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The China-linked cyber operation named “WrtHug” has been identified hijacking thousands of ASUS routers globally. This campaign involves compromising vulnerable ASUS routers to gain unauthorized control, potentially enabling data interception, network manipulation, and further lateral attacks. The threat is considered high severity due to the scale of affected devices and the critical role routers play in network infrastructure. European organizations using ASUS routers are at risk of exposure to espionage, data breaches, and service disruption. Mitigation requires immediate firmware updates, network segmentation, and enhanced monitoring for unusual router behavior. Countries with high ASUS router market penetration and strategic geopolitical interest in China are more likely to be targeted. Given the lack of a CVSS score, the threat is assessed as high severity due to the broad impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, ease of exploitation, and no requirement for user interaction. Defenders should prioritize identifying vulnerable routers, applying patches, and implementing network defenses to mitigate this campaign’s impact.
ASUS has disclosed a critical authentication bypass vulnerability affecting its DSL series routers. This flaw allows an attacker to circumvent authentication mechanisms, potentially gaining unauthorized administrative access to the device. Exploitation could lead to full control over the router, enabling attackers to manipulate network traffic, deploy malware, or disrupt services. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the severity and nature of the vulnerability make it a high-risk threat. European organizations using ASUS DSL routers are at risk, especially those in sectors relying heavily on stable and secure network infrastructure. Immediate mitigation steps include monitoring for official patches from ASUS and implementing network-level protections. Countries with significant ASUS router deployments and critical infrastructure reliance are more likely to be targeted. Given the ease of exploitation without authentication and the potential for widespread impact, this vulnerability is assessed as critical severity. Defenders should prioritize identification, patching, and network segmentation to reduce exposure.
Russian threat actors have created approximately 4,300 fake travel websites designed to impersonate legitimate hotel booking platforms. These fraudulent sites aim to steal payment card data from unsuspecting hotel guests by capturing their payment information during the booking process. The campaign leverages phishing tactics and domain spoofing to deceive users into trusting these fake portals. There is no indication that these sites exploit software vulnerabilities; rather, they rely on social engineering and fraudulent web infrastructure. The threat poses a high risk to travelers and hospitality businesses, particularly in Europe where travel and tourism are significant economic sectors. Organizations should be vigilant about monitoring for fraudulent domains and educating customers about verifying legitimate booking sites. Mitigation involves enhanced domain monitoring, customer awareness campaigns, and deployment of anti-phishing technologies. Countries with large tourism industries and high volumes of international travelers, such as Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and the UK, are most likely to be targeted. Given the ease of exploitation and potential for significant financial theft, the severity of this threat is assessed as high.
Key Findings Ransomware in Q3 2025: RaaS fragmentation increases and Lockbit is back During the third quarter of 2025, we monitored more than 85 active data leak sites (DLS) that collectively listed 1,592 new victims. Compared to the 1,607 victims reported in Q2 2025, the publication rate remained stable though it is still notably higher […] The post The State of Ransomware – Q3 2025 appeared first on Check Point Research .
A Russian-speaking threat actor is conducting a large-scale phishing campaign targeting travelers by registering over 4,300 fake hotel and travel-related domains impersonating brands like Airbnb and Booking.com. The campaign uses sophisticated phishing sites with customized pages, fake CAPTCHA, and multilingual support to appear legitimate. Malicious emails redirect victims through multiple sites before landing on phishing pages designed to steal payment card data. The attacker continuously registers new domains with travel-related naming conventions, focusing on specific registrars. The phishing kit collects data in real-time and contains Russian language elements. This campaign poses a medium severity risk due to its scale, sophistication, and potential financial impact on victims. European organizations in the travel, hospitality, and financial sectors should be vigilant. Countries with high tourism and travel service usage, such as the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, are most likely to be affected. Mitigation requires targeted detection of phishing domains, enhanced email filtering, user awareness training focused on travel scams, and collaboration with domain registrars to disrupt domain registrations.
A sophisticated phishing campaign targets Booking.com hotel partners and their customers by compromising hotel administrators' systems with malware such as PureRAT. Attackers gain access to booking management accounts and use spear-phishing emails impersonating Booking.com to trick guests into paying twice for reservations. The campaign employs social engineering tactics, malicious sites, and a complex infrastructure involving compromised legitimate websites and bulletproof hosting. This operation is part of a broader cybercrime ecosystem offering specialized services to facilitate attacks on booking platforms. The threat impacts the confidentiality and financial integrity of hotel bookings and customer payments. European hospitality businesses relying on Booking.com, especially in countries with large tourism sectors, are at risk. Mitigation requires targeted security controls on hotel admin systems, user awareness training, and monitoring for unusual booking activities.
Adobe Acrobat 2020 has reached its end of life (EOL), meaning it will no longer receive security updates or patches from Adobe. This cessation of support increases the risk of unpatched vulnerabilities being exploited by attackers. Organizations continuing to use Adobe Acrobat 2020 after EOL may face increased exposure to security risks, including potential data breaches or malware infections. European organizations relying on this software should plan to upgrade to supported versions or alternative PDF solutions promptly. The threat does not involve active exploits currently in the wild but represents a growing risk over time. Mitigation involves inventorying affected installations, prioritizing upgrades, and enhancing endpoint protections. Countries with high adoption of Adobe products and significant regulatory requirements around data protection are most likely to be impacted. Given the medium severity and lack of active exploits, the risk is moderate but should not be underestimated due to the critical role of PDF software in business workflows.
The Rhysida ransomware gang, previously known as Vice Society, is conducting a sophisticated malvertising campaign using Bing ads to distribute OysterLoader malware. This malware acts as an initial access tool, establishing persistence and enabling further payload deployment, including ransomware. The gang employs code-signing certificates, including Microsoft Trusted Signing, to evade detection and increase trustworthiness of their malware. Their activity has notably increased in 2025, with over 40 certificates tracked compared to 7 in 2024. They also utilize Latrodectus malware for initial access. The campaign leverages legitimate services and advanced evasion techniques, highlighting significant resource investment and operational maturity. This threat poses a medium severity risk but can lead to severe consequences if ransomware is deployed. European organizations should be vigilant against malvertising campaigns and suspicious software downloads, especially those impersonating popular software. Mitigation requires enhanced monitoring of code-signed binaries, user awareness, and blocking malicious ad traffic.
Let’s compare TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, Reddit, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media based on the amount of data they collect and their privacy settings.
A DLL hijacking vulnerability has been identified involving narrator.exe, a Windows accessibility helper. This issue allows an attacker to load a malicious DLL by exploiting the way Windows resolves DLL dependencies for narrator.exe. Although no known exploits are currently active in the wild, the vulnerability could be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected process. The threat is rated medium severity due to the potential for privilege escalation and code execution without requiring user interaction, but it lacks widespread exploitation and detailed technical disclosure. European organizations using Windows systems with narrator.exe enabled could be impacted, especially those with high reliance on accessibility features or legacy configurations. Mitigation involves monitoring DLL loading paths, applying strict DLL search order policies, and employing application whitelisting. Countries with significant Windows enterprise usage and critical infrastructure are more likely to be targeted.
The SideWinder threat actor group has adopted a new attack chain leveraging Microsoft's ClickOnce deployment technology to target South Asian diplomats. This campaign uses ClickOnce to deliver malicious payloads, exploiting trust in legitimate Microsoft frameworks to bypass security controls. The attacks are highly targeted, focusing on diplomatic personnel, which suggests espionage motives. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the campaign's sophistication and targeting elevate its risk. European organizations with diplomatic ties or South Asian connections could face indirect risks, especially if involved in related geopolitical activities. Mitigation requires strict control over ClickOnce application execution, enhanced email filtering, and user awareness training focused on this attack vector. Countries with significant diplomatic engagement with South Asia or hosting South Asian diplomatic missions are more likely to be affected. Given the high impact on confidentiality and the ease of exploitation via social engineering, the suggested severity is high.
The malicious Smishing Triad domains were used to collect sensitive information, including Social Security numbers. The post Massive China-Linked Smishing Campaign Leveraged 194,000 Domains appeared first on SecurityWeek .
All new extensions will be required to declare their data collection practices in their manifest file using a specific key. The post New Firefox Extensions Required to Disclose Data Collection Practices appeared first on SecurityWeek .
A critical vulnerability in Lanscope Endpoint Manager has been confirmed by CISA to be actively exploited in ongoing cyberattacks. Lanscope Endpoint Manager is an endpoint management solution used to monitor and control enterprise devices. The vulnerability allows attackers to potentially execute unauthorized actions on affected systems, posing a significant risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although specific technical details and affected versions are not disclosed, the critical severity indicates a high-impact flaw. European organizations using Lanscope Endpoint Manager are at risk, especially those in sectors with high endpoint management reliance. No official patches or CVSS score are currently available, but the threat is urgent. Mitigation should focus on immediate risk reduction, including network segmentation, monitoring for suspicious activity, and vendor engagement for updates. Countries with strong adoption of Lanscope products and critical infrastructure sectors are most likely to be targeted. The ease of exploitation and active attacks justify a suggested severity rating of critical. Defenders must prioritize detection and containment to prevent compromise.
The PolarEdge botnet campaign targets routers from Cisco, ASUS, QNAP, and Synology to expand its network of compromised devices. This campaign leverages vulnerabilities or weak configurations in these widely used routers to enlist them into a botnet, potentially enabling large-scale distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, data interception, or further lateral movement. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the campaign is considered high priority due to the critical role these devices play in network infrastructure. European organizations using these brands are at risk, especially those with less stringent router security practices. The campaign's expansion highlights the ongoing threat posed by botnets exploiting IoT and network edge devices. Defenders should focus on hardening router configurations, applying firmware updates, and monitoring network traffic for anomalies. Countries with high adoption of these router brands and significant digital infrastructure are more likely to be targeted. Immediate mitigation steps can reduce the risk of compromise and limit the botnet's growth.
Attackers are embedding blocks of links that lead to porn sites, online casinos, and the like. We explain their objective, and how to protect your website.
