Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Akira Ransomware Exploited MFA-Protected SonicWall SSL VPNs, Say ResearchersSonicWall said it is probing a surge in attacks against its Gen 7 firewalls, running various firmware versions, which have SSL VPN enabled. Researchers said attackers may have been exploiting a zero-day vulnerability and that multiple victims have been infected with Akira ransomware.

Actively Targeted Zero Day Patched; Warning Issued After Device Configurations LeakFortinet has released patches to fix a zero-day vulnerability being actively exploited by attackers. Separately, researchers are warning customers to review their infrastructure after attackers leaked configuration details - including firewall rules and plaintext VPN passwords - for 15,000 devices.

Suspected Chinese Attackers Again Tied to Active Exploitation of VPN AppliancesVPN appliance maker Ivanti has begun releasing updates to patch a zero-day vulnerability being actively exploited by suspected nation-state attackers. Experts are warning users to immediately update their devices, after factory resetting them to flush any malware attackers may have installed.

UNC5325 Can Remain in Hacked Devices Despite Factory Reset and PatchesChinese threat actors are continuing to persist after exploiting the recent Ivanti Connect Secure VPN vulnerability even after factory resets, system upgrades and patches. The threat actor, UNC5325, is adept at "living off the land" techniques, warned threat intelligence firm Mandiant.

Outdated Software, Exploited Flaws, Security Loopholes Expose Ivanti's DevicesSupply chain security firm Eclypsium found corporate VPN maker Ivanti's Pulse Secure devices - which underwent much emergency patching amid a likely Chinese espionage zero-day hacking campaign - operate on an 11-year old version of Linux and use many obsolete software packages.

CISA Says Agencies Must Disconnect and Reset Ivanti VPN Devices by Midnight FridayU.S. federal agencies have until midnight Friday to disconnect Ivanti VPN devices and perform a factory reset before reconnecting them to the network. Fifteen agencies use the gateways, which were hit by likely Chinese hackers in an espionage campaign and are riddled with zero-day vulnerabilities.

Company Starts Patch Rollout for Flaws Exploited by Likely Chinese Intelligence OpCorporate VPN maker Ivanti on Wednesday began a belated patch rollout for zero-day flaws that many cybersecurity firms say paved the way for an espionage hacking operation likely conducted by China. Ivanti also disclosed two more zero-days and told customers that hackers are exploiting one of them.

US Agencies Told to Remove Ivanti's Affected Products From Federal NetworksThe U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency directed federal agencies to implement mitigation measures for two zero-day exploits that affect Ivanti’s popular VPN products while they await a patch, in what one official described as "a rapidly evolving situation."