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  • Netizen: Monday Security Brief (11/10/2025)

    Netizen: Monday Security Brief (11/10/2025)

    Today’s Topics:

    • ClickFix Phishing Wave Hits Hotels and Hijacks Booking Accounts With PureRAT
    • Microsoft Warns of Whisper Leak: Encrypted AI Chat Traffic Can Reveal User Topics
    • How can Netizen help?

    ClickFix Phishing Wave Hits Hotels and Hijacks Booking Accounts With PureRAT

    Large-scale phishing activity is hitting the hospitality sector again, and researchers say the latest wave is using convincing ClickFix-style pages to push PureRAT onto hotel systems. The operation has been active since spring 2025 and appears to have accelerated through early fall, with attackers focusing on hotel managers who maintain Booking.com, Expedia, and other reservation platforms.

    The attack starts with email accounts that have already been compromised. From there, hotel staff receive messages that look like legitimate booking updates or verification prompts. When they click through, they’re sent to a fake verification page that imitates a reCAPTCHA step. That page then urges them to run a copied command on their computer. Once executed, the command retrieves a ZIP archive containing a binary that uses DLL side-loading to load PureRAT.

    PureRAT gives the attacker broad control. It can log keystrokes, capture webcam and microphone feeds, move files in and out, proxy traffic, run commands, and maintain persistent access through a Run registry key. The malware is packed with protections that complicate reverse engineering, making analysis slower and giving the operators more time with a compromised system.

    Once threat actors gain access to hotel extranet accounts, they use or sell the stolen credentials. These accounts are valuable because they allow direct contact with guests. Attackers send messages over email or WhatsApp containing accurate reservation information, then guide customers to fake landing pages that imitate Booking.com or Expedia. The goal is to collect card details under the false pretext of preventing cancellations or verifying payment.

    Behind the scenes, the scheme relies heavily on underground marketplaces. Criminal groups buy and sell Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb, and Agoda logs, often bundled as username-password pairs or session cookies harvested from infostealer infections. Log-checker tools and Telegram bots make it easy for buyers to validate that the stolen accounts still work, which keeps the cycle running smoothly.

    The sophistication of the ClickFix technique continues to grow. Newer versions of the phishing page display a short countdown timer, a fake verification counter, and even embedded videos to make the prompt feel routine and harmless. The page adapts to the victim’s operating system, giving system-specific instructions and automatically copying the malicious command to the clipboard to reduce friction.

    This is part of a broader trend: fraud groups are building repeatable, service-based workflows around these attacks. Compromise leads to credential harvesting, which leads to guest-targeting scams, all supported by cheap tools, malware distributors, and credential brokers. As these pages become more convincing, hotel staff and customers become easier targets.

    Microsoft Warns of Whisper Leak: Encrypted AI Chat Traffic Can Reveal User Topics

    Microsoft is warning about a new privacy threat called Whisper Leak, a side-channel technique that allows someone watching encrypted traffic to guess what topics a user is discussing with an AI chatbot. Even though the traffic is protected with TLS, packet sizes and timing patterns still reveal enough structure for an attacker with the right access to narrow down conversation themes.

    According to Microsoft’s researchers, an attacker positioned at an ISP, on a shared network, or on the same Wi-Fi could collect encrypted packets, analyze their sequence, and use machine learning models to classify whether the user’s prompt matches a topic of interest. This works because streaming models send data incrementally, and those streams often reflect token boundaries and response pacing in ways that can be measured even without decrypting the content.

    Microsoft’s tests used LightGBM, Bi-LSTM, and BERT classifiers to determine whether a prompt belonged to a specific target category. Several prominent models from major vendors were found to be vulnerable, with classification rates above 98 percent in many cases. Google and Amazon models showed more resistance, likely due to their token batching methods, though they were not completely unaffected.

    This raises clear concerns. If a surveillance actor collected enough traffic over time, they could reliably flag users asking about sensitive subjects, whether political, financial, or otherwise monitored. The technique also becomes stronger as the attacker gathers more samples to train on, making long-term monitoring more effective than one-off observations.

    Vendors have started deploying mitigations. The most effective countermeasure adds a random, variable-length text segment to each streamed output, which disrupts the relationship between token size and packet size. Microsoft, OpenAI, Mistral, and xAI have already incorporated these defenses.

    In the meantime, users who are concerned about privacy are advised to avoid discussing sensitive topics on insecure networks, use VPNs, or rely on non-streaming model modes. Choosing providers that have implemented Whisper Leak countermeasures can also limit exposure.

    This disclosure arrives alongside another study showing that many open-weight models remain vulnerable to multi-turn adversarial prompts. Researchers found that safety degradation becomes more pronounced across longer conversations, especially in models designed primarily for capability instead of safety. These findings reinforce that organizations deploying open-source or lightly-aligned models still face meaningful risks unless they apply additional security controls, perform regular red-team testing, and maintain strict system-prompt guidance.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning technology firm that develops and leverages cutting-edge solutions to create a more secure, integrated, and automated digital environment for government, defense, and commercial clients worldwide. Our innovative solutions transform complex cybersecurity and technology challenges into strategic advantages by delivering mission-critical capabilities that safeguard and optimize clients’ digital infrastructure. One example of this is our popular “CISO-as-a-Service” offering that enables organizations of any size to access executive level cybersecurity expertise at a fraction of the cost of hiring internally. 

    Netizen also operates a state-of-the-art 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) that delivers comprehensive cybersecurity monitoring solutions for defense, government, and commercial clients. Our service portfolio includes cybersecurity assessments and advisory, hosted SIEM and EDR/XDR solutions, software assurance, penetration testing, cybersecurity engineering, and compliance audit support. We specialize in serving organizations that operate within some of the world’s most highly sensitive and tightly regulated environments where unwavering security, strict compliance, technical excellence, and operational maturity are non-negotiable requirements. Our proven track record in these domains positions us as the premier trusted partner for organizations where technology reliability and security cannot be compromised.

    Netizen holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC registrations demonstrating the maturity of our operations. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that has been named multiple times to the Inc. 5000 and Vet 100 lists of the most successful and fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Netizen has also been named a national “Best Workplace” by Inc. Magazine, a multiple awardee of the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion for veteran hiring and retention, the Lehigh Valley Business of the Year and Veteran-Owned Business of the Year, and the recipient of dozens of other awards and accolades for innovation, community support, working environment, and growth.

    Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.

  • Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM): The Next Evolution for GRC

    Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM): The Next Evolution for GRC

    Cyber risk is no longer a static problem. Traditional vulnerability management and periodic compliance assessments cannot keep up with the pace of modern threats, where exposures shift daily across cloud platforms, remote endpoints, and third-party environments. Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) has emerged as a structured and measurable way to evaluate, prioritize, and reduce cyber risk continuously while aligning with business goals.

    What Is Continuous Threat Exposure Management?

    Continuous Threat Exposure Management, or CTEM, is a proactive methodology designed to help organizations identify, validate, and remediate exposures across their digital ecosystem. Established by Gartner in 2022, CTEM is defined as a framework that “fully encompasses people, processes, and technologies, allowing an organization to continually and consistently evaluate the accessibility, exposure, and exploitability of its digital and physical assets.”

    CTEM is broader than vulnerability management. It focuses not only on patchable software flaws but also on misconfigurations, weak credentials, shadow IT, and supply chain dependencies. Its purpose is to measure the organization’s true exposure to real-world threats and continuously reduce it through coordinated operational and governance activities.

    The Five Steps of the CTEM Cycle

    CTEM functions as a continuous cycle composed of five steps that adapt to change as the environment evolves.

    1. Scoping
      Define which systems, applications, and business processes fall within the program. Prioritize critical assets that support core operations or store sensitive data. Clear scope definition ensures teams focus on exposures that have the greatest business impact.
    2. Discovery
      Identify assets, vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and insecure services across all environments. Discovery should include not only IT systems but also OT, IoT, cloud resources, and external-facing components. Comprehensive visibility is the foundation for accurate exposure management.
    3. Prioritization
      Rank exposures based on severity, exploitability, and business relevance. CTEM prioritization combines vulnerability intelligence with asset criticality and threat likelihood so that remediation focuses on the most impactful risks first.
    4. Validation
      Confirm which exposures are truly exploitable through controlled testing such as penetration testing, breach simulations, or red team exercises. Validation helps verify whether identified risks represent realistic attack vectors and ensures mitigation efforts are effective.
    5. Mobilization
      Act on validated findings by integrating them into remediation workflows. Mobilization involves coordination across IT, DevOps, and business teams to resolve exposures and strengthen processes that prevent recurrence.

    Each step contributes to a continuous improvement loop, ensuring that exposure management matures over time rather than remaining a point-in-time effort.

    How CTEM Differs from Vulnerability Management

    CTEM and vulnerability management share common objectives but differ significantly in scope and execution. Vulnerability management focuses on finding and patching technical flaws in software. CTEM expands this perspective to cover all forms of exposure that could be leveraged by attackers.

    Gartner’s research How to Grow Vulnerability Management into Exposure Management (November 2024) notes that “creating prioritized lists of vulnerabilities isn’t enough to cover all exposures or find actionable solutions.” CTEM closes this gap by incorporating context, validation, and continuous monitoring into the vulnerability lifecycle.

    Key differences include:

    • Scope: Vulnerability management centers on software flaws, while CTEM spans IT, OT, IoT, and cloud systems.
    • Context: CTEM applies business and operational context to risk decisions, revealing exposure combinations that create critical attack paths.
    • Integration: CTEM links detection, validation, and remediation within one program rather than operating them as separate functions.
    • Cadence: Vulnerability management is periodic, while CTEM is continuous and adaptive to environmental changes.

    The Three Pillars of CTEM

    An effective CTEM program operates on three interrelated pillars that together define how organizations understand and manage exposure.

    Attack Surface Management (ASM)
    This pillar focuses on visibility into how the organization appears to potential attackers. External Attack Surface Management (EASM) tools map internet-facing assets, while Cyber Asset Attack Surface Management (CAASM) tools identify and analyze internal assets. Both provide insights into shadow IT, configuration weaknesses, and exposed services.

    Vulnerability Management
    Traditional vulnerability management remains part of CTEM but with an expanded risk-based approach. Vulnerabilities are ranked by exploit likelihood and asset importance rather than by severity alone. This prioritization helps allocate resources to exposures that are most likely to be targeted.

    Posture Validation
    Validation confirms whether existing controls effectively mitigate exposure. By running attack simulations or red team exercises, organizations can assess how defenses perform against real-world adversary techniques and adjust accordingly.

    The Role of Exposure Assessment Platforms (EAPs)

    Exposure Assessment Platforms, or EAPs, serve as the operational core of CTEM by aggregating data, correlating findings, and presenting unified risk intelligence across systems. EAPs continuously detect vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and other exposures, consolidating them into actionable insights.

    Their value lies in three primary capabilities:

    • Comprehensive visibility across cloud, IT, OT, and IoT environments, including unmanaged assets.
    • Contextual prioritization that accounts for business impact, asset criticality, and exploitability.
    • Risk-informed decision-making that translates technical findings into strategic recommendations.

    By integrating with other security tools such as SIEM, SOAR, and vulnerability scanners, EAPs become the analytical engine that drives continuous assessment and prioritized remediation.

    How CTEM Enhances GRC and Risk Programs

    CTEM directly supports Governance, Risk, and Compliance functions by providing real-time validation of control effectiveness. Instead of relying on periodic audits or static checklists, organizations can continuously confirm that security measures work as intended. This continuous validation strengthens readiness under frameworks like NIST SP 800-53, ISO 27001, and CMMC.

    For GRC teams, CTEM introduces continuous assurance. It connects exposure data with business processes and risk registers, offering measurable evidence of resilience. Executive leaders can monitor exposure reduction over time and link cybersecurity performance to business objectives rather than treating compliance as a separate, isolated activity.

    Choosing a CTEM Solution

    The best CTEM solution should match your organization’s maturity and integrate seamlessly with existing tools. When evaluating options, consider the following:

    • Visibility: Does the platform provide unified coverage across hybrid and multi-cloud environments?
    • Prioritization: Does it rank exposures using exploit likelihood and business impact?
    • Automation: Does it streamline remediation workflows and integrate with ticketing systems?
    • Integration: Can it connect to your SIEM, SOAR, and asset management tools?
    • Scalability: Can it adapt as your attack surface grows or changes?

    A solution that centralizes risk data, supports validation, and promotes collaboration will enable a sustainable CTEM program.

    The Benefits of Continuous Threat Exposure Management

    Organizations implementing CTEM gain measurable operational and strategic advantages.

    • Consolidated visibility across all assets and environments
    • Prioritization of high-impact vulnerabilities based on real-world threat data
    • Reduced time to detect and mitigate critical exposures
    • Continuous assurance for GRC programs and regulatory compliance
    • Stronger collaboration between technical and business stakeholders
    • Quantifiable reduction in exposure that aligns with executive reporting

    CTEM transforms cybersecurity from a reactive discipline into an ongoing process of assessment, validation, and improvement. It enables organizations to stay ahead of emerging threats while maintaining compliance and reducing overall risk.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Building a culture of cybersecurity requires more than annual training sessions or October campaigns, it demands continuous reinforcement through governance, technical controls, and expert guidance. This is where Netizen delivers value. We partner with organizations to move beyond one-time awareness initiatives and into lasting, measurable integration of people, process, and technology. From executive-level strategy to hands-on monitoring, Netizen helps ensure cybersecurity is not an event on the calendar, but a daily practice that strengthens resilience across the enterprise.

    Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning technology firm that develops and leverages cutting-edge solutions to create a more secure, integrated, and automated digital environment for government, defense, and commercial clients worldwide. Our innovative solutions transform complex cybersecurity and technology challenges into strategic advantages by delivering mission-critical capabilities that safeguard and optimize clients’ digital infrastructure. One example of this is our popular “CISO-as-a-Service” offering that enables organizations of any size to access executive level cybersecurity expertise at a fraction of the cost of hiring internally. 

    Netizen also operates a state-of-the-art 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) that delivers comprehensive cybersecurity monitoring solutions for defense, government, and commercial clients. Our service portfolio includes cybersecurity assessments and advisory, hosted SIEM and EDR/XDR solutions, software assurance, penetration testing, cybersecurity engineering, and compliance audit support. We specialize in serving organizations that operate within some of the world’s most highly sensitive and tightly regulated environments where unwavering security, strict compliance, technical excellence, and operational maturity are non-negotiable requirements. Our proven track record in these domains positions us as the premier trusted partner for organizations where technology reliability and security cannot be compromised.

    Netizen holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC registrations demonstrating the maturity of our operations. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that has been named multiple times to the Inc. 5000 and Vet 100 lists of the most successful and fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Netizen has also been named a national “Best Workplace” by Inc. Magazine, a multiple awardee of the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion for veteran hiring and retention, the Lehigh Valley Business of the Year and Veteran-Owned Business of the Year, and the recipient of dozens of other awards and accolades for innovation, community support, working environment, and growth.

    Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.

  • How to Isolate CUI and FCI in Mixed Environments Under CMMC

    How to Isolate CUI and FCI in Mixed Environments Under CMMC

    Federal Contractor Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) represent two categories of sensitive, regulated data that the U.S. federal government entrusts to non-federal systems. These data types are integral to contract performance and mission support but carry strict handling requirements designed to protect confidentiality. Under Executive Order 13556 and the guidelines established in NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-171, organizations must ensure that both FCI and CUI are managed within secure, well-defined boundaries.

    For Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and subcontractors, these requirements are formalized and verified through the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). The CMMC framework evaluates an organization’s cybersecurity maturity and certifies that the necessary safeguards are implemented to protect FCI and CUI from unauthorized access or disclosure.

    Understanding the Difference Between FCI and CUI

    While both FCI and CUI are considered sensitive, they differ in scope and handling requirements. FCI refers to information provided by or generated for the government under a contract that is not intended for public release. This data typically relates to contract performance or deliverables but does not fall under a specific legal or regulatory control.

    CUI, by contrast, is subject to stricter protection standards. It includes unclassified information that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls under federal laws, regulations, or government-wide policies. Examples include export-controlled data, proprietary technical drawings, or information related to critical infrastructure. Because CUI often involves higher risk, systems that process or store it must meet enhanced NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC Level 2 requirements.

    The Importance of Scoping Under CMMC

    Scoping is the foundation of a successful CMMC compliance strategy. It involves identifying where FCI and CUI exist, how they flow through the organization, and which systems, networks, and personnel have access. A clearly defined scope prevents unnecessary complexity and allows organizations to focus their security investments where they matter most.

    Many contractors operate in mixed environments where regulated and non-regulated data coexist. Without deliberate isolation, the CUI environment can unintentionally overlap with non-CUI systems, forcing organizations to extend compliance controls across their entire IT infrastructure. This not only drives up cost but also complicates assessment and certification.

    A well-scoped environment minimizes risk exposure and limits compliance obligations to the specific systems that handle sensitive data. It also supports better documentation, easier audits, and more predictable certification outcomes under the CMMC framework.

    Isolating CUI and FCI Through Enclaves

    One of the most effective methods for protecting CUI and FCI in mixed environments is through the use of enclaves. An enclave is a logically or physically segregated segment of a network dedicated to processing and storing regulated information.

    By placing CUI within an enclave, contractors can apply NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC controls only to that environment, reducing the compliance burden across the broader enterprise. This separation ensures that collaboration tools, cloud storage, and internal systems that do not handle sensitive data remain unaffected by higher control requirements.

    Enclaves can take several forms, including on-premises network segments, virtual private clouds, or dedicated SaaS platforms approved for handling CUI. What matters most is maintaining strict boundaries between the enclave and general corporate systems through controlled access, encryption, and monitoring.

    Steps to Isolate and Manage CUI and FCI

    1. Identify Data Flows
      Map where FCI and CUI originate, how they move, and where they are stored. Understanding data movement helps determine which systems require security controls and which can remain out of scope.
    2. Categorize Systems and Assets
      Separate systems into three categories: those that process CUI, those that handle only FCI, and those that operate entirely outside of regulated data flows. This categorization guides your control implementation strategy.
    3. Design the Enclave Architecture
      Create network boundaries that prevent data crossover between regulated and non-regulated systems. Enforce multi-factor authentication, encryption, and role-based access controls for enclave users.
    4. Implement Data Handling Policies
      Establish clear policies for where and how CUI and FCI can be accessed, transmitted, and stored. Restrict collaboration tools and file-sharing services to compliant environments only.
    5. Monitor and Maintain the Boundary
      Use continuous monitoring tools to verify that data remains within the enclave. Audit logs, network segmentation policies, and endpoint configurations should be regularly reviewed to ensure compliance.
    6. Prepare for Assessment
      Document enclave design, data flow diagrams, and security controls in preparation for a CMMC assessment. Clear documentation reduces assessment time and supports audit defensibility.

    Why Isolation Reduces Compliance Cost and Risk

    Isolation not only simplifies compliance but also limits the potential impact of security incidents. If a non-regulated system is compromised, the attacker cannot easily move into the enclave where CUI or FCI is stored. It also makes achieving and maintaining CMMC certification more cost-effective since only the enclave must meet the highest levels of security control implementation.

    A targeted compliance scope also improves operational flexibility. Teams that do not interact with CUI can operate under standard IT policies, while those inside the enclave maintain heightened security standards required by federal contracts. This balance allows organizations to meet contractual obligations without disrupting normal business operations.

    Moving Forward Under CMMC

    As federal contracting environments continue to evolve, proper data isolation will become increasingly important. The DoD’s push toward verified compliance under CMMC reflects the federal government’s growing emphasis on data assurance and supply chain security. Contractors who adopt a structured approach to isolating and protecting CUI and FCI position themselves ahead of future regulatory changes.

    Investing in well-defined scoping, enclave design, and continuous monitoring now ensures that organizations remain compliant, competitive, and trusted partners in the defense industrial base.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Netizen Corporation assists government contractors and subcontractors in achieving and maintaining compliance with NIST SP 800-171, DFARS, and CMMC. Our experts help organizations define compliance scope, design secure enclaves, and implement continuous monitoring and data governance solutions.

    Netizen’s engineers and compliance specialists bring extensive experience supporting defense and federal programs, ensuring that clients meet regulatory requirements while maintaining operational efficiency. Our CISO-as-a-Service, managed SOC, and compliance advisory services deliver the technical and strategic guidance necessary to protect Controlled Unclassified Information and sustain certification readiness.

    To learn more about isolating CUI and FCI in complex environments, contact Netizen for a consultation on secure enclave design and CMMC compliance strategy.

  • Patch Lag: The Silent Threat in Enterprise Security

    Patch Lag: The Silent Threat in Enterprise Security

    For many organizations, patch management remains one of the least exciting yet most critical parts of cybersecurity. The idea is straightforward, keep systems updated and vulnerabilities patched, but in practice, enterprises often fall behind. What starts as a short delay can slowly turn into a serious security exposure. This ongoing delay, known as patch lag, has become one of the most underestimated threats facing large organizations today.

    Why Patch Lag Persists

    Patch lag often exists because operations and security goals conflict. IT teams worry that applying updates could disrupt critical applications or workflows. Legacy systems, complex integrations, and dependency chains make the process even harder to manage. In large enterprises, patching thousands of endpoints across multiple operating systems and business units can take weeks, not days.

    Another factor is mindset. Many organizations only act quickly when they know a vulnerability is being exploited. The problem is that by the time proof-of-concept code appears online, the damage window is already open. Attackers have learned to move fast, and the difference between a one-week delay and a one-month delay can determine whether a company becomes the next headline.

    The Shrinking Exploit Window

    Attackers now weaponize vulnerabilities within hours of disclosure. Automated tools and exploit kits make it easy to find and attack systems that haven’t been patched. CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog continues to grow, and most entries are not zero-days but known flaws with existing patches.

    Enterprises that rely on monthly or quarterly patch cycles are outpaced by threat actors. A delayed update to a VPN, endpoint agent, or web application framework can be enough to let intruders in, from there they move laterally, deploy ransomware, or steal data long before the organization realizes it’s been breached.

    Real-World Consequences

    The cost of patch lag extends beyond technical breaches. Unpatched systems can lead to noncompliance with frameworks such as CMMC, ISO 27001, or NIST SP 800-53, resulting in fines or the loss of contract eligibility. Cyber insurers increasingly penalize companies that fail to demonstrate timely patching, raising premiums or denying coverage entirely.

    Recent attacks have shown how one outdated component can unravel an entire security program. Compromised web servers, obsolete middleware, and forgotten legacy systems have been used to gain initial access to even well-protected environments. The issue isn’t that the patches didn’t exist, it’s that they weren’t applied.

    Fixing Patch Lag

    Addressing patch lag starts with treating patching as a continuous process, not a scheduled event. A risk-based approach is more realistic than blind automation. Not every vulnerability carries the same risk, so focus should be on those that are remotely exploitable, actively weaponized, or affect critical assets.

    Continuous vulnerability management tools like Wazuh, Tenable, and Qualys can help track patch status across environments. Combined with automated reporting and ticketing, these systems give SOC teams visibility into what remains unpatched.

    Change control processes should evolve as well. Testing patches in sandboxed environments helps reduce fear of downtime. Phased deployments can minimize disruptions while keeping security timelines intact.

    Above all, leadership buy-in is necessary. Patch management should be tied to measurable performance indicators, such as mean time to patch (MTTP). When executives see patch delays as a risk to revenue and compliance, prioritization shifts accordingly.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    In an environment where patch lag can turn a small oversight into a major breach, having the right cybersecurity partner makes all the difference. Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning cybersecurity firm that helps organizations close the gap between detection and response through proactive monitoring, rapid patch management, and continuous vulnerability assessment.

    Netizen provides 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) services, compliance audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability management designed to identify and address weaknesses before adversaries can exploit them. Our CISO-as-a-Service program brings executive-level cybersecurity leadership to organizations of all sizes, ensuring that patching, configuration management, and risk governance are integrated into every layer of IT operations.

    Holding ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC certifications, Netizen maintains proven standards of operational maturity and technical discipline. As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), we bring trusted support to defense, government, and commercial clients who depend on timely, secure collaboration across distributed networks.

    Through modernized threat intelligence workflows and automated compliance reporting, Netizen helps organizations reduce patch lag, improve visibility into asset health, and enforce accountability across security teams. To learn how Netizen can help your organization strengthen its patch management strategy and reduce exposure from unpatched vulnerabilities, start the conversation today.

  • Threat Intelligence Sharing & Trust Frameworks Post-CISA Expiry

    Threat Intelligence Sharing & Trust Frameworks Post-CISA Expiry

    The expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) marks a defining shift in how organizations share threat intelligence and coordinate with federal partners. For nearly a decade, the Act provided a legal foundation for companies to exchange indicators of compromise (IOCs) and collaborate with government agencies under structured liability protections. Its expiration introduces new uncertainty for both the public and private sectors, as long-standing sharing frameworks and automated systems are now being reassessed.

    Legal and Policy Shifts

    The expiration of CISA removed key legal protections that had shielded organizations from privacy, antitrust, and liability concerns when sharing cybersecurity information. Programs such as the Automated Indicator Sharing (AIS) network once allowed for rapid, voluntary collaboration between private firms and federal entities. With these safeguards gone, organizations must now evaluate every intelligence exchange under a patchwork of state privacy laws, contractual obligations, and sector-specific regulations.

    Legal teams are reexamining data-sharing clauses in vendor agreements and memorandums of understanding with federal partners. Many organizations have begun implementing additional review processes to prevent sensitive information, such as customer metadata, from being disclosed inadvertently. The absence of a federal liability shield means that even unintentional data exposure could lead to regulatory investigations or civil claims.

    Congressional discussions about reauthorization remain ongoing, but no replacement framework has yet been enacted. Some policymakers support reinstating limited liability protections, while others propose embedding sharing mechanisms into existing federal programs. Until legislative clarity is achieved, private entities must rely on internal governance to balance the operational benefits of sharing with the new legal risks it presents.

    Operational Impacts on Threat Intelligence

    Operationally, the expiration of CISA is reshaping how Security Operations Centers (SOCs) and Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) collect and exchange threat data. Many organizations have reduced the volume and frequency of their outbound indicator sharing to minimize exposure. This creates gaps in detection and response, as fewer signals circulate across trusted networks.

    Automation pipelines that once delivered indicators directly into SIEM or EDR platforms now require additional validation layers. Security teams must manually inspect or sanitize data before it leaves the organization, which slows the pace of response and increases workloads. To maintain efficiency, some organizations are prioritizing the sharing of high-confidence indicators, such as known malicious domains or verified hash values, while filtering out lower-value telemetry.

    Vendor integrations are also evolving. Companies that use platforms like Splunk, Palo Alto Networks, or CrowdStrike are revising configurations to include tighter controls around external feeds. These adjustments preserve operational visibility while reducing dependence on automated federal sharing networks.

    Technical and Privacy Engineering Requirements

    From a technical standpoint, the lapse of CISA necessitates privacy engineering practices that can protect sensitive data during threat intelligence exchanges. Organizations are introducing schema-based redaction, pseudonymization, and tagging mechanisms to ensure that shared indicators exclude personally identifiable information or unnecessary metadata.

    Security architects are emphasizing provenance tracking and encryption for all shared data. Each indicator now carries information about its source, confidence level, and retention policy, allowing for greater accountability and auditability. These technical safeguards are critical for maintaining trust with both government partners and commercial vendors.

    SIEM and EDR vendors have responded with product updates that enable private threat intelligence repositories, restricted access models, and local enrichment capabilities. These features allow organizations to perform correlation and analysis without exposing sensitive logs or indicators to external systems. Privacy and provenance are now central design pillars for any enterprise-level intelligence-sharing architecture.

    Market and Vendor Adaptations

    The cybersecurity market is moving quickly to address the new post-CISA landscape. Vendors are rebranding and expanding their offerings to focus on privacy-first sharing models and enhanced contractual assurances. Palo Alto Networks and Check Point have released configuration guidance for telemetry restriction, while Trend Micro and McAfee have updated compliance templates for customers managing international data transfers.

    Procurement teams are requiring greater transparency in vendor contracts, demanding clarity on how shared threat data is processed, stored, and disclosed. Many organizations are also asking vendors to demonstrate auditable redaction controls and to commit to bilateral data-sharing agreements rather than relying on public or open exchanges.

    This increased scrutiny has encouraged innovation. Vendors now compete on their ability to provide secure, compliant data-sharing tools that still allow for actionable intelligence. At the same time, security budgets are shifting toward internal enrichment and detection capabilities, reducing dependence on external data streams that carry potential legal risk.

    Governance and the Path Forward

    The end of CISA greatly shows the need for unified governance between legal, technical, and security teams. Maintaining collaboration without a federal liability framework requires formal policies, well-documented review processes, and transparent data-handling practices. Organizations are conducting internal audits to identify where sensitive information may flow during threat sharing, implementing automated redaction systems, and updating vendor terms to reflect the current regulatory landscape.

    Investing in privacy-by-design architectures ensures that organizations can continue contributing to collective defense without exposing themselves to unnecessary risk. Governance frameworks that clearly define who can share, what can be shared, and how it is reviewed are now essential for maintaining both security and compliance.

    Outlook: Sustaining Trust Without a Statute

    While the expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act complicates collaboration, it also presents an opportunity to modernize how threat intelligence is shared and trusted. The next phase of cyber defense will depend less on statutory immunity and more on transparent engineering, responsible data handling, and contractual integrity.

    Organizations that build trust through technical precision and operational discipline will be best positioned to sustain effective intelligence sharing. By embedding privacy controls, provenance metadata, and accountability into every exchange, they can preserve the benefits of collective defense even in the absence of formal federal protections.

    How Netizen Supports Secure Collaboration

    Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning cybersecurity firm that provides comprehensive solutions for government, defense, and commercial clients. Our services include 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring, compliance audits, penetration testing, vulnerability management, and our CISO-as-a-Service program, which offers executive-level cybersecurity expertise to organizations of all sizes.

    Netizen holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC certifications, reflecting a commitment to technical excellence and operational maturity. As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Netizen delivers trusted support in highly regulated industries, ensuring compliance and resilience against emerging threats.

    We help organizations modernize their threat intelligence workflows, implement privacy-aware data-sharing practices, and align their governance models with evolving federal and state requirements. To learn how Netizen can strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity collaboration and compliance posture, start the conversation today.

  • Netizen: Monday Security Brief (11/3/2025)

    Netizen: Monday Security Brief (11/3/2025)

    Today’s Topics:

    • Organized Cybercriminals Use Legitimate Remote Tools to Hijack Freight Operations
    • OpenAI Introduces Aardvark: A GPT-5 Agent That Detects and Fixes Code Vulnerabilities Automatically
    • How can Netizen help?

    Organized Cybercriminals Use Legitimate Remote Tools to Hijack Freight Operations

    A new wave of cyberattacks is targeting the trucking and logistics industry through the abuse of legitimate remote monitoring and management tools. Proofpoint researchers Ole Villadsen and Selena Larson reported that since June 2025, organized criminal groups have been working with cyber actors to infiltrate companies and steal physical cargo, primarily food and beverage products. Once stolen, these goods are often resold online or shipped overseas for profit.

    The attackers use a mix of phishing campaigns and compromised email accounts to impersonate freight brokers, carriers, and logistics coordinators. They post fraudulent listings on load boards using hacked accounts and send follow-up emails with malicious links to carriers who inquire about shipments. These links lead to installers for legitimate remote management software such as ScreenConnect, SimpleHelp, PDQ Connect, Fleetdeck, N-able, and LogMeIn Resolve. In some cases, PDQ Connect has been used to deploy ScreenConnect and SimpleHelp together, giving attackers multiple layers of access to a victim’s network.

    After gaining remote access, the intruders perform system reconnaissance and deploy credential-stealing utilities like WebBrowserPassView to harvest passwords stored in browsers. This allows them to deepen access into the company’s infrastructure. In at least one confirmed case, the attackers used their control to delete existing bookings, block dispatcher notifications, and insert their own devices into the communications system. They then scheduled new shipments under the compromised company’s name, effectively hijacking legitimate freight operations to steal cargo.

    The use of remote monitoring software provides a strategic advantage to attackers. These tools are trusted within enterprise environments and are rarely flagged by antivirus programs. Their installers are signed, legitimate payloads distributed through malicious means, allowing criminals to operate quietly and without the need for custom malware. As Proofpoint noted earlier this year, the legitimacy of these applications lowers suspicion among users and helps attackers avoid detection.

    This emerging pattern reflects a shift from traditional data theft toward cyber-enabled physical theft. By blending digital compromise with operational fraud, attackers are managing to turn network access into real-world profit. Logistics and freight companies, particularly smaller carriers, remain vulnerable due to limited cybersecurity oversight and reliance on third-party platforms. Experts recommend tightening control over the use of RMM software, enforcing multifactor authentication on all dispatch and communication systems, and actively monitoring for unusual remote connections. Continuous monitoring and logging remain critical to identifying unauthorized sessions before they result in financial loss or disruption.

    OpenAI Introduces Aardvark: A GPT-5 Agent That Detects and Fixes Code Vulnerabilities Automatically

    OpenAI has introduced Aardvark, an autonomous GPT-5–powered agent designed to operate as an “AI security researcher” capable of detecting, validating, and patching software vulnerabilities without direct human intervention. The company describes Aardvark as an embedded security companion for development teams, running continuously within code repositories to analyze changes, assess risks, and generate targeted fixes.

    According to OpenAI, Aardvark integrates directly into software development pipelines, monitoring commits and new code pushes to detect security flaws as they emerge. Once it identifies a possible weakness, the system attempts to exploit it in a sandboxed environment to confirm its validity before drafting a patch using Codex, OpenAI’s coding assistant. These patches are designed to be human-reviewable, allowing developers to maintain oversight while benefiting from automated triage and remediation.

    The tool builds on GPT-5’s deeper reasoning capabilities and real-time model routing, allowing it to analyze large codebases more intelligently. OpenAI says that the agent not only detects vulnerabilities but also creates a dynamic threat model for each project, adjusting its assessments as new updates are made. In internal testing and limited external trials, Aardvark has already helped identify at least ten CVEs in open-source projects.

    Aardvark joins a growing wave of AI-driven code security initiatives. Earlier in October, Google announced CodeMender, an agent that autonomously detects and rewrites vulnerable code to prevent recurring flaws. Other systems, such as XBOW, focus on continuous exploit validation and automated patching. Together, these technologies represent an accelerating push toward embedding artificial intelligence directly into DevSecOps workflows.

    While automation offers significant benefits, some developers have voiced concerns about what’s being called “vibe coding,” the over-reliance on AI-generated code that often prioritizes syntactic correctness over architectural soundness or long-term maintainability. Critics warn that if agents like Aardvark are deployed without proper oversight, they could unintentionally reinforce flawed coding patterns or introduce subtle logic errors.

    Despite those concerns, OpenAI maintains that Aardvark was built to complement, not replace, human security researchers. The company frames it as a “defender-first” model that works in tandem with developers by continuously protecting code as it evolves. OpenAI’s goal, they say, is to expand access to expert-level security analysis and reduce the time between vulnerability discovery and remediation, strengthening software defenses without disrupting innovation.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning technology firm that develops and leverages cutting-edge solutions to create a more secure, integrated, and automated digital environment for government, defense, and commercial clients worldwide. Our innovative solutions transform complex cybersecurity and technology challenges into strategic advantages by delivering mission-critical capabilities that safeguard and optimize clients’ digital infrastructure. One example of this is our popular “CISO-as-a-Service” offering that enables organizations of any size to access executive level cybersecurity expertise at a fraction of the cost of hiring internally. 

    Netizen also operates a state-of-the-art 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) that delivers comprehensive cybersecurity monitoring solutions for defense, government, and commercial clients. Our service portfolio includes cybersecurity assessments and advisory, hosted SIEM and EDR/XDR solutions, software assurance, penetration testing, cybersecurity engineering, and compliance audit support. We specialize in serving organizations that operate within some of the world’s most highly sensitive and tightly regulated environments where unwavering security, strict compliance, technical excellence, and operational maturity are non-negotiable requirements. Our proven track record in these domains positions us as the premier trusted partner for organizations where technology reliability and security cannot be compromised.

    Netizen holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC registrations demonstrating the maturity of our operations. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that has been named multiple times to the Inc. 5000 and Vet 100 lists of the most successful and fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Netizen has also been named a national “Best Workplace” by Inc. Magazine, a multiple awardee of the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion for veteran hiring and retention, the Lehigh Valley Business of the Year and Veteran-Owned Business of the Year, and the recipient of dozens of other awards and accolades for innovation, community support, working environment, and growth.

    Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.

  • Netizen: October 2025 Vulnerability Review

    Netizen: October 2025 Vulnerability Review

    Security vulnerabilities are a common occurrence in managing any business’s organizational security. The prompt patching and remediation of any new vulnerabilities are critical to reducing the outside attack surface. Netizen’s Security Operations Center (SOC) has compiled five critical vulnerabilities from October that should be immediately patched or addressed if present in your environment. Detailed writeups below:

    CVE-2025-59287

    CVE-2025-59287 is a critical deserialization vulnerability in Microsoft’s Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) that allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code across a network. The flaw lies in the way WSUS processes serialized input data sent during communication with update clients or administrative tools. When crafted malicious data is sent to the vulnerable component, WSUS improperly deserializes the input without sufficient validation, enabling attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code in the context of the WSUS service. Because the service typically runs with high privileges, successful exploitation provides full control of the underlying Windows Server.

    This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise and government environments where WSUS acts as a central patch management hub. By compromising the update service itself, an attacker could distribute malicious payloads masquerading as legitimate Microsoft updates, undermining the integrity of the entire patching process. The attack requires no authentication or user interaction, making it a prime candidate for remote exploitation campaigns. Once exploited, adversaries could use the WSUS system as a stepping stone to deploy malware across all connected endpoints, modify update metadata, or disrupt update delivery through denial-of-service actions.

    The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), emphasizing its ease of exploitation and severe potential impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It was published on October 14, 2025, and updated on October 28, 2025, after Microsoft confirmed active exploitation attempts in the wild. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added CVE-2025-59287 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, urging immediate remediation. Proof-of-concept exploit code is already publicly available, as noted in repositories such as the one maintained by Hawktrace, suggesting that exploitation could spread quickly beyond targeted attacks.

    Organizations using WSUS should apply Microsoft’s security update immediately or, if patching is temporarily unfeasible, restrict network access to the WSUS server, disable external connections, and monitor for anomalous serialized traffic. Given WSUS’s role in distributing software updates, exploitation of this vulnerability could enable a widespread supply-chain compromise similar in nature to earlier enterprise-level patching system attacks.

    CVE-2025-61882

    CVE-2025-61882 is a critical vulnerability in Oracle E-Business Suite’s Concurrent Processing product, specifically within the BI Publisher Integration component. Versions 12.2.3 through 12.2.14 are affected. The flaw can be exploited remotely without authentication through HTTP requests, allowing attackers to completely compromise Oracle Concurrent Processing. Because this component controls job scheduling and report generation, successful exploitation could lead to total system takeover, giving attackers the ability to access or alter sensitive enterprise data.

    This vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), reflecting its ease of exploitation and severe potential for impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It was first published on October 5, 2025, and updated on October 27, 2025, after evidence of active exploitation surfaced. Reports indicate that the Cl0p ransomware group exploited this zero-day along with CVE-2025-61884 to breach unpatched Oracle E-Business Suite systems. Once inside, attackers leveraged the BI Publisher interface to inject commands into concurrent manager processes, gaining administrative control over databases and report workflows.

    The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) lists this vulnerability with a probability of 0.80291, indicating a high likelihood of exploitation. Given the centrality of Oracle E-Business Suite in enterprise operations—handling ERP, HR, and financial data—successful attacks could have significant operational and financial consequences.

    Organizations should apply Oracle’s official security patch immediately and ensure that external network access to E-Business Suite administrative functions is tightly restricted. Logging and alerting should be configured to monitor for unusual BI Publisher activity or unauthorized concurrent processing jobs.

    CVE-2025-41244

    CVE-2025-41244 is a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools. The issue arises when a virtual machine running VMware Tools is managed by Aria Operations with the Software Defined Monitoring Platform (SDMP) feature enabled. In such configurations, a local, non-administrative user can exploit improper permission handling to escalate privileges to root on the same virtual machine.

    This flaw is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where SDMP is widely deployed for monitoring and telemetry collection across multiple virtual machines. Because exploitation requires only local access, it may serve as a key post-compromise technique within larger intrusion campaigns. Once elevated, an attacker could modify system configurations, install persistent malware, or pivot to adjacent hosts within the virtual infrastructure.

    The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), reflecting the high potential for system takeover once access is gained. While exploitation requires some initial foothold, the attack complexity is low, and the resulting control is complete. Reports from multiple cybersecurity outlets, including The Hacker News and SecurityWeek, indicate that Chinese state-linked threat actor UNC5174 has already exploited this zero-day in targeted attacks against organizations in North America and Europe.

    CISA added CVE-2025-41244 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on October 31, 2025, urging all organizations using VMware Aria Operations to apply available patches or disable SDMP until updates are deployed. Broadcom, which now owns VMware, faced criticism for not immediately disclosing active exploitation despite internal awareness of the issue, delaying defensive action for many enterprises.

    Administrators should verify whether their VMware Tools and Aria Operations deployments are running vulnerable builds and prioritize patching on high-value systems. Logging should be enabled to monitor privilege escalation events and anomalous Aria Operations activity. Isolation of management VMs from general workloads is strongly recommended to prevent lateral movement following potential exploitation.

    CVE-2025-6205

    CVE-2025-6205 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability affecting Dassault Systèmes’ DELMIA Apriso manufacturing execution platform from Release 2020 through Release 2025. The flaw allows a remote attacker to gain unauthorized privileged access to the application without prior authentication. This means that attackers can potentially take administrative control of the system, manipulate production processes, access sensitive manufacturing data, or disrupt connected industrial operations.

    The vulnerability was added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on October 28, 2025, after reports confirmed active exploitation targeting organizations in manufacturing and industrial automation sectors. According to advisories from multiple security researchers, attackers have been leveraging this flaw to infiltrate factory control systems tied to DELMIA Apriso environments, particularly those connected to wider enterprise networks. Because the vulnerability lies in authorization checks, exploitation requires no user interaction and can be triggered directly over a network via HTTP requests.

    With a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N), the vulnerability poses a severe threat to data confidentiality and system integrity. While the primary impact centers on unauthorized access and data manipulation, the lack of availability impact suggests attackers are focused on persistence and control rather than outright disruption. Its CVSS v2 score of 9.4 and an EPSS likelihood of 0.42044 indicate both ease of exploitation and ongoing attacker interest.

    SecurityWeek and The Hacker News report that exploitation campaigns have been attributed to threat groups with a focus on industrial espionage, including actors linked to prior intrusions against manufacturing firms. These operations often leverage DELMIA Apriso’s integration with ERP systems, allowing attackers to pivot laterally into supply chain management environments or exfiltrate intellectual property.

    Organizations using affected versions should immediately apply the latest vendor patches or follow CISA’s mitigation guidance if immediate patching is not feasible. Network segmentation between operational technology (OT) and IT systems, alongside close monitoring of HTTP traffic targeting Apriso management interfaces, can help reduce exposure. Unusual administrative activity, particularly involving configuration or workflow changes, may indicate ongoing compromise attempts.

    CVE-2025-24893

    CVE-2025-24893 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability in XWiki Platform, an open-source enterprise wiki and application development framework. The flaw exists in the SolrSearch component, which fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before passing it to server-side code evaluation routines. This allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary Groovy code on the affected instance simply by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to the /xwiki/bin/get/Main/SolrSearch endpoint.

    The vulnerability impacts all XWiki installations that expose their SolrSearch endpoint without authentication, giving remote actors the ability to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the entire system. Exploitation does not require prior access or complex techniques, an attacker can inject Groovy code directly through the request parameter. If the server returns an RSS feed containing the string “Hello from search text:42” after sending the proof-of-concept payload, it confirms that the instance is vulnerable and executing attacker-supplied code.

    This issue affects XWiki versions prior to 15.10.11, 16.4.1, and 16.5.0RC1. The developers have patched the flaw by modifying the Main.SolrSearchMacros file to enforce proper content-type handling and sanitize user input in the rawResponse macro, preventing direct code interpretation.

    The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) indicates a near-total compromise potential with low attack complexity and no authentication required. It also has one of the highest Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) ratings, 0.94117, signifying widespread attacker interest and active exploitation.

    CISA added CVE-2025-24893 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on October 31, 2025, following reports of real-world exploitation. Threat intelligence sources, including The Hacker News and Security Affairs, revealed that attackers have hijacked vulnerable XWiki servers to deploy cryptocurrency mining malware and establish persistent backdoors. Since the flaw is reachable without authentication, compromised XWiki instances can also be leveraged for lateral movement across networks or for hosting malicious payloads disguised as legitimate documentation pages.

    Administrators should immediately update to a patched version or apply the provided mitigation by editing SolrSearchMacros.xml and restricting public access to /xwiki/bin/get/Main/SolrSearch. Continuous monitoring for unusual Groovy script execution or high CPU load may also help identify compromised instances.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Netizen ensures that security gets built-in and not bolted-on. Providing advanced solutions to protect critical IT infrastructure such as the popular “CISO-as-a-Service” wherein companies can leverage the expertise of executive-level cybersecurity professionals without having to bear the cost of employing them full time. 

    We also offer compliance support, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and more security-related services for businesses of any size and type. 

    Additionally, Netizen offers an automated and affordable assessment tool that continuously scans systems, websites, applications, and networks to uncover issues. Vulnerability data is then securely analyzed and presented through an easy-to-interpret dashboard to yield actionable risk and compliance information for audiences ranging from IT professionals to executive managers.

    Netizen is an ISO 27001:2013 (Information Security Management), ISO 9001:2015, and CMMI V 2.0 Level 3 certified company. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor for hiring and retention of military veterans. 

    Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.

  • Netizen Cybersecurity Bulletin (October 30th, 2025)

    Netizen Cybersecurity Bulletin (October 30th, 2025)

    Overview:

    • Phish Tale of the Week
    • CISA Orders Federal Agencies to Patch VMware Tools Vulnerability Exploited by Chinese State Hackers
    • YouTube Ghost Network: 3,000 Malware-Infested Videos Used to Spread Credential Stealers Across Compromised Channels
    • How can Netizen help?

    Phish Tale of the Week

    Often times phishing campaigns, created by malicious actors, target users by utilizing social engineering. For example, in this text message, the actors are appearing as the USPS and informing you that action needs to be taken regarding your package’s delivery. The message politely explains that “USPS” is holding our package that we ordered at “the warehouse,” and that we just need to confirm our address in order to get it delivered. It seems both urgent and genuine, so why shouldn’t we visit the link they sent us? Luckily, there’s plenty of reasons that point to this being a scam.

    Here’s how we can tell not to click on this smishing link:

    1. The first warning sign for this SMS is the fact that it includes a URL in the message. Typically, companies will send notifications like this through SMS, but they’ll end with a call to action within an already trusted environment, for example the statement “check your tracking details for more information.” Always be sure to think twice and check “urgent” statuses like this one through a trusted environment, and never click on links sent through an SMS from an unknown number.
    2. The second warning signs in this text is the messaging. This message tries to create a sense of urgency and get you to take action by using language such as “Within the next 12 hours” and “Please confirm.” Phishing and smishing scams commonly attempt to create a sense of urgency in their messages in order to get you to click their link without thinking about it first. Always be sure to thoroughly inspect the style and tone of all texts before following a link sent through SMS.
    3. The final warning sign for this email is the style of the link. After a quick look at the address, one can quickly deduce that we’ve been sent a phishing link. Trusted companies like USPS typically will use a simple, standardized domain as their website. For example, USPS’s official website is simply “usps.com.” Threat actors typically will utilize message-related words in the links they send you. After taking one quick look at the URL, “uspz.usspaob.top,” it’s very obvious that this text is an attempt at a smish.


    General Recommendations:

    A smishing attack will typically direct the user to click on a link where they will then be prompted to update personal information, such as a password, credit card, social security, or bank account information. A legitimate company already has this sensitive information and would not ask for it again, especially via your text messages. 

    1. Scrutinize your messages before clicking anything. Have you ordered anything recently? Does this order number match the one I already have? Did the message come from a store you don’t usually order supplies from or a service you don’t use? If so, it’s probably a phishing attempt.
    2. Verify that the sender is actually from the company sending the message.
    3. Did you receive a message from someone you don’t recognize? Are they asking you to sign into a website to give Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as credit card numbers, social security number, etc. A legitimate company will never ask for PII via instant message or email.
    4. Do not give out personal or company information over the internet.
    5. Do not click on unrecognized links or attachments. If you do proceed, verify that the URL is the correct one for the company/service and it has the proper security in place, such as HTTPS.

    Many smishing messages pose a sense of urgency or even aggressiveness to prompt a form of intimidation. Any SMS requesting immediate action should be vetted thoroughly to determine whether or not it is a scam. Also, beware of messages that seek to tempt users into opening an attachment or visiting a link. For example, “Fix your account now” may draw the question “What is wrong with my account?” and prompt you to click a suspicious link.

    Cybersecurity Brief

    In this month’s Cybersecurity Brief:

    CISA Orders Federal Agencies to Patch VMware Tools Vulnerability Exploited by Chinese State Hackers

    The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has ordered federal agencies to patch a high-severity vulnerability in Broadcom’s VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools after confirming that it is being exploited by Chinese hackers. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-41244, allows a local attacker with limited privileges to gain root access on a virtual machine managed by Aria Operations when SDMP is enabled.

    CISA added the vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which lists security flaws known to be used in real-world attacks. Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies have until November 20 to apply patches as required under Binding Operational Directive 22-01. The agency warned that unpatched systems remain exposed to ongoing attacks and urged organizations outside the federal government to also apply updates as soon as possible.

    Broadcom patched the issue one month ago following reports from security researcher Maxime Thiebaut at NVISO, who discovered that a Chinese state-sponsored actor identified as UNC5174 had been exploiting it since October 2024. Thiebaut released proof-of-concept code showing how an attacker could use the vulnerability to escalate privileges on both Aria Operations and VMware Tools installations, granting full control over the affected virtual machine.

    UNC5174, which Google Mandiant has described as a contractor for China’s Ministry of State Security, has been involved in several major intrusions over the past two years. The group was observed selling access to compromised U.S. defense contractors, British government entities, and Asian institutions after exploiting other high-profile vulnerabilities such as CVE-2023-46747 in F5 BIG-IP, CVE-2024-1709 in ConnectWise ScreenConnect, and CVE-2025-31324 in SAP NetWeaver.

    Since the beginning of 2025, Broadcom has released patches for three other VMware zero-days and addressed two additional high-severity issues in VMware NSX reported by the National Security Agency. These repeated discoveries highlight the growing focus of advanced threat actors on virtualization platforms, which serve as gateways to large numbers of sensitive systems once compromised.

    CISA’s latest directive emphasizes that these vulnerabilities remain a common path for intrusions into government networks and that patching is the most effective mitigation. Agencies and private organizations using affected VMware products are advised to follow Broadcom’s guidance, verify their environments for exposure, and apply available fixes without delay.

    To read more about this article, click here.

    YouTube Ghost Network: 3,000 Malware-Infested Videos Used to Spread Credential Stealers Across Compromised Channels

    A new report from Check Point has revealed a widespread campaign that weaponized YouTube to distribute malware at scale. Dubbed the “YouTube Ghost Network,” the operation involved more than 3,000 videos published across hundreds of compromised channels, many of which had been active since 2021. These videos masqueraded as legitimate tutorials for pirated software or gaming cheats but instead directed users to malware downloads.

    The malicious uploads, often disguised with convincing visuals, likes, and comments, were designed to appear trustworthy. Some received well over 200,000 views before being removed. The network relied heavily on hacked accounts whose original content was replaced with fake installation guides for cracked software. Victims were lured to download supposed installers from file-sharing platforms such as MediaFire or Dropbox, or from phishing pages hosted on Google Sites and Blogger. Each of these locations contained hidden payloads leading to information-stealing malware.

    Researchers found that the operation was built on a structured, role-based system that assigned functions to different account types. “Video accounts” uploaded the infected videos and pinned download links. “Post accounts” promoted those same links through YouTube’s community tab. “Interact accounts” boosted engagement by liking and commenting on the videos to create a false sense of credibility. This setup allowed the operators to replace banned or removed accounts quickly without disrupting the campaign, maintaining a continuous presence across YouTube.

    The network’s organization made it difficult for automated moderation systems to shut it down completely. Even after Google removed a majority of the videos, new ones continued to appear through replacement accounts. Some evidence suggests that the network might operate as a form of “distribution-as-a-service,” meaning multiple groups could be leasing access to it to spread different strains of malware.

    Malware families linked to the Ghost Network include Lumma Stealer, Rhadamanthys Stealer, RedLine Stealer, StealC, and Phemedrone. These tools are designed to harvest browser credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, and authentication tokens from infected devices. One hijacked channel with over 120,000 subscribers was caught hosting a fake Adobe Photoshop installer that deployed Hijack Loader, which in turn downloaded Rhadamanthys.

    Check Point noted that the growth of this network mirrors a broader shift in cybercrime tactics toward using legitimate platforms as delivery systems. Attackers exploit engagement metrics and user trust rather than relying solely on traditional phishing emails or malicious ads. By embedding malware campaigns within well-known services, they gain both reach and credibility.

    The report emphasized that the success of operations like the YouTube Ghost Network demonstrates how cybercriminals are adapting to new content ecosystems. By leveraging social media features such as likes, comments, and community posts, they are able to scale attacks while maintaining the appearance of legitimacy.

    Google confirmed that it has removed most of the identified malicious content and continues to work with security researchers to track and disrupt these activities. Still, the campaign shows that large-scale content networks can be turned into malware delivery systems when trust mechanisms are abused, and that vigilance from both platforms and users remains the only reliable defense against such evolving tactics.

    To read more about this article, click here.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning technology firm that develops and leverages cutting-edge solutions to create a more secure, integrated, and automated digital environment for government, defense, and commercial clients worldwide. Our innovative solutions transform complex cybersecurity and technology challenges into strategic advantages by delivering mission-critical capabilities that safeguard and optimize clients’ digital infrastructure. One example of this is our popular “CISO-as-a-Service” offering that enables organizations of any size to access executive level cybersecurity expertise at a fraction of the cost of hiring internally. 

    Netizen also operates a state-of-the-art 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) that delivers comprehensive cybersecurity monitoring solutions for defense, government, and commercial clients. Our service portfolio includes cybersecurity assessments and advisory, hosted SIEM and EDR/XDR solutions, software assurance, penetration testing, cybersecurity engineering, and compliance audit support. We specialize in serving organizations that operate within some of the world’s most highly sensitive and tightly regulated environments where unwavering security, strict compliance, technical excellence, and operational maturity are non-negotiable requirements. Our proven track record in these domains positions us as the premier trusted partner for organizations where technology reliability and security cannot be compromised.

    Netizen holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC registrations demonstrating the maturity of our operations. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that has been named multiple times to the Inc. 5000 and Vet 100 lists of the most successful and fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Netizen has also been named a national “Best Workplace” by Inc. Magazine, a multiple awardee of the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion for veteran hiring and retention, the Lehigh Valley Business of the Year and Veteran-Owned Business of the Year, and the recipient of dozens of other awards and accolades for innovation, community support, working environment, and growth.

    Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.

  • Aisuru Botnet Shifts From DDoS to Residential Proxies

    Aisuru Botnet Shifts From DDoS to Residential Proxies

    Aisuru, the botnet known for unleashing several record-breaking DDoS attacks this year, has shifted focus. Instead of flooding networks with traffic, its operators are now renting out infected Internet of Things (IoT) devices as residential proxies. This move turns a once-destructive campaign into a profitable, quieter business model. The infected devices now serve as relays for customers seeking to hide their online activity, blending malicious traffic with that of everyday home users.

    From Massive Attacks to Silent Rentals

    The botnet first appeared in August 2024 and has since compromised at least 700,000 IoT systems, including routers, digital video recorders, and security cameras. At its peak, Aisuru was capable of generating attacks exceeding 30 terabits per second. In June, it launched a 6.3-terabit-per-second assault against KrebsOnSecurity, one of the largest attacks Google’s mitigation network had ever recorded.

    Such attacks did more than target single websites, they caused collateral damage across entire Internet service providers. When Aisuru’s nodes were used for outbound DDoS traffic, the resulting data floods sometimes reached over a terabit per second per provider, overloading routers and affecting legitimate customers. Federal authorities and major ISPs in both the United States and Europe have since begun cooperating to identify and block the botnet’s infrastructure.

    The Rise of the Residential Proxy Economy

    Recent updates to Aisuru’s malware turned its infected devices into part of the residential proxy market. Proxy services lease access to these devices, letting customers mask their online traffic as if it came from legitimate household connections. While proxies have valid business uses such as price monitoring or web analytics, they are often abused to disguise cybercrime operations including ad fraud, credential stuffing, and large-scale scraping.

    This market has grown explosively. Data collected from monitoring services indicates that hundreds of millions of residential IPs are now available for rent. Much of this surge is likely tied to botnets like Aisuru, which provide a steady influx of compromised devices. The abundance of residential proxies has become a valuable resource for data harvesting operations supporting artificial intelligence projects, particularly those training large language models on scraped content.

    Exploiting SDKs for Bandwidth and Profit

    Many proxy networks expand their reach through software development kits bundled into mobile or desktop apps. These SDKs often claim user consent but can quietly convert a device into a traffic relay. Infected devices under Aisuru’s control may be forced to install such SDKs automatically, allowing the botmasters to profit each time bandwidth from those devices is sold to proxy services.

    Researchers have linked parts of this ecosystem to companies in China operating under collective brands like HK Network. These entities manage multiple proxy services that resell bandwidth among themselves, complicating efforts to track their true ownership and size. The structure allows them to market large proxy pools under different names while remaining largely anonymous.

    Impact on the Internet and AI Infrastructure

    This shift from DDoS to proxy operations has significant consequences. Instead of causing short-lived outages, the infrastructure now supports long-term, large-scale data scraping that burdens websites, APIs, and open-source projects. Some maintainers report that nearly all of their incoming traffic now comes from automated crawlers feeding AI systems.

    The strain has grown so severe that companies like Cloudflare are testing “pay-per-crawl” systems to let website owners charge AI bots for access. Others, like Reddit, have begun legal action against proxy providers accused of enabling large-scale scraping in violation of platform policies.

    Implications for Security Teams

    For security operations centers and network defenders, this evolution demands new detection methods. Malicious traffic now originates from residential IPs, making it far harder to distinguish from legitimate user activity. Traditional blocklists and data-center IP reputation checks no longer suffice. Behavioral indicators—such as simultaneous long-duration sessions, abnormal bandwidth usage, or repetitive access patterns—are now key signals.

    Monitoring outbound flows from IoT networks, enforcing segmentation, and maintaining strict firmware update policies are critical steps in preventing internal devices from being hijacked into proxy networks. Collaboration with ISPs and intelligence-sharing groups will also be vital as these hybrid proxy-botnets continue to expand.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning technology firm that develops and leverages cutting-edge solutions to create a more secure, integrated, and automated digital environment for government, defense, and commercial clients worldwide. Our innovative solutions transform complex cybersecurity and technology challenges into strategic advantages by delivering mission-critical capabilities that safeguard and optimize clients’ digital infrastructure. One example of this is our popular “CISO-as-a-Service” offering that enables organizations of any size to access executive level cybersecurity expertise at a fraction of the cost of hiring internally. 

    Netizen also operates a state-of-the-art 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) that delivers comprehensive cybersecurity monitoring solutions for defense, government, and commercial clients. Our service portfolio includes cybersecurity assessments and advisory, hosted SIEM and EDR/XDR solutions, software assurance, penetration testing, cybersecurity engineering, and compliance audit support. We specialize in serving organizations that operate within some of the world’s most highly sensitive and tightly regulated environments where unwavering security, strict compliance, technical excellence, and operational maturity are non-negotiable requirements. Our proven track record in these domains positions us as the premier trusted partner for organizations where technology reliability and security cannot be compromised.

    Netizen holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC registrations demonstrating the maturity of our operations. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that has been named multiple times to the Inc. 5000 and Vet 100 lists of the most successful and fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Netizen has also been named a national “Best Workplace” by Inc. Magazine, a multiple awardee of the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion for veteran hiring and retention, the Lehigh Valley Business of the Year and Veteran-Owned Business of the Year, and the recipient of dozens of other awards and accolades for innovation, community support, working environment, and growth.

    Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.

  • Netizen: Monday Security Brief (10/27/2025)

    Netizen: Monday Security Brief (10/27/2025)

    Today’s Topics:

    • Chrome Zero-Day Exploited Through Spyware Built by Hacking Team Successor
    • Persistent Hidden Commands Found in ChatGPT Atlas Browser Memory
    • How can Netizen help?

    Chrome Zero-Day Exploited Through Spyware Built by Hacking Team Successor

    ZERO-DAY text and binary code concept from the desktop computer screen,ZERO-DAY vulnerability concept (also known as a 0-day)A zero-day vulnerability is a flaw in software or hardware.

    A zero-day vulnerability in Google Chrome has been tied to a spyware operation run by Memento Labs, the rebranded successor of the notorious Hacking Team. The flaw, identified as CVE-2025-2783, was discovered by Kaspersky researchers earlier this year and used in a campaign known as Operation ForumTroll. The attackers targeted both government and private sector organizations in Russia and Belarus, deploying a spyware tool called Dante.

    After the 2015 breach that exposed Hacking Team’s internal files and source code, many believed the company was finished. In 2019, it was acquired by IntheCyber Group and relaunched under a new name: Memento Labs. By 2023, the company unveiled Dante, a new surveillance platform that analysts now say is a direct evolution of the old Remote Control Systems (RCS) spyware.

    Kaspersky’s report revealed that despite claims of a clean restart, Dante contains striking similarities to Hacking Team’s earlier work. This finding highlights how the commercial spyware industry has persisted through name changes and acquisitions, continuing to supply tools for government-linked surveillance.

    The attacks began through targeted phishing messages containing short-lived links. Once clicked, they delivered a Chrome exploit that used an unusual quirk in Windows to bypass browser sandboxing. Boris Larin, principal security researcher at Kaspersky, explained that the vulnerability involved how Windows handles pseudo handles, or constant values representing objects inside privileged processes.

    By exploiting this flaw, attackers managed to disable Chrome’s sandbox protections and execute malicious code without triggering alarms. Larin described the exploit as one of the most unusual sandbox escapes Kaspersky has ever encountered, warning that the same logic flaw might exist in other Windows services or applications. He also called the DuplicateHandle API a dangerous function that should reject pseudo handles altogether to prevent privilege escalation.

    The spyware behind the campaign, Dante, was heavily protected by VMProtect, an obfuscation tool that makes reverse engineering difficult. Every string within the code was encrypted, though once decrypted, researchers found unmistakable indicators that tied the program to Memento Labs.

    According to Kaspersky, the spyware was not directly observed in Operation ForumTroll but was linked to other attacks involving the same infrastructure and coding patterns. These overlaps suggest that Memento’s spyware ecosystem has been active since at least 2022, operating quietly through multiple campaigns.

    The case demonstrates how commercial spyware vendors continue to drive zero-day exploitation across widely used platforms such as Chrome and iOS. Companies like Memento Labs operate under the guise of providing lawful surveillance tools, yet their products often end up in politically motivated campaigns that target journalists, activists, and foreign government entities.

    Public exposure and company rebranding have done little to slow this market. Despite the downfall of Hacking Team a decade ago, its descendants continue to build and sell advanced intrusion frameworks. Each reappearance underscores the difficulty of dismantling the commercial spyware ecosystem, which thrives on the global demand for offensive cyber capabilities.

    Persistent Hidden Commands Found in ChatGPT Atlas Browser Memory

    Security researchers have disclosed a vulnerability in OpenAI’s ChatGPT Atlas browser that can let attackers inject persistent, hidden instructions into the assistant’s memory and trigger arbitrary code execution. LayerX Security reported the flaw after demonstrating how a cross-site request forgery exploit can write attacker-supplied instructions into ChatGPT memory. Those instructions can survive across devices and sessions and execute when a user later interacts with the assistant.

    LayerX co-founder and CEO Or Eshed described the threat as capable of infecting systems with malicious code, elevating attacker privileges, or deploying malware. Michelle Levy, head of security research at LayerX, said their tests showed that once memory was tainted, normal user prompts sometimes triggered code fetches, privilege escalations, or data exfiltration without obvious safeguards activating.

    The problem hinges on two features. First, memory, introduced by OpenAI in February 2024, is meant to persist helpful user details between chats so responses feel more personalized. Second, the Atlas browser’s current defenses against phishing and web-based attacks appear weaker than those of established browsers, which makes it easier for an authenticated user to be tricked into a harmful action. LayerX’s testing against more than 100 real-world web threats found that Edge blocked 53 percent, Chrome blocked 47 percent, and Dia blocked 46 percent. In comparison, Perplexit’s Comet and ChatGPT Atlas blocked only 7 percent and 5.8 percent respectively.

    The attack scenario LayerX demonstrated follows a simple chain. A logged-in user is socially engineered into visiting a malicious page. That page issues a CSRF call that writes hidden instructions into ChatGPT’s persistent memory. Later, when the user asks ChatGPT to assist with a legitimate task, the assistant consults the tainted memory and may act on the hidden instructions. LayerX withheld some low-level details while sharing proof-of-concept behavior with reporters.

    The implications extend beyond single sessions. Because the poisoned memory can travel with the user profile, any device where that profile is active may inherit the compromise. This creates opportunities for attackers to contaminate development workflows or automated tasks by slipping commands into code suggestions or prompt templates. NeuralTrust and others have already shown how prompt injection and malicious URLs can break an agent’s expected behavior; the Atlas memory flaw adds a lasting persistence vector.

    Enterprises that rely on AI agents integrated into browser workflows should treat this class of issue as an operational risk. Developers and security teams can take several practical steps. Turn off persistent memory for high-risk accounts or for users who handle sensitive code and data. Limit ChatGPT access to segmented accounts that do not carry privileged credentials. Add monitoring for unexpected outbound code fetches and unusual command patterns originating from AI-assisted requests. Apply stricter phishing defenses, use browser isolation for AI browsing sessions, and require re-authentication for memory writes or other sensitive actions.

    OpenAI and security vendors have both been notified of the findings. LayerX called out Atlas’s relative lack of anti-phishing protections as a major factor that increases exposure compared with mainstream browsers. Until browser vendors and AI platform operators add explicit controls to protect persistent memory, users should assume that any feature that stores instructions across sessions can be abused and should be treated with caution.

    Security teams, product owners, and developers who integrate agentic browsers into workflows must evaluate how persistent memory is used and whether that usage can be hardened. Small configuration changes and stricter access controls can reduce immediate exposure, while longer term fixes will require design changes that separate stored user preferences from executable instructions and that prevent remote sources from silently modifying memory.

    How Can Netizen Help?

    Founded in 2013, Netizen is an award-winning technology firm that develops and leverages cutting-edge solutions to create a more secure, integrated, and automated digital environment for government, defense, and commercial clients worldwide. Our innovative solutions transform complex cybersecurity and technology challenges into strategic advantages by delivering mission-critical capabilities that safeguard and optimize clients’ digital infrastructure. One example of this is our popular “CISO-as-a-Service” offering that enables organizations of any size to access executive level cybersecurity expertise at a fraction of the cost of hiring internally. 

    Netizen also operates a state-of-the-art 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) that delivers comprehensive cybersecurity monitoring solutions for defense, government, and commercial clients. Our service portfolio includes cybersecurity assessments and advisory, hosted SIEM and EDR/XDR solutions, software assurance, penetration testing, cybersecurity engineering, and compliance audit support. We specialize in serving organizations that operate within some of the world’s most highly sensitive and tightly regulated environments where unwavering security, strict compliance, technical excellence, and operational maturity are non-negotiable requirements. Our proven track record in these domains positions us as the premier trusted partner for organizations where technology reliability and security cannot be compromised.

    Netizen holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, and CMMI Level III SVC registrations demonstrating the maturity of our operations. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certified by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that has been named multiple times to the Inc. 5000 and Vet 100 lists of the most successful and fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Netizen has also been named a national “Best Workplace” by Inc. Magazine, a multiple awardee of the U.S. Department of Labor HIRE Vets Platinum Medallion for veteran hiring and retention, the Lehigh Valley Business of the Year and Veteran-Owned Business of the Year, and the recipient of dozens of other awards and accolades for innovation, community support, working environment, and growth.

    Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.