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  • Seven QNAP Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Exploited at Pwn2Own 2025 Now Patched

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    QNAP has addressed seven critical zero-day vulnerabilities in its network-attached storage (NAS) operating systems, following their successful exploitation by security researchers at Pwn2Own Ireland 2025.

    These flaws, identified as CVE-2025-62847, CVE-2025-62848, CVE-2025-62849, and associated ZDI canonical entries ZDI-CAN-28353, ZDI-CAN-28435, ZDI-CAN-28436, enable remote code execution (RCE) and privilege escalation attacks against QTS 5.2.x, QuTS hero h5.2.x, and QuTS hero h5.3.x versions.

    The exploits, demonstrated in a controlled environment, highlight kernel-level weaknesses and web interface flaws that could allow unauthenticated attackers to compromise device integrity and exfiltrate stored data.​

    QNAP Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Exploited

    At Pwn2Own Ireland 2025, held in Cork from October 20-22, teams including Summoning Team, DEVCORE, Team DDOS, and a CyCraft intern chained these zero-days to bypass authentication and achieve full system takeover on QNAP NAS devices.

    The core operating system vulnerabilities involve improper input validation leading to buffer overflows and use-after-free errors in CGI handlers, facilitating arbitrary command injection without user privileges.

    For instance, attackers exploited stack-based overflows in the quick.cgi component to execute shell commands on uninitialized devices, extending to initialized systems via chained privilege escalations.

    These techniques mirror historical QNAP issues, such as heap overflows in cgi.cgi, but escalate to zero-click RCE in modern firmware. Event organizers from the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) awarded bounties exceeding $150,000 for the NAS category, contributing to a total of $792,750 across 56 unique hacks.​

    QNAP resolved these issues in firmware updates released on October 24, 2025, targeting the affected OS branches with mitigations for memory corruption and authentication bypass vectors.

    Specifically, QTS 5.2.x users must upgrade to version 5.2.7.3297 build 20251024 or later, which includes hardened input sanitization and kernel patches to prevent overflow exploits.

    QuTS hero h5.2.x follows the same build, while h5.3.x requires 5.3.1.3292 build 20251024 or later, addressing ZFS-specific integration flaws that amplified RCE risks in hybrid storage setups.

    Although CVSS scores remain pending for some entries, the zero-day status and Pwn2Own context classify them as critical, with potential for denial-of-service (DoS) as a precursor to data compromise.

    Administrators can deploy updates via the Control Panel > System > Firmware Update interface, enabling Live Update for automatic detection and installation. Manual downloads from QNAP’s Download Center support offline environments, ensuring compatibility checks against the product’s EOL status page.​

    Mitigations

    To counter residual risks, QNAP advises immediate password rotation and segmentation of NAS traffic using VLANs to limit lateral movement post-exploit.

    The vulnerabilities extend beyond the core OS to integrated apps like HBS 3 Hybrid Backup Sync (CVE-2025-62840, CVE-2025-62842), where path traversal allows unauthorized backup access, and Malware Remover (CVE-2025-11837), which is ironically vulnerable to command injection in its scanning engine.

    In enterprise deployments, these flaws could enable supply-chain attacks, as NAS devices often serve as centralized repositories for sensitive files.

    Security teams should audit logs for anomalous CGI requests and integrate tools like intrusion detection systems (IDS) for ongoing monitoring.

    This Pwn2Own outcome underscores the efficacy of bug bounties in preempting wild exploits, urging all QNAP users to prioritize firmware hygiene amid rising NAS-targeted threats.​

    Follow us on Google News, LinkedIn, and X for daily cybersecurity updates. Contact us to feature your stories.

    The post Seven QNAP Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Exploited at Pwn2Own 2025 Now Patched appeared first on Cyber Security News.

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  • Google Maps Adds Feature for Businesses to Report Ransom Demands for Removing Bad Reviews

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    Scammers are targeting businesses with a new extortion scheme, and Google Maps is fighting back with a dedicated reporting tool.

    Google has introduced a feature that allows business owners to report ransom demands directly to malicious actors who threaten them with fake negative reviews.

    Cybercriminals have developed a sophisticated plan to extort money from businesses through Google Maps reviews.

    The scheme begins with “review-bombing,” where bad actors flood a business profile with fake one-star reviews designed to bypass Google’s moderation systems.

    Once the attack launches, scammers contact business owners through third-party messaging apps and demand payment.

    The threat is simple but effective: pay the fee, or the negative reviews stay and potentially escalate, damaging the business’s reputation and online rating.

    This type of extortion exploits the importance of online reviews for modern businesses.

    A sudden drop in ratings can significantly erode customer trust and revenue, leaving some business owners feeling pressured to pay rather than risk further damage.

    Google’s Response to the Threat

    Google Maps has implemented clear policies prohibiting fake engagement, harassment, extortion, and harmful content.

    The platform actively monitors for violations and removes content that breaks these rules.

    However, the new reporting feature represents a more direct response to the growing extortion problem.

    The company is currently rolling out an official merchant extortion report form that allows business owners to alert Google to ransom demands quickly.

    This streamlined reporting process enables the company to take swift action against malicious actors attempting to manipulate the review system for financial gain.

    Security experts recommend that business owners never engage with extortionists or pay ransom demands, as doing so only encourages further attacks.

    Instead, businesses should immediately report malicious activity using Google’s official merchant extortion report form.

    Business owners should preserve all evidence of extortion attempts, including screenshots, emails, and chat logs.

    These records can support law enforcement investigations and help Google identify patterns of abuse across multiple targets.

    The review extortion scheme highlights how scammers continue to find new ways to exploit online platforms.

    Google’s proactive approach to the reporting feature demonstrates the ongoing battle between platform providers and cybercriminals to protect businesses and consumers from digital fraud.

    Follow us on Google News, LinkedIn, and X for daily cybersecurity updates. Contact us to feature your stories.

    The post Google Maps Adds Feature for Businesses to Report Ransom Demands for Removing Bad Reviews appeared first on Cyber Security News.

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  • Hackers Hijack Samsung Galaxy Phones via 0-Day Exploit Using a Single WhatsApp Image

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    A sophisticated spyware operation targeting Samsung Galaxy devices, dubbed LANDFALL, which exploited a zero-day vulnerability to infiltrate phones through seemingly innocuous images shared on WhatsApp.

    This campaign, active since mid-2024, allowed attackers to deploy commercial-grade Android malware capable of full device surveillance without user interaction.

    The discovery underscores ongoing threats from state-linked surveillance tools in the Middle East, where such intrusions have become alarmingly common.​

    Unit 42’s investigation began in mid-2025 while probing iOS exploit samples, leading to the unearthing of Android-specific malware embedded in Digital Negative (DNG) image files.

    These files, often disguised with WhatsApp-style names like “IMG-20240723-WA0000.jpg,” were uploaded to VirusTotal from locations including Morocco, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey between July 2024 and early 2025.

    Samsung 0-Day Exploited Via WhatsApp
    Embedded in ZIP File (Source: Unit 42)

    Researchers determined that LANDFALL leveraged CVE-2025-21042, a critical flaw in Samsung’s image processing library libimagecodec.quram.so, patched in April 2025 after in-the-wild exploitation reports surfaced.

    Unlike similar iOS attacks disclosed in August and September 2025, this Android chain predated those events and showed no flaws in WhatsApp itself.

    The operation’s precision suggests targeted espionage rather than broad distribution, with infrastructure overlaps to vendors like Stealth Falcon, known for hitting Emirati activists since 2012.​

    Samsung 0-Day Exploited Via WhatsApp

    The attack chain relied on malformed DNG files containing an appended ZIP archive, tricking the vulnerable library into extracting and executing shared object (.so) libraries that installed the spyware.

    Samsung 0-Day Exploited Via WhatsApp
    Attack Chain (Source: Unit 42)

    Upon infection, LANDFALL granted attackers access to microphones for recording, precise GPS tracking, and harvesting of photos, contacts, call logs, and messages.

    It specifically targeted Galaxy models like the S22, S23, S24, and Z series running Android 13 to 15, enabling zero-click deployment via messaging apps.

    This mirrors patterns in recent iOS exploits but highlights a recurring weakness in mobile image processors across platforms.

    Samsung’s September 2025 patch for CVE-2025-21043 addressed a related zero-day in the same library, bolstering defenses against future image-based attacks.

    Despite the patches, the campaign evaded detection for nearly a year, emphasizing the stealth of private-sector offensive actors (PSOAs) in regional surveillance.​

    For current Samsung users, the risk is mitigated since both vulnerabilities are patched, but the revelation exposes how commercial spyware vendors supply tools to governments for unchecked spying.

    Unit 42 noted no attribution to specific actors, but the Middle East focus aligns with prior PSOAs operations. Experts urge vigilance on image previews in apps like WhatsApp and recommend timely updates to avert similar threats.

    This case joins a wave of mobile exploits, from Pegasus to recent iOS chains, signaling an arms race where zero-days remain a prime weapon.

    As spyware evolves, collaboration between vendors like Samsung and researchers is crucial to outpace attackers.

    Follow us on Google News, LinkedIn, and X for daily cybersecurity updates. Contact us to feature your stories.

    The post Hackers Hijack Samsung Galaxy Phones via 0-Day Exploit Using a Single WhatsApp Image appeared first on Cyber Security News.

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  • AI-Powered Cyber Threats Rise: Attackers Target Manufacturing Sector

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    A comprehensive new report reveals that manufacturing organizations are grappling with a dual challenge: rapidly adopting generative AI technologies while simultaneously defending against attackers who exploit these same platforms and trusted cloud services to launch sophisticated attacks. The findings underscore an urgent need for enhanced security controls as the sector balances innovation with data protection. […]

    The post AI-Powered Cyber Threats Rise: Attackers Target Manufacturing Sector appeared first on GBHackers Security | #1 Globally Trusted Cyber Security News Platform.

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  • New “LANDFALL” Android Malware Uses Samsung 0-Day Vulnerability Hidden in WhatsApp Images

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    Cybersecurity researchers at Unit 42 have uncovered a sophisticated Android spyware campaign that exploited a previously unknown zero-day vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy devices. The malware, dubbed LANDFALL, leveraged a critical vulnerability in Samsung’s image processing library to deliver commercial-grade surveillance capabilities through maliciously crafted image files sent via WhatsApp. The LANDFALL campaign exploited CVE-2025-21042, a […]

    The post New “LANDFALL” Android Malware Uses Samsung 0-Day Vulnerability Hidden in WhatsApp Images appeared first on GBHackers Security | #1 Globally Trusted Cyber Security News Platform.

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  • New Microsoft Teams Feature Exposes Users to Phishing and Malware Risks

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    Microsoft is poised to roll out a significant update to Teams, enabling users to initiate chats with anyone using just an email address—even if the recipient isn’t a Teams user. While the feature, launching in targeted releases by early November 2025 and globally by January 2026, promises expanded connectivity across Android, desktop, iOS, Linux, and […]

    The post New Microsoft Teams Feature Exposes Users to Phishing and Malware Risks appeared first on GBHackers Security | #1 Globally Trusted Cyber Security News Platform.

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  • Unveiling acquisition overhaul, Hegseth tells industry to get with the program

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    FORT MCNAIR—Move faster and invest more, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told hundreds of defense-industry executives on Friday—or we just might make you. 

    Hegseth, who spoke for more than an hour to a packed auditorium at the National War College, formally unveiled a slew of policy changes intended to replace his department’s Cold War-era acquisition processes with ones that value speed over rigid requirements. The secretary described the gathering as an opportunity to look executives “in the eye.”

    “We commit to doing our part, but industry also needs to be willing to invest their own dollars to meet the long-term demand signals provided to them. Industry must use capital expenditures to upgrade facilities, upskill their workforce, and expand capacity. If they don't, we are prepared to fully employ and leverage the many authorities provided to the president which ensure that the department can secure from industry anything and everything that is required to fight and win our nation's wars,” Hegseth said.

    In the wake of the speech, Hegseth’s office released a trio of memos: one to order the renaming and transformation of the Defense Acquisition System into the Warfighting Acquisition System; another ordering an overhaul of the joint requirements process; and a third focused on streamlining foreign military sales.  

    The Pentagon chief told defense companies to put more of their own money into developing military technology—or take their business elsewhere.

    “You must invest in yourselves rather than saddling taxpayers with every cost. For those who come along with us, this will be a great growth opportunity, and you will benefit. To industry not willing to assume risk in order to work with the military, we may have to wish you well in your future endeavors—which would probably be outside the Pentagon,” he said. “We're going to make defense contracting competitive again.”

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    Steve Blank, a professor and co-founder of Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, called the speech a death knell for the Pentagon’s existing acquisition system—”the Department of War just shot the accountants and opted for speed.” And he expects major defense contractors to push back against it.

    “Their first response is going to be hiring a whole ton of K Street people to lobby Congress to point out the problems with this process, which is, we're going to take a lot more risk and a lot more things will fail,” Blank told Defense One after the speech. “So this really forces primes, if they don't want to hire lobbyists, to change their business model. And the problem is their business model is predicated on a system that's no longer sustainable.”

    Blank said Hegseth’s emphasis on speed and commercial technology will see traditional defense prime contractors pushed more than ever to compete with “startups banging on your door. Boy, the direction to me sounded pretty clear: that we're going to people who have stuff that could be delivered cheaply and quickly.” 

    The shift could also mean the Pentagon shifts to more fixed-price contracts, where work has to get done at a certain price, opposed to cost-plus contracts, which allow for increases as a result of delays or unforeseen expenses.

    In his speech, Hegseth called out cost-plus contracts as one of the symptoms that ail the Pentagon’s acquisition system. 

    “These changes will move us from the current prime contractor-dominated system defined by limited competition, vendor lock, cost-plus contracts, stressed budgets, and frustrating protests, to a future powered by a dynamic vendor space that accelerates production by combining investment at a commercial pace with the uniquely American ability to scale quickly,” he said.

    But fixed-price contracts can bring their own woes. Boeing says they are partially to blame for delays to new presidential jets. Northrop Grumman’s CEO has said they don’t make sense in development work. 

    In introductory remarks before Hegseth’s speech, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg said the Pentagon and “our contractors need to change and do better” but “those who don’t and resist it will be done.” 

    Hegseth’s speech seemed well received among defense tech founders, executives, and investors. One attendee told Defense One after the speech that prime contractors should take Pentagon leaders at their word. 

    “It is a vindication of our thesis that America needs an acquisition system focused on meritocracy and transparency,” the expert said. 

    The directive to buy commercial first doesn’t just mean off-the-shelf, it means changing the contracting process to value metrics and speed, which could mean more fixed-price contracts with milestones for production, they said. 

    Arms exports

    Beyond buying and producing weapons systems faster, Hegseth spent a chunk of his speech talking about improving the foreign military sales process.

    “Believe me, I hear about this on every foreign trip. And every conversation I have with every president, prime minister, and minister of defense is, ‘What is wrong with your foreign military sales? We ordered it in 2014; it's 2025 and it's scheduled to deliver in 2032.’ And I sit there going, ‘I don't know, what the hell?’ We didn't break it, but we're going to fix it,” he said. 

    “Not only are foreign military sales and defense commercial sales important to our American industrial base, but they're also critical to our strategic vision on the global landscape…and to accomplish this, our allies and partners must be armed with the best and most interoperable weapons systems in the world. Foreign military sales allow our warfighters to stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies.” 

    One of the Nov. 7 memos orders the organizations that handle foreign military sales—the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and Defense Technology Security Administration—to be moved from the Pentagon’s policy shop to its acquisition shop. 

    The new focus on “burden sharing” and being a better customer to allies and partners is “refreshing,” said Jerry McGinn, who leads the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ industrial base division.

    “The strong endorsement of the importance of allies and partners, it allows more overall industrial capacity. And so I think that's a good thing,” McGinn  said, noting that Denmark had recently canceled its order of U.S. Patriot missiles. 

    “They weren't going to be able to get Patriots for at least five years because of the backlog in production. So, doing better on that will be better overall because you'll have allies buying stuff that's compatible with ours—and it's good for overall capacity, good for the industrial base,” he said.

    Implementing all this will take money and people, he said.

    “I've been calling to have our industrial base on more of a ‘war footing’ for some time. And these are the kind of measures that you would have to take to do that. So follow through is going to be the key,” McGinn said. “And then the question is resourcing. Because some of this is…is going to require a lot of attention and some additional resources.” 

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  • Threat Actors Leveraging RDP Credentials to Deploy Cephalus Ransomware

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    A newly identified ransomware group, Cephalus, has emerged as a significant threat to organizations worldwide, exploiting stolen Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) credentials to gain access to networks and deploy powerful encryption attacks.

    The AhnLab researchers observed in mid-June 2025 that the group poses a persistent, financially motivated threat that exploits security gaps in remote access infrastructure.

    Threat Group’s Operation Model

    Cephalus operates with a singular focus on financial gain, employing a systematic approach to compromise organizations.

    The group primarily targets companies running RDP services without multi-factor authentication (MFA) protection, creating an ideal entry point for credential-based attacks.

    Named after the mythological figure who wielded an unerring spear, the group’s nomenclature reflects their confidence in operational success rates.

    Cephalus leak site (DLS)
    Cephalus leak site (DLS)

    Once inside a network, Cephalus executes a standardized attack sequence: breaching systems, exfiltrating sensitive data, and deploying encryption across the victim’s infrastructure.

    The group customizes its ransomware for specific targets, suggesting a high level of operational sophistication.

    Whether operating as a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) platform or collaborating with other threat groups remains unclear, though their coordinated approach indicates established processes.

    SecureMemory structure and related methods
    SecureMemory structure and related methods

    Technical Capabilities and Evasion Tactics

    The Cephalus ransomware strain, developed in Go, incorporates advanced anti-forensics and evasion mechanisms to maximize encryption success while avoiding detection.

    Upon execution, the malware turns off Windows Defender real-time protection, removes volume shadow copies, and terminates critical services, including Veeam and Microsoft SQL Server.

    The ransomware employs a sophisticated encryption architecture that combines AES-CTR symmetric encryption with RSA public-key cryptography.

    A particularly notable feature involves generating a fake AES key to deceive dynamic analysis tools, obscuring the actual encryption mechanism from AhnLab researchers and endpoint protection systems.

    The process of XORing the original key
    The process of XORing the original key

    Cephalus distinguishes itself through aggressive tactics of victim pressure. The group includes proof of data exfiltration in ransom notes by providing direct links to GoFile repositories containing stolen information.

    This demonstration strategy significantly increases victim compliance with ransom demands, as organizations face the dual threat of encrypted data and potential public exposure.

    Organizations should prioritize implementing multi-factor authentication across all RDP access points, enforce strong credential hygiene, and maintain reliable backup systems isolated from production networks.

    Security teams should also monitor for characteristic indicators of Cephalus activity and implement robust endpoint detection capabilities.

    Follow us on Google News, LinkedIn, and X for daily cybersecurity updates. Contact us to feature your stories.

    The post Threat Actors Leveraging RDP Credentials to Deploy Cephalus Ransomware appeared first on Cyber Security News.

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  • German ISP Aurologic GmbH has Become a Central Nexus for Hosting Malicious Infrastructure

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    German hosting provider aurologic GmbH has emerged as a central facilitator within the global malicious infrastructure ecosystem, providing upstream transit and data center services to numerous high-risk hosting networks.

    Operating from its primary facility at Tornado Datacenter GmbH & Co. KG in Langen, Germany, aurologic markets itself as a high-capacity European carrier offering dedicated server hosting, IP transit services, and distributed denial-of-service protection.

    Despite maintaining a legitimate business focus, the company has become a critical enabler for some of the most abusive networks operating globally.

    Formed in 2023 following the transition of Combahton GmbH’s fastpipe infrastructure, aurologic provides connectivity to several hosting providers assessed as threat activity enablers, including metaspinner net GmbH, Femo IT Solutions Ltd, Global-Data System IT Corporation, Railnet LLC, and the recently sanctioned Aeza Group.

    Femo IT Solutions routing (Source - Recorded Future)
    Femo IT Solutions routing (Source – Recorded Future)

    These downstream customers have consistently ranked among the top sources of validated malicious infrastructure, hosting command-and-control servers for malware families such as Cobalt Strike, Amadey, QuasarRAT, and various information stealers including Rhadamanthys and RedLine Stealer.

    Push Security security analysts identified that aurologic’s infrastructure has repeatedly appeared as a common upstream provider linking multiple suspected threat activity enablers.

    The company serves as a pivotal connection point between sanctioned entities and global internet connectivity, with approximately fifty percent of Aeza International’s announced IP prefixes routed via aurologic despite international sanctions from the United States and United Kingdom.

    The persistence of these relationships raises concerns about the distinction between operational neutralality and systematic enablement of cybercriminal infrastructure.

    The hosting ecosystem surrounding aurologic demonstrates structural vulnerabilities in internet infrastructure accountability.

    Upstream providers occupy strategic positions within the internet hierarchy and possess unique capabilities to disrupt persistent abuse, yet many continue deferring responsibility for downstream activity.

    This reactive approach to abuse handling creates an operational environment where networks associated with cybercrime, disinformation campaigns, and malware distribution maintain resilience and global accessibility.

    Network Infrastructure and Operational Resilience

    aurologic maintains an extensive European interconnection footprint spanning data centers across Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands.

    This infrastructure is anchored in major European internet exchange points in Langen and Amsterdam, where the company maintains direct connections with large colocation facilities.

    Simple Carrier LLC transferring AS34888 and AS42624 to Global-Data System IT Corporation (Source - Recorded Future)
    Simple Carrier LLC transferring AS34888 and AS42624 to Global-Data System IT Corporation (Source – Recorded Future)

    The multi-terabit backbone capacity and presence across multiple facilities ensures fast, redundant data transit throughout Europe, making aurologic attractive to hosting companies operating within ambiguous areas of the hosting ecosystem.

    Whether through technical neutrality, permissive policy enforcement, or limited oversight mechanisms, aurologic’s infrastructure provides operational continuity to providers with documented reputations for hosting malicious activity, positioning the company at the intersection where connectivity creates challenges in distinguishing between infrastructure provision and active facilitation.

    Follow us on Google News, LinkedIn, and X to Get More Instant Updates, Set CSN as a Preferred Source in Google.

    The post German ISP Aurologic GmbH has Become a Central Nexus for Hosting Malicious Infrastructure appeared first on Cyber Security News.

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  • Pacific soldiers push forward with transformation, with an eye on China

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    HONOLULU—The greatest risk the Army has in the Indo-Pacific region is inaction—“being late” when a crisis or conflict emerges, out of position, not fast enough, “or even worse, doing nothing at all,” said U.S. Army Pacific commander Gen. Ronald Clark.

    The command is the “Army’s innovation testbed,” Clark said, and continuous transformation is imperative. “So as leaders, we have to become comfortable with failing fast, iterating quickly, and developing better solutions,” he told an audience of defense industry representatives and troops at the AFCEA TechNet Indo-Pacific conference.

    The Army is amid a rapid modernization effort called Transformation in Contact, and several of the units created or chosen to test new technology and concepts are part of USARPAC. The command has also “embraced AI to shorten workflows and enhance the speed and efficiency at which we think, learn, and work,” the general said.

    As soldiers walked through the keynote area holding drones, Clark said the command is “at the forefront of testing new systems and processes that are driving the formation of an Army unified network based on zero trust principles, and we’re innovating with unmanned aerial systems.”

    A drone was originally supposed to fly over the audience during the event, Clark explained, but the buzzing sound it makes “scares the crap out of everyone.”

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    In an interview with Defense One earlier this year, Clark explained what he sees as the two major challenges for the Army in the region: the “tyranny of distance,” and the “increasingly aggressive, belligerent, and coercive” actions of the Chinese.

    “It’s not just about the Taiwan Strait,” Clark said. “It’s across the region, in multiple areas, where the [People’s Liberation Army] is threatening the sovereignty of our treaty allies and partners, so our ability to be ready to respond to crisis through our activities as we operate in the theater—it’s important that we’re in the right place, at the right time, with the right capabilities to not just match that threat, but to deter.”

    Deterrence, he said at TechNet, “is our highest duty and the cornerstone of our strategy in the Indo-Pacific.…We know that the cost of failure is too damn high, and we owe it to our soldiers and their families and our allies and partners…to be prepared for any challenge.”

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