FSB Orders Websites Disabled Over PHP Vulnerabilities
The FSB has ordered the largest Russian companies to take their websites offline due to vulnerabilities to hackers. The FSB requested that companies responsible for Russia's critical information infrastructure temporarily shut down their websites due to vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language.
Consensus
- The National Coordination Center for Computer Incidents (NKCIC) under the FSB issued a directive on October 22 to temporarily disable websites of critical infrastructure operators.
- The directive was sent via the state cybersecurity system GosSOPKA.
- The instruction applies to organizations responsible for critical information infrastructure, including government systems, financial, energy, transport, and healthcare sectors.
- Organizations must update PHP to a patched version, scan servers with antivirus software, and review logs for signs of intrusion.
- If immediate updates are not possible, organizations must consider temporarily restricting external access to vulnerable web servers up to full shutdown.
- The directive was prompted by two critical vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language that could allow remote control of servers.
- The vulnerabilities were discovered using artificial intelligence and announced by PHP developers on October 21.
- The NKCIC directive was confirmed as authentic by three recipient organizations.
- The issue affects a large portion of websites globally, including 69.3% of all websites and 90.8% of Russian-language websites.
Points of divergence
- The danger level of the vulnerabilities is rated at 9.2 out of 10. — fontanka
- One of the vulnerabilities was discovered using artificial intelligence, and the severity was rated at 9.8 out of 10 by an expert. — tg_echoonline_news
- The Russian independent media outlet '7×7' temporarily disabled its website to prevent unauthorized access, later restoring it after security checks. — tg_echoonline_news
- The U.S. National Security Agency and the Prime Minister of Japan responded to the threat. — vesti
- Valentin Malых from MWS AI, part of MTS Web Services, estimated that tens of thousands of Russian websites could be at risk. — vm
Coverage (7 sources)
- FSB ordered to disconnect websites of largest Russian companies due to vulnerability to hackers — The Moscow Times
- FSB ordered disabling of Russian critical infrastructure websites due to PHP programming language vulnerabilities — Meduza
- FSB ordered to disconnect Russian sites due to global PHP vulnerability — ЭХО / Новости
- Russian sites face disconnection due to critical PHP vulnerabilities — Фонтанка
- FSB ordered to disconnect sites if PHP update is impossible — Вести
- FSB ordered to disconnect Russian sites due to global PHP vulnerability — SOTAvision
- FSB Center ordered to disconnect Russian sites if they cannot update PHP — Вечерняя Москва