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Australia’s ASD’s ACSC warned that attackers are actively exploiting the critical SonicWall SSL VPN vulnerability CVE-2024-40766 against exposed devices in Australia, with Akira ransomware specifically cited as targeting vulnerable organizations. The flaw can enable unauthorized access and, in some conditions, cause the firewall to crash, increasing the risk of both intrusion and service disruption on internet-facing perimeter systems.
Affected systems include SonicWall Gen 5, Gen 6, and Gen 7 firewalls running SonicOS 7.0.1-5035 and earlier, while SonicWall has separately issued security and threat-activity advisories for SSL VPN deployments. Defenders were urged to review SonicWall exposure, apply vendor remediation and firmware updates, and reset passwords after patching, as compromised credentials may allow continued access even after the software flaw is fixed.
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3 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
Australia's ACSC issued an alert stating it was aware of a recent increase in active exploitation in Australia of CVE-2024-40766 and that Akira ransomware was targeting vulnerable Australian organizations through exposed SonicWall SSL VPN devices. The agency advised organizations to review affected deployments, apply SonicWall remediation guidance, update firmware, and change passwords because patching alone may not remove risk if credentials are not rotated.
SonicWall published a notice about recent threat activity affecting Gen 7 and newer firewalls' SSLVPN functionality. The notice served as vendor guidance related to the ongoing exploitation activity.
SonicWall published security advisory SNWLID-2024-0015 covering CVE-2024-40766, a critical vulnerability affecting SonicWall SSL VPN functionality. The advisory is the vendor reference cited for investigation and remediation guidance.
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The Akira ransomware group is actively exploiting the year-old SonicWall vulnerability CVE-2024-40766, along with SSLVPN misconfigurations and exposed Virtual Office Portals, to gain unauthorized access and deploy ransomware. Despite patches being available since August 2024, many organizations failed to reset local user passwords or address configuration weaknesses, leaving them vulnerable. Security advisories from SonicWall, Rapid7, and the Australian Cyber Security Centre urge immediate patching, password resets, MFA enforcement, and network access restrictions to mitigate ongoing attacks.
Jun 29, 2026
Threat actors have launched a widespread campaign targeting SonicWall SSL VPN devices, resulting in the compromise of over 100 accounts across at least 16 customer environments. Security firm Huntress reported that attackers are rapidly authenticating into multiple accounts on compromised devices, indicating possession of valid credentials rather than relying on brute-force methods. The campaign began in earnest around October 4, 2025, with authentication attempts traced to a specific IP address, 202.155.8[.]73. In some cases, attackers disconnected after brief access, but in others, they conducted network scanning and attempted to access local Windows accounts, suggesting a range of post-compromise activities. The incident follows SonicWall’s disclosure of a security breach involving unauthorized exposure of firewall configuration backup files stored in MySonicWall accounts, which could provide attackers with sensitive information such as user and group settings, DNS configurations, and certificates. Although there is no direct evidence linking the configuration file breach to the VPN compromises, the risk of credential exposure remains high, prompting advisories for organizations to reset credentials on live firewall devices. Concurrently, security teams observed a surge in Akira ransomware incidents exploiting SonicWall SSL VPN devices, initially suspected to be due to a zero-day but later attributed to the known vulnerability CVE-2024-40766. This vulnerability, an improper access control flaw in SonicOS, affects multiple generations of SonicWall devices and was first disclosed and patched in August 2024. Despite the availability of a patch, unpatched devices remain vulnerable and have been actively targeted by Akira ransomware affiliates. In one documented case, Darktrace detected suspicious activity including network scanning, lateral movement, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration on a customer’s network, with approximately 2 GiB of data exfiltrated before the attack was contained. The attackers’ tactics included leveraging both the CVE-2024-40766 vulnerability and misconfigurations to gain access. The campaign underscores the importance of timely patching and credential hygiene, as attackers are exploiting both technical vulnerabilities and exposed credentials to infiltrate networks. Organizations using SonicWall’s cloud backup service are particularly at risk if they have not reset credentials following the configuration file exposure. Security advisories recommend immediate credential resets and patching of all affected SonicWall devices to mitigate ongoing threats. The incidents highlight the persistent threat posed by ransomware groups like Akira, who continue to exploit both new and previously disclosed vulnerabilities in widely deployed network infrastructure. The rapid detection and response by managed security services, such as those provided by Darktrace, have proven effective in limiting the impact of these attacks. However, the scale and speed of the current campaign demonstrate the attackers’ ability to coordinate and execute widespread compromises across multiple organizations. The situation remains dynamic, with ongoing investigations into the full extent of the compromise and the potential links between credential exposure and active exploitation. Organizations are urged to review their SonicWall device configurations, monitor for suspicious authentication activity, and ensure all security patches are applied without delay.
Jun 29, 2026
The Akira ransomware group has been exploiting vulnerabilities in SonicWall SSL VPN appliances, particularly those inherited by large enterprises through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) of small- and medium-sized businesses. Attackers have leveraged legacy admin credentials, weak hostnames, and inadequate endpoint defenses to gain rapid access to sensitive systems, with lateral movement to domain controllers occurring in under 10 hours on average. Security researchers note that these attacks are not necessarily targeting M&A activity directly, but the inherited, often misconfigured SonicWall devices present a lucrative entry point for ransomware operations. Experts warn that the integration of overlooked or poorly secured network devices during M&A processes significantly increases the risk of compromise for acquiring organizations. The Akira campaign highlights the broader challenge of managing legacy security appliances, as attackers continue to exploit such devices for initial access and rapid ransomware deployment. Organizations are urged to conduct thorough asset inventories and strengthen security controls around inherited IT infrastructure, especially network edge devices like SSL VPNs.
Jun 29, 2026