Firewalls and VPNs have to be reachable from the internet, and most can't run the security tools that watch laptops and servers. That makes them an attractive way in.
In October 2026, attackers exploited flaws in Cisco, Ivanti and Palo Alto devices, and Fortinet issued critical fixes. The Australian Signals Directorate says most exploitation happens within two weeks of a fix or advice being released, and some within 48 hours.
Our Cyber Brief guide for IT managers covers which flaws were exploited, how quickly to patch, and how to tell whether someone got in before the fix was applied.
Read more briefings in the Cyber Brief.
