Hackers 1, Cisco 0: UK Cyber Agency Warns of New Malware Menace
Cisco firewalls are having a rough week as threat actors exploit security flaws to deliver malware like RayInitiator and LINE VIPER. These cyber ninjas bypass authentication, execute malicious code, and even disable logging to avoid detection. It’s like a digital game of hide-and-seek, but Cisco’s firewalls forgot to hide!
Hot Take:
Lock your doors and reinforce your firewalls, folks! The U.K.’s NCSC has just dropped the bombshell of the season, revealing how cyber criminals have been playing peekaboo with Cisco firewalls, turning them into Swiss cheese with exploits. With malware names like RayInitiator and LINE VIPER, you’d think they belong to the next Marvel movie rather than your IT department’s nightmares. The sophistication of these attacks could make James Bond blush. Time to upgrade those firewalls or risk being the next contestant on “Hackers Got Talent”!
Key Points:
– Cybercriminals have exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in Cisco firewalls, delivering new malware families RayInitiator and LINE VIPER.
– The attacks were part of a state-sponsored campaign, predominantly targeting government agencies.
– Vulnerabilities CVE-2025-20362 and CVE-2025-20333 were exploited, allowing for authentication bypass and malicious code execution.
– Affected devices include Cisco ASA 5500-X Series models, many of which are reaching end-of-support.
– Cisco has addressed a third flaw (CVE-2025-20363), but it’s not yet known to be exploited in the wild.