Cybercriminals are leveraging HexStrike-AI, a legitimate red teaming tool, to automate exploits against Citrix NetScaler ADC and Gateway using recently disclosed vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-7775, CVE-2025-7776, CVE-2025-8424). The tool enables unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE), allowing attackers to deploy webshells and maintain persistent access. While no confirmed breaches are reported yet, the exploitation window has shrunk from days to minutes, drastically reducing the time administrators have to patch systems. The CVE-2025-7775 flaw is already being exploited in the wild, and the use of HexStrike-AI is expected to escalate attack volumes, increasing the risk of unauthorized system takeovers, data exposure, or operational disruptions for organizations relying on Citrix infrastructure. The automation capability of the tool makes manual patch management nearly impossible without dedicated platforms, heightening the urgency for immediate mitigation.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/citrix
"id": "cit1555015090425",
"linkid": "citrix",
"type": "Vulnerability",
"date": "6/2025",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Cloud Computing & Virtualization',
'location': 'Global (HQ: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, '
'USA)',
'name': 'Citrix Systems, Inc.',
'size': 'Large Enterprise',
'type': 'Corporation'}],
'attack_vector': ['Automated Exploitation Tool (HexStrike-AI)',
'N-day Vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-7775, CVE-2025-7776, '
'CVE-2025-8424)',
'Remote Code Execution (RCE)'],
'customer_advisories': ['Urgent Patching Required for Citrix NetScaler '
'ADC/Gateway'],
'description': 'Cybercriminals are leveraging the legitimate red teaming tool '
'HexStrike-AI to automate the exploitation of n-day '
'vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-7775, CVE-2025-7776, CVE-2025-8424) '
'in Citrix NetScaler ADC and Gateway, significantly '
'reducing the patching window for administrators. The tool '
'enables unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE), webshell '
'deployment, and persistence. Exploitation time is cut from '
'days to minutes, escalating attack volumes.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': ['Potential Reputation Damage for '
'Citrix',
'Trust Erosion in Patch Management'],
'operational_impact': ['Reduced Patching Window',
'Increased Attack Volume',
'Automated Exploitation'],
'systems_affected': ['Citrix NetScaler ADC',
'Citrix NetScaler Gateway']},
'initial_access_broker': {'backdoors_established': ['Webshells'],
'entry_point': ['Citrix NetScaler ADC/Gateway '
'Vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-7775, '
'etc.)'],
'high_value_targets': ['Citrix NetScaler ADC',
'Citrix NetScaler Gateway']},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (Dark Web Chatter Monitoring by Check Point '
'Research)',
'lessons_learned': ['Automated tools like HexStrike-AI drastically reduce '
'exploitation timelines, necessitating real-time '
'patching and proactive vulnerability management.',
'Legitimate red teaming tools can be repurposed by threat '
'actors, highlighting the need for tool access '
'controls and monitoring of dark web chatter.',
'Citrix environments are high-value targets; network '
'segmentation and enhanced logging are critical for '
'early detection.'],
'motivation': ['Financial Gain',
'Unauthorized Access',
'Persistence',
'Data Theft'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ['Accelerate patch '
'deployment cycles for '
'critical infrastructure.',
'Integrate dark web '
'monitoring into threat '
'intelligence feeds.',
'Audit and restrict access '
'to dual-use tools '
'(e.g., HexStrike-AI).'],
'root_causes': ['Delayed patching of known '
'vulnerabilities in Citrix '
'NetScaler.',
'Lack of real-time threat '
'intelligence on automated '
'exploitation tools.',
'Insufficient access controls for '
'offensive security frameworks '
'like HexStrike-AI.']},
'recommendations': ['Immediately patch CVE-2025-7775, CVE-2025-7776, '
'CVE-2025-8424 in Citrix NetScaler ADC/Gateway.',
'Deploy automated patch management platforms to '
'handle shrinking patching windows.',
'Monitor dark web forums for HexStrike-AI-related '
'threats and exploitation tutorials.',
'Restrict access to offensive security tools like '
'HexStrike-AI to authorized personnel only.',
'Implement behavioral analysis and anomaly '
'detection to identify automated exploitation attempts.',
'Conduct red team exercises to test defenses against '
'AI-driven attack tools.'],
'references': [{'source': 'Check Point Research'},
{'source': 'BleepingComputer',
'url': 'https://www.bleepingcomputer.com'},
{'source': 'TechRadar Pro',
'url': 'https://www.techradar.com/pro'}],
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Public Advisory via Check Point '
'Research',
'Media Coverage (BleepingComputer, '
'TechRadar)'],
'enhanced_monitoring': ['Dark Web Chatter Monitoring (Check '
'Point Research)'],
'remediation_measures': ['Urgent Patching of Citrix NetScaler '
'ADC/Gateway',
'Deployment of Patch Management '
'Platforms'],
'third_party_assistance': ['Check Point Research (Monitoring & '
'Analysis)']},
'stakeholder_advisories': ['Citrix Customers',
'System Administrators',
'Cybersecurity Professionals'],
'threat_actor': ['Unspecified Cybercriminals', 'Dark Web Actors'],
'title': 'Exploitation of Citrix Vulnerabilities via HexStrike-AI Red Teaming '
'Tool',
'type': ['Vulnerability Exploitation',
'Automated Attack',
'Unauthorized Access'],
'vulnerability_exploited': ['CVE-2025-7775', 'CVE-2025-7776', 'CVE-2025-8424']}