Vulnerabilities & Exploits
Cybersecurity news in this category
Fuzzy Logic in Cybersecurity: Reducing Vulnerability Queue by 7.5 Times with CVSS, EPSS and FSTEC Comparison
VLC Media Player Hit by Two Memory Corruption Flaws Exploitable via Malicious PNG and Rogue RealRTSP Server
September Windows 11 Security Update KB5124008 Breaks Always On VPN Certificate Authentication
API Token Lifecycle: From Issuance to Revocation and Secure Management
The article provides a comprehensive examination of the full API token lifecycle in browser-based applications, emphasizing that signatures alone cannot prevent token theft. It details risks introduced at issuance, storage, transmission, and revocation stages, including improper OAuth grant types and long-lived tokens. Key recommendations include short-lived access tokens, atomic refresh token rotation, and the use of Authorization Code Flow with PKCE for public clients. Storage advice strongly discourages localStorage and sessionStorage in favor of HttpOnly cookies or a Backend-for-Frontend pattern that keeps real tokens on the server. The piece also covers CSRF protections, rate limiting on authorization endpoints, and the advantages of signed client assertions over static secrets. Overall, it stresses that token security depends on the entire lifecycle architecture rather than cryptographic strength alone.
PKCE Becomes Mandatory for OAuth Public Clients as RFC 9700 and OAuth 2.1 Close Authorization Code Interception Risks
PKCE, or Proof Key for Code Exchange, was introduced in RFC 7636 to prevent code interception attacks in OAuth 2.0 flows used by mobile and single-page applications. The mechanism generates a code_verifier and derives a code_challenge using S256 hashing to bind the authorization code to the original client session. Without PKCE, malicious apps on the same device can hijack custom URI schemes like myapp://callback and exchange stolen codes for access tokens. RFC 9700, published in January 2025, now mandates PKCE for public clients and recommends it for confidential ones while requiring S256 over the weaker plain method. The upcoming OAuth 2.1 draft further embeds PKCE into the core authorization code flow and removes implicit and resource owner password credentials grants. Major providers including Auth0, Okta, and Microsoft Entra ID show varying default support, highlighting the need for explicit S256 implementation. The standard also protects against code injection attacks even when client secrets are present.
Attackers Chain JFrog Artifactory CVEs for Rapid Admin Takeover and Backdoor Deployment
Real-world attacks against self-hosted JFrog Artifactory have chained multiple CVEs to escalate from unauthenticated requests to full administrative control. Attackers achieved persistence by installing malicious Groovy plugins, executing shell commands, and deploying Rust-based backdoors within minutes. The primary chain relies on CVE-2026-42018 and CVE-2026-42016, allowing anonymous token acquisition and privilege escalation without proper scope validation. A separate critical flaw, CVE-2026-82329 with CVSS 9.8, enables direct authentication bypass and admin token creation on default configurations. Patches are available across multiple 7.x branches, and defenders are urged to audit logs for anonymous admin actions and inspect for unauthorized plugins and binaries. The incidents highlight risks to software supply chains when artifact repositories are compromised.
Check Point Patches Two Critical VPN Vulnerabilities Allowing Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution
Check Point has released fixes for two critical vulnerabilities affecting its Security Gateway, Security Management Server, and locally managed Spark Firewall products. Both flaws received a CVSS score of 9.8 and enable remote code execution without requiring authentication. CVE-2026-85102 resides in certificate trust validation during VPN negotiation, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to force the process and execute arbitrary code. CVE-2026-85103 is a heap buffer overflow triggered while parsing the ASN.1 structure of VPN certificates. Affected versions include R81.20, R82, and R82.10 before the listed hotfixes, as well as unsupported R80.40 and R81 releases. R82.20 remains unaffected. The issues were discovered internally by Check Point researchers, with no active exploitation or public proof-of-concept observed as of the September 10 disclosure.
Positive Technologies Acquires Stake in CyberOK to Advance EASM and PentOps Technologies
Positive Technologies has acquired a stake in cybersecurity developer CyberOK, with the size of the investment and deal terms remaining undisclosed. The partnership will focus on developing External Attack Surface Management (EASM) solutions and PentOps technologies that identify overlooked external assets and validate whether attackers can exploit them. Collaboration between the companies began in 2026, with CyberOK technologies already integrated into PT EASM and the PT X cloud platform. In less than six months, pilot projects for PT EASM exceeded 70, and Positive Technologies expects 80 percent of successful trials to convert into deals by late 2026 or early 2027. The Russian EASM market is projected at 2-2.5 billion rubles by the end of 2026, potentially reaching 8 billion rubles by 2031 when combined with continuous security validation solutions. PentOps will provide continuous cloud-based penetration testing that automatically verifies exploitability of discovered issues, moving beyond simple vulnerability lists. In 96 percent of pilots, unaccounted IT assets with critical vulnerabilities were identified, and CyberOK continues to develop the Vulnum knowledge base along with AI agents and Offensive SOC capabilities.
Exploiting CVE-2025-55182 React2Shell Vulnerability on Hack The Box Reactor Machine
A detailed walkthrough demonstrates remote code execution against a seasonal Hack The Box machine named Reactor by abusing the critical Next.js deserialization flaw CVE-2025-55182, also known as React2Shell. The attack begins with Nmap reconnaissance revealing an exposed Next.js service on port 3000, followed by Wappalyzer identification of an outdated framework version. Public exploit code is used to obtain an initial reverse shell as the node user without authentication. Credential access is achieved by extracting password hashes from the reactor.db SQLite database and cracking the engineer account with Hashcat against rockyou.txt. Privilege escalation leverages an exposed Node.js Inspector debug port on 9229, allowing WebSocket interaction via websocat to set the SUID bit on /bin/bash and obtain root access. The article highlights both the impact of the unauthenticated RCE vulnerability and common misconfigurations such as forgotten debug ports on production systems.
CISA Adds MikroTik RouterOS Flaws CVE-2026-67277 and CVE-2026-86060 to Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has added two actively exploited vulnerabilities in MikroTik RouterOS to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog. CVE-2026-86060 stems from improper sanitization of command argument delimiters and can lead to privilege escalation after an attacker gains access to the SSH login helper and alters trusted policy masks. CVE-2026-67277 involves missing authentication checks in critical RouterOS functions, allowing connections before authentication completes and potentially leaking kernel memory or causing denial-of-service conditions. CISA directed US federal agencies to apply mitigations by September 13 and specifically investigate any signs of compromise related to CVE-2026-86060. The agency noted that the flaws carry broader exploitation risk and urged all organizations using affected MikroTik products to take immediate action.
The Birth of CVE: How Two MITRE Engineers Built the Universal Vulnerability Identifier in 1999
In the late 1990s, security teams faced chaos with one vulnerability carrying dozens of incompatible names across scanners, IDS tools, and CERT advisories. Two MITRE engineers, David E. Mann and Steven M. Christey, proposed a minimal Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures list to solve correlation problems without imposing taxonomy or risk models. Their January 1999 paper led to a Purdue workshop, the formation of the CVE Editorial Board, and a public launch on September 29, 1999, with 321 initial entries. The design deliberately avoided ownership by any vendor and kept names as simple CVE-year-number strings. This neutral, open approach allowed competing vendors to map their proprietary databases to a shared reference without agreeing on classifications. The same minimalist philosophy later influenced NVD, OSV, and GitHub Advisory Database.
OnePlus 13R Preinstalled Account App Leaks Cloud Session Tokens to Any App Declaring Required Permission
Researchers at Doyensec identified a vulnerability in the preinstalled com.oneplus.account application on the OnePlus 13R that allows any third-party app to steal a valid OnePlus Cloud session token. The flaw stems from the OPAccountProvider component lacking the protectionLevel="signature" attribute on its declared permission com.oneplus.account.READ_ACCOUNT_INFO, enabling any app to request the permission and query the provider directly. Once obtained, the token grants access to OnePlus Cloud APIs without further user interaction or warnings. Doyensec responsibly disclosed the issue on 30 December 2025, leading OnePlus to acknowledge the high-severity problem and pay a $720 bounty in March 2026. Follow-up testing in September on firmware CPH2691_16.0.10.500(EX01) confirmed the token leakage persists, although full account takeover via the regional API was no longer reproducible for US and EMEA accounts due to backend changes. Users are advised to avoid untrusted apps and apply future updates, while OnePlus needs only to add the signature protection level to close the exposure.
Microsoft Fixes Remote Code Execution Flaw in Windows Remote Desktop Client
Microsoft has addressed a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows Remote Desktop Client tracked as CVE-2026-69485 with a CVSS score of 8.8. The flaw stems from the use of an uninitialized resource and can be triggered by a specially crafted network request from an authenticated attacker with low privileges. Exploitation requires no user interaction such as clicking links or opening files and can lead to information disclosure, file modification, or service disruption. Multiple versions of Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server 2016 through 2025 are affected, including Server Core installations. The issue was not publicly disclosed prior to patching and no active exploitation has been observed. Fixes were released in the September security updates including KB5124008 and KB5122871.
CISA Adds Four Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities to KEV Catalog Including Cisco FMC and Fortinet FortiOS
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has added four vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, warning that they are being actively exploited in the wild. The flaws affect Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center, Security Cloud Control, Fortinet FortiOS, FortiSwitchManager, and Citrix NetScaler products. One vulnerability allows attackers to bypass authentication and gain root privileges through crafted HTTP requests. Another is a heap-based buffer overflow that enables execution of unauthorized code or commands via specially crafted packets. CISA issued the update on September 9, 2026, urging organizations to apply patches immediately. The agency continues to track these issues as part of its ongoing efforts to mitigate real-world threats.
Critical RCE Vulnerabilities Disclosed in Check Point VPN Implementations
Check Point Software Technologies has disclosed multiple critical remote code execution vulnerabilities affecting its Quantum Security Gateway and related VPN components. The issues, tracked as CVE-2026-85102 and CVE-2026-85103, both carry a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 and require no authentication for exploitation under specific conditions. CVE-2026-85102 stems from insufficient certificate validation during VPN negotiation in Remote Access VPN and Site-to-Site VPN setups, allowing attackers to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary code. CVE-2026-85103 involves a heap-based buffer overflow in ASN.1 decoding of VPN certificates, similarly enabling unauthenticated remote code execution. The vendor released a security advisory on September 9, 2026, along with live patches through Check Point Live Patch and official updates for affected products including Quantum Security Management.
10 Non-Obvious S3 Integration Vulnerabilities Exposed in Web Application Bug Bounty Research
Security researcher Sergey Bobrov, known as BlackFan, published a detailed analysis of S3 misconfigurations when integrated into web applications via proxies such as nginx. The article examines ten laboratory setups demonstrating issues ranging from stored XSS and bucket takeover to rewrite rule bypasses and cache poisoning. Key findings highlight how nginx path normalization differences, missing trailing slashes, and variable usage like $uri enable attackers to reach arbitrary buckets or inject HTTP request splitting payloads. The research covers both direct S3 client usage and proxy-based integrations, emphasizing ACL and Bucket Policy errors that expose data to any authenticated S3 user worldwide. Practical demonstrations include exploitation of Ceph RGW path traversal with ../ sequences and cache key collisions via response-content-type parameters. The work provides fingerprinting tables for identifying S3-compatible systems including MinIO, Ceph RGW, and Yandex Cloud based on headers and error responses.
Asset and Vulnerability Management in Practice: Building a Working Process with MaxPatrol VM and NetBox
This detailed guide explains how organizations can implement effective asset and vulnerability management by focusing on reliable infrastructure data, IT collaboration, and automation. It draws from real-world projects using MaxPatrol VM, NetBox, and 1C:ERP to demonstrate dynamic grouping, webhook-driven asset onboarding, and deviation-based control. The approach emphasizes eight core principles including minimizing human dependency, just-in-time awareness, maximum data accuracy, and embedding security into existing IT workflows. Technical flows cover automatic scanning initiation upon asset creation in NetBox, categorization against unacceptable events, and priority-based patching cycles aligned with Patch Tuesday. Self-control mechanisms and PDQL queries enable ongoing validation of subnets, asset freshness, and compliance without excessive manual oversight. The framework is designed to be adaptable to any mature vulnerability management platform beyond the specific tools demonstrated.
Google Releases Chrome 153 Fixing 230 Vulnerabilities Including Zero-Day Exploit
Google has released Chrome 153 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, addressing a total of 230 security vulnerabilities. The update includes fixes for five critical-severity issues and one confirmed zero-day vulnerability already exploited in the wild. Among the critical flaws are use-after-free bugs in WebGL tracked as CVE-2026-87464 and CVE-2026-87488, an out-of-bounds write CVE-2026-87438, a buffer overflow CVE-2026-87527, and a use-after-free in the Cast component identified as CVE-2026-87628. A medium-severity out-of-bounds write in the V8 JavaScript engine, CVE-2026-87491, was reported on August 6, 2026 and has seen active exploitation. The company is rolling out the patches gradually over the coming days and weeks across all supported platforms.
Microsoft Addresses 973 Vulnerabilities in September Security Update
Microsoft released its monthly security updates on September 8, 2026, fixing 973 vulnerabilities tracked by CVE identifiers. The release coincided with Patch Tuesday and also resolved four third-party software flaws. Affected products span Windows, Office, SQL Server, Azure, Microsoft Dynamics, SharePoint Server, and various development tools. Among the issues, 258 allow remote code execution and 438 enable privilege escalation. A total of 113 vulnerabilities received the highest severity rating of Critical, while the remaining 860 were rated Important. Several of the flaws have already been observed in active exploitation.
Microsoft Releases Record 966 Patches in Largest Patch Tuesday Ever, Including Two Actively Exploited Zero-Days
Microsoft has issued its largest monthly security update to date, addressing 966 vulnerabilities across Windows and related products during the September Patch Tuesday. The release includes two zero-day flaws already exploited in real-world attacks: CVE-2026-81963 in the Windows Update stack and CVE-2026-85880 in the Windows ALPC mechanism, both enabling local privilege escalation to SYSTEM level. A total of 105 vulnerabilities received critical severity ratings, with the majority involving privilege escalation (438) and remote code execution (258). An additional 204 issues were fixed earlier in September across Azure, Entra ID, Edge, and other services. The surge in patched flaws coincides with Microsoft's deployment of an AI-assisted vulnerability discovery system. Previous months saw significantly lower volumes, with 570 fixes in July and 400 in August.
Adobe Issues Critical Security Updates for ColdFusion Fixing Nine CVEs Including Eval Injection Flaws
Adobe has released security updates for Adobe ColdFusion to address nine vulnerabilities, urging users to apply the patches immediately. The update coincides with Patch Tuesday on September 8, 2026, and covers issues such as Eval injection, SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and access control weaknesses. Six of the vulnerabilities are rated Critical, with the highest CVSS v3.1 base score reaching 9.9 for CVE-2026-48273. The remaining three vulnerabilities are classified as Important. Adobe ColdFusion users are advised to update without delay to mitigate risks of code injection and unauthorized access. The advisory also references related security issues in other products including Canva, BIG-IP, and Dell SCG.
eBPF Verifier Discrepancy Revealed: PREVAIL Accepts Safe Code Rejected by Linux Kernel Verifier
Researchers discovered that the same BPF object file receives conflicting verdicts from different verifiers. The program correlated_branch.c from the ebpf-samples repository passes verification under PREVAIL but is rejected by the Linux kernel verifier. The divergence occurs because the kernel verifier tracks scalar bounds separately from packet pointer offsets, while PREVAIL maintains explicit links between checked packet sizes and pointer states. The XDP function ConvergedBranch performs a bounds check via check_packet before accessing an Ethernet header, yet the kernel verifier fails to propagate the guarantee to the subsequent load instruction. Replacing the helper call with an inline comparison against data_end allows the kernel verifier to accept the program. The finding highlights that verifier rejection does not always indicate an actual safety violation in eBPF code.
Critical ASUS Control Center Enterprise Flaw Allows Remote Root Access via CVE-2026-75754
A critical vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-75754 in ASUS Control Center Enterprise (ACC) carries a maximum CVSS score of 10.0 and enables unauthenticated remote attackers to gain full control of the management server and all connected devices. The flaw stems from a combination of missing authentication on a critical function, a server-side request forgery (SSRF) issue, and hardcoded credentials embedded directly in the software. Attackers can craft a malicious HTTP request to extract the systemโs encryption key, activate an SSH service on TCP port 2222, and use fixed credentials to obtain a root shell without any user interaction. Once inside, the attacker can read, modify, or delete data stored in the ACC platform and propagate the compromise across managed servers, PCs, and workstations. All versions of ASUS Control Center Enterprise through 4.0.0.2 are affected. ASUS released a security advisory on September 4, 2026, urging immediate updates to mitigate the risk.
Critical Zero-Day 'StyleSmuggler' Vulnerability Exploited in Adobe Commerce and Magento
A zero-day vulnerability dubbed StyleSmuggler is being actively exploited in Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce to achieve unauthenticated remote code execution and install backdoors on e-commerce servers. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious PHP code into files generated by the platform and then force the template system to process it, with the attack chain triggered during the generation of default transaction failure emails. Exploitation has been observed since September 4 and works even if the email is not successfully sent. Researchers have reproduced the attack on clean installations of versions 2.4.7, 2.4.8, and 2.4.9, as well as on a fully patched Magento 2.4.6-p15 system. After compromise, a Rust-based implant is deployed outside the store directory, masquerading as the process [kworker/u:8:0] and maintained via a cron job that restarts it every five minutes. As of September 6, Adobe had not released a CVE, official patch, or specific workaround, though the next scheduled security update is set for September 8.
N-able Releases Hotfix 4 for Critical N-central RCE Flaw CVE-2026-86218 Now Confirmed Exploited
N-able disclosed a critical vulnerability in its N-central IT operations management platform that allows unauthenticated remote code execution on affected servers. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-86218, received the maximum CVSSv4.0 base score of 10.0 and is rated Critical. The company published security advisory information on September 5, 2026, and quickly followed with Hotfix 4 (version 2026.3.1.14) that resolves the issue. Although exploitation was not observed at disclosure, N-able updated the advisory the next day to confirm active exploitation in the wild. The vendor urges customers to apply the hotfix immediately and to monitor for suspicious account creation and scanning activity from specific IP addresses. Earlier hotfixes addressing CVE-2026-86206 and CVE-2026-86207 were superseded by the new release.
Critical Zero-Day CVE-2026-75650 in Adobe Commerce and Magento Allows Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution, Already Exploited
Adobe has released an emergency security update for Adobe Commerce and Magento after discovering a critical zero-day vulnerability that permits remote attackers to execute arbitrary code without authentication. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-75650, stems from improper sanitization of special elements in the template engine and carries the maximum CVSSv3.1 base score of 10.0. Adobe rates the issue as Critical and confirms active exploitation in real-world attacks. A hotfix is now available, and the company has assigned the highest priority rating of 1, urging all customers to apply the update within 72 hours. The advisory was published on September 7, 2026, highlighting the need for immediate action due to the severity and confirmed abuse.
Exploiting SSTI Vulnerability in Messenger Machine on Standoff 365 Leads to RCE and Corporate Chat Access
A detailed writeup published by Positive Technologies researcher Seven11eleven demonstrates a full attack chain against the vulnerable Messenger machine on the Standoff 365 platform. The researcher began with network reconnaissance using nmap and directory fuzzing with ffuf, uncovering Swagger documentation and JWT-protected endpoints. After identifying user enumeration through the friend search feature, the team discovered a Server-Side Template Injection flaw in the friendship summary functionality powered by the Mako template engine. The SSTI was escalated to remote code execution by injecting Python expressions that leveraged the self.module.cache.util chain to call os.popen commands. With initial access obtained via reverse shell, the attacker pivoted to neighboring services including Gitness, RabbitMQ, and Redis to achieve the defined business risks of accessing developer corporate messaging and extracting the city messenger encryption key.
SCCM Misconfigurations Expose Organizations to Full Infrastructure Takeover
BI.ZONE expert Alexander Kuznetsov details how Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM) deployments in 25% of Russian organizations can grant attackers complete control over corporate infrastructure when misconfigured. The article outlines critical risks including administrative privilege escalation, lateral movement, data collection, persistence, and policy manipulation that allow attackers to blend with legitimate maintenance operations. Key recommendations focus on infrastructure isolation, placing Site Server, SMS Provider, and Site Database Server roles in Tier 0 segments, and avoiding single SCCM hierarchies across multiple Active Directory forests or security tiers. The report emphasizes eliminating Network Access Account (NAA) usage in favor of HTTPS or Enhanced HTTP, strictly limiting Client Push Account and domain join account privileges, and auditing computer accounts for site servers. Additional guidance covers PXE deployment risks, database access restrictions, and role-based administrative controls to prevent credential extraction via tools such as SharpSCCM and mimikatz. Overall, the publication provides actionable hardening steps aligned with the principle of least privilege to reduce the attack surface of widely deployed SCCM environments.
Critical Vulnerability in ASUS Control Center Enterprise Allows Remote Root Access Without Authentication
ASUS has disclosed a severe vulnerability in its terminal management software ASUS Control Center Enterprise (ACC) that could allow unauthenticated remote attackers to obtain root privileges. The issue, tracked as CVE-2026-75754, stems from a combination of hardcoded credentials, missing authentication on critical functions, and server-side request forgery flaws. Attackers can retrieve encryption keys via unauthenticated HTTP requests and then enable SSH on TCP port 2222 using the hardcoded credentials to log in as root. The flaw affects managed devices across an organization, potentially leading to data leakage, tampering, deletion, and full remote control. ASUS released a security advisory on September 4, 2026, and strongly recommends immediate updates. The vulnerability was reported by Security NEXT on September 7, 2026.
Top 10 Security Stories: Critical Flaws in PaperCut NG/MF, Chrome, WatchGuard and Others Dominate Week
Security NEXT has published its weekly ranking of the ten most-read articles between August 30 and September 5 2026. The list is led by a critical vulnerability in PaperCut NG/MF that is already being exploited in the wild. Google Chrome received two separate updates addressing 38 vulnerabilities, including two rated Critical and one zero-day. WatchGuard Fireware OS, SonicWall SMA 1000, Cisco IOS XR and Apache Tomcat also received urgent patches for severe flaws. Three real-world incidents made the top ten: a customer-data breach at 01 Bank, a ransomware infection at Hands HD and a suspected cloud leak at Corona. The ranking reflects strong reader interest in both newly disclosed vulnerabilities and confirmed exploitation cases.
CVE-2026-85046 Exploited in Chromium V8 Engine, Affecting Chrome, Edge and Other Browsers
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added CVE-2026-85046 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog after confirming active exploitation in the wild. The flaw resides in the V8 JavaScript engine of Chromium and stems from a type confusion issue that can allow arbitrary code execution inside the sandbox when a crafted HTML page is processed. Google released a patch for Chrome on September 3, 2026, while the vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 and is rated High severity. Because numerous browsers including Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Vivaldi are built on Chromium, they are potentially exposed until their respective vendors issue updates. Security teams are advised to verify that all Chromium-based browsers in their environments have been updated to the latest versions containing the fix.
Gmail Address Variants Bypass String Comparison and Enable Multiple Registrations
A single user created four separate accounts using valid Gmail address formats that all deliver to the same inbox: Ivan.Petrov@gmail.com, ivanpetrov@gmail.com, ivan.petrov+shop@gmail.com, and IVAN.PETROV@gmail.com. Simple string comparison in the registration code treated these as distinct entries, allowing circumvention of new-user promotions, free-tier limits, and one-application-per-person rules. The root cause lies in three Gmail-specific behaviors: case-insensitive local parts, plus-addressing that ignores everything after the + symbol, and dots that carry no semantic meaning in the local part. Additional risks arise from IDNA homograph domains that visually mimic legitimate addresses but encode to different Punycode strings. Proper mitigation requires storing both the original email for delivery and a domain-aware normalized form for uniqueness checks, combined with explicit IDNA validation on registration.
Dangling DNS Records Expose Companies to Subdomain Takeovers Years After Projects Shut Down
A marketing team requested reactivation of a three-year-old promotional landing page, only to discover that its domain now served an unrelated third-party website. The root cause was a forgotten CNAME record in the company's DNS zone that continued pointing to a project name on external hosting after the original service had been decommissioned. Because many hosting providers use wildcard DNS entries, standard availability checks and simple DNS resolution tests fail to detect that the target project no longer exists. Attackers who re-register the freed project name can then serve content under the company's legitimate subdomain, automatically obtaining valid TLS certificates and inheriting domain-wide cookies. The article details how such dangling records accumulate across infrastructure, marketing, and acquired company zones, and explains the concrete risks including cookie theft, bypass of Content-Security-Policy, and unauthorized domain ownership proofs. It concludes with a practical remediation workflow: export the full zone, assign owners to every record, validate external targets by application response rather than DNS resolution, and embed record removal into decommissioning procedures.
Google Patches Actively Exploited V8 Zero-Day in Chrome (CVE-2026-85046)
Google has released an urgent update for Chrome to address CVE-2026-85046, a high-severity zero-day vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript engine that is being actively exploited in the wild. The flaw is a type confusion issue within the Maglev compiler, specifically tied to optimizations around Array.prototype.sort, which can lead to arbitrary memory read and write primitives inside the JavaScript heap. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by tricking victims into visiting a specially crafted HTML page, enabling remote code execution within the browser sandbox. The update brings Chrome to version 152.0.7977.82 or higher on Windows, macOS, and Linux, while also addressing a total of 12 vulnerabilities. The issue was reported by researcher Salvatore Gulizia, known as Serotav, who received a $1,000 reward. Other Chromium-based browsers such as Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi will require corresponding updates from their vendors.
Google Patches Actively Exploited V8 Zero-Day in Chrome (CVE-2026-85046)
Google has released an urgent update for Chrome to address CVE-2026-85046, a high-severity zero-day vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine that is being actively exploited in the wild. The flaw is a type confusion issue tied to the Maglev compiler and optimizations around Array.prototype.sort, which can lead to arbitrary memory read and write primitives inside the JavaScript heap. Successful exploitation allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code within the browser sandbox after a victim visits a specially crafted HTML page, a technique commonly seen in malvertising and compromised-site campaigns. The fix is included in Chrome 152.0.7977.82 and later for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and the update also resolves a total of twelve vulnerabilities. The vulnerability was reported on 4 August 2026 by researcher Salvatore Gulizia, known as Serotav, who received a $1,000 reward. Other Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi will require corresponding updates from their respective vendors.
CISA Adds Seven Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities to KEV Catalog, Including SonicWall and LiteLLM Flaws Targeting AI Infrastructure
CISA has added seven vulnerabilities confirmed to be exploited in the wild to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with two carrying CVSS scores of 10.0. The list includes critical issues in SonicWall SMA 1000 devices, JFrog Artifactory, Kestra workflow engine, and LiteLLM AI gateway components. Attackers are now systematically targeting AI infrastructure to steal large language model API keys and configuration data from databases such as LiteLLM_ProxyModelTable. Qilin ransomware operators have already chained LiteLLM flaws for remote code execution and data theft. CISA has set a 48-hour remediation deadline for federal agencies, underscoring the urgency for all organizations running these components.
Critical Vulnerabilities Patched in VMware Workstation and Fusion Allowing Host Code Execution
Broadcom has disclosed two vulnerabilities in VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion rated as critical and important respectively. CVE-2026-59346 is an integer overflow flaw in the VMXNET3 virtual network adapter that can be exploited by a local administrator inside a virtual machine to execute arbitrary code on the host system, carrying a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.3. CVE-2026-59347 is a stack-based buffer overflow in the HGFS file system that permits code execution on the host as the VMX process with a CVSS score of 8.1. Both issues were privately reported and affect users who run virtual machines with local administrative privileges. The flaws have been addressed in VMware Workstation 26H1u1 and VMware Fusion 26H1u1, and Broadcom urges immediate updates via advisory VMSA-2026-0007.
Google Chrome Patches 12 Vulnerabilities Including Actively Exploited V8 Zero-Day
Google has released security updates for Chrome addressing 12 vulnerabilities across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. The updates include versions 152.0.7977.83 and 152.0.7977.82 for Windows and macOS, and 152.0.7977.82 for Linux. No critical-rated flaws were fixed in this batch, but ten issues carry a high severity rating. The most notable is CVE-2026-85046, a type confusion flaw in the V8 JavaScript engine that was reported on August 4 and is already being exploited in the wild. Additional high-severity fixes cover a race condition in V8 (CVE-2026-85045), a use-after-free in Compositing (CVE-2026-85048), and another type confusion issue (CVE-2026-85051). This marks the second Chrome security update in three days.
Bcrypt Password Hashing Silently Ignores Characters Beyond 72 Bytes, Breaking Verification Expectations
The bcrypt algorithm, widely used for password hashing in PHP and Python applications, processes only the first 72 bytes of any input password. Additional characters are ignored without error or warning during both hashing with password_hash and verification with password_verify. This behavior stems from the fixed 72-byte P-table size in the underlying Blowfish cipher as defined in the 1999 specification. Long passphrases, especially those using multibyte UTF-8 characters like Cyrillic or emojis, can result in completely different strings producing identical hashes. The limitation creates risks during password manager usage, system migrations, and scenarios involving shared prefixes. Modern libraries such as Python's bcrypt 4.x now explicitly reject passwords exceeding 72 bytes, while older implementations continue silent truncation. Recommended fixes include enforcing byte-length validation or pre-hashing with SHA-256 before bcrypt.
CISA Adds Seven Exploited Vulnerabilities in SonicWall, JFrog and Kestra to KEV Catalog
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has added seven known exploited vulnerabilities affecting SonicWall SMA1000, JFrog Artifactory and Kestra OSS products to its KEV catalog. Five of the flaws carry a three-day remediation deadline for federal agencies. Two issues in SonicWall SMA1000 enable unauthenticated server-side request forgery and authenticated OS command execution. A critical authentication bypass in JFrog Artifactory allows remote attackers to obtain administrative privileges. Kestra OSS is affected by an OS command injection vulnerability that can lead to full system compromise. CISA urges immediate patching and incident response actions.
Cisco Issues Security Updates for IOS XR Fixing Multiple Critical Vulnerabilities
Cisco Systems has released security updates for its network operating system Cisco IOS XR to address multiple vulnerabilities discovered through internal research. The update, published on September 2, 2026, classifies the flaws into seven categories, each assigned distinct CVE identifiers. Two vulnerabilities, CVE-2026-20274 and CVE-2026-20279, received the highest CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 and are rated Critical. Additional issues include command injection flaws rated 8.8 and other weaknesses scoring between 8.2 and 8.6. No exploitation has been observed at the time of disclosure. Cisco is distributing Software Maintenance Updates and plans to include fixes in upcoming releases 26.3.1 and 26.2.2.
Telegram Desktop Bug Deletes Up to 800 GB of User Data on Windows Due to Spellcheck Library Error
A critical configuration flaw in Telegram Desktop for Windows caused the application to recursively delete the entire contents of the C:\custom directory, resulting in the loss of approximately 800 GB of user data including programs, projects, and personal files. The issue originated in the lib_spellcheck library introduced in version 7.1.0, where an empty working directory path was concatenated with /custom and resolved by Qt into an absolute system path. Instead of locating a dictionary file, the code invoked removeRecursively() on the discovered directory, systematically erasing all accessible files while leaving folder structures intact. The bug affected only Windows builds with the built-in spellchecker enabled and remained in distribution for roughly 66 hours across versions 7.1.0 and 7.1.1. Researchers confirmed the behavior using Process Monitor logs and reported it via ticket #31170, prompting developers to add path validation before the function call and disable dictionary operations on empty paths. The corrected code was released in Telegram Desktop 7.1.2, and users running the vulnerable versions are advised to update immediately. No impact was observed on Linux or macOS platforms.
Essential Active Directory Checks Before Launching Any Penetration Test
Internal penetration tests of Active Directory can quickly generate noise in logs or disrupt services if techniques are applied without proper context. The article stresses that testers must first map domain boundaries, identify controllers, clarify allowed segments, and establish escalation procedures with the client. Detailed inventory of user, service, and privileged accounts is required, including analysis of Kerberos pre-authentication settings that enable AS-REP Roasting. Testers should also examine DACL permissions, delegation relationships, and Active Directory Certificate Services templates before attempting any exploitation. The guidance covers NTLM relay risks, the importance of maintaining an action log, and the distinction between standard pentests and Red Team engagements. A demo version of the Red September course on Active Directory attacks is offered to practice these steps in a controlled environment.
Attackers Exploit Critical Sangoma Switchvox SQL Injection Flaw CVE-2026-9586 to Deploy Reverse Shells Without Credentials
A critical vulnerability in Sangoma Switchvox allows unauthenticated remote code execution through SQL injection in the /pa HTTP endpoint. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-9586 with a CVSS score of 9.3, affects internet-exposed VoIP deployments common in SMB environments. Attackers have already leveraged the issue in active campaigns since August 30, 2026, to open reverse shells and perform reconnaissance using Base64-encoded commands. The root cause is improper handling of the PhoneIP parameter in PostgreSQL queries, classified as CWE-89, which grants superuser database privileges. Sangoma released the fix in Switchvox 8.4.0.2 on July 14, 2026, following initial disclosure in April. Administrators are urged to patch immediately, restrict access, and monitor for indicators such as connections to 176.65.148.184 and suspicious entries in /var/log/switchvox/db-quirks.log.
Microsoft Defender Misclassifies Legitimate Google Search Links as Threats
Microsoft is investigating a false positive issue in Defender for Office 365 where legitimate Google search result links are incorrectly flagged as unsafe. Users attempting to open these links receive a warning stating the website may be insecure, and the problem persists even when copying and pasting URLs directly into browsers. The incident, tracked under advisory MO1465962, stems from erroneous classification by the Safe Links feature, which rewrites and rechecks URLs in email, Teams, and Microsoft 365 applications. The misclassification affects not only end users but also generates alerts for administrators in the Microsoft Defender Portal and Microsoft Sentinel SIEM platform. Safe Links is designed to protect against phishing by validating links at click time, but in this case it overreacted by blocking entire Google search URLs. Microsoft has not disclosed the number of impacted customers or affected regions and continues working on a fix for the erroneous classification.
NVD Disruptions Force Security Teams to Diversify Vulnerability Intelligence Sources
The vulnerability management ecosystem has undergone major shifts over the past two years, undermining reliance on a single authoritative database. NVD, long considered the central enrichment layer for CVE records, has experienced significant operational problems that affect timeliness and completeness of data. Russian organizations are increasingly turning to BDU FSTEC as the national vulnerability database that provides official descriptions, remediation guidance, and coverage of domestic software. CVE maintained by MITRE continues to serve as the universal identifier standard, yet it lacks the detailed scoring and product mappings previously supplied by NVD. Vendor security bulletins from Microsoft, Cisco, Astra Group, and Positive Technologies often deliver the earliest and most accurate information. The article explains why a multi-source approach has become essential for comprehensive vulnerability management programs.
HPE Aruba Networking Fabric Composer Affected by 52 Vulnerabilities Including Five Critical Flaws
HPE disclosed a security advisory on September 1, 2026, revealing 52 vulnerabilities in HPE Aruba Networking Fabric Composer. Five of these issues are rated Critical, including authentication bypass flaws that allow remote code execution and privilege escalation. CVE-2026-76657 permits attackers to bypass API authentication and gain administrator rights remotely. CVE-2026-76658 enables unauthenticated command execution as a privileged user via the SSH daemon. Additional critical issues include CVE-2026-19766 for adjacent network host takeover, CVE-2026-73700 for XSS in the web interface, and CVE-2026-73701 for unauthenticated remote code execution under certain conditions. HPE strongly recommends immediate updates across affected components including the OS, SSH, web management, and API layers.
SonicWall SMA 1000 Series Affected by Critical Vulnerabilities with Evidence of Exploitation
SonicWall has disclosed two serious vulnerabilities in its SMA 1000 series remote access appliances. The issues, tracked as CVE-2026-83548 and CVE-2026-83549, affect the SMA 6210, SMA 7210, and SMA 8200v models. CVE-2026-83548 is a server-side request forgery flaw in the WorkPlace interface that permits unauthenticated remote access to otherwise restricted functions. CVE-2026-83549 is an OS command injection vulnerability in the Appliance Management Console that can lead to remote command execution after authentication under certain conditions. Both vulnerabilities received high CVSS scores, with one reaching the maximum of 10.0. The vendor published the advisory on September 1, 2026, and confirmed cases where the flaws appear to have been exploited in the wild.
Dell Expands PowerStore Advisory with Two Additional Critical Vulnerabilities
Dell has updated its security advisory for the Dell PowerStore storage platform, adding two previously unmentioned vulnerabilities to the list of issues addressed by recent patches. The advisory now covers CVE-2026-58566, an authorization bypass flaw that can lead to privilege escalation, and CVE-2026-79687, an authentication bypass in Dell PowerStore SDNAS that allows unauthenticated remote access to the file system. Both vulnerabilities received high CVSSv3.1 base scores of 8.8 and 9.0 respectively. The company also announced availability of updated PowerStoreT OS builds 5.0.0.2-2761110, 4.3.1.2-2771239, and 4.1.0.6-2771237 that remediate the newly listed issues along with fifteen other CVEs. The advisory was first published on August 10, 2026 and received multiple revisions through the end of the month.
Code Signing Myths: Why a Valid Digital Signature Does Not Equal File Safety
Digital signatures confirm only that a file was issued by a specific publisher at a given time and remained unchanged afterward. They do not verify current safety, the legitimacy of the current holder, or whether the private key was stolen months earlier. Attackers obtain legitimate certificates through build-system leaks, supply-chain compromises such as the 2019 ASUS ShadowHammer incident, or weak reseller validation. Expired certificates remain usable because verification can be performed at the timestamp recorded by an RFC 3161 TSA token rather than the current system clock. Signature hashes in Authenticode deliberately exclude the checksum field, certificate table, and attribute certificate table, allowing limited tampering that older WinVerifyTrust implementations did not fully block. Revocation checks are soft by default, and revocation dates can leave an exploitation window open. Organizations should enforce publisher thumbprint allow-lists in WDAC or AppLocker and store signing keys exclusively in HSMs.
Attackers Exploit Critical Langflow and Ruby on Rails Flaws for Credential Theft and C2 Infrastructure
Active exploitation has been confirmed for CVE-2026-0768 in Langflow and CVE-2026-66066 in Ruby on Rails. Attackers first focus on reconnaissance and secret exfiltration before establishing command-and-control channels, with potential escalation to remote code execution. In Langflow the flaw allows arbitrary Python code execution as root due to insufficient input validation, enabling attackers to dump environment variables and locate cloud credentials. The Ruby on Rails issue, tracked as KindaRails2Shell, stems from an arbitrary file read triggered when Active Storage processes untrusted image uploads with libvips, exposing secret_key_base and other sensitive keys. Observed campaigns show traffic originating from Russia against Langflow instances and activity targeting canaries in Singapore, Israel, and the United Kingdom for Rails deployments. Defenders are advised to inventory public instances, apply the latest patches, rotate exposed secrets, and monitor for suspicious file reads and C2 communications.
Critical Vulnerabilities in PaperCut NG and PaperCut MF Exploited in the Wild
PaperCut Software has disclosed two serious vulnerabilities in its printing management solutions PaperCut NG and PaperCut MF. The issues were detailed in an advisory published on August 27, 2026, followed by emergency patches. Exploitation has already been confirmed in customer environments. CVE-2026-81578 stems from improper access controls in the web management interface, allowing unauthenticated remote changes to system settings. CVE-2026-82078 involves insecure dynamic class loading in database connections, enabling arbitrary Java bytecode execution with server privileges when combined with the first flaw. CVSS scores are 9.4 (Critical) and 8.8 (High) respectively, and both vulnerabilities have been added to CISAโs Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.
Positive Technologies Develops Dynamic Crawler for Single-Page Applications in PT BlackBox Scanner
Positive Technologies engineers have detailed the development of a dynamic crawler for their PT BlackBox DAST scanner to handle modern single-page applications built with frameworks such as React and Vue. The crawler must discover attack surface elements that only appear after user interactions because static parsing of initial DOM fails on SPAs where navigation occurs without URL changes. Key challenges include identifying interactive elements whose handlers are attached via JavaScript, detecting state changes after clicks or inputs, and managing combinatorial explosion of states caused by independent UI toggles. The team models the application as a labeled transition system and defines state equivalence using sets of 64-bit fingerprints of interactive elements rather than raw HTML similarity or URL values. This equivalence relation satisfies reflexivity, determinism from external observations, cheap hash-based comparison, slower growth than action count, and preservation of enabled actions across equivalent states. The approach allows the crawler to visit representatives of equivalence classes instead of every reachable state, keeping scans finite and practical within action budgets of several thousand interactions.
Over 8,300 Gitea Servers Remain Exposed to Remote Code Execution via CVE-2026-60004
Thousands of publicly accessible Gitea instances were still unpatched against CVE-2026-60004 as of late August 2026, leaving them open to remote command execution. The critical vulnerability combines abuse of the diffpatch endpoint with the ability to install and trigger attacker-controlled Git hooks, allowing unauthenticated attackers to run commands on the server. Exploitation requires only write access to a repository, which is often trivial due to default open user registration in many deployments. The issue was fixed in Gitea 1.27.1 released on July 27, 2026, and CISA added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog with a remediation deadline of August 28 for U.S. federal agencies. In observed incidents, attackers used the access to deploy cryptocurrency miners inside Docker containers. A related authentication bypass affecting the official Docker image, CVE-2026-20896, was also noted when reverse-proxy headers such as X-WEBAUTH-USER are enabled.
Microsoft Defender Displays False 'Enable Virus Protection' Alerts on Windows Despite Active Real-Time Protection
Microsoft has confirmed a bug in Microsoft Defender that causes Windows to show persistent notifications urging users to enable virus protection even when the antivirus is already running with real-time protection active. The issue emerged after recent Defender updates and affects home users as well as enterprise environments running Windows 11 versions 23H2, 24H2, and 25H2, along with Windows 10 and Windows Server editions. Notifications appear at startup or during normal operation, ignore Do Not Disturb settings, and clicking them only opens the Windows Security app without resolving the alert. Microsoft is developing a fix to be released in a future Defender update but has not provided a timeline. Users are advised not to dismiss all such banners automatically, as similar messages could originate from malware, and should verify protection status through Windows Security or PowerShell commands. The problem stems from configuration errors introduced by the antivirus updates rather than specific Windows builds.
Weekly Roundup: Next.js Leads Critical Vulnerability Reports as Chrome, Tomcat, and PostgreSQL See Major Patches
Security NEXT has published its list of the ten most-read articles for the week of August 23-29, 2026. The top story covered multiple serious vulnerabilities in Next.js that prompted an accelerated release schedule. Other high-interest items included a critical flaw in Zscaler Client Connector, several issues in Apache Tomcat rated critical, and Googleโs Chrome 152 update fixing 327 vulnerabilities. Additional reports highlighted a ransomware incident at a systems development firm, flaws in SKYSEA Client View, 28 vulnerabilities fixed in PostgreSQL, and confirmed exploitation of six known flaws in SQL Server and NetScaler. The list also featured a vulnerability in the Android version of the Digital Agencyโs My Number Point app and warnings about active exploitation of a WebLogic module flaw.
Multiple Critical Vulnerabilities in Langflow Enable Remote Code Execution
IBM disclosed three severe vulnerabilities in the open-source Langflow project on August 24, 2026. The flaws affect server instances and allow attackers to execute arbitrary code under specific conditions. CVE-2026-19286 is a code injection issue in the Agent-to-Agent (A2A) public endpoint that bypasses existing restrictions when authentication is disabled. CVE-2026-19295 permits authenticated users to evade custom component restrictions via eval injection in flow templates, leading to OS-level command execution. CVE-2026-18729 stems from insufficient input validation and lets low-privileged authenticated users bypass protected paths to run arbitrary code on the server. Patches addressing all three issues are now available.
ServiceNow Discloses Three CVSS 10.0 Vulnerabilities Allowing Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution and SQL Injection
ServiceNow has released security updates addressing four vulnerabilities in its AI platform, including three rated CVSS 10.0. The flaws enable unauthenticated attackers to achieve remote code execution, privilege escalation, and arbitrary SQL execution against core ITSM systems used by large enterprises worldwide. Affected components include the GraphQL Composite Data API, system configuration image upload processor, and dynamic schema ORDER BY handling. ServiceNow states it has patched hosted instances and provided hotfixes for self-hosted customers running Xanadu, Yokohama, Zurich, and Australia branches. This follows a July disclosure of a related sandbox escape tracked as CVE-2026-6875 that showed signs of in-the-wild exploitation. No public exploits or confirmed active attacks have been observed for the new issues yet, but the extremely low attack complexity leaves a narrow remediation window for organizations running exposed instances.
AI Agent Uncovers Unauthenticated Router Config Dump Leading to CVE Filing
An LLM agent tasked only with documenting network topology independently discovered a critical authentication bypass in a home router firmware. The agent performed read-only reconnaissance, extracted the full configuration including base64-encoded admin passwords and WPA2 keys via an unprotected CGI endpoint, and verified the finding by obtaining a valid session cookie. It then produced a complete coordinated disclosure report, classified the issue under CWE-306 with a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8, and prepared the MITRE CVE submission package. The vulnerability affects LAN-side management interfaces of certain SOHO routers running legacy Boa web servers and remains unpatched due to inaccessible vendor firmware channels. The researcher maintained strict read-only permissions for the agent throughout the process, ensuring no configuration changes occurred. The case demonstrates how autonomous agents can accelerate vulnerability research while staying within defined operational boundaries.
AutoAddPolicy in Paramiko Disables Host Key Verification and Risks Credential Leakage After IP Reassignment
A developer discovered that fourteen deployment and management scripts all contained hardcoded references to a single VPS IP address. When the provider reassigned the address after migration, the scripts connected to an unrelated server belonging to another customer. The root cause was the line ssh.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy()), which silently accepts any host key instead of raising an exception. The connection succeeded, the root password stored in VPS_PASS was transmitted, and the operation appeared successful in logs. The author replaced AutoAddPolicy with RejectPolicy, centralized the address in a single vps.py module, and switched to key-based authentication with a password fallback. The same class of issue appears in web tools that fetch arbitrary URLs, requiring strict scheme, IP-range, and redirect checks to block SSRF vectors such as 127.0.0.1 and 169.254.169.254. The case demonstrates that host-key verification protects against routine cloud IP reuse rather than only theoretical man-in-the-middle attacks.
Developer Exposes 12 Vulnerabilities in FastAPI Todo App After 176 Bots Bypass Protections
A developer building a student-focused todo planner on FastAPI discovered that 176 of 238 new accounts were bots that bypassed three layers of protection including rate limiting and email verification. The issues stemmed from in-memory counters reset on every deployment, uvicorn trusting any X-Forwarded-For header, and email verification never being enforced in code. A full audit revealed additional flaws such as stored XSS via JSON-LD on public Q&A pages and an IDOR allowing any authenticated user to read all tasks in a project by supplying its ID. Fixes included moving rate limits to the database, properly extracting the client IP from the rightmost X-Forwarded-For entry, adding signed form timestamps, and escaping JSON for script contexts. The case highlights common pitfalls when deploying Python web services behind nginx without strict trust boundaries.
Researcher Achieves SSTI-Based Defacement of First Partner Bank Web Service on Standoff 365
A security researcher known as grizzzer detailed a full attack chain that resulted in defacing the authorization page of the First Partner Bank digital banking service inside the Standoff 365 online polygon. The demonstration began with a successful DNS zone transfer against the fpb.stf domain, revealing the dbo.fpb.stf host that hosted the target application. After identifying the Node.js, Express, and React stack, the researcher discovered that the receipt generation endpoint accepted an undocumented pretty parameter that was passed directly into the Pug template engine. This led to a server-side template injection vulnerability that was escalated to a Node.js reverse shell. With code execution, the attacker located and modified the translation.json localization file, replacing the welcome message with the string pwned by VON visible to all users. The write-up concludes with concrete hardening recommendations including disabling zone transfers, avoiding direct spread of req.query into templates, and restricting outbound connections.
Telegram Desktop Bug Deletes 800 GB of User Data Due to Spelling Checker Path Error
A Telegram Desktop update introduced a critical flaw that caused the application to recursively delete user folders containing up to 800 GB of data on Windows systems. The root cause traced back to an incorrect path construction for the custom dictionary file used by the lib_spellcheck library when Windows native spell checking was enabled. Due to a misplaced return statement in the code, the working directory path remained empty, leading Qt to interpret the path as the root-level C:\custom folder. The application then invoked QDir::removeRecursively on this directory, removing all accessible files while skipping locked ones. The bug affected releases 7.1.0 and 7.1.1 for approximately 66 hours before being fixed in version 7.1.2. Researchers used Process Monitor to confirm Telegram.exe was directly responsible for the deletion attempts. The incident highlights risks of combining recursive deletion functions with unvalidated path inputs in widely used applications.
WatchGuard Issues Emergency Patches for Fireware OS Addressing 11 Vulnerabilities Including Pre-Auth RCE
WatchGuard Technologies released security updates for its Firebox firewall products on August 27, 2026, addressing 11 vulnerabilities in Fireware OS. Nine of the flaws affect the IKE daemon (iked) and can lead to buffer overflows, out-of-bounds reads, and double-free conditions when processing crafted IKE messages. Three CVEs (CVE-2026-19313, CVE-2026-19315, and CVE-2026-19318) may allow unauthenticated remote code execution due to memory corruption, with CVE-2026-19318 requiring the IKE payload diagnostic log to be enabled. An additional flaw, CVE-2026-13086, resides in the deprecated Mobile Security epm service and permits adjacent-network attackers with access to a trusted interface to execute arbitrary code as root without authentication. The company urges immediate application of Fireware versions 2026.2.2, 12.12.2, and 12.5.20.
CISA Adds CVE-2026-8452 to KEV Catalog and Orders Federal Agencies to Patch Citrix NetScaler by August 29 2026
CISA has placed CVE-2026-8452 in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, compelling US federal agencies to apply patches to Citrix NetScaler before the unusually tight deadline of August 29 2026. The flaw, initially reported as a memory overflow leading to denial of service, has been confirmed through public technical analysis to enable unauthenticated remote code execution with root privileges on unpatched devices. The vulnerability impacts NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway appliances configured as VPN Gateway or AAA virtual servers, with heightened risk in SAML-based deployments acting as either Service Provider or Identity Provider. Attackers have already conducted spray-and-pray campaigns that deploy webshells and perform basic reconnaissance after initial compromise. Tens of thousands of NetScaler instances remain internet-exposed, increasing the likelihood of automated mass exploitation. Citrix has released fixed builds including 14.1-72.61, 13.1-63.18, and 13.1-37.272 or higher for FIPS and NDcPP environments. Organizations are advised to inventory exposed devices, verify versions, hunt for indicators of compromise, and apply additional hardening measures beyond patching.
CISA Orders Federal Agencies to Patch Critical Citrix NetScaler RCE Flaw by August 29 2026
CISA has added CVE-2026-8452 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and set an unusually tight deadline for U.S. federal agencies to remediate the issue in Citrix NetScaler products. The vulnerability, initially described as a denial-of-service condition, is now actively exploited to achieve unauthenticated remote code execution with root privileges on unpatched appliances. Affected configurations include NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway when deployed as VPN Gateway or AAA virtual servers, especially in environments using SAML for single sign-on. Attackers have been observed deploying webshells and performing reconnaissance after initial compromise in a spray-and-pray pattern. Tens of thousands of NetScaler devices remain exposed to the internet, increasing the risk of widespread automated attacks. Citrix has released fixed builds including 14.1-72.61 and 13.1-63.18, along with specific versions for FIPS and NDcPP environments.
Critical Veeam ONE Flaw Allows Remote Attackers to Expose Service Account Credentials via Forced SMB Authentication
Veeam has patched a critical vulnerability in Veeam ONE that enables a remote unauthenticated attacker to force SMB authentication attempts using the platform's service account. Identified as CVE-2026-65641 with a CVSS score of 9.3, the flaw impacts version 13.1.0.7034 and all prior builds of the 13.x line, while 12.x installations remain unaffected. Exploitation allows an attacker to redirect SMB authentication to a controlled server, exposing Net-NTLM material that can be used for offline password cracking or NTLM relay attacks against other services. The severity depends on the privileges of the compromised account, with elevated risk in environments where Veeam ONE runs with high privileges or broad access to Active Directory, backup servers, and hypervisors. Patches are available in Veeam ONE 13.1 Patch 0 (build 13.1.0.7233) and Veeam ONE 13.0.2 Patch 1 (build 13.0.2.7159), and organizations are urged to apply updates immediately.
TeamViewer Patches High-Severity Flaws Allowing Remote Command Execution and Unauthorized File Writes
TeamViewer has addressed two high-severity vulnerabilities in its remote access clients that could enable attackers to execute commands and write files to unauthorized locations. The more critical issue, tracked as CVE-2026-19042 with a CVSS score of 8.8, affects Full Client and Host versions on Linux prior to 15.81.5 and permits command execution with the privileges of the logged-in user. Exploitation requires the attacker to be on the victim's contact list or for the victim to accept messages from external users. The second flaw, CVE-2026-16444 rated at CVSS 7.5, stems from improper file path validation and impacts Windows, macOS, and Linux clients before version 15.81.5, allowing path traversal sequences in transferred files or clipboard content during remote sessions. Legacy versions of TeamViewer 13, 14, and editions for Windows 7 and 8 also received targeted fixes. No active exploitation was observed at the time of disclosure, and the vendor urges immediate migration to the latest release.
ServiceNow Patches Multiple Critical Vulnerabilities in Now Platform and AI Platform
ServiceNow disclosed several critical vulnerabilities affecting the Now Platform and ServiceNow AI Platform on August 27. The issues include unauthenticated code injection via the GraphQL Composite Data API, improper access controls during system image uploads, and SQL injection flaws that allow arbitrary database queries. Four CVEs were published: CVE-2026-6876, CVE-2026-18885, CVE-2026-18886, and CVE-2026-74820. Exploitation of CVE-2026-18885 could permit remote code execution and data manipulation without authentication under certain conditions. CVE-2026-18886 enables unauthorized data creation, modification, and privilege escalation, while CVE-2026-74820 allows direct SQL execution against the underlying database. ServiceNow has released updated versions to address the flaws.
CISA Adds Linux Kernel Frag Gap Flaw and Two Other Exploited Vulnerabilities to KEV Catalog
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added three vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on August 27, 2026. One of the entries is CVE-2026-53362, a high-severity privilege escalation issue in the Linux kernel also known as Frag Gap. The flaw stems from an out-of-bounds write when generating IPv6 packets, allowing a low-privileged user to obtain root access. The Linux Kernel Organization assigned it a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 and rated it High severity, with public exploit code already available. Federal agencies must remediate CVE-2026-53362 and CVE-2023-49105 by the August 30 deadline. The advisory underscores ongoing exploitation of these issues in the wild.
CISA Adds Six Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities to KEV Catalog Including Citrix NetScaler, Linux Kernel and Microsoft SQL Server Flaws
On August 26, 2026, CISA added six vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, signaling confirmed active exploitation and requiring immediate remediation priority. The batch includes a recent memory corruption issue in Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway tracked as CVE-2026-8452, along with five older flaws affecting Microsoft SQL Server, the Linux kernel, Ajax.NET Professional, Red Hat libuser, and Red Hat ABRT. Citrix released patches for the NetScaler vulnerability on June 30, 2026, while CISA set an August 29, 2026 deadline for federal agencies. Real-world attacks have already deployed web shells and performed reconnaissance after successful exploitation of the Citrix appliance. The remaining CVEs enable remote code execution, local privilege escalation, and denial-of-service conditions across widely deployed enterprise technologies.
Next.js Patches Two Critical RCE Vulnerabilities in Versions 15.5.24 and 16.3.3
Next.js has released security updates to address two critical vulnerabilities that could allow unauthenticated remote code execution. The fixes are available in versions 15.5.24 and 16.3.3. The first issue, tracked as CVE-2026-75604 with a CVSS score of 9.0, affects applications hosted on Windows servers using Pages Router or App Router without Cache Components and stems from a path traversal flaw. The second vulnerability impacts the Image Optimization API when processing malicious AVIF files, enabling code execution through crafted image inputs. Both flaws affect a wide range of versions from 10.0.0 and 13.4 onward. Administrators are advised to update immediately, rebuild containers, and verify production environments run the patched releases, especially on Windows systems and those handling user-uploaded images.
Multiple Vulnerabilities Found in Apache Tomcat, Four Rated Critical by CISA
Apache Tomcat has received updates addressing 11 vulnerabilities across versions 11.0.25, 10.1.59, and 9.0.121. The Apache Software Foundation rated four issues as Important, while CISA assigned Critical severity to four CVEs based on CVSS v3.1 scores reaching 9.8. The flaws include authentication bypasses, access control evasion due to path evaluation order, off-by-one errors, and HTTP/2 resource leaks leading to denial of service. One vulnerability was disclosed earlier in July, with the remaining ten detailed on August 25. Moderate and Low severity issues were also patched in the same releases. The discrepancies in severity ratings between the vendor and CISA highlight differing risk assessments for the same CVEs.
SonicWall Patches Critical Path Traversal and Update Flaws in NetExtender for Linux
SonicWall has released fixes for two high-severity vulnerabilities in its NetExtender client for Linux that could allow remote attackers to write arbitrary files with root privileges and manipulate the automatic update process. The flaws impact versions 10.3.5 and earlier, while the Windows version remains unaffected. CVE-2026-66152 carries a CVSS score of 8.8 and stems from improper handling of tar archives containing OPSWAT data, enabling path traversal that lets attackers escape the intended extraction directory. CVE-2026-66153 scores 7.0 and arises from inadequate symlink and temporary file handling in the NEService update mechanism. Both issues require user interaction to exploit, and no in-the-wild attacks have been observed so far. Administrators are urged to upgrade immediately to version 10.3.6 or later, as no workarounds exist.
Redis Patch Bypass Enables Multiple RCE Exploits as PoCs for TLS and Stream Vulnerabilities Go Public
Multiple remote code execution vulnerabilities have been disclosed in Redis over the past month, including a critical patch bypass for CVE-2026-25243 that reintroduces Double Free flaws via crafted stream operations. The latest issue, QVD-2026-58458 affecting the TLS pending list, now has full technical details and a working PoC available, following the earlier QVD-2026-55651 disclosure. All three flaws impact nearly every production version still in use, from Redis 6.2.22 and below through 7.4.9 and 8.6.4. Although authentication is required, widespread weak or empty password configurations and exposed instances make exploitation trivial for attackers. Successful compromise grants arbitrary code execution in the Redis process context, enabling standard post-exploitation steps such as credential harvesting and lateral movement across internal networks. Organizations are urged to inventory all instances, apply the latest patches immediately, restrict network access via ACLs, and monitor for anomalous use of commands like XGROUP, EVAL, and RESTORE.
Cisco Pre-Announces Security Advisories and Patches for Multiple Products on September 2, 2026
Cisco Systems has disclosed plans to publish security advisories for several product lines on September 2, 2026. The advisories will cover vulnerabilities affecting IP telephony devices, network switches, and email security appliances. Targeted products include Cisco IOS XR Software, multiple series of Cisco Desk Phones, Nexus 9000 Series switches with Silicon One, and Cisco Secure Email. The company will also provide updates aimed at strengthening security in IOS XR. No CVE identifiers, vulnerability details, affected versions, or CVSS scores have been released at the pre-notification stage. Cisco strongly recommends applying the forthcoming fixes once they become available, while noting that the schedule and product scope may still change.
CISA Adds Six Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Affecting NetScaler ADC, Linux Kernel and Microsoft SQL Server to KEV Catalog
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has added six vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog after confirming active exploitation in the wild. One of the flaws, CVE-2026-8452, affects Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway products and can trigger denial-of-service conditions under specific configurations. The remaining five issues, disclosed between 2015 and 2022, impact the Linux Kernel, Red Hat Automatic Bug Reporting Tool, and the libuser library. Exploitation of these older flaws can allow local attackers to escalate privileges or corrupt password files. Organizations are urged to apply available patches and verify configurations immediately.
Zscaler Fixes Multiple Critical Flaws in Client Connector Enabling RCE and Authentication Bypass
Zscaler has released patches for several vulnerabilities in its Client Connector agent that could lead to remote code execution, authentication bypass, local privilege escalation, and denial of service. The most severe issue, tracked as CVE-2026-59568 with a CVSS score of 9.1, allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the Zscaler Client Connector process. A second critical flaw, CVE-2026-59564 also rated CVSS 9.1, affects communication between the connector and its management portal, enabling attackers to circumvent authentication mechanisms. Additional vulnerabilities include a local buffer overflow on Android and ChromeOS tracked as CVE-2026-59566 with CVSS 8.4, as well as issues that could result in privilege escalation or service disruption. The flaws impact Client Connector versions across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS, with varying affected builds depending on the platform. Updated builds for lines 4.6 through 4.9 on Windows and equivalent fixes for other operating systems are now available.
Out of 48,000 Vulnerabilities Only 1% Are Dangerous: How to Find Them Using CVSS 4.0, EPSS, KEV and FSTEC Methodology
The article explains why prioritizing vulnerabilities is critical in 2025-2026 as exploitation became the top initial access vector for the first time in 19 years according to Verizon DBIR. It details the limitations of CVSS scoring alone, the shift to CVSS 4.0 with new metrics like Attack Requirements and Supplemental Metrics, and the impact of NIST reducing NVD enrichment to only actively exploited or federal software cases. EPSS provides daily exploitation probability predictions using machine learning on over 1,100 features, while CISA KEV and the new LEV metric help identify confirmed or likely exploited vulnerabilities. The text covers practical prioritization criteria including asset significance, exploit availability, and network exposure, plus challenges for Russian infrastructure due to CVE dependency. It also compares CISA KEV with commercial catalogs like VulnCheck KEV that detect exploitation earlier.
Google Releases Chrome 152 Fixing 327 Vulnerabilities Including 10 Critical Flaws
Google has released Chrome 152 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, addressing a total of 327 security vulnerabilities. Ten of these issues received the highest severity rating of Critical. The update resolves multiple Use After Free flaws in core components such as ANGLE, Aura, and Chromecast. Specific CVEs fixed include CVE-2026-79282 in ANGLE and several others in Aura and Chromecast modules. The release targets memory corruption and input validation weaknesses that could lead to remote code execution. Users are strongly advised to apply the update immediately to mitigate potential exploitation risks.
Veeam ONE Receives Security Update Addressing Critical Vulnerabilities Including CVE-2026-65641
Veeam Software has released updates for its backup environment monitoring tool Veeam ONE to address multiple vulnerabilities. The advisory covers the 13.x series and includes fixes rated as critical under CVSSv4.0. One flaw, CVE-2026-65641, allows service accounts to perform SMB authentication and carries a base score of 9.3. Additional high-severity issues such as CVE-2026-64633 with a perfect 10.0 score were also resolved in the patches. The company updated its disclosure to include seven vulnerabilities fixed in version 13.1.0.7034 after initially reporting six. Patches are now available for both the 13.x and 12.x branches, with the latest 12.3 Patch 1 backporting several fixes from the 13 series.
Three Critical Vulnerabilities in Adobe Campaign Classic Allow Arbitrary Code Execution
Adobe has disclosed three severe vulnerabilities in Adobe Campaign Classic that could permit attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The issues affect both Windows and Linux versions and include two OS command injection flaws along with one server-side request forgery vulnerability. Each vulnerability received the maximum CVSSv3.1 base score of 10.0 and is rated Critical. Adobe released fixes in version 7.4.4 build 9401, which must be applied to on-premises components in both pure on-premises and hybrid environments. Although no active exploitation has been observed, Adobe assigned the highest priority level and recommends applying the update within 72 hours.
Dirty COW CVE-2016-5195: How a 2016 Linux Kernel Race Condition Still Enables Privilege Escalation in Embedded Systems
The 2016 Linux kernel vulnerability CVE-2016-5195, known as Dirty COW, allowed local users to bypass copy-on-write protections and modify read-only memory mappings through a race condition involving writes to /proc/self/mem and madvise calls. Although patched in supported distributions years ago, the flaw persists in older kernels running on routers, cameras, and industrial controllers that receive infrequent firmware updates. Public exploits often target /etc/passwd or SUID binaries for root access, but success depends heavily on the presence of login mechanisms, BusyBox applets, and suitable binaries in the target environment. When standard targets are absent, attackers may pivot to overwriting vDSO functions in process memory to inject code executed by higher-privileged processes. The article explains why ready-made PoCs frequently fail on minimal BusyBox-based systems and outlines the checks required for architecture, ABI, vDSO symbols, and payload compatibility. It also references the practical exercise Strange And Dirty on the free White Hacker course for hands-on adaptation of the exploit chain.
Critical Authentication Bypass Vulnerability Found in OAuth2 Proxy, No Patch Released
A severe authentication bypass vulnerability has been identified in the OAuth2 Proxy authentication proxy, tracked as CVE-2026-76835. The issue allows attackers to circumvent authentication by sending crafted X-Forwarded-Uri headers when the trusted_proxy_ip setting is not configured. This affects default reverse proxy configurations and enables unauthorized access to protected paths. Although version 7.15.2 addressed a related flaw under CVE-2026-40575, the vulnerability persists in standard reverse proxy setups. VulnCheck rated the flaw with a CVSS v4.0 base score of 9.3, classifying it as Critical. No patched release is currently available despite ongoing work in the source repository.
Starting in Bug Bounty: Understanding 1-Day Vulnerabilities
Mikhail Klyuchnikov, known in the bug hunting community as n1, shares his decade-long experience at Positive Technologies leading a team focused on software security analysis. The team specializes in discovering new zero-day vulnerabilities while also reproducing known 1-day issues to support penetration testing engagements. Klyuchnikov is also a member of the PT SWARM team, which regularly publishes technical articles, tips, and timely vulnerability breakdowns. With extensive participation in international bug bounty platforms and the Russian Standoff Bug Bounty program, he aims to explain the practical role of 1-day vulnerabilities for newcomers entering bug bounty hunting. The article provides foundational knowledge on how security researchers leverage publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in real-world testing scenarios.
Keycloak Fixes Critical CVE-2026-18963 Password Reset Flaw Allowing Unauthenticated Account Takeover
Keycloak has patched a critical vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-18963 that lets remote unauthenticated attackers force a password reset for any user and seize control of the account. The flaw affects the reset-credentials flow due to improper state validation, enabling attackers to bypass email verification and reach the password change endpoint directly. With a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.1, the issue requires no privileges or user interaction and impacts confidentiality and integrity. Patches are available in Keycloak 26.7.2 and corresponding Red Hat Build of Keycloak releases 26.4.15 and 26.6.6. Organizations unable to update immediately should disable the Forgot password feature across all realms. Post-remediation auditing of login events and credential changes on privileged accounts is recommended to detect any prior exploitation attempts.
Sky Discloses Five Vulnerabilities in SKYSEA Client View and SKYMEC IT Manager
Sky has released a security advisory detailing five vulnerabilities affecting its IT asset management tools SKYSEA Client View and SKYMEC IT Manager. The flaws impact all Windows-based components including master servers, management machines, terminal machines, and standalone terminals. Two issues received CVSSv4 base scores of 8.5 while the remaining three scored 5.8, with CVSSv3 scores reversing the severity ranking for some entries. The vulnerabilities include missing authorization checks, improper file permissions during installation, multiple path traversal flaws, and a stack-based buffer overflow. Sky has made update and patch modules available to contracted customers and strongly recommends immediate deployment.
CISA Adds Oracle WebLogic Proxy Plug-in Flaw CVE-2026-21962 to KEV Catalog After Confirmed Exploitation
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has added CVE-2026-21962 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming active exploitation of the Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-in. The vulnerability affects the mod_wl_ohs module that proxies requests from web servers to Oracle WebLogic Server. It is bundled with Oracle HTTP Server and also impacts equivalent plug-ins for Apache HTTP Server and IIS. The flaw allows unauthenticated remote attackers to tamper with, delete, or create data and exfiltrate information. Exploitation can impact connected environments and backend systems. CISA issued the alert on August 24, 2026, highlighting the risk to organizations running affected proxy configurations.
Critical Zoom Vulnerability Exposes All Platforms to Remote Takeover via Screen Sharing Annotations
A high-severity vulnerability in Zoom Workplace clients across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux allows attackers to remotely seize full device control simply by having a victim enable screen sharing and the annotation tool. The flaw requires no user interaction such as clicking links or dismissing warnings, and the compromise occurs silently without visible alerts. Security researchers demonstrated that AI tools enabled complete exploit development within 24 hours, dramatically lowering the barrier for advanced attacks previously limited to nation-state actors. The issue affects hundreds of millions of remote workers who rely on Zoomโs daily screen-sharing features. Official patches have been released, and users are urged to update immediately while avoiding annotation tools in sensitive sessions. Apple simultaneously addressed related macOS flaws in multiple versions. The incident highlights how generative AI is accelerating the weaponization of vulnerabilities.
Windows 11 May Silently Remove Discrete GPU Drivers Due to Eco Mode on Gaming Laptops
Windows 11 has introduced an unexpected behavior that can delete drivers for discrete graphics cards on gaming laptops when the device remains powered off for an extended period in Eco Mode. The issue was first reported by the owner of an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 equipped with a mobile GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, where the system treated the physically disconnected GPU as permanently removed after 15 days. Windows component pnpclean.dll then purged both the device entry and the associated Nvidia driver package, leaving the laptop with only a Microsoft Basic Display Adapter reporting error code 10. The default cleanup timer is normally 30 days, but it can be shorter for certain hardware configurations that fully disconnect discrete graphics for power saving. Similar incidents have been observed on older Asus ROG models with AMD Radeon GPUs, prompting the developer of G-Helper to add a warning to the utility. Users can mitigate the problem by periodically switching to Standard Mode or by disabling automatic driver package cleanup via a specific PowerShell command that sets the Autorun value to 0 under the Device Driver Packages registry key. Microsoft has not yet issued an official statement on the matter.
CISA Adds Actively Exploited Zimbra CVE-2026-73570 to KEV Catalog with Immediate Patching Deadline
CISA has added CVE-2026-73570 affecting Zimbra Collaboration Suite to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, ordering urgent remediation due to confirmed active exploitation. The flaw enables unauthenticated remote command execution on servers where the optional zimbra-snmp package is installed and SNMP notifications are enabled. Exploitation occurs via specially crafted SMTP requests that trigger operating system command injection under the privileges of the zimbra user. Zimbra released the fix in version 10.1.20 on July 20, 2026, while CISA placed the vulnerability in the KEV list on August 21 and set an August 24 deadline for federal civilian agencies. Organizations are advised to first verify exposure by checking for zimbra-snmp and SNMP notification settings before applying the update. Post-patch steps include validating the version, controlled service restarts, and hunting for indicators such as unexpected Zimbra restarts, anomalous zimbra user activity, and new files in sensitive directories like /opt/zimbra/jetty/webapps/. The directive highlights the critical nature of pre-authentication flaws in internet-facing mail servers that process untrusted inbound traffic.
CISA Adds Zimbra Collaboration Suite CVE-2026-73570 to KEV Catalog After Confirmed Exploitation
US authorities have issued a warning about active exploitation of a vulnerability in the Zimbra Collaboration Suite. CISA added the OS command injection flaw CVE-2026-73570 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on August 21, 2026, marking the fifth such entry for the year. The issue resides in the SNMP monitoring component and allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands with Zimbra user privileges when SNMP notifications are enabled. MITRE rated the vulnerability 8.9 on CVSS v3.1, classifying it as High severity. Federal agencies must apply mitigations by August 24, while all organizations using the product are urged to prioritize patching to prevent further abuse.
IBM Patches 191 Vulnerabilities in AIX and PowerVM VIOS Including Critical Remote Command Execution Flaws
IBM disclosed a large set of security vulnerabilities affecting its UNIX-based AIX operating system and the PowerVM VIOS virtualization component. The company addressed a total of 191 CVEs through multiple updated releases for both products. Thirty-five of the issues received CVSS base scores of 9.0 or higher, with three OS command injection vulnerabilities rated at 9.9 that allow remote attackers to execute commands with low privileges. IBM provided specific Technology Level and Service Pack updates for AIX 7.3 and 7.2 branches along with corresponding fixes for PowerVM VIOS versions 4.1.x. The advisory covers both IBM-developed code and third-party software components integrated into the platforms. All listed CVEs are now resolved in the recommended maintenance levels released on August 15.
Vulnaware Bridges Vulnerability Scanners and ITSM Systems to Improve Critical Flaw Prioritization
A new open-source tool called Vulnaware has been developed to address the persistent gap between vulnerability discovery and remediation in enterprise environments. The project focuses on intelligent prioritization rather than attempting to fix every reported CVE, recognizing that fewer than 10 percent of published vulnerabilities are ever exploited. It integrates outputs from MaxPatrol VM, Nessus Pro, and Greenbone/OpenVAS, then applies scoring based on CISA KEV catalog presence, public exploit availability from Vulncheck feeds, and trend data. Prioritized issues are automatically converted into tickets in Jira Service Management, GLPI, Znuny, and osTicket, while also delivering alerts via Telegram and email. The approach aligns with the updated CISA BOD 26-04 framework that replaced flat 15- and 25-day deadlines with risk-based timelines of 3, 14, or 60 days. By treating vulnerability remediation as a managed change or service request under ITIL4 principles, Vulnaware ensures that critical issues reach the correct engineering teams with proper SLA tracking.
PostgreSQL Releases Security Update Fixing 28 Vulnerabilities and Over 110 Bugs
The PostgreSQL development team issued a major security update on August 13, 2026, addressing 28 vulnerabilities along with more than 110 bugs. While no issues reached a CVSSv3.1 base score of 9.0 or higher, 18 vulnerabilities scored 7.0 or above, with 14 rated at 8.8. Several flaws enable arbitrary code execution, including heap buffer overflows in regular expression processing and the to_char function. Additional fixes cover heap buffer overflows in pg_stat_statements and pg_dump, type confusion issues, and an SQL injection vulnerability. The update resolves specific CVEs such as CVE-2026-14664, CVE-2026-14669, CVE-2026-14670, CVE-2026-16238, CVE-2026-16239, and CVE-2026-15741.
Vulnerability in Docker go-archive Library Allows File Creation and Overwrite Outside Target Directory
A vulnerability has been identified in the go-archive archive processing library used by Docker and related software. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-17106, affects the Unpack, UnpackLayer, and Untar functions and permits files to be created or overwritten outside the intended extraction directory. The issue stems from a mismatch between the path string validated by the code and the actual path resolved by the operating system. Docker rated the vulnerability 7.1 under CVSS v4.0 and classified it as High severity. A proof-of-concept exploit has already been published for macOS and Linux. The fix was implemented in go-archive 0.3.0 and shipped in Docker Engine 29.7.0, Docker CLI 29.7.0, and Docker Desktop 4.86.0.
Microsoft Defender Zero-Day ShieldBreak Enables SYSTEM Privilege Escalation, Bypassing July Rogue Planet Patch
Security researcher Nightmare Eclipse has publicly disclosed a new zero-day vulnerability named ShieldBreak in Microsoft Defender that allows any standard Windows account to escalate privileges directly to SYSTEM level. The flaw exploits a TOCTOU race condition in Defender's file scanning API callbacks, enabling attackers to swap file contents during the brief window when the scanner reads the file. Although linked to the earlier Rogue Planet vulnerability (CVE-2026-50656), the July patch did not fully address the attack surface, and an adjusted proof-of-concept continues to work on patched systems. Defender's high privileges and trusted status in enterprise environments amplify the risk, as compromised processes can execute malicious actions that appear legitimate in logs. Public disclosure without prior private reporting leaves a window of exposure until Microsoft issues an official fix. Blue teams are advised to enforce strict local permissions, monitor for anomalous Defender process behavior such as unusual child processes or repeated file handle operations, and implement layered defenses including application whitelisting and network segmentation.
CISA Adds Two Remotely Exploitable TrueConf Server Vulnerabilities to KEV Catalog
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has added two critical vulnerabilities affecting TrueConf Server to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. CVE-2026-72529 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary scripts due to missing authentication in a critical function. CVE-2026-72530 is a code injection flaw that enables attackers to run arbitrary code on the underlying host system by escaping the sandboxed environment. Both issues can be exploited over TCP port 4307 without requiring authentication. Kaspersky assigned CVSS v3.1 base scores of 9.8 and 9.0 respectively, rating both as Critical. US federal agencies must apply mitigations for the first vulnerability by August 23 and for the second by September 3.
Zombie Card Attack Revives Expired Visa Cards for Contactless NFC Payments
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have demonstrated the Zombie Card attack, which enables contactless payments with certain expired Visa cards over NFC without breaking cryptography or cloning the card. The technique exploits inconsistencies in how payment terminals and issuing banks validate card expiration dates within the EMV protocol. By deploying two Android smartphones as a relay between the expired card and the terminal, the researchers intercepted the EMV field containing the expiration date and substituted a future date during the transaction. The terminal accepted the locally validated payment while the cryptographic data remained valid because Visa EMV Kernel 3 does not always bind the expiration field to the protected cryptogram. Testing showed varying bank responses: one issuer approved transactions of different amounts at multiple merchants, while another consistently declined them. The attack failed against Mastercard, American Express, and Discover due to stricter cross-checks or cryptographic protection of the expiration data. The method requires an active account and valid keys on the expired card, making it more complex than traditional skimming.
Critical Unauthenticated File Upload Flaw in Elementor Pro Allows Remote Code Execution on WordPress Sites
A critical vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-32475 has been discovered in the Elementor Pro plugin for WordPress, enabling unauthenticated attackers to upload and execute arbitrary PHP code. The flaw resides in the file upload module where validation and saving processes handle empty filenames inconsistently across multipart requests. Attackers can bypass checks by sending one part with an empty filename and another containing a PHP backdoor, which gets stored in the publicly accessible wp-content/uploads/elementor/forms/ directory. Exploitation requires a published Elementor Pro form with the multiple-file upload option enabled, a setting that is disabled by default. The free version of Elementor remains unaffected, while the issue was resolved in Elementor Pro 4.2.2. Administrators are urged to update immediately and scan upload directories for unauthorized PHP files, as no active exploitation has been observed yet but public disclosure increases the risk.