Cyber News Bytes: What’s Happening in Cybersecurity This Week

Compromised VPNs, AI Browser Vulnerabilities, and This Week’s Biggest Exploits

Author

Sandra Liu
October 21, 2025

Hey Cyberfam 👋

Another week, another round of cyber chaos, and you know what that means... We’re back with your top 3 cybersecurity stories that actually matter.

It’s wild out there. Just when you think things are quiet, a new exploit or zero-day pops up like an unexpected guest. But that’s what we do best here: take the noise, break it down, and turn it into lessons you can actually use.

Here are 3 stories shaking up the cybersecurity world (and how you can stay one step ahead 👣).

  1. SonicWall VPNs: Compromised and Causing Chaos

What happened:
Over 100 SonicWall SSL VPN accounts were compromised, giving attackers access to multiple customer environments. They weren’t brute forcing these folks had valid credentials. 😬

Why it matters:
If your org uses SonicWall, it’s not just “someone else’s problem.” Firewall configuration files often store sensitive information, such as DNS settings and user credentials, essentially providing a roadmap for attackers to move deeper into your systems.

How to turn this into your advantage:
👉 Reset credentials on any live SonicWall firewalls.
👉 Restrict WAN management and revoke unused API keys.
👉 And for the love of all things cyber, enforce MFA everywhere.

If you’re in cybersecurity or managing networks, this is a reminder that patch management isn’t a “once-a-quarter” job it’s a matter of survival.

  1. WordPress Mayhem: “Service Finder” Theme Gets Exploited

What happened:
Hackers found a way to bypass authentication in the Service Finder WordPress theme, giving them full admin access, yep, full control. Over 13,000+ exploitation attempts have already been spotted.

Why it matters:
Admin privileges = total domination. Attackers can add accounts, upload malware, or quietly siphon off data while sipping coffee. If you or your clients run WordPress sites, this could get ugly.

Your advantage:
👉 Update to version 6.1 ASAP (or just ditch the plugin if you can).
👉 Scan for suspicious admin accounts or logs with “switch back.”
👉 Don’t trust silence, lack of suspicious logs doesn’t mean you’re safe.

Remember, even small websites can become stepping stones for bigger breaches. Protect them like your digital reputation depends on it (because it does).

  1. AI Browsers: Smart, But Still Pretty Naïve 🤖

What happened:
Researchers at SquareX Labs found major security gaps in new AI powered browsers like Perplexity’s Comet. As browsers start “thinking” for us, they’re also opening doors to sneaky attacks, from prompt injection to malicious downloads.

Why it matters:
AI browsers are like enthusiastic interns, super helpful, but they’ll click on anything if you don’t supervise. They’re automating tasks but not necessarily securing them.

Your advantage:
If you’re experimenting with AI tools, be curious but cautious:
👉 Don’t blindly grant permissions.
👉 Treat AI browser actions like untrusted code.
👉 Keep your DLP and EDR tools ready, they’ll soon need to evolve too.

The future of browsing is smart, but only if we teach it good security hygiene first.

Before we wrap up this week, here’s a little reminder for everyone grinding their way into cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity isn’t just about plugging holes, it’s about learning to see them before they form.

Every expert you look up to once started exactly where you are now, curious, unsure, but determined to keep learning.

If you’re just getting started or thinking about pivoting into cybersecurity, start smart.

I always recommend CourseCareers’ IT course, it’s one of the fastest and most affordable ways to build your tech foundation and break into cybersecurity faster.

Stay safe, stay curious, and I’ll see you next week for more cyber stories 👀

— Sandra 

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