Intelligence Feed

1mo ago · unit42

This article details a research effort to implement WebAuthn redirection in a browser-based RDP client, reverse-engineering Microsoft's undocumented internal handling of WebAuthn in Windows. The research uncovered that Microsoft's mstsc.exe uses an undocumented internal plugin path in webauthn.dll to process hash-only WebAuthn requests from older Windows servers, while public APIs require full clientDataJSON. The work enabled the first non-Windows implementation of WebAuthn redirection in an RDP client, predating FreeRDP's support. The findings highlight critical gaps in Microsoft's documentation and the complexity of cross-platform WebAuthn implementation in RDP environments.

2mo ago · talos

Cisco Talos has expanded its Threat Hunting program to proactively identify advanced adversaries leveraging AI to evade traditional detection. The initiative recently uncovered a KongTuke command-and-control (C2) infrastructure, highlighting the need for hypothesis-driven threat hunting. As attackers increasingly use AI and legitimate tools to stay under the radar, Talos emphasizes continuous monitoring across endpoint, network, and identity data to detect sophisticated intrusions before signatures are available.

2mo ago · talos

Microsoft's June 2026 Patch Tuesday addresses 206 vulnerabilities, including 32 critical, with a focus on remote code execution (RCE) flaws in Windows services, Microsoft Office, and Azure components. Several vulnerabilities are deemed more likely to be exploited, including CVE-2026-42985 in Remote Desktop Client and CVE-2026-47291 in the HTTP Protocol Stack. Talos has released Snort rules to detect exploitation attempts, emphasizing proactive defense against potential attacks targeting these critical flaws.

2mo ago · talos

Cisco Talos intelligence highlights the growing threat of AI-driven vulnerability discovery, which is outpacing human patching capabilities and enabling rapid exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities. Organizations are urged to move beyond patch-reliant strategies and adopt a resilient security posture centered on foundational controls, behavioral detection, and incident response readiness. The report emphasizes that some breaches are inevitable, making detection and response capabilities as critical as prevention.

2mo ago · talos

The article discusses a novel approach to reverse engineering VB6 binaries by leveraging vbdec's live COM object model, enabling AI agents to automate analysis without modifying the core tool. By exposing its parsed project data through the Windows Running Object Table (ROT), vbdec allows local AI agents like Claude Code to interact with and query the disassembler programmatically. This method supports scalable, repeatable, and exhaustive analysis tasks such as decompilation, call graph generation, and database export, all performed locally without uploading sensitive binaries. The technique demonstrates how existing tools can be transformed into queryable services through structured data exposure and simple scripting interfaces.

2mo ago · talos

Cisco Talos observed a large-scale credential-harvesting campaign targeting over 30,000 Fortinet devices across nearly 200 countries. The campaign leverages known vulnerabilities in Fortinet firewalls and VPN gateways to steal credentials and maintain persistent access. Additionally, fileless variants of Phantom Stealer malware are being used to target browser credentials, employing anti-analysis techniques to evade detection. These threats highlight ongoing exploitation of internet-facing infrastructure and the need for robust patching and multi-factor authentication.

1mo ago · talos

Component Object Model (COM) is a foundational Windows technology increasingly exploited by threat actors for malicious purposes such as persistence, lateral movement, execution, and evasion. Malware families like Qakbot, Gh0stRAT, and WarmCookie leverage COM interfaces to interact with Windows services including Task Scheduler, WMI, and BITS, often bypassing traditional detection mechanisms. These threats use indirect vtable calls and DCOM for stealthy operations, making static analysis more complex. Understanding COM usage is critical for effective threat hunting and reverse engineering.

1mo ago · talos

Cisco Talos highlights the increasing abuse of Windows Component Object Model (COM) by malware families such as Qakbot and WarmCookie for lateral movement, persistence, and evasion. COM's use of opaque GUIDs and indirect vtable calls complicates manual analysis and static detection, allowing attackers to blend malicious activities with legitimate system processes. Defenders are advised to enhance their ability to detect and interpret COM-related artifacts to uncover hidden stages of the infection chain.

1mo ago · talos

Cisco Talos identified ARToken, a phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platform affiliated with the EvilTokens infrastructure, targeting Microsoft 365 users via sophisticated device code phishing. The platform offers affiliates a comprehensive toolkit for token theft, persistence via Primary Refresh Tokens (PRT), business email compromise (BEC), and SharePoint/OneDrive exfiltration. ARToken leverages advanced anti-analysis techniques including client-side behavioral verification and XOR-encrypted payloads to evade detection, while operating through Cloudflare Workers and a React-based dashboard for management.

1mo ago · talos

Martin Lee, EMEA Lead at Talos, shares his journey from academic research in human virology to leading cybersecurity initiatives. He reflects on the early days of the internet, the evolution of cyber threats, and the accidental discovery of advanced persistent threats (APT) while developing early spam filters. His current role focuses on analyzing the threat landscape and communicating insights to customers and partners. The discussion highlights the importance of curiosity and adaptability in cybersecurity careers.

1mo ago · talos

Cisco Talos has identified ARToken, a sophisticated phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platform, which provides a wide range of capabilities including device code phishing, Primary Refresh Token (PRT) persistence, email access, business email compromise (BEC), and SharePoint exfiltration. The platform shares infrastructure and operational patterns with the previously documented EvilTokens platform. ARToken features a React-based dashboard and exposes over 80 API endpoints, indicating it is a mature BEC operations environment rather than a simple phishing kit.

1mo ago · hacker-news

Google, in collaboration with the FBI and other partners, has disrupted the NetNut residential proxy network, which leveraged over 2 million compromised home devices such as smart TVs and streaming boxes to route malicious traffic. The network, also known as Popa, was operated by publicly traded Israeli company Alarum Technologies and used deceptive apps to gain access without user consent. This infrastructure was exploited by cybercriminals and espionage groups for password-guessing attacks and to mask their locations. Google describes the action as a degradation rather than a complete takedown due to the network's reseller ecosystem, which allows it to persist under different brands.

1mo ago · hacker-news

PamStealer is a new macOS information stealer distributed via fake Maccy websites, impersonating a legitimate clipboard manager. It uses a two-stage infection chain, starting with a malicious AppleScript dropper that downloads a Rust-based payload. The malware validates the victim's login password using macOS PAM, establishes persistence, and steals credentials, browser data, cryptocurrency wallets, and iCloud Keychain contents before exfiltrating them to attacker-controlled servers.

1mo ago · hacker-news

Former European Parliament member Stelios Kouloglou was repeatedly targeted with Pegasus spyware during his tenure on the PEGA Committee, which investigated misuse of commercial spyware. Forensic analysis revealed two infections in October 2022 and March 2023, both exploiting a zero-click vulnerability in Apple's HomeKit (PWNYOURHOME) affecting iOS 15.5. The attacks coincided with key committee activities and may be linked to a Pegasus operator targeting multiple EU jurisdictions, possibly overlapping with a campaign against exiled journalists.

1mo ago · hacker-news

A threat actor known as Armored Likho is conducting cyber espionage and financially motivated attacks against government agencies and the power sector in Russia, Brazil, and Kazakhstan. The group uses a mix of modular RATs, infostealers, and tools like Go2Tunnel for remote access and data exfiltration. A new Python-based infostealer, BusySnake Stealer, has been identified, which steals credentials, cookies, screenshots, and documents while evading detection through obfuscation and dynamic code execution. The attacks begin with spear-phishing emails delivering malicious payloads via RAR archives or weaponized LNK files exploiting CVE-2025-9491.

1mo ago · hacker-news

A new modular malware framework dubbed Avalon has been discovered, capable of executing a multi-stage attack chain that includes credential theft, lateral movement, and ransomware deployment via its CrownX component. The attack begins with a phishing email containing a password-protected archive hosted on Proton Drive, which delivers a malicious ISO image. The framework employs advanced defense evasion techniques, disables recovery mechanisms, and exfiltrates sensitive data before encrypting systems. Notably, Avalon shows signs of AI-assisted development, lowering the barrier for less sophisticated actors to deploy complex malware.

1mo ago · hacker-news

A critical Linux kernel vulnerability dubbed 'Bad Epoll' (CVE-2026-46242) allows unprivileged users to escalate privileges to root, affecting Linux systems and Android devices. The flaw is a use-after-free race condition in the epoll subsystem, exploitable even from within Chrome's sandbox. A working proof-of-concept exists, though no active exploitation has been observed. The bug is patched in newer kernels, but older 6.1-based systems like the Pixel 8 remain unaffected.

1mo ago · hacker-news

Security firm runZero disclosed seven unpatched vulnerabilities in FatFs, a widely used filesystem library in embedded devices, which could allow attackers with physical access or control over firmware updates to achieve memory corruption and potential code execution. The most severe vulnerability, CVE-2026-6682, is a high-severity integer overflow in FAT32 volume mounting. Due to the decentralized nature of FatFs and lack of responsive upstream maintenance, downstream vendors must independently patch affected systems, increasing the risk of prolonged exposure across IoT, industrial, and consumer devices.

1mo ago · hacker-news

North Korean threat actors associated with the Contagious Interview campaign have launched the PolinRider operation, distributing 108 malicious packages and browser extensions across npm, Packagist, Go, and Google Chrome. The attack targets developers in the cryptocurrency sector through social engineering, compromising maintainer accounts to inject obfuscated JavaScript payloads into legitimate repositories. These payloads deliver second-stage malware such as DEV#POPPER RAT and OmniStealer by leveraging blockchain infrastructure and malicious VS Code task files, while using Git history manipulation to evade detection.

1mo ago · hacker-news

A U.S. government entity, likely Union County, Ohio, paid approximately $1 million to a threat actor named Kairos following a data theft extortion incident. Unlike traditional ransomware attacks, Kairos did not encrypt systems but instead exfiltrated sensitive data—including files from the prosecutor's office—and threatened to leak it unless paid. The attack highlights a growing trend of pure data-theft extortion, where the leverage is the threat of public data disclosure rather than encryption. The payment of 9.44 BTC was traced through blockchain to exchanges including Bybit, OKX, and the Russian service BELQI, but no confirmation of data deletion was verifiable.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned that a high-severity remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint, tracked as CVE-2026-45659, is now under active exploitation. The flaw allows authenticated attackers with low privileges to execute arbitrary code remotely on unpatched SharePoint servers without user interaction. Microsoft addressed the vulnerability in May 2026 updates, but over 10,000 exposed servers remain at risk. CISA has added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, mandating federal agencies to patch by a strict deadline.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

Cisco has confirmed active exploitation of a critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-20230) in its Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) software. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to perform server-side request forgery (SSRF) attacks via crafted HTTP requests. Cisco urges customers to apply patches immediately or disable the vulnerable WebDialer service as a mitigation. The vulnerability follows a trend of repeated security issues in Cisco Unified CM devices.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

Microsoft resolved a bug that caused Copilot buttons to disappear in Classic Outlook for Windows users with the Copilot Chat (Basic) license. The issue was fixed via a service update on June 29, 2026, and users are advised to restart Outlook or update to the latest build. Microsoft is also investigating Outlook crashes linked to Kaspersky Antivirus's Kaspersky Mail Checker (mcou.dll).

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

ConsentFix and ClickFix are social engineering attacks that hijack Microsoft 365 accounts by exploiting user trust in routine workflows. ClickFix tricks users into executing malicious commands via fake verification prompts, while ConsentFix abuses OAuth consent flows by luring victims into dragging a localhost callback link, surrendering OAuth tokens. These attacks bypass traditional security measures by mimicking legitimate processes, requiring no malware or credential theft. Attackers leverage publicly shared blueprints and common platforms like Dropbox to distribute lures.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

The article discusses the European Union's antitrust case against Google, culminating in a final ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) dismissing Google's appeal against a €4.1 billion fine. The case centers on Google's historical use of Android licensing agreements to promote its Chrome browser and search services, which was deemed anti-competitive. There is no mention of cyber threat activity, malware, or malicious infrastructure in the article.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

The relaunch of Claude Fable, Anthropic's powerful AI model, has disappointed users due to degraded performance and increased restrictions. Despite being available to all users, the model is heavily capped and frequently falls back to the less capable Opus 4.8 due to strict safety guardrails. Users report that prompts involving security-related terms or systems programming trigger fallbacks, impacting usability. Anthropic attributes this behavior to an expanded safety margin rather than intentional model degradation.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

Anthropic has temporarily removed access to its powerful Claude Fable 5 model from subscription plans after July 7, shifting usage to a credit-based system due to unexpectedly high demand and capacity constraints. The company clarifies this is not a permanent change and intends to reintegrate Fable 5 into subscription plans once sufficient infrastructure capacity is available. Fable 5 remains fully accessible via the Claude API and consumption-based Enterprise plans. Users are advised that the model may return to subscriptions in the future as capacity allows.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

ARToken, a phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platform, is linked to the EvilTokens Microsoft 365 phishing toolkit, enabling attackers to steal authentication tokens and bypass multi-factor authentication via device code phishing. The platform provides affiliates with persistent access through Primary Refresh Tokens (PRTs) and supports automated business email compromise (BEC) operations using AI. It allows for mailbox monitoring, file exfiltration from SharePoint and OneDrive, and deployment via Cloudflare Workers, indicating a sophisticated, multi-tenant attack infrastructure.

1mo ago · bleeping-computer

A joint operation led by Google and the FBI disrupted the NetNut residential proxy network, which leveraged at least 2 million compromised Android devices, including smart TVs and streaming boxes, to provide anonymized internet access for cybercriminals and espionage groups. The botnet, powered by trojanized applications like Badbox 2.0, enabled malicious actors to conceal their traffic using victims' residential IP addresses. The disruption involved seizing infrastructure, disabling C2 accounts on Google's platforms, and warning users via Play Protect, significantly impacting the broader proxy services ecosystem.