Welcome back to the InfoSec.Watch Podcast, your weekly briefing on the security threats that matter.

In Episode 120, we break down a clear and recurring theme across this week’s incidents: control planes have become prime attack planes.

We start with active exploitation of a critical flaw in HPE OneView, underscoring why management-plane software must be treated as Tier Zero infrastructure. From there, we examine unpatchable risk posed by actively exploited, end-of-life D-Link DSL gateways, and a critical unauthenticated RCE (CVSS 9.8) in Trend Micro Apex Central, where compromise could allow attackers to disable security controls at scale.

In the Vulnerability Spotlight, we cover:

• A jsPDF path traversal flaw highlighting real-world software supply chain risk
• Multiple Veeam Backup & Replication fixes, reinforcing why backup platforms remain high-value ransomware targets

Our Trend to Watch looks at a growing enterprise data-loss vector: prompt-poaching via malicious browser extensions, where entire GenAI conversations — including sensitive code and data — are being exfiltrated from tools like ChatGPT.

We also discuss:

• CISA’s move to formally retire early Emergency Directives in favor of a mature KEV-driven vulnerability process
• Why organizations should adopt their own “KEV-style” prioritization model
• Chainsaw, a high-performance open-source tool for rapid Windows EVTX triage

In this week’s Actionable Defense Move, we walk through a 30-minute management-plane exposure sweep — a fast, high-impact exercise to identify publicly exposed admin interfaces before attackers do.

Final takeaway: attackers will always gravitate toward systems where privileges are concentrated. If a control plane must exist, it must be tightly restricted, aggressively patched, and continuously monitored.

For a full written breakdown of these stories and more, subscribe to the InfoSec.Watch newsletter at infosec.watch, and follow us on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn for updates throughout the week.

In this week’s episode of the InfoSec.Watch Podcast, hosts Grant Lawson and Sloane Parker break down the security stories that defenders can’t afford to ignore.

The episode opens with urgent patching guidance for an actively exploited WatchGuard IKEv2 VPN remote code execution flaw, followed by analysis of “MongoBleed” (CVE-2025-14847)—a memory disclosure vulnerability in MongoDB now seeing real-world exploitation. Grant and Sloane walk through not just why these issues matter, but what defenders should be doing after patching, including log review, threat hunting, and hardening exposed services.

The discussion then turns to a growing threat targeting security teams themselves: malicious GitHub proof-of-concept repositories that masquerade as exploit code but actually deploy WebRAT malware. The hosts explain how researchers and blue teams can safely handle PoCs without becoming the next breach.

Other highlights include:

• A breakdown of the Aflac breach notification affecting 22.65 million individuals and why incident response doesn’t end at containment
• Ongoing DDoS disruptions impacting French postal and banking services, with a focus on operational resilience and customer communication
• A Vulnerability Spotlight on a critical SmarterMail flaw enabling arbitrary file upload and likely RCE
• Tool of the Week: Praetorian’s Gato, which maps attack paths in CI/CD environments using GitHub Actions and self-hosted runners
• A Deep Dive into the accelerating weaponization of AI-driven phishing campaigns

The episode wraps with an Actionable Defense Move of the Week, outlining a formal, repeatable process for safely handling exploit code, and a Final Word on why fundamentals—patching, exposure management, and disciplined workflows—still define the fastest path to compromise.

For full analysis, links, and takeaways, subscribe to the newsletter at infosec.watch and follow along on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

In this week’s InfoSec.Watch Podcast, we break down a series of critical security developments shaping the threat landscape. The episode opens with urgent guidance on two actively exploited, unauthenticated remote-code-execution vulnerabilities—one affecting WatchGuard Firebox appliances and the other impacting HPE OneView across multiple versions. The hosts outline the immediate actions every defender must take, from emergency patching to post-patch hunting and access-control validation.

The Vulnerability Spotlight shifts to escalating attacks on email security gateways, a high-leverage target where compromise grants adversaries deep visibility and control across an organization’s communications. Grant and Sloane detail how attackers are abusing these systems for redirection, injection, and lateral movement—and why defenders must adopt a more aggressive hunt posture on these assets.

In Trend to Watch, they examine a troubling new campaign uncovered by Kaspersky: a WebRAT distributed through GitHub repositories masquerading as Proof-of-Concept exploits. The campaign specifically targets students and early-career researchers, weaponizing curiosity to compromise analyst workstations. The hosts share essential operational security guidance for safely handling PoCs and research tooling.

This week’s Quick Hits include new FBI IC3 warnings about rapport-building scams that shift victims to encrypted messaging apps—along with a reminder to expand phishing simulations to include voice and messaging impersonation scenarios.

The Actionable Defense Move of the Week highlights a powerful preparedness tactic: creating a one-hour response checklist for critical edge devices and administrative interfaces. Grant and Sloane walk through what belongs on that list—from isolation steps and forensic captures to credential rotations and enhanced monitoring—emphasizing that speed, not perfection, wins the first hour of a zero-day event.

They close with a Final Word on attacker strategy: adversaries are increasingly targeting high-leverage choke points such as email gateways, identity pathways, and management services. Real resilience now depends on reducing time-to-mitigate and protecting systems that function as force multipliers for attackers.

Stay ahead of the threats that matter with this week’s briefing, and subscribe at infosec.watch for full coverage and daily updates.