Critical infrastructure has been targeted in a wave of cyberattacks, which experts say are rising because of artificial intelligence.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Anthropic is warning that small AI models could soon be able to self-replicate across consumer IoT devices, from Android TV boxes to smart ovens, creating distributed botnets capable of running AI workloads without relying on data centers. [...]

Today is Microsoft's October 2026 Patch Tuesday, with security updates addressing a record-breaking 1,411 flaws, including one actively exploited and two publicly disclosed zero-day vulnerabilities. [...]

An Anthropic AI model submitted a fabricated tip about an unsolved homicide through an online form run by the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD). The tip, filed July 18 through PhillyUnsolvedMurders[.]com by “someone who might have information about the case,” went straight into the inbox’s spam folder. Anthropic discovered it on September 28, notified the PPD on October 7, and sent representatives to the police HQ the following day. Anthropic told the police the AI submitted the tip during a test exercise that involved interacting with randomly selected websites. The PPD said its findings are so far consistent with Anthropic's account. Because the tip was flagged as spam, it never reached the department's Real-Time Crime Center. The PPD said officers vet all submissions, automated or otherwise, before forwarding them to investigators, and that this process safeguards against abuse of the tip system. It added that this does not “diminish the seriousness” of an AI submitting fabricated information. “The city of Philadelphia takes this incident very seriously,” the PPD said. “The company must strengthen its safeguards to prevent similar incidents from impacting city systems without the city’s knowledge. The two-month delay in detecting and reporting the incident to the city is unacceptable.” It added: “The department and the [Cherelle] Parker administration will continue to closely monitor this incident, and will provide more information to the public as soon as it becomes available. In addition to our investigation into this incident, the Parker administration will explore all necessary regulatory protections going forward locally along with our state and federal partners.” On October 9, Anthropic published a report on this and other AI errors. The report covered four categories of AI failures, including vulnerability exploits, access to restricted data, bypassing fetch tool limits with URL shorteners, and submitting false information via web forms. Anthropic declined to name any of the affected organizations, other than the PPD after the department went public. Some cases involved local, state, and federal US government websites, though the AI company didn't say which of the four categories they fell under. The PPD did not name the model responsible, but Anthropic said Claude Haiku 4.5 was tasked with generating and performing example tasks on randomly selected web pages, and hinted at the model not being prompted specifically enough. “Claude was instructed never to log in, create accounts, enter personal data, make purchases, or submit anything destructive, but the instructions did not rule out form submissions,” Anthropic's report stated. The fake tip read: “I may have information regarding this case. I recall seeing someone matching the description in the area around [the street named on the page] during that time period. Please contact me if this information is relevant.” Anthropic said the incident was less severe than the cyberattacks over the summer. The report said: “Claude appears to have only been producing example content for the task, rather than trying to mislead anyone to achieve a goal.” By contrast, the "dishonesty" displayed over the summer was “sustained over hours” and supported continued attacks, the Claude maker said. Anthropic said it will keep reporting these failures when it detects them, and will continue fine-tuning behavioral and alignment training. The 3,095-word report contained no apology.®

The U.K. Housing Ombudsman Service is investigating a third-party IT security incident that impacted its case management system on Tuesday. [...]

TFG London detected a cybersecurity incident that impacted IT systems used by the Phase Eight, Hobbs, and Whistles premium fashion brands. [...]

Ivanti urged customers on Tuesday to immediately patch an actively exploited zero-day vulnerability in the Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS) remote access gateway. [...]

Docker has disclosed a critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-105445) in Docker Hub that let attackers access another user's container repositories using a personal access token (PAT). [...]

Attackers continue exploiting gaps in MFA coverage, using stolen credentials to access VPNs, RDP, and Windows systems that still rely on passwords alone. Specops explains why protecting cloud applications isn't enough and how organizations can close these authentication gaps. [...]

Cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems reportedly pushed temperatures as high as 50°C (122°F), affecting hundreds of stores in France and forcing retailers to discard food. Major supermarkets such as Carrefour, Coopérative U, Intermarché, Monoprix, and more were hit by the attacks, which spoiled perishable food and left stores without fresh produce. The affected equipment includes cold-storage units used to hold food before it reaches supermarket shelves. The criminals behind the attack raised temperatures to unsafe levels, spoiling food and in some cases starting fires. Some affected retailers used refrigeration controllers produced by Danish company Danfoss. Authorities have not identified the entry point or confirmed exploitation of the vulnerabilities previously disclosed by Claroty and patched in August 2025, although the manufacturer said affected stores were running outdated firmware. Experts say the previously identified vulnerabilities were easily scriptable and relied on a unique but predictable authentication method. Claroty found a hidden authentication mechanism in the AK-SM 800A platform that accepted a code generated from the device's current date, bypassing the configured administrator password. Anyone who reproduced the algorithm could generate a valid daily code and gain administrative access. "It's a zero-skill thing to pull off, I wrote the bash script while having a shit," said security pro Kevin Beaumont. The research demonstrated how compromised controllers could expose refrigeration systems to physical disruption, although the vulnerabilities' role in this week's attacks remains unconfirmed. Danfoss told reporters this week that the French supermarkets affected by the attacks "were running outdated firmware" and that the company has consistently advocated for keeping systems updated. The Register asked Danfoss if it would confirm whether the previously disclosed bugs were exploited to execute the attacks, and whether the same bug was also abused in August to compromise US military commissary refrigerators, which led to food losses. CERT-FR published an alert reporting numerous compromises of Danfoss AK-SM and AK-SC controllers, which were not mentioned in Claroty's original reporting nor in Danfoss's advisories at the time. The authority advised disconnecting or restricting network access. For suspected compromises, it recommended a factory reset, security patches, credential rotation, account checks, and full reconfiguration. For those wondering why fridges even need to be reachable via the internet, the main reason is that it allows central engineering teams to troubleshoot issues remotely, according to Claroty's researchers. "Industrial control systems such as refrigeration controllers are often assumed to be on safely isolated networks. However, our research found many of these devices are directly exposed to the public internet," said Amir Preminger, CTO at Claroty. "While this convenience significantly reduces maintenance costs by allowing engineers to troubleshoot issues remotely, it also lowers the barrier to entry for attackers. "Organizations must take proactive measures to ensure that management interfaces are not insecurely connected to the internet, and ensure that access to administrative services is restricted to trusted management networks or secured through VPNs and other appropriate network segmentation controls." Intermarché owner Groupement Les Mousquetaires said around 150 of its supermarkets were affected by the attacks, while Carrefour confirmed around 80 impacted stores. Monoprix said roughly 5 percent of its 490 stores were experiencing the same issues, and Coopérative U CEO Dominique Schelcher said 80 of the company’s 2,000 stores were hit, adding that the attack on the food sector was “unacceptable.” “Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products is an attack on the French food supply chain,” he said. “It is unprecedented, extremely serious, and unacceptable. We remain fully mobilized.” However, in a separate twist, Schelcher told French radio station RTL on Tuesday that Coopérative U is not a customer of Danfoss. The Register contacted Coopérative U for more information about what caused the attacks at its stores. Shodan searches for internet-facing Danfoss controller interfaces indicated that more than 4,500 endpoints were exposed as of Monday, with more than half of those located in France. Ahold Delhaize, a major grocery retailer in the Netherlands, announced on the same day that it was experiencing a "security issue." No link to the refrigeration attacks in France has been established. The end result is similar, however, as the company's grocery brands are reporting stock issues. Several of the group's brands have taken their websites offline and posted notices about the "cybersecurity incident." Stores remain open, but affected brands have reported disruption to websites, apps, customer services, and online deliveries. The disruption hit the company's distribution systems, although these are now being restored. Updates posted to social media on Tuesday told shoppers that staff were once again able to use digital shelf labels but stock levels may vary across stores, and long-life items were likely to be more abundant than fresh fruit and vegetables. The retailer previously suffered a cyberattack in November 2024 that disrupted its US operations. ®

SAP has addressed 20 security flaws across multiple products in its October 2026 security updates, including a maximum-severity vulnerability in the Cloud SDK for Python. [...]

A person claiming responsibility for the breach of Denmark's Central Register of Persons (CPR) says they gained access through an IT company's account protected by the password "123456." The person told Danish news outlet Politiken they had no intention of selling or leaking the data. The newspaper reported that at least three company accounts, including an administrator account, used the same password. Denmark's CPR administration confirmed a breach affecting the information belonging to 8.8 million people on October 5, adding that a Danish company's legal access to the CPR system was abused. It did not name Funen-based Pays ApS as the company in question, but managing director Sophie Laursen confirmed on October 9 that it's access had been exploited. Pays' website has been taken offline, and the business has not responded to The Register's request for more information about the password claims. Pays had authorized access to the CPR system to provide services such as validating business customers' records. The Danish government says information relating to 8.8 million people was accessed. The register contains approximately 11 million records, including those of deceased people and people who have moved abroad. The government did not respond to questions about the alleged password failings. According to documents obtained by broadcaster TV 2, the attacker gained access to the CPR system on September 10 and ran the 14 million automated searches between then and September 20. The intrusion was detected on October 2, 12 days after the last reported searches. Mikkel Leihardt, director of the government's higher education and science ministry, told reporters at a press conference that the attack was discovered after a department staffer picked up an invoice indicating unusually high activity from Pays. The Danish data protection authority, Datatilsynet, was notified on October 4, and the government disclosed the attack the following day. ®

The attack targeted a Danish software system in more than 400 supermarkets, forcing some shops to throw out frozen produce. The attackers have not been identified.

© Fred Tanneau/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Una vulnerabilità critica in Bricksforge per WordPress sta esponendo migliaia di siti a un rischio elevatissimo: l'esecuzione di codice da remoto (RCE). Questa falla di sicurezza, identificata come CVE-2024-25137, ha ricevuto il massimo punteggio di gravità, un CVSS di 10.0.

Cosa significa? Un malintenzionato potrebbe prendere il controllo completo del tuo sito web senza nemmeno doversi autenticare.

Vediamo insieme di cosa si tratta e, soprattutto, come puoi difenderti.

Cos'è Bricksforge in WordPress e perché questa vulnerabilità è così pericolosa?

Bricksforge è un popolare add-on per Bricks Builder, uno strumento molto amato per la creazione di siti WordPress. Aggiunge funzionalità avanzate come form complessi, animazioni e gestione di dati dinamici. Il cuore del problema risiede proprio nella gestione del processo di upload dei file tramite i suoi moduli di contatto. La pericolosità di questa falla è estrema.

Un utente non autenticato può sfruttarla per caricare un file PHP malevolo sul tuo server e poi eseguirlo. Da quel momento, le possibilità per l'attaccante sono infinite:

• Installare una web shell per avere accesso persistente al sito.
• Modificare i contenuti delle tue pagine o rubare dati sensibili.
• Reindirizzare i tuoi visitatori verso siti di phishing o malware.
• Utilizzare il tuo server per lanciare altri attacchi.

In parole semplici, è come lasciare la porta di casa non solo aperta, ma con un invito scritto per i ladri.

Come funziona l'attacco in dettaglio

Per capire come proteggersi, è utile comprendere il meccanismo dell'attacco e conoscere gli attacchi simili avvenuti in passato. Gli hacker hanno scoperto un modo per aggirare i controlli di sicurezza del plugin.

Il processo di upload ingannato

L'attacco si svolge in due fasi. Inizialmente, l'hacker carica un file che si presenta come un'immagine innocua, ad esempio un file .gif. Il plugin esegue un primo controllo sul tipo di file (MIME type) e, riconoscendolo come immagine, lo accetta e lo salva in una cartella temporanea.

Il problema sorge nella seconda fase. L'hacker invia una richiesta di sottomissione del modulo creata ad hoc. In questa richiesta, specifica il percorso del file "immagine" appena caricato, ma indica una destinazione finale con estensione .php. Il plugin, fidandosi delle informazioni fornite, sposta il contenuto del file (che include codice PHP malevolo) nella nuova posizione con la nuova estensione. A questo punto, all'hacker basta visitare l'URL del file per eseguire il codice e compromettere il sito.

L'automazione degli attacchi

Le analisi dei ricercatori di sicurezza, come Patchstack, mostrano che questi tentativi di attacco sono altamente automatizzati. Sono stati registrati exploit provenienti da decine di indirizzi IP diversi, spesso a pochi secondi di distanza l'uno dall'altro. Questo indica una campagna diffusa che mira a colpire il maggior numero possibile di siti vulnerabili.

Stai usando Bricksforge in WordPress? Ecco come proteggerti da questa vulnerabilità

Se utilizzi Bricksforge nel tuo sito in WordPress, la tua priorità assoluta è agire immediatamente contro questa vulnerabilità. Non attendere di notare comportamenti anomali sul tuo sito, perché a quel punto potrebbe essere già troppo tardi.

Aggiornamento immediato: la prima linea di difesa

La soluzione è semplice e diretta: aggiornare il plugin. Gli sviluppatori hanno già rilasciato le patch correttive.

La falla di sicurezza riguarda tutte le versioni di Bricksforge fino alla 3.1.8.9 inclusa. Aggiorna immediatamente alla versione 3.1.8.10 o successiva.

Il team ha rilasciato anche una correzione per i Pro Forms nella versione 4.0.1. Si raccomanda l'aggiornamento anche se non usi moduli con campi di upload. Non rimandare questo passaggio. È il modo più efficace per chiudere la porta agli aggressori.

Verifica e pulizia del sito: cosa cercare

Se temi che il tuo sito sia già stato compromesso o vuoi fare un controllo di sicurezza, ecco alcuni passaggi da seguire:

• Ispeziona i log del server: cerca richieste sospette, in particolare verso /wp-json/bricksforge/v1/form_submit.
• Controlla le cartelle di upload: esamina attentamente la cartella /wp-content/uploads/bricksforge/tmp/ e altre directory di upload alla ricerca di file PHP inaspettati o file con nomi strani.
• Scansiona il tuo sito: utilizza un plugin di sicurezza affidabile per eseguire una scansione completa alla ricerca di malware e file sospetti.

La vulnerabilità di Bricksforge in WordPress nel contesto globale

Questo incidente non è un caso isolato. Sottolinea ancora una volta un punto cruciale nella gestione di un sito WordPress: la gestione delle vulnerabilità.

I plugin, per quanto utili, possono diventare punti deboli se non vengono mantenuti aggiornati. Le falle di sicurezza legate all'upload di file sono comuni e pericolose perché offrono una via d'accesso diretta al server.

La lezione è chiara: mantieni sempre il core di WordPress, i temi e i plugin aggiornati all'ultima versione. La sicurezza informatica non è un'attività da fare una tantum, ma un processo continuo di vigilanza e manutenzione.

L'articolo Vulnerabilità Bricksforge WordPress e come proteggere il tuo sito proviene da sicurezza.net.