Daily Brief

Microsoft issued an out-of-band security update to address a critical WSUS vulnerability, CVE-2025-59287, which is actively being exploited in the wild. This flaw, with a CVSS score of 9.8, allows remote code execution, posing significant risks to Windows Server Update Service environments. Attackers are deploying a .NET executable and Base64-encoded PowerShell payload to execute arbitrary commands on compromised systems. Organizations are urged to apply the patch immediately to prevent potential breaches and maintain operational integrity. The rapid exploitation of this vulnerability underscores the necessity for timely patch management and proactive security measures. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining robust update and vulnerability management processes. Security teams should prioritize reviewing and updating their systems to mitigate risks associated with newly discovered vulnerabilities.

Former CISA Director Jen Easterly suggests AI could drastically reduce cybersecurity threats by swiftly identifying and fixing software vulnerabilities, potentially diminishing the need for traditional security teams. Easterly emphasizes the root issue is not cybersecurity itself but the poor quality of software, often prioritized for speed and cost over security, leading to widespread vulnerabilities. AI advancements empower both attackers and defenders, enabling more sophisticated malware but also offering tools for rapid vulnerability detection and mitigation. CISA's AI action plan aims to leverage AI for enhanced detection, countermeasures, and ensuring software is secure by design, potentially shifting the advantage to defenders. Easterly advocates for demystifying hackers, suggesting that common vulnerabilities remain the primary tools for cyber threats, rather than advanced cyber weapons. The White House AI Action Plan supports secure-by-design principles, emphasizing security as a priority in AI system development, aligning with Easterly's views on software risk reduction. Businesses are encouraged to demand higher security standards from software vendors, leveraging secure-by-design principles internally and with suppliers to mitigate risks.

Qilin ransomware group, also known as Agenda, has targeted over 40 victims monthly in 2025, with peak activity in August and September affecting 84 victims each month. Primary targets include manufacturing, professional services, and wholesale trade sectors, impacting countries like the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, and Germany. The group employs a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model, leveraging leaked credentials for initial access and utilizing tools like Mimikatz for credential harvesting. Qilin's attack strategy includes the use of legitimate tools such as Cyberduck and AnyDesk to mask activities and facilitate data exfiltration and remote access. Recent attacks feature a Linux ransomware variant deployed on Windows systems, utilizing the BYOVD technique to bypass security measures and compromise backup systems. The group has adapted to modern infrastructure by targeting hyperconverged platforms like Nutanix AHV, indicating a shift beyond traditional VMware environments. Organizations are advised to enhance monitoring of remote access tools and strengthen credential management to mitigate risks associated with such sophisticated ransomware campaigns.

OpenAI's Atlas browser, integrated with ChatGPT, is vulnerable to prompt injection attacks, allowing malicious prompts disguised as URLs to execute harmful commands. Attackers exploit the browser's omnibox, which misinterprets crafted URLs as trusted user input, potentially leading users to phishing sites or executing commands like file deletion. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user inputs, making the browser susceptible to executing unintended actions based on manipulated prompts. Security researchers warn that malicious extensions can spoof AI sidebars, tricking users into downloading malware or exfiltrating data through manipulated browser interfaces. OpenAI acknowledges the challenge of prompt injection, implementing red-teaming, model training, and safety measures, yet considers it an unresolved security issue. The broader AI browser industry, including Perplexity, is adopting multi-layered defenses against prompt injection, recognizing it as a critical security challenge. The ongoing threat requires continuous innovation in security strategies to protect against sophisticated attacks targeting AI decision-making processes.

The United Nations introduced the Convention against Cybercrime, marking the first global agreement aimed at combating online crime, with 72 nations signing the treaty. The Convention seeks to enhance international cooperation in cybercrime prevention, focusing on surveillance and cross-border evidence sharing. Human rights organizations, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Human Rights Watch, express concerns over potential impacts on free speech and privacy. Cisco has echoed these concerns, indicating the treaty may not adequately protect human rights, posing risks to the rule of law. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the treaty's potential to overcome barriers in digital evidence sharing, crucial for international justice efforts. The Convention's effectiveness depends on ratification and implementation by signatory nations, which remains a critical next step. While hailed as a milestone for digital safety, the treaty faces scrutiny over balancing security measures with fundamental human rights protections.

Effortless Motors, a car customization company, reported a cyberattack on a transport firm's network, resulting in the disappearance of a customized Range Rover for Shaquille O'Neal. The incident involved a sophisticated criminal operation targeting the transport company responsible for moving the vehicle from Atlanta to Louisiana. Effortless Motors is collaborating with law enforcement and federal agencies to locate the vehicle and pursue the perpetrators. The theft of such a uniquely modified vehicle presents challenges for resale on the black market, potentially complicating the thieves' plans. This event underscores the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in logistics and transport sectors to prevent similar incidents. The case exemplifies the growing trend of cybercriminals exploiting vulnerabilities in supply chain operations for high-value targets.

Cybercriminals are leveraging the RedTiger tool to create an infostealer targeting Discord accounts, extracting sensitive data including payment information and browser-stored credentials. The malware, based on a Python penetration testing suite, is misused to steal Discord tokens, browser passwords, cryptocurrency wallet data, and game account details. Attackers compile RedTiger's code into standalone binaries, disguising them with gaming or Discord-related names to deceive users. Once installed, the malware extracts and validates Discord tokens, intercepts API calls, and captures sensitive events like logins and purchases. The infostealer archives collected data, uploading it to GoFile for anonymous access, with download links sent to attackers via Discord webhooks. RedTiger employs anti-sandbox techniques and process overloads to evade detection, complicating forensic analysis. Users are advised to avoid downloading unverified executables, revoke compromised tokens, change passwords, and enable multi-factor authentication to mitigate risks.

Researchers at Datadog Security Labs identified a new phishing tactic, CoPhish, leveraging Microsoft Copilot Studio agents to steal OAuth tokens through fraudulent consent requests. The attack exploits the flexibility of Copilot Studio, allowing malicious actors to use legitimate Microsoft domains to deceive users into granting unauthorized access. CoPhish relies on social engineering, targeting both unprivileged users and administrators, with potential to compromise high-privileged roles despite upcoming Microsoft policy changes. Attackers create malicious multi-tenant apps to capture session tokens, exploiting the legitimate appearance of URLs and Microsoft IP addresses to avoid detection. Microsoft plans to address these vulnerabilities in future updates, emphasizing the need for stronger governance and consent policies to prevent misuse. Organizations are advised to restrict administrative privileges, enforce application consent policies, and monitor application creation activities to mitigate risks. Datadog suggests disabling default user application creation and enhancing monitoring of consent events to close security gaps in Microsoft's baseline configurations.

Researchers at Datadog Security Labs discovered a new phishing technique, CoPhish, leveraging Microsoft Copilot Studio agents to deliver fraudulent OAuth consent requests via trusted Microsoft domains. CoPhish exploits the flexibility of Copilot Studio, allowing attackers to create malicious applications that appear legitimate and trick users into granting access. The attack involves configuring Copilot agents to redirect users to malicious URLs, collecting session tokens without user awareness. Microsoft's response includes plans to address these vulnerabilities in future updates, focusing on hardening governance and consent processes. Current protective measures include limiting administrative privileges, reducing application permissions, and enforcing stringent governance policies. Despite upcoming changes, high-privileged roles remain susceptible to CoPhish attacks, necessitating robust application consent policies. Organizations are advised to disable user application creation defaults and closely monitor application consent activities to mitigate risks.

The UK House of Commons committee urges tech giants to implement measures making stolen phones unusable, addressing the surge in phone thefts. Metropolitan Police report 117,211 phones stolen in 2024, marking a 25% increase since 2019, with only a 1% conviction rate. Committee Chair Dame Chi Onwurah emphasizes the need for smartphone makers to deploy existing technologies to deter phone theft. Apple, Google, and Samsung are called upon to enhance security measures, such as cloud-based blocking and IMEI-linked device locks. The committee suggests that tech companies' current deterrents are insufficient, urging government intervention for effective collaboration. Darren Scates of the Met Police highlights that 80% of stolen phones in London are iPhones, with a significant portion resold internationally. Tech companies express commitment to addressing theft, though privacy concerns and technical challenges are cited as barriers to implementing solutions.

A widespread attack campaign is targeting WordPress sites using outdated GutenKit and Hunk Companion plugins, exploiting critical vulnerabilities for remote code execution. Wordfence reported blocking 8.7 million attack attempts over a two-day period, underscoring the scale of this exploitation effort. The vulnerabilities, CVE-2024-9234, CVE-2024-9707, and CVE-2024-11972, allow unauthorized installation of plugins, posing significant security risks. Despite fixes being available for nearly a year, many sites remain vulnerable, highlighting issues with patch management and update practices. Attackers are using GitHub-hosted malicious plugins to maintain persistence and execute unauthorized commands on compromised sites. Wordfence has provided indicators of compromise and recommended monitoring specific site access logs and directories for suspicious activity. Administrators are advised to ensure all plugins are updated to the latest versions to mitigate these risks effectively.

Microsoft addressed a security vulnerability in Microsoft 365 Copilot that allowed data theft through indirect prompt injection attacks, potentially exposing sensitive tenant information such as emails. The vulnerability exploited Mermaid diagrams, a JavaScript-based tool, to execute malicious instructions embedded in text prompts, enabling unauthorized data exfiltration. Researcher Adam Logue, who discovered the flaw, demonstrated how the attack could retrieve and encode user emails, sending them to a malicious server via a fake login button. Despite the successful identification and reporting of the bug, Microsoft deemed M365 Copilot outside the scope of its bug bounty program, resulting in no reward for the researcher. The patch has been verified, preventing further exploitation of this specific vulnerability, though the incident raises concerns about the security of AI-driven tools in handling sensitive data. Organizations using AI tools like M365 Copilot should remain vigilant and ensure robust security measures are in place to mitigate similar risks. The incident underscores the importance of expanding bug bounty programs to cover emerging technologies and platforms to encourage proactive vulnerability discovery and reporting.

Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 has linked the Smishing Triad to over 194,000 malicious domains since early 2024, targeting various global services with phishing attacks. The group's infrastructure, though registered in Hong Kong, is mainly hosted on U.S. cloud services, complicating efforts to trace and mitigate the threat. The Smishing Triad deceives users with fake toll violation and package delivery notices, amassing over $1 billion in revenue over the past three years. Recent reports indicate a significant increase in attacks on brokerage accounts, with a fivefold rise in incidents aimed at stealing banking credentials and authentication codes. The group employs "ramp and dump" tactics to manipulate stock prices, posing severe financial risks and leaving minimal evidence for investigators. The Smishing Triad operates as a phishing-as-a-service ecosystem, involving various contributors like phishing kit developers, data brokers, and spammers. The campaign's strategy relies on rapidly cycling through newly registered domains to evade detection, with most domains active for less than a week. The decentralized nature of this operation, impersonating multiple sectors globally, presents significant challenges to cybersecurity defenses and requires coordinated international response efforts.

Microsoft issued an emergency patch for a critical vulnerability in Windows Server Update Service (WSUS), identified as CVE-2025-59287, which is actively being exploited. The vulnerability, with a CVSS score of 9.8, allows unauthorized remote code execution through unsafe deserialization of untrusted data, affecting servers with WSUS enabled. Researchers MEOW, f7d8c52bec79e42795cf15888b85cbad, and Markus Wulftange discovered the flaw, which involves the unsafe deserialization of AuthorizationCookie objects. Microsoft advises immediate application of the out-of-band security update across several Windows Server versions to prevent exploitation, with a system reboot required post-installation. The Dutch National Cyber Security Centre reported observing abuse of this vulnerability, emphasizing the urgency of applying the patch to protect systems. Users unable to apply the update should implement recommended workarounds and avoid reversing them until the patch is installed. The vulnerability's active exploitation and the availability of a proof-of-concept exploit necessitate swift action to mitigate potential security risks.

A critical vulnerability in Windows Server Update Service (WSUS), CVE-2025-59287, is actively exploited, allowing remote code execution with SYSTEM privileges on affected servers. This flaw impacts Windows servers configured as WSUS update sources, a non-default setting, and could potentially spread between servers. Microsoft released out-of-band security updates to address the vulnerability and advised immediate patch deployment, also offering workarounds for those unable to patch promptly. Proof-of-concept exploit code was released by HawkTrace Security, though it does not enable arbitrary command execution. Eye Security reported active exploitation attempts, compromising at least one system using a different method than the public exploit. Approximately 2,500 WSUS servers are exposed globally, with significant numbers in Germany and the Netherlands, raising concerns about widespread exploitation. The Netherlands National Cyber Security Centre confirmed the vulnerability's exploitation and warned of increased risks due to the available proof-of-concept code.