Chinese hackers install backdoors via Cisco email zero-day

Cisco Talos has detailed how a Chinese-linked group is exploiting an unpatched zero-day in email security appliances since late November 2025, deploying backdoors and log-wiping tools for persistent access.

Building on initial reports from December 19, Cisco Talos researchers revealed more on the zero-day campaign targeting email security appliances. The suspected Chinese-linked group roots devices to install backdoors and tools that erase logs, enabling stealthy persistence likely for espionage.

No patch is available yet, prompting urgent monitoring for anomalous activity. This aligns with patterns of state-sponsored attacks on network hardware, emphasizing zero-day risks in enterprise defenses.

Makala yanayohusiana

Illustration of a cyber attack on Cisco devices, showing analysts monitoring screens with code and warnings in a dark operations room.
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Operation Zero Disco exploits Cisco SNMP flaw for rootkits

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Cyber threat actors in Operation Zero Disco have exploited a vulnerability in Cisco's SNMP service to install persistent Linux rootkits on network devices. The campaign targets older Cisco switches and uses crafted packets to achieve remote code execution. Trend Micro researchers disclosed the attacks on October 16, 2025, highlighting risks to unpatched systems.

Two groups linked to China are exploiting a newly discovered vulnerability in Cisco's email security products. The campaign involves zero-day attacks, highlighting ongoing cybersecurity risks. The issue was reported on December 19, 2025.

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Cisco Talos has reported a China-linked threat actor known as UAT-7290 that has been spying on telecommunications companies since 2022. The group uses Linux malware, exploits on edge devices, and ORB infrastructure to maintain access to targeted networks.

Ongoing exploitation of the React2Shell vulnerability (CVE-2025-55182)—previously detailed in coverage of China-nexus and cybercriminal campaigns—now includes widespread Linux backdoor installations, arbitrary command execution, and large-scale theft of cloud credentials.

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Pro-Russian hackers known as Curly COMrades are exploiting Microsoft's Hyper-V technology to embed lightweight Alpine Linux virtual machines within compromised Windows systems. This tactic allows them to run custom malware like CurlyShell and CurlCat undetected by traditional endpoint detection tools. The campaign, uncovered by Bitdefender in collaboration with the Georgian CERT, targets organizations in Europe and beyond.

Security researchers, first reporting via TechRadar in December 2025, warn WhatsApp's 3 billion users of GhostPairing—a technique tricking victims into linking attackers' browsers to their accounts, enabling full access without breaching passwords or end-to-end encryption.

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In 2025, cyber threats in the Philippines stuck to traditional methods like phishing and ransomware, without new forms emerging. However, artificial intelligence amplified the volume and scale of these attacks, leading to an 'industrialization of cybercrime'. Reports from various cybersecurity firms highlight increases in speed, scale, and frequency of incidents.

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