Vulnerabilities Abound: Cisco Zero-Day, BambooToken Malware, and CenterPoint Breach

Cisco disclosed a zero-day vulnerability in its Secure Email Gateway that allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to gain root-level command execution on cloud or on-premises appliances. The flaw was discovered before Monday's disclosure and patch, and Cisco has already found possible compromises among cloud customers. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Lumen Technologies' Black Lotus Labs researchers uncovered BambooToken, a malware that uses the MQTT messaging protocol to control Windows and Linux systems. It appears to reach Windows machines by sideloading a malicious DLL through legitimate OnKey software. The malware has been operating since February 2023, with activity through July across Asia and South America.

CenterPoint Energy revealed that an unauthorized third party obtained personal information from some customers through an external-facing system. The utility serves roughly seven million customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas, and told the SEC that electricity and gas delivery weren't affected. However, SecurityWeek notes that claims of stolen records can be exaggerated.