Cisco

Hackers are actively trying to exploit several high-severity memory exhaustion weaknesses in Cisco software that runs carrier-class routers, the company has warned.

Multiple vulnerabilities have been detected in the distance vector multicast routing protocol (DVMRP) feature of Cisco IOS XR Software, which runs routers and other network devices. If it exploited they “could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to exhaust process memory of an affected device,” the company said.

Exploit kits are one of the threats that is ever present on the Internet. Indiscriminately compromising users that are simply surfing websites. As ransomware has exploded so has the proliferation of these exploit kits. This combination of ransomware, tor, and bitcoin has created a financially lucrative monster.

Cisco informed customers on Wednesday that it has released software updates for several of its products to address critical and high severity vulnerabilities.

The most serious of the issues is a critical vulnerability related to the existence of insecure default credentials in the NX-OS network operating system running on Cisco Nexus 3000 series and Nexus 3500 platform switches. The flaw, identified as CVE-2016-1329, can be exploited by a remote, unauthenticated attacker to log into a vulnerable device with root privileges via an account that has a default and static password.

Tool helps businesses detect routers running known version of newly discovered malicious implant.

Cisco Systems enterprise users now have a way to check if their network routers might have been infected by the recently disclosed SYNful Knock malware.

Security firm FireEye has discovered a malicious backdoor program called SYNful Knock that could let hackers use Cisco’s routers to deploy attacks on a broad scale.

The implant is the same size as the Cisco router image, and it’s loaded each time the router is restarted. The program supports up to 100 modules that can be tailored to the attacker’s needs.

In a couple of days, Cisco will be getting a new CEO for the first time in 20 years when Chuck Robbins officially takes the reins. It will also be ending its 2015 fiscal year.

Employees are biting their nails for news about whether the new boss will continue an old habit: Cisco’s annual layoffs.

The company has shed big chunks of its workforce for the past four years in a row, at the end of its fiscal year.  And then it sometimes added headcount back again by making a huge acquisition.

John Chambers got a little feisty and a little sentimental in his last earnings call as Cisco's CEO on Wednesday, dismissing a criticism of the company as "garbage" and saying he hopes to be working half time by the fall because "the hunting season's coming up."

"It's been fun, it's been challenging, and I'm very humbled by having this chance for 20 years," he said.

Cisco has patched a remote code execution bug that could give attackers root privileges on its Unified Computing System (UCS) Central software used by more than 30,00 organisations.

The UCS data centre server platform joins hardware, virtualisation, networking and software into one system. Versions 1.2 and below are affected.

The Borg says the vulnerability (CVE-2015-0701) rates the maximum 10 severity rating due to its low exploitation requirements and "complete" impact to confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Cisco's small business SPA300 and SPA500 internet protocol (IP) phones contain a vulnerability that if exploited, allows attackers to remotely listen in on audio from the devices.

The vulnerability was discovered by Chris Watts, director of Tech Analysis in Sydney, along with two others.

Malicious advertisements have popped up on websites such as YouTube, Amazon and Yahoo, part of a sophisticated campaign to spread malware, Cisco said Monday.

When encountered, the malicious advertisements cause a person to be redirected to a different website, which triggers a download based on whether the computer is running Windows or Apple’s OS X, wrote Armin Pelkmann, a threat researcher.