This attack is another reminder that the modern attack surface extends deep into the software development lifecycle, Will Baxterthe field CISO at Team Cymru said in a statement. “Threat groups targeting source code repositories and build environments are looking for long-term intelligence value – understanding how security controls operate from the inside,” he said. “Visibility into outbound connections, threat actor command-and-control infrastructure, and unusual data intrusion patterns is key to identifying this activity early. The combination of external threat intelligence with internal telemetry gives defenders the context they need to detect and contain these advanced intrusions.”
He said that this is not an opportunistic exploitation. “It was about gaining insight into code and vulnerabilities before disclosure. State-sponsored groups increasingly view source repositories and engineering systems as strategic intelligence targets. Early detection depends on monitoring outbound connections, command-and-control traffic, and unusual data flows from developer and build environments. Combining external threat intelligence with internal telemetry protects defenders. Refers to identifying and containing these campaigns before they turn on stolen code. Zero day.”
The F5 incident is serious due to the attacker’s extended access to the system, johannes ulrichDean of Research at SANS Institute told CSO Online“According to statements made by F5, the amount of leaked customer data is very limited,” he said. “However, it is not yet clear how far along F5 is in their incident response, and how certain they are that they have accurately identified the attacker’s impact. Having information about lost source code and unpatched vulnerabilities could lead to an increase in attacks against F5 systems in the near future. Follow F5’s strict advice and, as a precautionary measure, review and possibly change credentials.”
