Lazarus Weaponizes Windows Zero-Day in Global Defense Espionage Campaign
North Korea's Lazarus Group exploited a newly patched Windows zero-day vulnerability to gain SYSTEM-level access and deploy backdoors against defense and aerospace firms in Europe, Brazil, and India. The attack, part of the long-running 'Operation Dream Job,' uses fake job offers and trojanized PDF viewers to bypass security controls. CISA ordered federal agencies to patch the flaw by August 25, 2026, as it was the only confirmed actively exploited vulnerability in Microsoft's August Patch Tuesday release.
