Cisco Urges Immediate Action After Discovering Backdoor in Unified Communications Manager

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Cisco has removed a hardcoded "root" SSH credential from its flagship Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) platform. Left unpatched, this oversight could have allowed threat actors to gain unauthorized system control and compromise sensitive communications data. Administrators are urged to assess and update their deployments without delay. Understanding the Vulnerability in Depth The vulnerability arises from a root-level account credential embedded directly into Unified CM software images during development and testing. Unlike typical administrative accounts, this credential was immutable by standard configuration interfaces, effectively creating an undetectable entry point once the system was in production. Attackers exploiting this flaw could log in over SSH as root, granting full read, write, and execution privileges across the operating system, application services, and all stored voice data. While Cisco safeguards its commercial releases with extensive pre...
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Play Ransomware Exploits Windows Zero-Day Vulnerability

 



The recent exploitation of the Windows zero-day vulnerability CVE-2025-29824 by the Play ransomware group underscores the critical importance of timely patch management and vigilant cybersecurity practices. Microsoft

This vulnerability, residing in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS), allows attackers to escalate privileges from a standard user to SYSTEM level. By leveraging this flaw, threat actors can gain unauthorized access to systems, deploy malware, and potentially encrypt critical data. Cyber Security News+10BetterWorld Tech+10LinkedIn+10

The Play ransomware group, also known as Balloonfly or PlayCrypt, has been active since mid-2022 and is notorious for its double extortion tactics—exfiltrating data before encryption to pressure victims into paying ransoms. In the recent attacks, they utilized a custom information-stealing tool called Grixba, which has been previously associated with their operations. Symantec Enterprise Blogs+4BetterWorld Tech+4The Hacker News+4SecurityWeek+5Cyber Security News+5BleepingComputer+5

Microsoft's Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) and Security Response Center (MSRC) have attributed the exploitation activity to a threat group called Storm-2460, which deploys the PipeMagic malware in ransomware campaigns. The attackers have targeted organizations across various sectors, including information technology, real estate, finance, and retail, in countries such as the United States, Venezuela, Spain, and Saudi Arabia. BetterWorld Tech+8Cyber Security News+8Logpoint+8BetterWorld Tech+7BleepingComputer+7Cyber Security News+7

The exploitation process involves sophisticated techniques, including the use of the certutil utility to download malicious files, execution of payloads via the EnumCalendarInfoA API callback, and in-memory exploitation using dllhost.exe. These methods allow attackers to bypass traditional security measures and maintain persistence within compromised systems. Symantec Enterprise Blogs+3LinkedIn+3Microsoft+3

The severity of CVE-2025-29824, with a CVSS score of 7.8, highlights the urgent need for organizations to prioritize patching and implement robust security measures. Microsoft released security updates to address this vulnerability on April 8, 2025, and strongly recommends that all affected systems apply these patches promptly. Cyber Security News+1Logpoint+1Microsoft+1Logpoint+1

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the evolving threat landscape and the necessity for proactive cybersecurity strategies. Organizations must remain vigilant, regularly update their systems, and educate their personnel to recognize and respond to potential threats effectively.

For more detailed information on the exploitation of CVE-2025-29824 and recommended mitigation strategies, please refer to the following sources:

By staying informed and implementing comprehensive security measures, organizations can better protect themselves against such sophisticated cyber threats.

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