How would you feel if you thought your systems were safe and then all of a sudden hackers discovered another indirect way to compromise your systems? This can be said for the Citrix NetScaler ADC & Gateway appliances as Citrix just worked to fix very large Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability that hackers were using long before Citrix was able to release a patch.
Here's the bad part: this was not hypothetical. There were real systems being compromised using this flaw.
• Check your device version
• Install the latest update from citrix
• Check your logs to see if someone has already tried to break in.
And don’t forget patching is not a "one and done". Keep checking for Citrix security updates.
Furthermore, I want to also praise Citrix for their truly open and genuine transparency. Many organizations hide threat and issue concerns, but Citrix put that information in the hands of all customers, which helps us remain safe.
Cybersecurity will always feel like cat and mouse - but trust me, you don't want to be the mouse.
What happened?
Hackers found a bug that allowed them remote execution of their code on NetScaler devices just like if someone had the keys to your office and you didn’t know it. Scary.Here's the bad part: this was not hypothetical. There were real systems being compromised using this flaw.
What's the big deal?
NetScaler is everywhere. Large companies, small companies—they're all using it. If hackers get in, they might:- Steal passwords and customer records
- Disable services and users can't log in
- Move laterally in environments to create bigger issues
What action did Citrix take?
The company said they acted quickly. They put out updates (patches) to fix the hole. If you use NetScaler, you should• Check your device version
• Install the latest update from citrix
• Check your logs to see if someone has already tried to break in.
And don’t forget patching is not a "one and done". Keep checking for Citrix security updates.
Here's how I see it
I've witnessed a ton of IT teams defer even the smallest update due to fear of downtime. But let's be honest with ourselves. Would you rather deal with a little downtime to bring your systems offline - or deal with the weeks of recovery process from a cyber hack?Furthermore, I want to also praise Citrix for their truly open and genuine transparency. Many organizations hide threat and issue concerns, but Citrix put that information in the hands of all customers, which helps us remain safe.
To summarize
The bottom line is simple: zero day attacks are forever. If you are using Citrix NetScaler, I recommend that you update today and see if anything seems off.Cybersecurity will always feel like cat and mouse - but trust me, you don't want to be the mouse.