Lazarus Hackers Actively Exploiting Windows AFD.sys Zero

Cybersecuritynews •Guru Baran • August 12, 2026

North Korea’s Lazarus group has been caught exploiting a Windows kernel 0-day vulnerability to deploy an upgraded version of its notorious FudModule rootkit, according to new research from Check Point Research. The flaw, now tracked as CVE-2026-68820, lives inside AFD.sys, the Ancillary Function Driver that manages network sockets deep within the Windows kernel. Microsoft patched […]

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This article is one source in a clustered incident — the cluster page carries the summary, timeline and every other outlet covering it.

Lazarus Group Exploits Windows Zero-Day to Target Defense Sector The North Korean hacking group Lazarus exploited a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2026-68820) in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (afd.sys) to gain SYSTEM-level access to defense sector systems. This vulnerability was actively exploited for weeks before a patch was released on August 11, 2026. The attack method involved fake job offers to lure professionals into downloading malicious software, part of the ongoing Operation Dream Job campaign. Affected organizations include defense contractors and aerospace firms in countries like France, Germany, India, and Brazil. The exploit allows attackers to escalate privileges without user interaction, making it particularly dangerous. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.0 and was added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on the same day the patch was released. Check Point Research reported the vulnerability on July 28, 2026, after observing active exploitation since early July. 33 sources 81

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Lazarus Hackers Actively Exploiting Windows AFD.sys Zero

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