SonicWall, an enterprise security company, has issued an urgent alarm. They have been pushing customers to turn off the SSL VPN feature on affected recent use Generation 7 firewall devices. Unfortunately, this recommendation comes at the same time that we’ve seen a significant increase in ransomware attacks that directly affect users who have the VPN functionality turned on. Alarmingly, the firm has begun to see a trend in increasing incidents tied exclusively to these devices. This rapid increase has sent shockwaves through the cybersecurity industry.
Cybersecurity firm Arctic Wolf further amplified the security warnings. It’s less than a month since SonicWall raised the alarm about dramatic rises in intrusions aimed at their customers since mid-July. Latest exploitation attempts are targeting SonicWall’s Generation 7 firewalls. These incidents are alarming, given that there is a suspected zero-day vulnerability that has already placed the firewalls’ reputations on the line. This vulnerability was allegedly being exploited in the wild before SonicWall released its patch, leaving many organizations vulnerable to these attacks.
SonicWall officials have corroborated that the incidents point to critical ransomware activity, with Akira ransomware emerging as a major threat. As we have seen, this strain of ransomware has been an incredibly potent foe. It has been able to target Fortinet firewalls to gain access into enterprise networks. The new pattern of attacks shows a deeply concerning trend. There’s often just a small window of time between when hackers break through the firewall’s weakness and when they release ransomware.
SonicWall has released an official statement, further emphasizing the urgency of the situation. They called on their business clients and individual consumers to make some bold moves now. By disabling the SSL VPN feature, users can mitigate their exposure to potential threats while the company works on remedying the vulnerabilities in its systems. This directive is timely, as the attacks are a growing and urgent threat. Companies that rely on SonicWall’s security offerings need to pay close attention to these ramifications.
With security incidents increasing every day, organizations leveraging SonicWall’s Generation 7 firewalls should be on high alert. This dangerous scenario is a reminder of just how essential vigorous cybersecurity practices have become. Sign up for vulnerability alerts as they apply to widely used security products.