Since last Friday, we’ve seen a major vendor shaken by a long-term compromise, AI models weaponized in fully autonomous attack chains, and yet another zero-day vulnerability.

Whether you’re responsible for safeguarding an enterprise network or simply trying to understand how today’s risks impact your organization, this week’s stories highlight a shared truth: the attack surface is expanding faster than ever. Below, we break down the most significant developments and why they matter.

1. F5 hack fallout deepens as industry counts the cost

The breach at F5 Networks — disclosed late last week — dominated the conversation heading into the weekend and beyond. Investigators confirmed that attackers accessed proprietary source code, internal vulnerability data, and product-related secrets that could impact thousands of organizations downstream.

Follow-up reporting revealed:

• Over 600,000 F5 devices may be externally exposed and currently vulnerable.

• The company warned investors that the breach could affect quarterly revenue, reflecting shaken customer confidence.

• Multiple government and enterprise networks have begun emergency reviews to assess exposure.

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2. AI-driven hacking campaign targeted Anthropic — and got caught

Over the weekend, AP News reported that researchers at Anthropic disrupted an automated, AI-powered cyber campaign allegedly linked to a Chinese threat actor. The attackers attempted to use the Claude model to automate reconnaissance and vulnerability discovery.

Why it matters:

• This represents one of the first publicly documented AI-assisted hacking operations against a major AI vendor.

• The operation required minimal human oversight — a worrying preview of what large-scale automation might enable.

• The discovery has prompted renewed calls for global norms around AI model access.

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3. Critical Oracle Identity Manager flaw exposed

SecurityWeek reports that Oracle patched a critical zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-61757) in its Identity Manager product, but not before evidence suggested the flaw was being actively exploited.

• The vulnerability enables pre-authentication remote code execution, meaning attackers can potentially take over systems without first logging in. 

• According to Searchlight Cyber (which discovered the issue), exploit chains combine authentication bypass with arbitrary code execution — giving attackers a pathway to full system compromise. 

• The SANS Technology Institute saw scan activity between August 30 and September 9, suggesting possible real-world attacks before Oracle released a patch in its October update. 

• If exploited, this flaw could let bad actors manipulate identity flows, escalate privileges, and access servers storing personally identifiable information (PII) and credentials. 

Why it matters: Oracle Identity Manager is commonly used in enterprise environments for automated user provisioning and access management — meaning a full compromise here could lead to broader identity and access risks across an organization.

➡️ Mitigation: Customers are urged to apply the October 2025 Oracle patch immediately and closely monitor their Identity Manager logs for unusual activity.

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Wondering where to get started with stopping the flow of unlimited access to hackers? 

🔑 Key takeaways

• AI is now fully weaponized — attackers are using large language models to scale reconnaissance and automate early-stage attacks.

• Vendor and supply chain security risks are rising, as breaches like F5 show how far the blast radius can extend.

• Zero-day exploitation is surging, emphasizing the need for rapid patching and strong vulnerability management programs.

💭 Final thoughts

Cybersecurity isn’t just evolving — it’s accelerating. And as AI becomes woven into every tool and workflow, attackers are moving even faster. Staying resilient means treating every new integration point as a potential threat vector and leaning into proactive defense.