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The open-source command-and-control (C2) framework known as AdaptixC2 is being used by a growing number of threat actors, some of whom are related to Russian ransomware gangs. AdaptixC2 is an emerging extensible post-exploitation and adversarial emulation framework designed for penetration testing. While the server component is written in Golang, the GUI Client is written in C++ QT for cross-platform compatibility. It comes with a wide range of features, including fully encrypted communications, command execution, credential and screenshot managers, and a remote terminal, among others. An early iteration was publicly released by a GitHub user named " RalfHacker " ( @HackerRalf on X) in August 2024, who describes themselves as a penetration tester, red team operator, and "MalDev" (short for malware developer). In recent months, AdaptixC2 has been adopted by various hacking groups, including threat actors tied to the Fog and Akira ransomware operations, as ...

Security, trust, and stability — once the pillars of our digital world — are now the tools attackers turn against us. From stolen accounts to fake job offers, cybercriminals keep finding new ways to exploit both system flaws and human behavior. Each new breach proves a harsh truth: in cybersecurity, feeling safe can be far more dangerous than being alert. Here's how that false sense of security was broken again this week. ⚡ Threat of the Week Newly Patched Critical Microsoft WSUS Flaw Comes Under Attack — Microsoft released out-of-band security updates to patch a critical-severity Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) vulnerability that has since come under active exploitation in the wild. The vulnerability in question is CVE-2025-59287 (CVSS score: 9.8), a remote code execution flaw in WSUS that was originally fixed by the tech giant as part of its Patch Tuesday update published last week. According to Eye Security and Huntress, the security flaw is being weaponized to drop a .N...

The threat actors behind a large-scale, ongoing smishing campaign have been attributed to more than 194,000 malicious domains since January 1, 2024, targeting a broad range of services across the world, according to new findings from Palo Alto Networks Unit 42. "Although these domains are registered through a Hong Kong-based registrar and use Chinese nameservers, the attack infrastructure is primarily hosted on popular U.S. cloud services," security researchers Reethika Ramesh, Zhanhao Chen, Daiping Liu, Chi-Wei Liu, Shehroze Farooqi, and Moe Ghasemisharif said . The activity has been attributed to a China-linked group known as the Smishing Triad , which is known to flood mobile devices with fraudulent toll violation and package misdelivery notices to trick users into taking immediate action and providing sensitive information. These campaigns have proven to be lucrative, allowing the threat actors to make more than $1 billion over the last three years, according to a re...

It's easy to think your defenses are solid — until you realize attackers have been inside them the whole time. The latest incidents show that long-term, silent breaches are becoming the norm. The best defense now isn't just patching fast, but watching smarter and staying alert for what you don't expect. Here's a quick look at this week's top threats, new tactics, and security stories shaping the landscape. ⚡ Threat of the Week F5 Exposed to Nation-State Breach — F5 disclosed that unidentified threat actors broke into its systems and stole files containing some of BIG-IP's source code and information related to undisclosed vulnerabilities in the product. The company said it learned of the incident on August 9, 2025, although it's believed that the attackers were in its network for at least 12 months. The attackers are said to have used a malware family called BRICKSTORM, which is attributed to a China-nexus espionage group dubbed UNC5221. GreyNoise said it observed elevat...

Europol on Friday announced the disruption of a sophisticated cybercrime-as-a-service (CaaS) platform that operated a SIM farm and enabled its customers to carry out a broad spectrum of crimes ranging from phishing to investment fraud. The coordinated law enforcement effort, dubbed Operation SIMCARTEL , saw 26 searches carried out, resulting in the arrest of seven suspects and the seizure of 1,200 SIM box devices , which contained 40,000 active SIM cards. Five of those detained are Latvian nationals. In addition, five servers were dismantled and two websites (gogetsms[.]com and apisim[.]com) advertising the service was taken over on October 10, 2025, to display a seizure banner. Separately, four luxury vehicles were confiscated, and €431,000 ($502,000) in suspects' bank accounts and €266,000 ($310,000) in their cryptocurrency accounts were frozen. The countries that participated in the operation comprised authorities from Austria, Estonia, Finland, and Latvia, in collaboration...

Cybersecurity researchers have shed light on a new campaign that has likely targeted the Russian automobile and e-commerce sectors with a previously undocumented .NET malware dubbed CAPI Backdoor . According to Seqrite Labs , the attack chain involves distributing phishing emails containing a ZIP archive as a way to trigger the infection. The cybersecurity company's analysis is based on the ZIP artifact that was uploaded to the VirusTotal platform on October 3, 2025. Present with the archive is a decoy Russian-language document that purports to be a notification related to income tax legislation and a Windows shortcut (LNK) file. The LNK file, which has the same name as the ZIP archive (i.e., "Перерасчет заработной платы 01.10.2025"), is responsible for the execution of the .NET implant ("adobe.dll") using a legitimate Microsoft binary named " rundll32.exe ," a living-off-the-land (LotL) technique known to be adopted by threat actors. The backd...

Microsoft on Thursday disclosed that it revoked more than 200 certificates used by a threat actor it tracks as Vanilla Tempest to fraudulently sign malicious binaries in ransomware attacks. The certificates were "used in fake Teams setup files to deliver the Oyster backdoor and ultimately deploy Rhysida ransomware," the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team said in a post shared on X. The tech giant said it disrupted the activity earlier this month after it was detected in late September 2025. In addition to revoking the certificates, its security solutions have been updated to flag the signatures associated with the fake setup files, Oyster backdoor, and Rhysida ransomware. Vanilla Tempest (formerly Storm-0832) is the name given to a financially motivated threat actor also called Vice Society and Vice Spider that's assessed to be active since at least July 2022, delivering various ransomware strains such as BlackCat, Quantum Locker, Zeppelin, and Rhysida over the year...

Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new set of 175 malicious packages on the npm registry that have been used to facilitate credential harvesting attacks as part of an unusual campaign. The packages have been collectively downloaded 26,000 times, acting as an infrastructure for a widespread phishing campaign codenamed Beamglea targeting more than 135 industrial, technology, and energy companies across the world, according to Socket. "While the packages' randomized names make accidental developer installation unlikely, the download counts likely include security researchers, automated scanners, and CDN infrastructure analyzing the packages after disclosure," security researcher Kush Pandya said . The packages have been found to use npm's public registry and unpkg.com's CDN to host redirect scripts that route victims to credential harvesting pages. Some aspects of the campaign were first flagged by Safety's Paul McCarty late last month. Specificall...

A rapidly evolving Android spyware campaign called ClayRat has targeted users in Russia using a mix of Telegram channels and lookalike phishing websites by impersonating popular apps like WhatsApp, Google Photos, TikTok, and YouTube as lures to install them. "Once active, the spyware can exfiltrate SMS messages, call logs, notifications, and device information; taking photos with the front camera; and even send SMS messages or place calls directly from the victim's device," Zimperium researcher Vishnu Pratapagiri said in a report shared with The Hacker News. The malware is also designed to propagate itself by sending malicious links to every contact in the victim's phone book, indicating aggressive tactics on the part of the attackers to leverage compromised devices as a distribution vector. The mobile security company said it has detected no less than 600 samples and 50 droppers over the last 90 days, with each successive iteration incorporating new layers of o...

Cyber threats are evolving faster than ever. Attackers now combine social engineering, AI-driven manipulation, and cloud exploitation to breach targets once considered secure. From communication platforms to connected devices, every system that enhances convenience also expands the attack surface. This edition of ThreatsDay Bulletin explores these converging risks and the safeguards that help preserve trust in an increasingly intelligent threat landscape. How Threat Actors Abuse Microsoft Teams Attackers Abuse Microsoft Teams for Extortion, Social Engineering, and Financial Theft Microsoft detailed the various ways threat actors can abuse its Teams chat software at various stages of the attack chain, even using it to support financial theft through extortion, social engineering, or technical means. " Octo Tempest has used communication apps, including Teams, to send taunting and threatening messages to organizations, defenders, and incident response teams as p...

Three prominent ransomware groups DragonForce , LockBit , and Qilin have announced a new strategic ransomware alliance, once underscoring continued shifts in the cyber threat landscape. The coalition is seen as an attempt on the part of the financially motivated threat actors to conduct more effective ransomware attacks, ReliaQuest said in a report shared with The Hacker News. "Announced shortly after LockBit's return, the collaboration is expected to facilitate the sharing of techniques, resources, and infrastructure, strengthening each group's operational capabilities," the company noted in its ransomware report for Q3 2025. "This alliance could help restore LockBit's reputation among affiliates following last year's takedown, potentially triggering a surge in attacks on critical infrastructure and expanding the threat to sectors previously considered low risk." The partnership with Qilin is no surprise, given that it has become the most a...

Cybersecurity researchers have charted the evolution of XWorm malware, turning it into a versatile tool for supporting a wide range of malicious actions on compromised hosts. "XWorm's modular design is built around a core client and an array of specialized components known as plugins," Trellix researchers Niranjan Hegde and Sijo Jacob said in an analysis published last week. "These plugins are essentially additional payloads designed to carry out specific harmful actions once the core malware is active." XWorm, first observed in 2022 and linked to a threat actor named EvilCoder, is a Swiss Army knife of malware that can facilitate data theft, keylogging, screen capture, persistence, and even ransomware operations. It's primarily propagated via phishing emails and bogus sites advertising malicious ScreenConnect installers. Some of the other tools advertised by the developer include a .NET-based malware builder, a remote access trojan called XBinder, a...

The threat actor behind Rhadamanthys has also advertised two other tools called Elysium Proxy Bot and Crypt Service on their website, even as the flagship information stealer has been updated to support the ability to collect device and web browser fingerprints, among others. "Rhadamanthys was initially promoted through posts on cybercrime forums, but soon it became clear that the author had a more ambitious plan to connect with potential customers and build visibility," Check Point researcher Aleksandra "Hasherezade" Doniec said in a new report. First advertised by a threat actor named kingcrete2022, Rhadamanthys has emerged as one of the most popular information stealers available under a malware-as-a-service (MaaS) model alongside Lumma, Vidar, StealC, and, more recently, Acreed. The current version of the stealer is 0.9.2. Over the years, the stealer's capabilities have extended far beyond simple data collection, representing a comprehensive threat to ...

Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a previously undocumented Android banking trojan called Datzbro that can conduct device takeover ( DTO ) attacks and perform fraudulent transactions by preying on the elderly. Dutch mobile security company ThreatFabric said it discovered the campaign in August 2025 after users in Australia reported scammers managing Facebook groups promoting "active senior trips." Some of the other territories targeted by the threat actors include Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, South Africa, and the U.K. The campaigns, it added, specifically focused on elderly people looking for social activities, trips, in-person meetings, and similar events. These Facebook groups have been found to share artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, claiming to organize various activities for seniors. Should prospective targets express willingness to participate in these events, they are subsequently approached via Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, where they are as...

Cybersecurity never stops—and neither do hackers. While you wrapped up last week, new attacks were already underway. From hidden software bugs to massive DDoS attacks and new ransomware tricks, this week's roundup gives you the biggest security moves to know. Whether you're protecting key systems or locking down cloud apps, these are the updates you need before making your next security decision. Take a quick look to start your week informed and one step ahead. ⚡ Threat of the Week Cisco 0-Day Flaws Under Attack — Cybersecurity agencies warned that threat actors have exploited two security flaws affecting Cisco firewalls as part of zero-day attacks to deliver previously undocumented malware families like RayInitiator and LINE VIPER. The RayInitiator and LINE VIPER malware represent a significant evolution on that used in the previous campaign, both in sophistication and its ability to evade detection. The activity involves the exploitation of CVE-2025-20362 (CVSS score: 6.5) a...

A new campaign has been observed impersonating Ukrainian government agencies in phishing attacks to deliver CountLoader , which is then used to drop Amatera Stealer and PureMiner . "The phishing emails contain malicious Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) files designed to trick recipients into opening harmful attachments," Fortinet FortiGuard Labs researcher Yurren Wan said in a report shared with The Hacker News. In the attack chains documented by the cybersecurity company, the SVG files are used to initiate the download of a password-protected ZIP archive, which contains a Compiled HTML Help (CHM) file. The CHM file, when launched, activates a chain of events that culminate in the deployment of CountLoader. The email messages claim to be a notice from the National Police of Ukraine. CountLoader, which was the subject of a recent analysis by Silent Push, has been found to drop various payloads like Cobalt Strike, AdaptixC2, and PureHVNC RAT. In this attack chain, however,...

The security landscape now moves at a pace no patch cycle can match. Attackers aren't waiting for quarterly updates or monthly fixes—they adapt within hours, blending fresh techniques with old, forgotten flaws to create new openings. A vulnerability closed yesterday can become the blueprint for tomorrow's breach. This week's recap explores the trends driving that constant churn: how threat actors reuse proven tactics in unexpected ways, how emerging technologies widen the attack surface, and what defenders can learn before the next pivot. Read on to see not just what happened, but what it means—so you can stay ahead instead of scrambling to catch up. ⚡ Threat of the Week Google Patches Actively Exploited Chrome 0-Day — Google released security updates for the Chrome web browser to address four vulnerabilities, including one that it said has been exploited in the wild. The zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2025-10585, has been described as a type confusion issue in the V8 JavaScript ...

Law enforcement authorities in the U.K. have arrested two teen members of the Scattered Spider hacking group in connection with their alleged participation in an August 2024 cyber attack targeting Transport for London (TfL), the city's public transportation agency. Thalha Jubair (aka EarthtoStar, Brad, Austin, and @autistic), 19, from East London and Owen Flowers, 18, from Walsall, West Midlands were arrested at their home addresses on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. They are 19 and 18, respectively. It's worth noting that Flowers was initially arrested for his alleged involvement in the TfL attack in September 2024, but was subsequently released on bail. The agency said it found evidence of Flowers targeting U.S. healthcare companies, and that he has also been charged with conspiring with others to infiltrate and damage the networks of SSM Health Care Corporation and Sutter Health. Jubair has also been charged under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers...

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new malware loader codenamed CountLoader that has been put to use by Russian ransomware gangs to deliver post-exploitation tools like Cobalt Strike and AdaptixC2 , and a remote access trojan known as PureHVNC RAT. "CountLoader is being used either as part of an Initial Access Broker's (IAB) toolset or by a ransomware affiliate with ties to the LockBit, Black Basta, and Qilin ransomware groups," Silent Push said in an analysis. Appearing in three different versions – .NET, PowerShell, and JavaScript – the emerging threat has been observed in a campaign targeting individuals in Ukraine using PDF-based phishing lures and impersonating the National Police of Ukraine. Silent Push told The Hacker News that it does not have any insight into the nature of malware that was dropped using CountLoader. It's worth noting that the PowerShell version of the malware was previously flagged by Kaspersky as being distributed using DeepSe...

Cybersecurity researchers have tied a fresh round of cyber attacks targeting financial services to the notorious cybercrime group known as Scattered Spider , casting doubt on their claims of going "dark." Threat intelligence firm ReliaQuest said it has observed indications that the threat actor has shifted their focus to the financial sector. This is supported by an increase in lookalike domains potentially linked to the group that are geared towards the industry vertical, as well as a recently identified targeted intrusion against an unnamed U.S. banking organization. "Scattered Spider gained initial access by socially engineering an executive's account and resetting their password via Azure Active Directory Self-Service Password Management," the company said . "From there, they accessed sensitive IT and security documents, moved laterally through the Citrix environment and VPN, and compromised VMware ESXi infrastructure to dump credentials and furthe...