Risky Bulletin Risky Bulletin: Improperly patched bug exploited again in Fortinet firewalls
6 snips
Jan 22, 2026 Hackers are exploiting a poorly patched bug in Fortinet firewalls to create backdoor accounts. Cisco and SmarterMail recently rushed to patch zero-day vulnerabilities allowing severe security breaches. Meanwhile, troubling reports reveal Jordanian police misused Cellebrite technology against activists. Other highlights include investigations into data breaches in New Zealand and cybersecurity mishaps involving AI-generated noise disrupting bug bounties. This week, the focus is on the continual battle between cyber defenders and emerging threats.
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Audit Fortinet SSO And Apply Patches
- Check whether single sign-on is enabled on your Fortinet devices and disable if unused.
- Apply Fortinet's latest patches and review accounts for unauthorized backdoors immediately.
Fortinet Patch Failure Enables Fresh Backdoors
- A December Fortinet SSO bug was not properly fixed and is being re-exploited to create backdoor accounts.
- The exploit targets devices with SSO enabled, which is off by default for most appliances.
Prioritize Patching Web Interfaces
- Prioritize patching internet-facing web interfaces for communication and mail platforms immediately.
- Monitor logs for suspicious resets or remote code execution indicators after patching.