Cisco patched nine critical flaws, including six rated CVSS 10.0, found during internal testing. None are known to be exploited. Cisco released another batch of security fixes for its Crosswork platforms and Secure Workload software, part of what it’s calling an ongoing internal security review, and the CVSS scores in this round are unusually severe. “As part of Cisco’s ongoing commitment to proactive security and product quality, the Cisco Crosswork engineering team has conducted a comprehensive internal security review. This review resulted in a software hardening release that addresses multiple internally discovered vulnerabilities.” reads the advisory. “These vulnerabilities were found during internal testing and are not known to be actively exploited. To assist customers in patching and to streamline the disclosure process, Cisco has grouped these issues by their underlying vulnerability class – Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) – and assigned a single Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Identifier (CVE ID) to each CWE grouping.” Four vulnerabilities affect Crosswork Data Gateway, Crosswork Network Controller, and Crosswork Planning, all impacting these products regardless of how they’re configured: CVE-2026-20030 (CVSS score: 10.0) – an SQL injection vulnerability that lets an attacker manipulate database queries directly. CVE-2026-20357 (CVSS score: 10.0) – a missing authentication for critical function vulnerability, meaning a sensitive operation can be triggered without ever proving who you are. CVE-2026-20358 (CVSS score: 10.0) – an external control of file system vulnerability, letting an outside actor influence which files the system reads or writes. CVE-2026-20359 (CVSS score: 9.9) – an insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability, where stored login material isn’t locked down the way it should be. Seeing three CVSS 10.0 vulnerabilities in a single Cisco advisory is unusual. The four flaws affect Crosswork 7.2.1 and earlier, and Cisco fixed them in version 7.2.1-SP. Five more vulnerabilities got patched in Cisco Secure Workload, spanning both its cloud SaaS and on-premises deployments: CVE-2026-20231 (CVSS score: 9.9) – a set of improper neutralization of special elements vulnerabilities covering command, operating system, and argument injection, essentially several different ways to smuggle unintended commands into the system. CVE-2026-20315 (CVSS score: 10.0) – a set of improper access control vulnerabilities spanning authorization, authentication, privileges, and bypasses, a broad category that generally means the system doesn’t reliably enforce who’s allowed to do what. CVE-2026-20317 (CVSS score: 10.0) – a set of improper authentication vulnerabilities covering missing authentication, authentication bypass, and reliance on untrusted inputs, another maximum-severity cluster centered on identity verification failing outright. CVE-2026-20318 (CVSS score: 9.6) – a set of improper input validation vulnerabilities spanning input validation, path traversal, and external path control, the kind of flaw that lets crafted input reach files or directories it was never meant to touch. CVE-2026-20319 (CVSS score: 7.5) – a set of improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer vulnerabilities spanning buffer overflows and out-of-bounds writes, lower severity than the rest but still a genuine memory-safety problem. The networking giant addressed five vulnerabilities in Secure Workload Release 3.10.9.1 for the 3.10 branch and earlier, and 4.0.4.16 for the 4.0 branch. The company found these vulnerabilities during internal testing; it is not aware of attacks in the wild exploiting this issue. “The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerabilities that are described in this advisory.” conctinues the advisory. “Cisco says it found the vulnerabilities through internal security testing that also used advanced AI models.” Nobody’s reported active attacks against any of these nine flaws yet, and Cisco’s own review process caught them before an outside researcher or attacker did. If your organization runs Crosswork or Secure Workload in any configuration, this isn’t a patch to schedule for next month’s maintenance window. Perfect CVSS scores tend to attract attention fast once a vulnerability’s technical details start circulating, and Cisco’s internal discovery only buys you a head start if you actually use it. Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs – hacking, Cisco)
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) ordered U.S. federal agencies to prioritize patching two actively exploited vulnerabilities in the TrueConf Server self-hosted communications platform. TrueConf Server is designed for secure corporate messaging and video conferencing and, unlike cloud-based software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, it operates inside an organization's local network (LAN). The most severe is a critical missing authentication security flaw (tracked as CVE-2026-72529) that allows attackers without privileges to remotely execute arbitrary scripts on unpatched servers. "A remote unauthenticated attacker connecting to TrueConf Server over 4307/TCP can invoke an undocumented critical function and execute an arbitrary script on the server," the TrueConf security team explains.
Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) says a cybersecurity incident exposed the personal information of some current and former employees and job applicants, stemming from a flaw in third-party software. Clinical systems and patient records were not affected. (264)
GitLab flaw CVE-2026-19478 is now under active exploitation, allowing unauthenticated attackers to modify or delete public projects. WatchTowr researchers warn of active exploitation of critical GitLab flaw CVE-2026-19478 (CVSS score of 9.4). This week, GitLab pushed out an emergency patch to address this flaw, which could let an attacker with zero credentials remotely modify or delete public projects and user data. “GitLab has remediated an issue that under certain conditions could allow an unauthenticated user to remotely modify or delete public projects and user data via a GraphQL directive.” reads the advisory. GitLab issued an emergency patch on August 17, five days after its regular update. The vulnerability impacts only self-managed installations, users should upgrade to versions 19.2.4, 19.1.6, 19.0.8, and 18.11.11. There’s a gap worth flagging for anyone still sitting on an older release. The available patches don’t cover the 18.2 through 18.10 branches, even though those versions technically fall inside the affected range. If you’re running anything in that window, staying put isn’t really an option; you’ll need to upgrade to a patched branch entirely rather than waiting for a fix that isn’t coming for your current one. hiimguardian reported the flaw through the company HackerOne bug bounty program. Organizations should urgently patch internet-facing GitLab servers. Until they can update, they should restrict unauthenticated access to /api/graphql, disable public repositories where possible, and check logs for requests containing @gl_introduced. Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs – hacking, CVE-2026-19478)
U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) adds TrueConf Server flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added the following vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog: CVE-2026-72529 (CVSS score of 9.3) TrueConf Server Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability CVE-2026-72530 (CVSS score of 9.5) TrueConf Server Code Injection Vulnerability TrueConf Server is an on-premises video conferencing and unified communications platform developed by TrueConf. Organizations can deploy it on their own infrastructure to provide secure video meetings, voice calls, messaging and collaboration without relying entirely on a cloud service. It is typically used by businesses, government organizations and other institutions that want to keep communications and related data under their own control. CVE-2026-72529 is a remote code execution vulnerability in TrueConf Server that allows an unauthenticated remote attacker with network access to TCP port 4307 to execute arbitrary scripts by calling an undocumented function. The flaw affects TrueConf Server 5.3.x through 5.3.9, 5.4.x through 5.4.9, 5.5.x through 5.5.5, and earlier versions. An attacker who can reach the vulnerable service could potentially compromise the server and use it as an entry point into the affected network. CVE-2026-72530 is a sandbox escape vulnerability in TrueConf Server that allows an unauthenticated remote attacker with network access to TCP port 4307 to break out of an isolated environment and execute arbitrary code on the underlying host. The flaw affects TrueConf Server 5.3.x through 5.3.9, 5.4.x through 5.4.9, 5.5.x through 5.5.5, and earlier versions. By sending a specially crafted script, an attacker could escape the restricted environment and gain code execution on the host system, potentially leading to a full server compromise. In the context of CVE-2026-72529 and CVE-2026-72530, the concern is that vulnerable TrueConf Server installations exposed on TCP port 4307 could provide attackers with a path to execute code on the server. Vyacheslav Kopeytsev from Kaspersky ICS CERT discovered both vulnerabilities. According to Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 22-01: Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, FCEB agencies have to address the identified vulnerabilities by the due date to protect their networks against attacks exploiting the flaws in the catalog. Experts also recommend that private organizations review the Catalog and address the vulnerabilities in their infrastructure. CISA orders federal agencies to fix the flaw CVE-2026-72529 by August 23, 2026, and CVE-2026-72530 by September 2nd. Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs – hacking, CISA)
Cl0p claims over 40 organizations fell victim to attacks exploiting a PTC Windchill and FlexPLM vulnerability. Cl0p is using a familiar strategy again: exploit one flaw in enterprise software to attack many companies, then publish the victims’ names if they refuse to pay. The group claims it has targeted more than 40 organizations through a vulnerability in PTC’s Windchill and FlexPLM platforms, which manufacturers and engineering companies use to manage product and design data. CVE-2026-12569 (CVSS score of 9.3) is a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in PTC Windchill PDMlink and PTC FlexPLM. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability through the deserialization of untrusted data. The flaw impacts all CPS versions and Windchill and FlexPLM releases prior to 11.0 M030. In June, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. German police reportedly warned organizations directly that attacks were coming, which tells you the exploitation window here wasn’t exactly subtle to security researchers watching it unfold. Cl0p group’s tooling for this campaign goes well beyond a basic web shell. Security firm ReliaQuest found the group deployed a custom implant built for full data theft on its own, no additional tools required to actually pull data out once inside. A class loader like that turns a single web shell into an open-ended backdoor, useful for lateral movement, ransomware deployment, or just quietly sitting there for months. “ReliaQuest identified the web shell as a fully equipped extortion platform: it maps sensitive vault data, decrypts every credential in the Windchill keystore, and includes a custom Java class loader that lets Clop execute any additional code inside the application process, extending the shell into an unlimited backdoor for follow-on activity such as lateral movement, ransomware, or persistence.” reads the report published by ReliaQuest. “The web shell gives attackers a direct path to credential theft and large-scale data exfiltration, with no additional tooling required. Unlike generic command shells, this implant decrypts credentials, delivers malware, and maps stored files for exfiltration.” Cl0p’s naming strategy followed its usual slow build. The group initially posted partial company names on its leak site, then switched to full names starting August 12, and the victim count has climbed steadily since. For each organization, the listing includes what type of data got stolen and roughly how much, ranging anywhere from a single gigabyte up to multiple terabytes depending on the target. The stolen data includes databases, project files, backups, engineering documents, blueprints, diagrams and corporate files, as well as images. The victim list reads like a cross-section of major manufacturing and industrial names: Shell, Philips, Fiserv, Zebra Technologies, Ingersoll Rand, Toast, Mindray, and Largan Precision, the company that supplies camera lenses for Apple’s devices. Researchers noticed that GE was on the list briefly before quietly disappearing from Cl0p’s site, a move that usually signals either a ransom payment or at least resumed negotiations behind closed doors. Shell, Philips, Fiserv, and GE have all publicly acknowledged awareness of the claims and said they’re investigating, though none has confirmed a significant breach so far. None of this is a new pattern for Cl0p specifically; it’s the same mass-exploitation-then-extortion model the group has run repeatedly against Oracle E-Business Suite, MOVEit, Cleo, and GoAnywhere over the past few years. What’s different this time is the target: enterprise PLM software sits deep inside manufacturing supply chains, holding the exact kind of engineering data that competitors and nation-states alike would pay real money to see. If your organization runs Windchill or FlexPLM and hasn’t checked for this specific CVE yet, that’s the item to move to the top of today’s list. Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs – hacking, Cl0p )
Cisco has published another round of security updates for Crosswork platforms and Secure Workload Software as part of a continued comprehensive internal security review. Four of the security vulnerabilities affect Crosswork Data Gateway, Crosswork Network Controller, and Crosswork Planning, regardless of the device configuration. A brief description of each of the flaws is below -
NSA, CISA, FBI, DOE, and EPA warn of active AI-assisted attacks against Siemens S7 PLCs across US critical infrastructure sectors. Five U.S. federal agencies issued a joint advisory this week warning of an active hacking campaign against Siemens S7 Series programmable logic controllers. The advisory, CISA AA26-231A, is co-signed by NSA, FBI, DOE, and EPA and covers every S7 generation, from the S7-200 to the S7-1500 F-series safety controllers. The advisory is direct about one thing from the first paragraph: this is not a theoretical risk. “The threat actors are conducting reconnaissance and capability development against U.S.-based Siemens PLC installations using AI-generated exploitation scripts disguised as legitimate monitoring tools. The actors leverage Internet scanning services to find Internet-exposed PLCs running outdated software or that are otherwise poorly protected.” reads the advisory. “The U.S. critical infrastructure sectors most targeted by this threat activity include Critical Manufacturing, Energy, Water and Wastewater, Chemical, Food and Agriculture, and Commercial Facilities. This is not a theoretical risk—it is an active threat. “ The key detail is how the attackers try to hide their activity. They make their scripts look like legitimate OT monitoring software, making it harder for security teams to notice them while they map the target environment. The tools themselves are not custom malware. The attackers use the open-source snap7.dll and python-snap7 libraries, which are legitimate industrial automation tools. These libraries can communicate directly with Siemens PLCs over S7comm on TCP port 102, allowing access to PLC memory, configuration data and ladder logic programs. “Using AI to generate exploitation scripts represents an evolution in threat actor capabilities, dramatically reducing the technical expertise and time required to develop working ICS exploitation scripts and malicious tools. In addition, AI enables adversaries to rapidly leverage additional attack vectors and adapt to defensive measures.” continues the advisory. “Threat actors can easily collect public information about vulnerabilities and weaknesses, find exposed and exploitable PLCs, and use AI-generated scripts to act on that information. If PLCs are exposed to the Internet, they are at high risk for exploitation.” Researchers warn that a defender who patches a vulnerability may now find the attacker’s tooling already adapted before the change window closes. The observed activity breaks into two phases. Actors use scanning services like Censys and ZoomEye to locate Internet-exposed PLCs, then run read operations to understand the target environment before any writes happen. The authoring agencies assess this as pre-positioning: the actors are building a map and testing their techniques against specific CPU models, refining as they go, before they’re ready to cause disruption. The target list covers Critical Manufacturing, Energy, Water and Wastewater, Chemical, Food and Agriculture, and Commercial Facilities. The Defense Industrial Base is also named, given its use of S7-series hardware. If these actors move from read to write, the potential consequences include process disruption, equipment damage, and safety incidents through manipulation of interlocks or emergency shutdown systems, and cascading effects across interconnected supply chains. The advisory flags third-party exposure as a specific problem. Asset owners who rely on system integrators or managed service providers for remote PLC access may not know their controllers are reachable from the Internet. If an external support partner holds credentials for your S7 devices and you haven’t recently verified that those connections are segmented and monitored, this advisory is a good prompt to check. There are several clear signs defenders can monitor. They should look for S7comm connections from devices that are not normally used for engineering, PLC read or write activity outside scheduled maintenance, and scans of multiple IP addresses on TCP port 102. It is also worth checking for Python processes loading snap7.dll on systems where it should not be present. Connections from unexpected countries or locations should also raise an alert. On the mitigation side, the agencies prioritize inventory first, then patching with Internet-facing controllers at the top of the queue. Block TCP port 102 at the perimeter firewall, require password protection on all controllers, configure protection levels to limit what an unauthenticated or low-privilege session can read or write, and deploy ICS-aware monitoring capable of baselining legitimate S7comm behavior. Disabling the PLC web server where it’s not needed and limiting simultaneous S7comm sessions also appear in the guidance, alongside TIA Portal’s know-how protection and complete restart protection features. The advisory closes by recommending direct engagement with Siemens ProductCERT for model-specific hardening and patch compatibility verification, which matters in OT environments where a firmware update can interact badly with third-party integrations and can’t simply be rolled back. Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs – hacking, CISA)
AI is making phishing attacks more personalized, convincing, and difficult for traditional email filters to detect. Kaseya explains how MSPs can monitor identity, email, and endpoint activity to detect and contain attacks that make it past the inbox.
Citrix has warned customers to immediately secure their systems against two vulnerabilities affecting NetScaler Gateway secure remote access solutions and NetScaler ADC networking appliances. The most severe of the two, tracked as CVE-2026-19490, can allow remote attackers without privileges to bypass authentication when the appliance is configured as an AAA virtual server or as a Gateway (SSL VPN, ICA Proxy, CVPN, RDP Proxy), depending on the NetScaler firmware version and whether SAML Action is configured. Admins can check if an appliance is vulnerable to attacks targeting CVE-2026-19490 by inspecting their NetScaler configuration for SAML action configuration (add authentication samlAction .*) string and Auth or VPN vserver ('add authentication vserver .*' and 'add vpn vserver .*') strings.
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