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Attackers exploited CVE-2021-32305, a critical command injection vulnerability in WebSVN versions prior to 2.6.1, to deploy a Mirai-like botnet payload shortly after the flaw became public. The bug stemmed from unsanitized user input in the search parameter being concatenated into a shell command and executed through PHP's proc_open, allowing remote code execution on vulnerable servers.
The intrusion chain downloaded a shell script that attempted to run malware binaries compiled for 12 Linux architectures, expanding infection across diverse devices and servers. The resulting malware connected to a command-and-control server over TCP port 666 and included multiple UDP- and TCP-based DDoS capabilities. WebSVN addressed the issue by sanitizing input with escapeshellarg, and defenders were urged to upgrade to the patched release.
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4 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
On June 26, 2021, attackers exploited the WebSVN command injection flaw to download a shell script and deploy Mirai-like DDoS malware. The script attempted to run malicious binaries across 12 Linux architectures.
WebSVN discovered and patched the critical command injection vulnerability CVE-2021-32305 in May 2021. The fix sanitized user-controlled input with escapeshellarg before building the shell command.
Unit 42 documented that CVE-2021-32305 had been exploited in the wild shortly after public disclosure and published technical details on the Mirai variant, including its C2 behavior, supported DDoS methods, malware hashes, and the IOC 75.119.143[.]229. The source does not explicitly anchor the reporting event to a date in the article text.
A proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2021-32305 was released before in-the-wild exploitation was observed. The source does not provide a more specific date for the PoC release.
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Attackers were observed exploiting **`CVE-2020-9020`**, a critical remote command execution flaw in **Iteris Vantage Velocity** field units, to deploy a **Satori** variant of the **Mirai** botnet. The activity targeted versions **2.3.1, 2.4.2, and 3.0** through crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable **`/cgi-bin/timeconfig.py`** endpoint, injecting commands via the **`htmlNtpServer`** parameter and downloading malware from **`198.23.238.203`**. The malware was built to compromise multiple CPU architectures and then scan random hosts over **Telnet port 23** using an embedded password dictionary, behavior consistent with Mirai-style propagation. Researchers said infected traffic-monitoring devices could be repurposed for **botnet enrollment, DDoS operations, or data leakage**, and noted communications with a suspected command-and-control service over **SSL on port 5684**; affected organizations were urged to patch or upgrade exposed systems.
Aug 14, 2026
Researchers tracked the Mirai-derived **Echobot** botnet as it rapidly expanded from 18 exploits to 59 and then **71** exploits, broadening propagation across routers, cameras, NAS devices, smart home hubs, servers, SD-WAN appliances, Oracle WebLogic, Barracuda Web Application Firewall, Citrix NetScaler, video conferencing systems, and administration tools. The malware relied heavily on publicly available remote code execution and command-execution exploits, including both legacy flaws dating back to 2003 and newer issues such as **`CVE-2019-15107`** in Webmin, showing how quickly commodity botnet code can be upgraded into large-scale exploit-driven malware. The most notable escalation was Echobot’s move into industrial environments through exploitation of **`CVE-2019-14927`** affecting Mitsubishi Electric remote terminal units, an uncommon step for a Mirai-family botnet toward **SCADA** and critical infrastructure-related devices. Researchers said the malware spread through a bash dropper named **Richard**, which downloaded, compiled, and executed payloads for at least 13 processor architectures, while infrastructure linked to the campaign included open or compromised servers and changing command-and-control domains and ports. The activity underscored Mirai’s continued evolution away from simple default-credential abuse and toward aggressive exploit-based propagation to build larger botnets, likely for **DDoS** operations.
Aug 15, 2026
Attackers exploited the **Spring4Shell** remote code execution flaw, tracked as `CVE-2022-22965`, to gain code execution on vulnerable Spring Framework applications and deploy **Mirai** botnet malware. Reporting from Trend Micro showed the vulnerability being weaponized shortly after disclosure, with exploitation attempts targeting exposed Java applications that met the conditions for the flaw. The observed activity linked a high-profile enterprise software vulnerability to commodity botnet operations, demonstrating how internet-facing servers can be rapidly folded into malware infrastructure after public disclosure. In the documented attacks, successful exploitation led to execution of Mirai-related payloads on compromised systems, underscoring the risk of unpatched Spring deployments being used for botnet propagation and follow-on malicious activity.
Aug 14, 2026