CISA: F5 Hack Exposes Fed Networks to Full Compromise

Federal Agencies Ordered to Patch or Decommission F5 Devices Amid Imminent Risk Chris Riotta (@chrisriotta) • October 15, 2025

A nation-state cyberthreat actor is posing an "imminent risk" to federal networks during the government shutdown, a U.S. cyber defense agency warned Wednesday, targeting vulnerable devices across agencies as key operations remain stalled.

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The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Wednesday issued its third emergency directive this year, warning that a nation-state actor breached F5's internal systems and stole sensitive files - including parts of its BIG-IP source code and undisclosed vulnerability details that could be used to build custom exploits. The threat actor is "targeting federal networks" and scanning for vulnerable devices that could result in a "full compromise of those targeted information systems," according to CISA Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Nick Andersen.

"While ...