Security Operations Analyst 1

Arctic Wolf launches new MDR offering for managed service providers. September 18, 2026 Arctic Wolf announced the launch of Aurora MDR Connect, a managed detection and response offering designed for managed service providers (MSPs). This new service aims to provide a streamlined version of Arctic Wolf's cybersecurity platform to partners, enabling them to deliver enterprise-grade security to a wider range of customers more quickly, as reported by Channeldive. Aurora MDR Connect builds upon Arctic Wolf's existing managed detection and response (MDR) services, specifically targeting MSPs that serve midmarket companies and those with fewer than 100 employees. The offering simplifies deployment by eliminating the need for network sensors, relying solely on endpoint agents to collect security data. This allows for faster implementation and reduced operational complexity, catering to businesses embracing remote and hybrid work models. Arctic Wolf's strategy involves treating MSPs as their direct customers, empowering them to integrate Arctic Wolf's technology with their own services. Analysts note that this move positions Arctic Wolf to compete with other MDR providers like Huntress and Blackpoint, though the company must carefully manage its partner tiers to avoid cannibalization. The company emphasizes its channel-first approach, with its MSP program being its fastest-growing business unit.

Huntress expands into Africa with new QBS Software Africa partnership. Cybersecurity firm targets AI-driven threats as it launches distribution deal in South Africa and Sub-Saharan region. Huntress is expanding into Africa through a new distribution partnership with QBS Software Africa, the company announced today. The move marks the latest step in Huntress' international growth as organised, AI-enabled cybercrime continues to rise worldwide. The expansion comes as Africa faces a mounting cybersecurity crisis. According to INTERPOL's 2026 African Cyberthreat Assessment, artificial intelligence is now linked to 55% of reported cybercrime across the continent, with direct economic damages surpassing $5 billion. Attackers are increasingly using AI to scale established tactics against under-resourced organisations, exploiting gaps in security coverage. Under the new agreement, local value-added resellers and managed service providers will gain access to the Huntress Agentic Security Platform and its 24/7 AI-centric Security Operations Center. The platform is powered by Athena, Huntress' agentic investigation system, which the company says combines machine-speed threat investigation with human security expertise to catch novel attacks before they escalate. "Expanding into Africa is an important step in Huntress' mission to protect all businesses from organized cybercrime," said Adam Waggott-Moss, Head of EMEA Distribution at Huntress. "QBS Software Africa brings the local market knowledge, channel relationships, and regional expertise to help extend that protection to more businesses and build a strong foundation for long-term growth across the region." Headquartered in South Africa, QBS Software Africa will act as a launchpad for the rollout, beginning in South Africa before extending into select Sub-Saharan African markets. The partnership pairs Huntress' cybersecurity technology with QBS Software Africa's local channel expertise, technical support, and go-to-market resources, aiming to help regional partners scale stronger security offerings for their customers. "Huntress' combination of innovative technology and elite security expertise gives businesses across Africa the ability to keep pace with the attackers targeting them," said Sanjay Mithal, Head of Strategic Vendor Alliances at QBS Software Africa. "The Huntress Agentic Security Platform brings layered defence together with the security experts who understand adversary behavior best, helping organizations across the region stay ahead of threats and sleep a little easier at night." The Africa launch builds on a period of rapid international growth for Huntress, which now protects 270,000 businesses across more than 100 countries. Over the past year, the company has deepened its presence across Europe and Asia Pacific, with adoption spreading across sectors including manufacturing, construction, retail and utilities, driven by investment in regional teams and channel partnerships. Huntress plans to host a livestream on September 16 covering its Agentic Security Platform, titled "Inside the Agentic Huntress Platform: Beating Adversaries at Machine Speed." You can register for the webinar here.

CVE-2026-86218 pre-auth RCE CVSS 10 exploited in wild. by Nam Phong · Published September 7, 2026 · Updated September 7, 2026 Tl;dr. On September 6, 2026, N-able released an urgent security update fixing an actively exploited zero-day flaw. The critical N-central vulnerability allows remote unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. Consequently, administrators must apply Hotfix 4 immediately to protect on-premises appliances from complete system takeover. Why it matters. Massive attack surface for service providers. Managed service providers run N-central software to control thousands of client computers worldwide. Therefore, compromising a centralized management server exposes every downstream workstation and server on that network. Attackers can execute arbitrary scripts, distribute ransomware payloads, and establish persistent backdoors across entire corporate infrastructures. In fact, a single server intrusion can compromise dozens of connected business networks simultaneously. Active exploitation and maximum severity. Furthermore, threat actors are actively hunting vulnerable appliances across the public internet. The CVSS score for CVE-2026-86218 reaches the maximum possible rating of 10.0. Active N-central vulnerability exploitation makes this security flaw an immediate emergency for IT operations teams. Cybersecurity firm Huntress confirmed real-world intrusions against a production server following separate attacks observed in August. N-able acknowledged the immediate danger in its official advisory. Specifically, the vendor stated, "Unlike the earlier vulnerabilities, this newly identified vulnerability has been observed being exploited in the wild." Compounding risks from earlier exploits. This incident follows earlier security disclosures from August involving remote management consoles. In those previous intrusions, attackers hijacked management tools to control downstream client systems directly. The newly discovered exploit chain bypasses security controls much earlier in the network exchange. As a result, attackers achieve administrative dominance without requiring valid credentials. How the attack works. Reconnaissance and endpoint probing. The attack sequence begins with unauthenticated web requests directed at exposed administration consoles. Specifically, adversaries query the remote control action endpoint with targeted appliance identifiers to map the environment. They send URL-encoded requests to internal API routes to test server permissions. These initial probes help attackers verify the software version before launching their primary exploit. Authentication bypass and account creation. Next, the threat actor exploits an access control flaw within the internal API filter. This flaw pairs with an authentication bypass flaw in internal endpoints. By manipulating request parameters, an attacker triggers unauthorized administrative account creation. Attackers append unexpected strings like invalid domains to known email addresses during user registration. Pre-Authentication remote code execution. Finally, the attacker triggers pre-authentication remote code execution through the CVE-2026-86218 flaw. This action grants the adversary unrestricted control over the underlying operating system. In their technical analysis of the N-able vulnerability exploitation, Huntress confirmed that attackers also established unauthorized Cloudflare tunnels. These hidden tunnels allow threat actors to maintain persistent remote access while bypassing perimeter security tools. Affected versions. Impacted software builds. The security flaw impacts all on-premises N-central builds prior to version 2026.3.1.14. Systems running earlier updates, including Hotfix 3, remain vulnerable to this specific attack chain. Additionally, N-able confirmed that previous hotfixes released in August did not resolve this separate execution vector. Deployment footprint. Fortunately, N-able applied automated updates to all hosted instances across the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. However, thousands of on-premises deployments remain managed directly by independent system administrators. Organizations that maintain their own internal servers must verify their build numbers without delay. Patch and mitigation steps. Immediate firmware updates. Administrators must apply N-central 2026.3 Hotfix 4 immediately across all on-premises installations. N-able stressed urgency in its advisory notes. The company stated, "As this is a critical zero-day vulnerability, we need you to apply this hotfix immediately to protect you and your customers." Upgrading to this release ensures that the underlying API filters block unauthorized command requests. Forensic audits and network lockdown. After applying the patch, security teams should inspect server log files for signs of intrusion. Specifically, examine the proxy logs and system logs for URL-encoded anomalies. Check the user database for unauthorized administrator accounts or anomalous email addresses. Organizations should review the official N-able security advisory for additional update instructions. Finally, restrict console access from the public internet using dedicated virtual private networks. Closing open management ports dramatically reduces the risk of remote intrusion. Support its threat intelligence. If you find its technology report and cybersecurity news helpful, consider supporting its work.