Playbook for the Secure Enterprise
Compliance Impact Scoreboard
CyberSecurity Latest Rundown
Heroes, we have a bold new look with more features focused on Executive Use. Here's a detailed look at the current cybersecurity landscape for November 3, 2025.
CRITICAL ITEMS
-
Ransomware Gangs Actively Exploiting Old Linux Kernel Flaw
Date & Time: 2025-10-31T18:11:45
CISA has issued a warning that ransomware operators are actively exploiting a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's netfilter (`nf_tables`) subsystem. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2024-1086, was first introduced in 2014 and patched in January 2024. Its widespread presence in older, unpatched Linux systems makes it a high-impact target for privilege escalation.
Business impactSuccessful exploitation allows a local attacker to achieve kernel-level code execution, enabling full system compromise. This can facilitate ransomware deployment, data exfiltration, and persistent access across critical server infrastructure.Recommended actionImmediately apply security updates to all Linux distributions to patch the kernel. Prioritize internet-facing systems and critical servers. Monitor for anomalous activity related to the `nf_tables` module and unexpected privilege escalations.CVE: CVE-2024-1086 | Compliance: SOX | Source: Security Affairs ā
-
Australian Government Warns of BadCandy Webshell on Unpatched Cisco Devices
Date & Time: 2025-11-01T17:41:00
The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is warning of ongoing attacks against unpatched Cisco IOS XE devices. Threat actors are exploiting a critical vulnerability, CVE-2023-20198, to install the "BadCandy" webshell. This implant provides attackers with administrative-level access, allowing them to execute arbitrary commands and fully control the compromised network device.
Business impactCompromise of core networking equipment like Cisco routers and switches can lead to network-wide traffic interception, data breaches, lateral movement, and significant operational disruption. The webshell grants persistent, privileged access that can be difficult to detect.Recommended actionImmediately apply patches for CVE-2023-20198 to all affected Cisco IOS XE devices. Hunt for indicators of compromise associated with the BadCandy webshell, including unexpected user accounts and suspicious files in the device's web UI directory.CVE: CVE-2023-20198 | Compliance: SOX, FISMA | Source: Security Affairs ā
-
China-Linked Tick Group Exploits Lanscope Endpoint Manager Zero-Day
Date & Time: 2025-10-31T13:26:00
The cyber espionage group known as Tick, believed to be linked to China, is exploiting a critical zero-day vulnerability in Motex Lanscope Endpoint Manager. The flaw, CVE-2025-61932, is a command injection vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.3. Exploitation allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands with SYSTEM-level privileges on compromised corporate systems.
Business impactA compromised endpoint management solution provides attackers with a powerful foothold to deploy malware, exfiltrate data, and move laterally across the entire managed fleet of devices. This poses a severe risk of widespread corporate espionage and data theft.Recommended actionOrganizations using Motex Lanscope Endpoint Manager should check for available patches and apply them immediately. Isolate vulnerable systems if patching is not possible and monitor for signs of unauthorized command execution or communication from endpoint agents.CVE: CVE-2025-61932 | Compliance: SOX | Source: The Hacker News ā
-
Critical RCE Vulnerability Disclosed in Unifi Access Systems
Date & Time: 2025-11-02T23:31:28
Researchers have disclosed a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in Unifi Access, a component of the Unifi OS. The vulnerability, CVE-2025-52665, has been assigned a maximum CVSS score of 10.0, indicating it is likely unauthenticated and easily exploitable over the network. Details suggest this could allow a complete takeover of affected devices.
Business impactUnifi Access controls physical security systems. A successful RCE exploit could allow attackers to manipulate door locks, access sensitive areas, disable security monitoring, and gain a physical and digital foothold into the corporate network.Recommended actionImmediately check for and apply updates for Unifi OS and the Unifi Access application. Restrict network access to the Unifi management interface to only trusted administrative networks. Monitor for any unauthorized changes to physical access control policies.CVE: CVE-2025-52665 | Compliance: General Enterprise | Source: Reddit ā
-
Windows Graphics Vulnerabilities Lead to RCE and Memory Exposure
Date & Time: 2025-11-02T13:53:18
Check Point Research has detailed three significant vulnerabilities in the Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI) that were patched in the May, July, and August 2025 Patch Tuesday updates. These flaws could be exploited by specially crafted documents or web pages to achieve remote code execution or expose sensitive memory contents, bypassing OS-level security controls.
Business impactThese vulnerabilities pose a direct threat to endpoint security, as a user opening a malicious file could trigger a full system compromise. This can lead to malware installation, data theft, and credential harvesting from user workstations.Recommended actionEnsure all Windows systems are fully updated with the latest security patches from Microsoft, specifically those released from May to August 2025. Employ endpoint security solutions with exploit prevention capabilities to block attacks targeting such vulnerabilities.CVE: n/a | Compliance: HIPAA, SOX | Source: Check Point Research ā
HIGH SEVERITY ITEMS
-
Increased Scanning Detected for WSUS Ports, Likely Tied to New Vulnerability
Date & Time: 2025-11-02T17:50:48
The SANS Internet Storm Center reports a significant increase in scanning activity targeting TCP ports 8530 and 8531. This activity is believed to be reconnaissance for exploiting a vulnerability in Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), identified as CVE-2025-59287. While some scans originate from known researchers like Shadowserver, others are from unidentified sources, indicating potential malicious intent.
Business impactA compromised WSUS server could be used to push malicious updates to all clients in an organization, leading to a widespread, trusted-channel compromise. This represents a catastrophic supply-chain-style attack within an enterprise network.Recommended actionRestrict access to WSUS servers on ports 8530 and 8531 to internal, trusted IP ranges only. Monitor firewall logs for unauthorized inbound connection attempts to these ports. Ensure WSUS servers are prioritized for patching against CVE-2025-59287.CVE: CVE-2025-59287 | Compliance: General Enterprise | Source: SANS ISC ā
EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS
-
Ukrainian Conti Ransomware Affiliate Extradited to US
Date & Time: 2025-11-02T09:31:53
In a significant law enforcement action, Ukrainian national Oleksii Lytvynenko has been extradited to the United States for his alleged involvement in the notorious Conti ransomware syndicate. This action underscores the continued international effort to dismantle ransomware infrastructure and hold key operators accountable, disrupting the cybercrime ecosystem even years after a group's peak activity.
Source: Security Affairs ā
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
-
Spotlight Rationale: Check Point Research's proactive discovery of critical Windows GDI vulnerabilities (reported in today's rundown) highlights the value of research-driven security platforms that can preemptively identify and block novel exploit techniques before they are widely known.
Threat Context: Drawn to Danger: Windows Graphics Vulnerabilities Lead to Remote Code Execution and Memory Exposure
Platform Focus: Check Point Harmony Endpoint
Check Point Harmony Endpoint provides comprehensive endpoint protection that includes advanced behavioral analysis and exploit prevention capabilities. Its Threat Emulation and Anti-Exploit blades are specifically designed to counter attacks that leverage software vulnerabilities like the ones found in the Windows GDI. By analyzing process behavior in real-time, Harmony Endpoint can detect and block malicious actions characteristic of an exploit attempt, such as unexpected memory allocation or process injection, even for zero-day vulnerabilities.
Actionable Platform Guidance: In the Check Point Infinity Portal, navigate to the Harmony Endpoint policy settings. Ensure the "Anti-Exploit" blade is enabled and set to "Prevent" mode for all endpoint groups. Additionally, review the Threat Emulation settings to ensure all downloaded files are being analyzed in a sandbox environment to catch malicious documents attempting to trigger these GDI flaws.
Source: Check Point Research ā
DETECTION & RESPONSE KIT
-
ā ļø Disclaimer: Test all detection logic in non-production environments before deployment.
1. Vendor Platform Configuration - Check Point Harmony Endpoint
# Policy Configuration for GDI Exploit Mitigation # 1. Login to Check Point Infinity Portal (portal.checkpoint.com) # 2. Navigate to Policy -> Harmony Endpoint. # 3. Select the relevant policy rule for your workstations/servers. # 4. In the right-hand pane, under "Threat Prevention", expand the blades. # 5. Verify Anti-Exploit Blade: # - Ensure the toggle is ON. # - Click on "Settings". # - Set the mode to "Prevent". # - Under "Protections", ensure "Logic Flaw Protection" and "Memory Corruption Mitigation" are active. # 6. Verify Threat Emulation Blade: # - Ensure the toggle is ON. # - Click on "Settings". # - Set emulation location and scope according to your policy. # - Ensure common document types (.pdf, .docx, etc.) are included in emulation. # 7. Install policy on target devices. # Verification: # Monitor logs in the Logs & Monitoring -> Security Logs section. # Filter for Blade:"Anti-Exploit" to see prevented attacks.2. YARA Rule for BadCandy Webshell (CVE-2023-20198)
rule Detect_BadCandy_Webshell_CVE_2023_20198 { meta: description = "Detects potential artifacts of the BadCandy webshell on Cisco IOS XE systems, associated with CVE-2023-20198." author = "Threat Rundown" date = "2025-11-03" reference = "https://securityaffairs.com/?p=184095" severity = "critical" tlp = "white" strings: $s1 = "BadCandy" $s2 = "cisco_service.conf" nocase $s3 = "webui_wsma_http" nocase $s4 = "return util.execute_command" nocase condition: uint32(0) == 0x464c457f and any of ($s*) }3. SIEM Query ā WSUS Port Scanning Detection (CVE-2025-59287)
index=firewall sourcetype="pan:traffic" OR sourcetype="cisco:asa" OR sourcetype="fortinet*" (dest_port=8530 OR dest_port=8531) action IN ("deny", "drop", "block", "reset") | bucket _time span=1h | stats dc(src_ip) as source_count by dest_ip, _time | where source_count > 20 | eval risk_score=case( source_count > 100, 100, source_count > 50, 75, 1==1, 50) | table _time, dest_ip, source_count, risk_score | sort -risk_score4. PowerShell Script ā Check Linux Kernel Version for CVE-2024-1086
# Requires PowerShell 7+ and SSH module (Install-Module -Name Posh-SSH) # Or run the uname command via other remote execution tools. $servers = @( "linux-server-01", "linux-server-02", "db-server-prod" ) $cred = Get-Credential # Vulnerable kernel versions are generally < 6.7.1, < 6.6.14, < 6.1.75, etc. # This script just flags any kernel before 6.1 for simplicity. Adjust for your environment. $major_vuln_version = 6 $minor_vuln_version = 1 foreach ($server in $servers) { try { Write-Host "Connecting to $server..." -ForegroundColor Yellow $session = New-SSHSession -ComputerName $server -Credential $cred -ErrorAction Stop $result = Invoke-SSHCommand -SSHSession $session -Command "uname -r" $kernel_version = $result.Output.Trim() $version_parts = $kernel_version -split '[.-]' $major = [int]$version_parts[0] $minor = [int]$version_parts[1] if (($major -lt $major_vuln_version) -or ($major -eq $major_vuln_version -and $minor -lt $minor_vuln_version)) { Write-Host "[VULNERABLE] $server is running kernel version: $kernel_version" -ForegroundColor Red } else { Write-Host "[OK] $server is running kernel version: $kernel_version" -ForegroundColor Green } Remove-SSHSession -SSHSession $session } catch { Write-Host "[ERROR] Could not connect to or check $server. $_" -ForegroundColor Red } }This rundown should provide a solid overview of the current threat landscape. Thank you to all our cyberheroes for your diligence and hard work. Stay vigilant!