation details were provided in the advisory.

Attackers exploit patched macOS Screen Sharing flaw to deploy cryptominer

Attackers actively exploit patched macOS Screen Sharing bug CVE-2026-65400 on systems with port 5900 exposed, gaining root to install a Monero cryptominer.

The Netherlands' National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) reports active exploitation of CVE-2026-65400, an authentication flaw in macOS Screen Sharing that lets attackers authenticate without valid login credentials. Apple patched the issue in macOS Sequoia 15.7.9, Sonoma 14.8.9 and Tahoe 26.6.1, and the NCSC escalated its advisory on August 12 after proof-of-concept code went public and reports arrived of attacks on internet-exposed systems. In every reported case attackers obtained root access and installed a Monero crypto miner; users who cannot patch immediately are advised to disable Screen Sharing.

Help Net Security · Aug 17, 2026Exploit / PoC in the wildCVE-2026-65400

[dos] LuCI DHCPv6 - Lease Hostname Stored Cross-Site Scripting

Stored cross-site scripting in OpenWrt LuCI via malicious DHCPv6 lease hostnames allows router interface attacks.

Exploit-DB entry 52637 describes a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in LuCI, the OpenWrt web administration interface. A attacker on the local network can set a malicious hostname that gets stored in DHCPv6 lease data and rendered unsafely in the LuCI UI. When an administrator views the lease status page, the injected script executes in the router's management context.

Exploit-DB · Aug 11, 2026Exploit / PoC

ZDI-26-575: Linux Kernel Net Scheduler Packet Classifier API Time-Of-Check Time-Of-Use Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI publishes ZDI-26-575, a CVSS 7.5 TOCTOU local privilege escalation in the Linux kernel net scheduler packet classifier API.

The Zero Day Initiative disclosed a time-of-check time-of-use flaw in the Linux kernel's net scheduler packet classifier API that permits local privilege escalation. Exploitation requires the attacker to first execute high-privileged code on the target system. ZDI assigned a CVSS rating of 7.5; no CVE id is provided in the text.

ZDI Published Advisories · Aug 13, 2026Advisory1

Top 10 Best Application Control & Allowlisting Tools in 2026

Roundup ranks 2026 application allowlisting tools, scoring ThreatLocker 8.8/10, Airlock Digital 8.5/10 and free Microsoft WDAC among top default-deny options.

This is a scored buyer's guide to ten application control and allowlisting tools for 2026, with ThreatLocker ranked first (8.8/10), Airlock Digital second (8.5/10) and Microsoft's built-in WDAC/AppLocker third (7.2/10). It notes ransomware has renewed interest in default-deny execution controls and that CISA and other agencies list application control among the most effective yet under-deployed mitigations. The evaluation is research-based with no lab testing, weighting policy automation at 30% and operability at 25%.

Cyber Security News · 7d agoIndustry1

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 · 2h agoMalware in the wild 3 sources

GNU GRUB 2.14: serial-MMIO lockdown bypass in Canonical-signed gcdx64.efi

Canonical-signed GRUB2 serial command accepts arbitrary MMIO addresses, letting local attackers with grub.cfg control bypass Secure Boot lockdown.

A vulnerability in Canonical's grub-efi-amd64-signed (gcdx64.efi, GRUB 2.14) exposes a serial command that accepts a caller-supplied 64-bit MMIO base address. The lockdown path does not restrict this command even when lockdown=y under UEFI Secure Boot, and the serial implementation does not validate that the requested register span belongs to a real UART rather than ordinary RAM. A local attacker with control of GRUB's boot configuration can abuse this to bypass the Secure Boot lockdown.

oss-security · 3d agoVulnerability2

ZDI-26-623: Linux Kernel IPv6 Multicast Routing Use-After-Free Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI-26-623 details a use-after-free in Linux kernel IPv6 multicast routing enabling local privilege escalation, rated CVSS 8.8.

The Zero Day Initiative published ZDI-26-623 describing a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IPv6 multicast routing implementation. A local attacker who can execute low-privileged code on an affected installation can exploit the flaw to escalate privileges. ZDI assigned a CVSS rating of 8.8; the advisory does not name a CVE id or state that exploitation has been observed.

ZDI Published Advisories · 7d agoAdvisory

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.

Cortex XDR™ Detects New Phishing Campaign Installing NetSupport Manager RAT

Cortex XDR threat hunters uncovered a phishing campaign delivering the NetSupport Manager RAT via a fake password-protected NortonLifelock Word document.

Unit 42 identified a January 2020 phishing campaign using a Microsoft Word document disguised as a password-protected NortonLifelock file. Enabling macros triggered an obfuscated command that built alpaca.bat in the temp directory, which used msiexec to download an MSI payload from quickwaysignstx.com, filtered on the Windows Installer user-agent string. The payload installed a PowerShell script and the campaign, which has delivered NetSupport Manager RAT since at least 2018, showed related activity dating back to early November 2019.

Palo Alto Unit 42 · Aug 17, 2026Phishing & fraud in the wild1

The Crypto Wallet That Never Opened: Tampered Exodus Installer Hides a Modular RAT

Huntress found tampered Exodus crypto wallet installers delivering a modular RAT that steals credentials rather than wallet funds.

Huntress analysts analyzed tampered installers for the Exodus cryptocurrency wallet that bundle a modular remote access trojan. The implant focuses on harvesting credentials instead of draining wallet balances, suggesting broader access theft. The case highlights installer tampering as a supply-chain-style delivery vector for credential-stealing tooling.

Huntress · 15d agoMalware in the wild

ZDI-26-531: SonicWall GMS Virtual Appliance interface Command Injection Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

ZDI discloses CVE-2026-66148, a command injection local privilege escalation in SonicWall GMS Virtual Appliance rated CVSS 7.8.

ZDI-26-531 describes a command injection vulnerability in the SonicWall GMS Virtual Appliance interface that allows local attackers to escalate privileges. Exploitation requires the attacker to first execute low-privileged code on the target system. ZDI assigned a CVSS score of 7.8, tracked as CVE-2026-66148.

ZDI Published Advisories · Aug 11, 2026VulnerabilityCVE-2026-66148

Any user process can escalate to root

A disclosed local privilege escalation flaw allows any user process to escalate to root on the affected system.

A Lobsters-linked security write-up describes a vulnerability in which any user process can escalate its privileges to root. The feed text provides no product name, CVE identifier, CVSS score, or exploitation details, limiting available detail. Local privilege escalation flaws are commonly chained with other issues for full system compromise, so defenders should review the full write-up for affected versions and patches.

Lobsters · security · 16d agoVulnerability

12 Best Application Control & Allowlisting Tools Compared (2026): Features & Pricing

GBHackers compares twelve application allowlisting tools for 2026, naming ThreatLocker and Airlock Digital leaders and Microsoft WDAC the free native option.

GBHackers published an editorial comparison of twelve application control and allowlisting tools for 2026, assessing control depth, manageability, and pricing models. It ranks ThreatLocker and Airlock Digital as leading dedicated allowlisting options, positions Microsoft WDAC/AppLocker as the free native choice for Windows estates, and highlights CyberArk and BeyondTrust for coupling control with privilege management.

GBHackersupdated · 6h agofirst · 6d agoIndustry 13 sources1