Talos Takes back with new episode, feed

By Jon Munshaw. Talos Takes, our new bite-size podcast, is back with its own feed and a new show. We first unveiled Talos Takes in early December, and took some time to develop a new Talos Podcasts page to accommodate Talos Takes and Beers with Talos. Now you have two Talos shows you can subscrib...

Beers with Talos Ep. #67: Inside Incident Response

By Mitch Neff. Beers with Talos BWT Podcast episode No. 67 is now available. Download this episode and subscribe to Beers with Talos: If iTunes and Google Play aren't your thing, click here. Recorded Nov. 21, 2019 Craig is out sick/injured/fighting robots actually all three, so we brought in Sean...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Code execution vulnerabilities in LEADTOOLS

Marcin Towalski and Cory Duplantis of Cisco Talos discovered these vulnerabilities. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos recently discovered multiple vulnerabilities in the LEADTOOLS line of imaging toolkits. LEADTOOLS is a collection of toolkits designed to perform a variety of functions aimed at...

Threat Source (April 4)

Welcome to this week’s Threat Source newsletter — the perfect place to get caught up on all things Talos from the past week. If you haven’t yet, there’s still time to register for this year’s Talos Threat Research Summit — our second annual conference by defenders, for defenders. This year’s Summ...

Cisco, Talos tout importance of IoT security at RSA keynote

--- Matt Watchinski, the vice president of Cisco Talos, delivers a keynote address at the RSA Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday. By Jonathan Munshaw of Cisco Talos and Liza Meak of The Network, Cisco’s technology news site. By 2020, Gartner predicts 20 billion connected devices will be onlin...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Multiple privilege escalation vulnerabilities in CleanMyMac X

Tyler Bohan of Cisco Talos discovered these vulnerabilities. Executive summary Today, Cisco Talos is disclosing several vulnerabilities in MacPaw’s CleanMyMac X software. CleanMyMac X is a cleanup application for Mac operating systems that allows users to free up extra space on their machines by...

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for March 2025 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities

Microsoft has released its monthly security update for March of 2025 which includes 57 vulnerabilities affecting a range of products, including 6 that Microsoft marked as "critical". There are six vulnerabilities that Microsoft has observed being exploited in the wild. CVE-2025-26633 is a Remoted...

MC LR Router and GoCast unpatched vulnerabilities

Cisco Talos' Vulnerability Research team recently discovered two vulnerabilities in MC Technologies LR Router and three vulnerabilities in the GoCast service. These vulnerabilities have not been patched at time of this posting. For Snort coverage that can detect the exploitation of these...

How multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft apps for macOS pave the way to stealing permissions

Cisco Talos has identified eight vulnerabilities in Microsoft applications for the macOS operating system. An adversary could exploit these vulnerabilities by injecting malicious libraries into Microsofts applications to gain their entitlements and user-granted permissions. Permissions regulate...

We’re not talking about cryptocurrency as much as we used to, but there are still plenty of scammers out there

AI has since replaced "cryptocurrency" and "blockchain" as the cybersecurity buzzwords everyone wants to hear. Were not getting as many headlines about cryptocurrency miners, the security risks or promises of the blockchain, or non-fungible tokens being referenced on "Saturday Night Live." A repo...

Spyware isn’t going anywhere, and neither are its tactics

Private and public efforts to curb the use of spyware and activity of other "mercenary" groups have heated up over the past week, with the U.S. government taking additional action against spyware users and some of the worlds largest tech companies calling out international governments to do more...

URLs have always been a great hiding place for threat actors

Welcome to this weeks edition of the Threat Source newsletter. Talos recent blog post on the dangers posed by the newly released ".zip" top-level domain TLD recently outlined how threat actors could create real URLs that look like file names and trick users into clicking on their links. .Zip and...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Vulnerabilities in Abode Systems home security kit could allow attacker to take over cameras, remotely disable them

Matt Wiseman of Cisco Talos discovered these vulnerabilities. Cisco Talos recently discovered several vulnerabilities in the Abode Systems iota All-In-One Security Kit. This kit includes a main security camera and hub that can alert users of unwanted movement in their homes. It also includes...

ModernLoader delivers multiple stealers, cryptominers and RATs

By Vanja Svajcer Cisco Talos recently observed three separate, but related, campaigns between March and June 2022 delivering a variety of threats, including the ModernLoader bot, RedLine information-stealer and cryptocurrency-mining malware to victims. The actors use PowerShell, .NET assemblies,...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Multiple integer overflow vulnerabilities in GPAC Project on Advanced Content

A Cisco Talos team member discovered these vulnerabilities. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos recently discovered multiple integer overflow vulnerabilities in the GPAC Project on Advanced Content that could lead to memory corruption. The GPAC Project on Advanced Content is an open-source... This i...

Threat Roundup for July 30 to August 6

Today, Talos is publishing a glimpse into the most prevalent threats we've observed between July 30 and Aug. 6. As with previous roundups, this post isn't meant to be an in-depth analysis. Instead, this post will summarize the threats we've observed by highlighting key behavioral...

Threat Source newsletter (Aug. 5, 2021)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw.Good afternoon, Talos readers. We hope everyone is enjoying BlackHat and/or DEFCON this week, regardless of if you're attending virtually or in person. In case you missed any of our talks from BlackHat, you can check them out here, along... This is only the...

Intelligence-driven disruption of ransomware campaigns

By Neil Jenkins and Matthew Olney. Note: Our guest co-author, Neil Jenkins, is the Chief Analytic Officer at the Cyber Threat Alliance. He leads the CTA's analytic efforts, focusing on the development of threat profiles, adversary playbooks and other analysis using the threat intelligence in the...

Threat Source Newsletter (April 22, 2021)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw. Good afternoon, Talos readers. We went viral this week! Everyone seemed to love to joke about these vulnerabilities we discovered in a WiFi-connected air fryer. An attacker, if they had physical access to the device, could exploit these... This is only the...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Remote code execution vulnerabilities in Schneider Electric EcoStruxure

Alexander Perez-Palma and Jared Rittle of Cisco Talos discovered this vulnerability. Blog by Jon Munshaw.Cisco Talos recently discovered two code execution vulnerabilities in Schneider Electric EcoStruxure. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending the victim a specially crafted...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Code execution, information disclosure vulnerabilities in F2FS toolset

Vulnerabilities discovered by a Cisco Talos researcher. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos recently discovered multiple code execution and information disclosure vulnerabilities in various functions of the F2FS toolset. F2FS is a filesystem toolset commonly found in embedded devices that creates,...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Microsoft issues security update for Azure Sphere

Claudio Bozzato, Lilith and Dave McDaniel of Cisco Talos discovered these vulnerabilities. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos researchers recently discovered seven vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s Azure Sphere, a cloud-connected SoC platform designed specifically with IoT application security in mind...

Threat Roundup for July 10 to July 17

Today, Talos is publishing a glimpse into the most prevalent threats we've observed between July 10 and July 17. As with previous roundups, this post isn't meant to be an in-depth analysis. Instead, this post will summarize the threats we've observed by highlighting key behavioral characteristics...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Two vulnerabilities in Zoom could lead to code execution

A member of Cisco Talos discovered this vulnerability. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos recently discovered two vulnerabilities in the popular Zoom video chatting application that could allow a malicious user to execute arbitrary code on victims’ machines. Video conferencing software has...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Authentication bypass vulnerability in some Epson projectors

Yuri Kramarz of Cisco Talos discovered this vulnerability. Blog by Jon Munshaw. The Epson EB-1470UI Projector contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in its web control functionality. This projector allows users to control it over the web. However, an adversary could trick a user into...

The basics of a ransomware infection as Snake, Maze expands

By Joe Marshall @ImmortanJo3 There have recently been several high-profile ransomware campaigns utilizing Maze and Snake malware. From critical medical supply companies, to large logistics firms, many businesses of all sizes have fallen victim to this cybercrime wave. When an organization falls...

Threat Source newsletter (March 5, 2020)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw. Welcome to this week’s Threat Source newsletter — the perfect place to get caught up on all things Talos from the past week. Sure, all anyone wants to talk about is coronavirus. But what about cyber security? We’ve still got cool stuff, like this huge write-up ...

Vulnerability Spotlight: TALOS-2018-0535 - Ocularis Recorder VMS_VA Denial of Service Vulnerability

Vulnerabilities discovered by Carlos Pacho from Talos Overview Talos is disclosing a denial-of-service vulnerability in the Ocularis Recorder. Ocularis is a video management software VMS platform used in a variety of settings, from convenience stores, to city-wide deployments. An attacker can...

Deep dive in Lexmark Perceptive Document Filters Exploitation

This post authored by Marcin Noga with contributions from Nick BiasiniIntroductionTalos discovers and releases software vulnerabilities on a regular basis. We don't always publish a deep technical analysis of how the vulnerability was discovered or its potential impact. This blog will cover these...

Introducing ToyMaker, an initial access broker working in cahoots with double extortion gangs

In 2023, Cisco Talos discovered an extensive compromise in a critical infrastructure enterprise consisting of a combination of threat actors. From initial access to double extortion, these actors slowly and steadily compromised a multitude of hosts in the network using a combination of various...

Acrobat out-of-bounds and Foxit use-after-free PDF reader vulnerabilities found

Cisco Talos' Vulnerability Research team recently disclosed three out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat Reader, and two use-after-free vulnerabilities in Foxit Reader. These vulnerabilities exist in Adobe Acrobat Reader and Foxit Reader, two of the most popular and feature-rich PDF...

Talk of election security is good, but we still need more money to solve the problem

Last week, six Secretaries of State testified to U.S. Congress about the current state of election security ahead of November's Presidential election. Some of the same topics came up as usual -- disinformation campaigns, influence from foreign actors, and the physical protection of poll workers o...

New banking trojan “CarnavalHeist” targets Brazil with overlay attacks

Since February 2024, Cisco Talos has been observing an active campaign targeting Brazilian users with a new banking trojan called "CarnavalHeist." Many of the observed tactics, techniques and procedures TTPs are common among other banking trojans coming out of Brazil. This family has also been...

What can we learn from the passwords used in brute-force attacks?

Brute force attacks are one of the most elementary cyber threats out there. Technically, anyone with a keyboard and some free time could launch one of them -- just try a bunch of different username and password combinations on the website of your choice until you get blocked. Nick Biasini and I...

Starry Addax targets human rights defenders in North Africa with new malware

Cisco Talos is disclosing a new threat actor we deemed "Starry Addax" targeting mostly human rights activists associated with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic SADR cause with a novel mobile malware. Starry Addax conducts phishing attacks tricking their targets into installing malicious Androi...

New Zardoor backdoor used in long-term cyber espionage operation targeting an Islamic organization

By Jungsoo An, Wayne Lee and Vanja Svajcer. Cisco Talos discovered a new, stealthy espionage campaign that has likely persisted since at least March 2021. The observed activity affects an Islamic non-profit organization using backdoors for a previously unreported malware family we have named...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Denial-of-service vulnerability discovered in VMWare vCenter

Marcin Icewall Noga of Cisco Talos discovered this vulnerability. Cisco Talos recently discovered a denial-of-service vulnerability in VMWare vCenter Server. VMware vCenter Server is a platform that enables centralized control and monitoring over all virtual machines and EXSi hypervisors included...

Threat Source newsletter (Aug. 12, 2021)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw.Good afternoon, Talos readers. No, that's not Ratatouille. It's ServHelper, who is much more dangerous albeit just as cute as the cartoon chef. We have a new blog post out today detailing this RAT, run by the threat actor Group TA505, that is... This is only the...

Threat Source newsletter (June 24, 2021)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw.Good afternoon, Talos readers. Even though spam emails asking for gift cards may seem like the oldest trick in the book, they're still effective in 2021. The FBI estimates that business email compromise cost victims around $1.8 billion in 2020,... This is only t...

Threat Source newsletter (June 17, 2021)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw.Good afternoon, Talos readers. Although the Colonial Pipeline attack is largely behind us now, its potential repercussions are not. This was just the latest in a string of attacks against American critical infrastructure over the past few years, and we... This i...

Threat Roundup for May 21 to May 28

Today, Talos is publishing a glimpse into the most prevalent threats we've observed between May 21 and May 28. As with previous roundups, this post isn't meant to be an in-depth analysis. Instead, this post will summarize the threats we've observed by highlighting key behavioral characteristics,...

Threat Source newsletter (May 27, 2021)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw. Good afternoon, Talos readers. We're used to referring to attackers as either APTs or not APTs. And when something is an APT, it sounds a lot scarier and sexier. But it's our belief that that isn't going to cut it anymore. Therefore, we propose in a... This is...

Microsoft Patch Tuesday for May 2021 — Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities

By Jon Munshaw, with contributions from Chris Neal. Microsoft released its monthly security update Tuesday, disclosing 55 vulnerabilities across its suite of products, the fewest in any month since January 2020. There are only three critical vulnerabilities patched in this month, while... This is...

Beers with Talos Ep. #103: ICS/SCADA Security — The permanence and people problems

Beers with Talos BWT Podcast episode No. 103 is now available. Download this episode and subscribe to Beers with Talos:Apple Podcasts Google PodcastsSpotify StitcherIf iTunes and Google Play aren't your thing, click here. By Mitch Neff. Recorded March 2021 ICS and SCADA... This is only the...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Code execution vulnerabilities in PrusaSlicer

Lilith of Cisco Talos discovered these vulnerabilities. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos recently discovered two out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities in Prusa Research’s PrusaSlicer. Prusa Slicer is an open-source 3-D printer slicing program forked off Slic3r that can convert various 3-D... This i...

Threat Source Newsletter (April 8, 2021)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw. Good afternoon, Talos readers. We've all heard about spam coming through your email or those robocalls we all hate. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, attackers are now turning to chat rooms and gaming servers to spread spam. Talos researchers this... This is on...

Beers with Talos Ep. #87: Happy 3rd birthday BWT — It’s story time!

Beers with Talos BWT Podcast episode No. 87 is now available. Download this episode and subscribe to Beers with Talos:Apple Podcasts Google PodcastsSpotify StitcherIf iTunes and Google Play aren't your thing, click here. By Mitch Neff. Recorded June 24, 2020 Has it been three years already? We ha...

AZORult brings friends to the party

By Vanja Svajcer. NEWS SUMMARY We are used to ransomware attacks and big game hunting making the headlines, but there is an undercurrent of other attack types that allow attackers to monetize their efforts in a less intrusive way.Here, we discuss a multi-pronged cyber criminal attack using a numb...

Threat Roundup for March 27 to April 3

Today, Talos is publishing a glimpse into the most prevalent threats we've observed between March 27 and April 3. As with previous roundups, this post isn't meant to be an in-depth analysis. Instead, this post will summarize the threats we've observed by highlighting key behavioral characteristic...

Threat Source newsletter (Aug. 22)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw. Welcome to this week’s Threat Source newsletter — the perfect place to get caught up on all things Talos from the past week. A lot of people may think that cyber insurance is this new, unexplored field that carries a lot of questions. But did you know that thes...