CISA Issues Emergency Directive for Actively Exploited Microsoft WSUS Flaw; Ransomware Surges 50% in 2025

Microsoft's October 2025 Patch Tuesday has been updated to address a total of 193 vulnerabilities, an increase from the initial report, and now includes fixes for six zero-day vulnerabilities, with four still actively exploited. New CVEs mentioned include CVE-2025-55680 (Cloud Files Mini Filter EoP) and CVE-2025-55692/55694 (Windows Error Reporting EoP). A critical development is the clarification that CVE-2025-59287 (WSUS RCE) received an urgent out-of-band fix that superseded the initial October patch. Most notably, this update marks the end of the support lifecycle for Windows 10, posing a significant security risk for unmigrated devices. Additionally, Adobe released patches for 36 vulnerabilities across its product line.

New data from Cyble indicates a 50% year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks in 2025, with over 5,000 incidents recorded by late October. This is an escalation from the previously reported 34% increase. The Qilin group has solidified its position as the market leader, responsible for a significant portion of recent attacks. A key development in attacker tactics is the widespread adoption of PowerShell, used in nearly 78% of observed campaigns for payload execution. Other prevalent tools include PsExec for lateral movement and SoftPerfect Network Scanner for reconnaissance, indicating a strong 'Living off the Land' approach by threat actors.

The UK, alongside Singapore, has unveiled a new international framework to combat supply chain ransomware, endorsed by 67 Counter Ransomware Initiative members. This guidance provides actionable steps for organizations globally to assess supplier security, implement contractual obligations, monitor continuously, and plan for incident response. This expands on previous UK domestic warnings, emphasizing a collective, global approach to a critical and escalating threat, as highlighted by incidents like the Synnovis attack, and provides a more detailed framework for action.