Daily Security Briefing #191

March 12, 2026 | Read Online

Penetration testing evolution, RMM tool abuse, and AI-assisted malware…

Executive Summary

Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve with malicious actors adapting to disruptions. The recent Metasploit Pro 5.0.0 release highlights the growing demand for red-teaming capabilities. Meanwhile, critical vulnerabilities in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Broker have been exposed. Additionally, AI-assisted malware and RMM tool abuse have become a growing concern.

Top Articles

The Face of Penetration Testing is Changing: Announcing Metasploit Pro 5.0.0 Rapid7’s latest release, Metasploit Pro 5.0.0, marks a significant shift in penetration testing capabilities. With the increasing demand for proactive security assessments, this new version enables continuous evaluation and validation of an organization’s security posture. rapid7.com

Introducing Hacktics and Telemetry, a Podcast from Rapid7 Labs Rapid7 Labs is launching Hacktics and Telemetry, a bi-weekly video and podcast series addressing the day-to-day reality of building, shipping, defending, or fixing systems. This new resource aims to provide insights into the latest techniques and tools used by threat actors. rapid7.com

Hackers Exploit Remote Management Tools to Gain Initial Access to Corporate Networks Threat actors are increasingly exploiting legitimate RMM tools to breach corporate networks and establish persistent access. This tactic allows attackers to bypass traditional security defenses by blending malicious activities with routine administrative tasks. gbhackers.com | cyberpress.org

Hackers Exploit CloudFlare Anti-Security to Steal Microsoft 365 Login Credentials Attackers are exploiting CloudFlare’s protective features to shield malicious phishing sites from security scanners and threat researchers. This vulnerability highlights the need for stricter security measures in cloud-based services. gbhackers.com

Critical Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Broker Vulnerability Allows Attackers to Access and Modify Sensitive Data A newly discovered vulnerability affecting Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Broker Virtual Machine (VM) could allow attackers with administrative access to obtain and modify sensitive system information. cyberpress.org

AI Transparency: This newsletter uses AI to curate, rank, and summarize cybersecurity content from leading industry blogs. All articles link directly to original authors. Executive summaries are AI-generated based on article content. I curate the sources and deliver the digest—the original authors deserve the credit for their excellent work.