Microsoft Patch Tuesday for September 2025 – Snort rules and prominent vulnerabilities

Microsoft has released its monthly security update for September 2025, which includes 86 vulnerabilities affecting a range of products. In this month's release, Microsoft observed none of the included vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild. However, there are eight vulnerabilities where...

Getting a career in cybersecurity isn’t easy, but this can help

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. Happy summer, friends! I hope everyone is staying cool and/or warm. I am fresh back from an exhaustive but great time in San Diego at Cisco Live U.S. It was so good to see colleagues, meet new friends and pet many therapy dogs in the...

A week with a "smart" car

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. June 9 was Whit Monday -- a bank holiday here in Germany -- so I decided to take the whole week off. It turned out to be the perfect opportunity to try out a brand new car. Little did I know, I was about to get a crash course in mode...

When legitimate tools go rogue

Late one Tuesday night, Elena's phone buzzed with an alert from her company's SIEM. Her team had set up a rule to flag when certain system tools -- whoami, nltest and nslookup--were run one after another in quick succession. That exact pattern had just triggered on a computer in the Finance...

Who is Responsible and Does it Matter?

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. At Talos we bat on behalf of our customers, protecting them against all manner of cyber threats that may affect them. The nature of the threat actor and their origin or affiliation makes no difference; if they are attacking or planni...

The evolution and abuse of proxy networks

As long as we've had the internet, users have tried to obfuscate how and what they are connecting to. In some cases, this is to work around restrictions put in place by governments or a desire to access content that is not otherwise available in a given region. This is why technologies like VPNs...

The adventures of an extroverted cyber nerd and the people Talos helps to fight the good fight

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. I am unbelievably lucky to do the work that I do. My title is technically 'Senior Security Strategist'. It's a very fancy title, but basically: I get to research threats with my colleagues and friends to keep people safe here at Talo...

How LLMs could help defenders write better and faster detection

Most users will associate large language models LLMs like ChatGPT with answering basic questions or helping to write basics lines of text. But could these tools actually help defenders in the cybersecurity industry write more effective detection content? Several security researchers from across...

Watch our new documentary, "The Light We Keep: A Project PowerUp Story"

You may have already read about the incredible story of Project PowerUp - how we worked with a multi-company, multi-national team to find a way to keep the lights on in Ukraine in the face of electronic warfare. Today, we are releasing a short documentary on how this story came to be, while...

Threat Roundup for June 17 to June 24

Today, Talos is publishing a glimpse into the most prevalent threats we've observed between June 17 and June 24. 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...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Multiple memory corruption vulnerabilities in NVIDIA GPU driver

Piotr Bania of Cisco Talos discovered these vulnerabilities. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos recently discovered four vulnerabilities in the NVIDIA D3D10 driver for graphics cards that could allow an attacker to corrupt memory and write arbitrary memory on the card. NVIDIA graphics... This is on...

On the Radar: Is 2022 the year encryption is doomed?

By Martin Lee. Quantum technology in development by the world’s superpowers will render many current encryption algorithms obsolete overnight. When it becomes available, whoever controls this technology will be able to read almost any encrypted data or message they wish. Organizations need... Thi...

Talos Threat Source newsletter (March 10, 2022) — Fake social media posts spread in wake of Ukraine invasion

By Jon Munshaw. Welcome to this week’s edition of the Threat Source newsletter — complete with a new format and feel. First off, it goes without saying, but we’re all heartbroken by the crisis happening in Ukraine. Our hearts are with the people of Ukraine, our employees and their... This is only...

Threat Source Newsletter (Jan. 13, 2022)

Newsletter compiled by Jon Munshaw.Good afternoon, Talos readers. Move out of the way, Log4j! Traditional malware is back with a bang in 2022. While Log4j is likely still occupying many defenders' minds, the bad guys are still out there doing not-Log4j things. We have new research out... This is...

[Video] The TTP Ep 21: When Attackers Become Trusted Users

!\Video\ The TTP Ep 21: When Attackers Become Trusted Usershttps://storage.ghost.io/c/af/a0/afa04ee3-414f-4481-8d23-7e7c146f192e/content/images/2026/04/YiR2025cover2x1.jpg In this episode of the Talos Threat Perspective, we explore how identity is being used to gain, extend, and maintain access...

Transparent COM instrumentation for malware analysis

COM automation is a core Windows technology that allows code to access external functionality through well-defined interfaces. It is similar to traditionally loading a DLL, but is class-based rather than function-based. Many advanced Windows capabilities are exposed through COM, such as Windows...

Spy vs. spy: How GenAI is powering defenders and attackers

Generative AI GenAI is reshaping cybersecurity for both attackers and defenders, but its future capabilities are difficult to measure as techniques and models are evolving rapidly. Adversaries continue to use GenAI with varying levels of reliance. State-sponsored groups continue to take advantage...

Care that you share

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. Back in April, I wrote about the risks of unintentionally leaking information while using search engines. Since then, I've been thinking: Life doesn't just happen in front of a keyboard. There's a social side, too or so I'm told. Wit...

It’s not personal, it’s just business

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. This week, we explore how advances in agentic AI are rapidly transforming the cyber crime business. Agentic AI programming gives AI agents autonomy, allowing them to interact with external systems to collect information, make decisio...

Remember, remember the fifth of November

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. Ever heard the phrase in this week's title? For our non-British readers, here's the quick version: Every year on November 5, people across the U.K. gather for bonfires, sparklers, fireworks, and attempting to literally handle a hot...

Think passwordless is too complicated? Let's clear that up

By Janet Ho, Cisco Duo Why passwords are still a problem We've relied on passwords for years to protect our online accounts, but they've also become one of the easiest ways attackers get in. Many people reuse or simplify passwords, or even write them down because it's hard to remember so many. Th...

Open PLC and Planet vulnerabilities

Cisco Talos' Vulnerability Discovery & Research team recently disclosed one vulnerability in the OpenPLC logic controller and four vulnerabilities in the Planet WGR-500 router. For Snort coverage that can detect the exploitation of these vulnerabilities, download the latest rule sets from...

What happens when you engage Cisco Talos Incident Response?

In today's world, cybersecurity incidents are not a matter of if, but when and how. From ransomware attacks to data breaches exposing sensitive information, organizations face a changing threat landscape. As a result of cybersecurity attacks, organizations can experience downtime, financial losse...

Maturing the cyber threat intelligence program

The Cyber Threat Intelligence Capability Maturity Model CTI-CMM helps organizations assess and improve their threat intelligence programs by outlining 11 key areas and specific missions where CTI can support decision-making. The model describes four levels of maturity, guiding teams from basic, a...

Link up, lift up, level up

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. As summer retreats into the rear-view mirror, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on one of my favorite things about the cybersecurity profession: the community. Earlier this month, I attended Black Hat USA 2025 and DEF CON 33 in...

WWBN, MedDream, Eclipse vulnerabilities

Cisco Talos' Vulnerability Discovery & Research team recently disclosed seven vulnerabilities in WWBN AVideo, four in MedDream, and one in an Eclipse ThreadX module. The vulnerabilities mentioned in this blog post have been patched by their respective vendors, all in adherence to Cisco 's...

Meet Hazel Burton

Welcome to the first episode of Humans of Talos, a new video interview series that shines a spotlight on team members across Talos. Featuring their personal stories, career journeys and unique perspectives, you'll get an inside look into what it's like to work in our organization and the people w...

MaaS operation using Emmenhtal and Amadey linked to threats against Ukrainian entities

In April 2025 Cisco Talos identified a Malware-as-a-Service MaaS operation that utilized Amadey to deliver payloads. The MaaS operators used fake GitHub accounts to host payloads, tools and Amadey plug-ins, likely as an attempt to bypass web filtering and for ease of use. Several operator tactics...

Do we still have to keep doing it like this?

Welcome to the first edition of the Threat Source newsletter for 2025. Upon returning to work this week from my Lindt chocolate reindeer coma, my first task was to write this newsletter. As I stared at a blank template hoping for inspiration to suddenly strike, I did what any security professiona...

Malicious QR Codes: How big of a problem is it, really?

QR codes are disproportionately effective at bypassing most anti-spam filters, as most filters are not designed to recognize that a QR code is present in an image and decode the QR code. According to Cisco Talos' data, roughly 60% of all email containing a QR code is spam. Talos discovered two...

De-anonymizing ransomware domains on the dark web

By Paul Eubanks. We have developed three techniques to identify ransomware operators' dark websites hosted on public IP addresses, allowing us to uncover previously unknown infrastructure for the DarkAngels, Snatch, Quantum and Nokoyawa ransomware groups.The methods we used to identify the...

Vulnerability Spotlight: Vulnerabilities in DaVinci Resolve video editing software could lead to code execution

A Cisco Talos team member discovered these vulnerabilities. Blog by Jon Munshaw. Cisco Talos recently discovered two vulnerabilities in the DaVinci Resolve video editing software that could allow an adversary to execute code in the context of the application. DaVinci Resolve is a... This is only...

New Lua-based malware “LucidRook” observed in targeted attacks against Taiwanese organizations

Cisco Talos uncovered a cluster of activity we track as UAT-10362 conducting spear-phishing campaigns against Taiwanese non-governmental organizations NGOs and suspected universities to deliver a newly identified malware family, "LucidRook." LucidRook is a sophisticated stager that embeds a Lua...

Do not get high(jacked) off your own supply (chain)

In the span of just a few weeks, we have observed a dizzying array of major supply chain attacks. Prominent examples include the malicious modification of Axios, a popular HTTP client library for JavaScript, as well as cascading compromises from TeamPCP, a "chaos-as-a-service" group that injected...

Everyday tools, extraordinary crimes: the ransomware exfiltration playbook

Data exfiltration activity increasingly leverages legitimate native utilities, commonly deployed third-party tools, and cloud service clients, reducing the effectiveness of static indicators of compromise IOCs and tool-based blocking strategies. The Exfiltration Framework systematically normalize...

This one’s for you, Mom

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. I am the product of a single parent, my mom, who along with my grandparents helped raise me into the man I am today. I cannot fathom what it took for my mom, who worked three jobs to put herself through college to be a teacher, to...

Why don’t we sit around this computer console and have a sing-along?

Harnessing fire is one of mankind's earliest technological advances. A controlled, tame fire offers us warmth, light and succulent cooked food. Yet, allow the controlled fire to burn too fiercely and it risks becoming an uncontained fire. The unexpected smell of smoke or the sight of tall flames...

What to do when you click on a suspicious link

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and as the tech-savvy friend or family member, people probably come to you for advice. One of the most common questions is: "I clicked a suspicious link. What do I do now?" Don't worry -- panic won't help, but a calm, step-by-step response will. Share thi...

Put together an IR playbook — for your personal mental health and wellbeing

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. This is gonna be a tough read. I'm sorry. Believe it or not, it's even tougher for me to write. I want to talk about what it costs to be in the cybersecurity profession. Not money or time, but potentially your health, both mentally a...

Efficiency? Security? When the quest for one grants neither.

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." In much the same way, those who rush for efficiency without taking into account...

Defeating Future Threats Starts Today

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. You don't need me to tell you that security is constantly changing and that more change is on its way. The enthusiastic adoption of new AI systems will inevitably lead to more demands on cybersecurity teams. Not only will these syste...

Welcome to the party, pal!

Welcome to the final Threat Source newsletter of 2024. Watching "Die Hard" during the Christmas season has become a widely recognized tradition for many, despite ongoing debates about its classification as a Christmas movie. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea. Whether you like the movie or not...

Qilin EDR killer infection chain

Endpoint detection and response EDR tools are widely deployed and far more capable than traditional antivirus. As a result, attackers use EDR killers to disable or bypass them. Disabling telemetry collection process, memory, network activity limits what defenders can see and analyze. As defenders...

Resolutions, shmesolutions (and what’s actually worked for me)

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. I went to bed at 8:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve, and I think that's pretty indicative of how I approach the whole idea of New Year's resolutions. I love to count down to the new year with loved ones as much as the next person, but I hav...

Lexi DiScola’s guide to global teamwork and overflowing TBRs

Welcome back to Humans of Talos. This month, Amy chats with Senior Cyber Threat Analyst Lexi DiScola from the Strategic Analysis team. Lexi's journey into cybersecurity is anything but traditional -- she brings a background in political science and French to her work tracking global cyber threats...

Great Scott, I’m tired

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. "Back to the Future" is 40 years old this year, and at the risk of giving away sensitive information to an audience of hackers… so am I. I don't really know what 40 is supposed to feel like. Honestly, I don't feel all that different...

Why a Cisco Talos Incident Response Retainer is a game-changer

In today's hyper-connected world, cyber attacks are not a matter of if but when. Ransomware, phishing and data breaches dominate headlines. For any organization, the stakes are high and the impact can be wide. A cybersecurity breach can impact your organization's ability to conduct normal busines...

ReVault! When your SoC turns against you… deep dive edition

For a high-level overview of this research, you can refer to our Vulnerability Spotlight. This is the in-depth version that shares many more technical details. In this post, we'll be covering the entire research process as well as providing technical explanations of the exploits behind the attack...

Insights from Talos IR: Navigating NIS2 technical implementation

When the NIS2 Directive arrived in 2023, organizations across Europe began preparing for enhanced cybersecurity requirements. Many focused on obligations such as rapid incident notifications and comprehensive security policies. However, while the directive provided the "what," it left the "how"...

A new author has appeared

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. In the words of Game Changer host Sam Reich, "And your host, me! I've been here the whole time!" Okay, maybe it's not the whole time, but for the past three months, I've been settling into my role here at Cisco Talos. Editing blogs,...