A New Extortion Gang Is Naming Companies on the Dark Web and Counting Down to Data Leaks

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A newly identified extortion gang called ScarlettGroup is publicly naming companies on a dark web leak site accompanied by countdown timers that pressure targets into negotiating before alleged stolen data is released. Active since September 2026, the group’s operations span multiple industries, but no confirmed breach details, malware deployment, or intrusion methods have been established by researchers at Foresiet. Organizations named by ScarlettGroup are advised to independently verify claims, strengthen access controls, and prepare incident response without relying solely on the gang’s public threats.

https://cybersecuritynews.com/a-new-extortion-gang/

PHP2Shell Exploit Tooling Found on Exposed Attacker Server

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SOCRadar researchers discovered PHP2Shell exploit tooling on an exposed attacker-controlled server, including a lab-tested remote code execution chain targeting PHP 8.4.26 running as Apache mod_php and scripts scanning about 20 public websites for vulnerable configurations. Though none of the tested sites met the exploit’s preconditions or showed evidence of compromise, the findings highlight that only patching PHP removes the risk, as hardened settings alone can block this attack chain. Additional tools on the server suggest a financially motivated operator conducting wider reconnaissance and intrusion activities beyond PHP exploitation.

https://socradar.io/blog/php2shell-exploit-tooling-attacker-server/

How Likely Is Successful Mass Exploitation of PHP2SHELL?

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The PHP2SHELL vulnerability presents a high-alert scenario with near-certain mass denial-of-service (DoS) and plausible mass memory disclosure across millions of PHP servers due to its unauthenticated, default-on nature affecting a decade of versions. However, reliable mass remote code execution (RCE) exploitation is significantly more complex and limited by multiple variables such as server API (SAPI) type, memory configuration, architecture, and worker affinity, making universal RCE unlikely but feasible in specific dominant stacks like default LAMP with WordPress on x86_64. Organizations are urged to patch promptly, harden systems, monitor detection signals like worker crashes and anomalous cookies, and maintain asset inventories to assess the blast radius and prepare for ongoing threat evolution.

https://www.pwndefend.com/2026/10/21/how-likely-is-mass-exploitation-of-php2shell/

PHP Blames Supply Chain Security Biz Chainguard for Putting Huge Chunks of the Web at Risk

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PHP developers have accused supply chain security company Chainguard of prematurely releasing patches for critical PHP vulnerabilities known as PHP2shell, disrupting a coordinated vulnerability disclosure and potentially putting many websites at risk. The vulnerabilities, found using AI tools and tracked as CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619, allow unauthenticated remote code execution on servers running PHP versions dating back over a decade. Chainguard’s CEO defended the early patch release, citing evidence of active exploitation, but PHP maintainers criticized the move for undermining coordination efforts amid a complex and high-impact security incident.

https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/10/22/php-blames-supply-chain-security-biz-chainguard-for-putting-huge-chunks-of-the-web-at-risk/5304611

Two CVSS 9.0 Linux KSMBD RCE Flaws Disclosed on Public Mailing Lists Before Kernel Fixes

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Two critical remote code execution vulnerabilities with CVSS score 9.0 were publicly disclosed in the Linux kernel’s KSMBD SMB server before fixes were available. One flaw allows unauthenticated attacks via crafted SMB1/SMB2 packet handling, while the other exploits an integer underflow in SMB Direct transport requiring an RDMA interface; neither has a patch in the mainline kernel yet. These issues expose Linux servers running KSMBD to significant risk until mitigations are released and deployed.

https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/two-cvss-90-linux-ksmbd-rce-flaws.html

Someone Tried to Exploit PHP2Shell 4 Days Before the Vulnerabilities Were Publicly Disclosed

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Amazon’s Threat Intelligence team detected an attempt to exploit the critical PHP2Shell vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619) four days before their public disclosure, targeting its MadPot honeypot from an anonymized IP address. These flaws affect PHP versions 7.x and 8.x, allowing unauthenticated remote code execution with virtually no detectable traces, prompting worldwide cybersecurity agencies to urge immediate patching as exploitation attempts by multiple threat actors have since increased significantly.

https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/someone-tried-to-exploit-php2shell-4.html

Attackers Hijacked Over 300 Tor Exit Relays to Intercept SSH Connections

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Attackers hijacked over 300 Tor exit relays in early October 2026, modifying their exit policies to intercept SSH connections by redirecting them to malicious servers that stole login passwords when users accepted fake host keys. The compromise was linked to the Ebury backdoor, installed via stolen credentials on relay operator servers, enabling persistent access and interception of encrypted SSH traffic tunneled through Tor; the Tor Project identified and removed the malicious relays by October 5. Operators affected are advised to check for signs of compromise, treat any passwords entered during the attack window as stolen, and reinstall systems after removing infected relays.

https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/attackers-hijacked-over-300-tor-exit.html

Critical GitLab Flaw (CVSS 10.0) Could Allow Unauthenticated RCE Across 12 Years of Releases

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GitLab has released patches for a critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-110264) rated CVSS 10.0 that allows unauthenticated remote code execution on self-managed servers across all versions since 7.0 (2014). The flaw stems from an integer overflow in GitLab’s patched version of the Ruby Onigmo regular-expression compiler, and while no exploitation has been reported so far, immediate updates are necessary as no workaround exists and multiple affected versions require upgrading.

https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/critical-gitlab-flaw-cvss-100-could.html

PHP Issues Emergency Patches for Two Critical PHP2Shell RCE Flaws as Exploit Attempts Emerge

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PHP has released emergency patches for two critical remote code execution vulnerabilities, collectively known as PHP2Shell, affecting nearly all versions from PHP 5.4 onward. These flaws, rated 9.2 CVSS, allow unauthenticated attackers to execute code on web servers at the runtime level, with the highest risk on Apache mod_php setups; active exploitation attempts have already been observed, prompting urgent updates to PHP versions 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36, and 8.2.35 to fully protect servers. The PHP Foundation acknowledged delayed fixes due to past challenges but emphasized that patching is the only reliable mitigation, as configuration workarounds do not fully prevent exploitation.

https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/php-issues-emergency-patches-for-two.html

Cloudflare Deploys Protections Against Php2shell Vulnerability

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Cloudflare has implemented new Web Application Firewall (WAF) protections to defend against the php2shell vulnerability, a critical PHP exploit that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected servers. These protective rules detect and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability, helping to safeguard websites from potential compromise without requiring immediate patching. This deployment enhances security for Cloudflare customers by mitigating risks posed by active exploits targeting php2shell flaws.

https://blog.cloudflare.com/php-vulnerabilities-waf-protection/

PHP Warns Admins of Two Critical Flaws, Emergency Patches Coming

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The PHP development team has announced emergency security updates scheduled for October 21, 2026, to address two critical remote code execution vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619) affecting PHP versions 5 through 8, each rated 9.2 on the CVSS v4.0 scale. Prior to the official release, details about these flaws were leaked, prompting organizations like Cloudflare to deploy temporary Web Application Firewall protections while urging administrators to apply the official patches promptly upon release.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/php-warns-admins-of-two-critical-flaws-emergency-patches-coming-tomorrow/

Hackers Use Autonomous AI Agents to Breach Company Websites, Target Over 1,200 Sites

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Security researcher Snorre Fagerland discovered autonomous AI agents, operated by a Chinese-speaking criminal, targeting over 1,200 company websites to breach them with minimal human input, including sites of major companies like Deere, SharkNinja, and Cummins. These AI-driven attacks used the open-source Cairn tool to gain persistent access by planting web shells, with an average success rate of about 10% and low operational costs, while exposed control panels also leaked sensitive data and credentials. NorForge is notifying victims and urging hosting providers to secure or remove these exposed AI agent control panels to prevent further compromises.

https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/hackers-use-autonomous-ai-agents-to.html

ENISA Threat Landscape 2026: Top Cyberattack Trends

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The ENISA Threat Landscape 2026 report highlights emerging cyberattack trends, emphasizing the increasing sophistication and automation of attacks targeting critical infrastructure and cloud environments. It forecasts a rise in ransomware, supply chain compromises, and AI-powered threats, urging organizations to enhance their cybersecurity defenses and resilience strategies.

https://blog.barracuda.com/2026/10/19/enisa-threat-landscape-2026-cyberattack-trends

F-Secure Scam Encyclopedia

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The F-Secure Scam Encyclopedia is a structured resource that catalogs over 50 online scam types across eight categories, focusing on the victim’s perspective to better understand how scams deceive and extract money. It provides detailed scam indicators, templates, and definitions centered on online criminal deception for financial gain targeting individual consumers, aiming to reveal underlying patterns behind constantly changing scam tactics.

https://www.f-secure.com/en/partners/illuminate-research/scam-encyclopedia

Hackers Use Compromised ConnectWise Credential to Sign In to 173 Microsoft 365 Tenants

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Hackers exploited a compromised ConnectWise Cloud Backup credential to gain unauthorized access to 173 Microsoft 365 tenants, leveraging the app’s broad permissions to access mailboxes, files, and directory data. The attackers used the credential to obtain Microsoft Graph tokens and added themselves to privileged roles in some environments, escalating their access. ConnectWise has disabled the Cloud Backup application’s access while investigating and recommends tenants disable the app until the credentials are reset.

https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/hackers-use-compromised-connectwise.html

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