Quick Takeaways
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Recent Cyber Incidents: A number of European government agencies have suffered cyberattacks due to critical vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-1281 and CVE-2026-1340) in Ivanti’s Endpoint Manager Mobile, allowing for high-risk remote code execution.
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Rapid Exploitation: Following the vulnerabilities’ disclosure on January 29, attacks rapidly escalated, affecting the European Commission and agencies in the Netherlands and Finland, leading to data breaches of sensitive information.
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Inadequate Defense Measures: The article criticizes organizations for their continued reliance on vulnerable technologies like Ivanti, suggesting a need for proactive security strategies rather than reactive patching, as many organizations remain susceptible to repeated attacks.
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Challenges in Transition: Despite the risks, transitioning away from Ivanti is complicated due to their significant presence in the enterprise sector, making it difficult for organizations to unwind reliance on their products despite a poor security track record.
Ivanti Bugs Spark Fresh Wave of Attacks
Recent vulnerabilities in Ivanti’s Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) have led to serious breaches among European government agencies. On January 29, Ivanti disclosed two critical flaws, CVE-2026-1281 and CVE-2026-1340. Both bugs scored a 9.8 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, indicating a high risk. This disclosure prompted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to add CVE-2026-1281 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list.
Within days, hackers launched attacks on key targets, including the European Commission and agencies in the Netherlands and Finland. A proof-of-concept exploit appeared the very next day. Many attackers have joined in, with most of the activity traced back to a single source. This surge in attacks underscores a growing trend of exploiting vulnerabilities in edge devices—a trend that has played out across various vendors in recent years.
What to Do About Ivanti
Organizations face tough choices regarding perimeter security response strategies. Experts recommend moving beyond a “patch and pray” mentality. They suggest designing infrastructure with the understanding that compromise may occur. This includes minimizing exposure, enforcing strict access controls, and treating perimeter systems as critical assets. Properly hardening these systems can aid in swift detection and response to attacks.
However, many organizations struggle to apply these recommendations effectively. Even well-resourced entities often fall victim to these vulnerabilities. Some experts argue that while transitioning away from trusted yet insecure technologies like Ivanti might seem daunting, the risk of continued reliance can outweigh the challenges involved in making such a change.
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