CISA Urges Agencies to Secure Networking Devices After Zero-Day Attacks
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a directive to federal agencies, urging them to limit access to networking device management interfaces following a series of cyber attacks. These attacks exploited zero-day flaws in popular networking products, highlighting the risks associated with exposing such devices to the public Internet.
CISA's directive comes in response to recent incidents where attackers, including Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors, have exploited vulnerabilities in products from Fortinet and Barracuda Networks. A zero-day flaw in Fortinet's FortiOS firmware allows attackers to run malware on virtually any Fortinet SSL VPN appliance, with over half a million vulnerable devices reachable via the internet speed test.
Barracuda Networks has also been targeted, with Chinese hacking groups exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in their email security gateway appliances since October 2022. These attacks have been ongoing, with the hackers searching email records for accounts of interest to China. CISA requires agencies to respond to reports about misconfigured or internet-exposed networking equipment within 14 days.
CISA's directive underscores the importance of securing networking devices, especially those exposed to the public Internet. With cyberspies and ransomware gangs actively probing for vulnerabilities, agencies must take immediate action to restrict access to these devices and protect against potential threats.
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