The Rising Threat of ToolShell: Unpacking the July 2025 SharePoint Zero-Day Exploits

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Anatomy of the ToolShell Exploit Chain Beginning around July 7, 2025, adversaries exploited a deserialization flaw in SharePoint’s on-premises service (CVE-2025-53770) to upload a malicious spinstall0.aspx payload, triggering code execution within the w3wp.exe process. A secondary path-traversal flaw (CVE-2025-53771) then enabled privilege escalation and lateral movement across corporate networks . Security researchers at Eye Security and Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 observed attackers bypassing identity controls – MFA and SSO – to exfiltrate machine keys, deploy persistent backdoors, and chain ransomware operations within hours of initial compromise . State-Backed Actor Involvement Microsoft attributes the campaign primarily to Storm-2603, assessed with moderate confidence to be China-based, alongside historically linked groups Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon . These actors have a track record of blending cyber-espionage with financially motivated ransomware like Warlock and Lo...
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LockBit Ransomware Group Hacked



The notorious LockBit ransomware group, responsible for numerous cyber extortion attacks globally, has reportedly been hacked. A message on one of their dark web sites stated, “Don't do crime CRIME IS BAD xoxo from Prague,” accompanied by leaked data, including chat logs between LockBit and its victims. Analysts from security firms Analyst1 and Rapid7 believe the data is legitimate, marking a significant blow to the group's operations and credibility.

This breach not only exposes the inner workings of one of the most prolific ransomware groups but also underscores the evolving dynamics in the cybersecurity landscape. The leaked data provides unprecedented insights into LockBit's operations, including affiliate structures, negotiation tactics, and financial transactions.

As cybersecurity threats continue to escalate, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust security measures and international cooperation in combating cybercrime. It also highlights the potential vulnerabilities within even the most sophisticated criminal networks.

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