Edge Wars: Unpacking the Escalating Exploitation of Network Perimeters in 2024

The year 2024 witnessed a significant shift in the cyber security battleground, with edge devices – the often-overlooked sentinels of our networks like routers, firewalls, and VPN appliances – emerging as prime targets for both sophisticated nation-state actors and increasingly resourceful cybercriminal groups. This evolution, highlighted in the "2025 Cyber Security Report," underscores a critical vulnerability in organizational defenses and demands a renewed focus on securing these foundational components of our digital infrastructure.

The Allure of the Edge: Why Attackers Focused on Network Perimeters

Edge devices present a compelling attack surface for several key reasons:

• Lack of Dedicated Security Solutions: Unlike endpoints and servers, edge devices often lack the robust, dedicated security solutions that can detect and prevent advanced threats. This security gap makes them easier to compromise.
• Critical Role in Network Flow: As gateways to internal networks, successful exploitation of an edge device grants attackers a crucial foothold, allowing for further lateral movement, data exfiltration, and the deployment of malicious payloads.
• Difficulty in Patching: Applying timely patches to edge devices can be challenging due to their critical role in maintaining network connectivity. Downtime for patching can lead to significant operational disruptions, creating a window of opportunity for attackers.
• Legacy and End-of-Life (EoL) Devices: Many organizations still operate older or EoL edge devices that no longer receive security updates, making them inherently vulnerable to known exploits.

A Surge in Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

The "2025 Cyber Security Report" highlights a concerning trend: a significant increase in disclosed zero-day vulnerabilities affecting edge devices in 2024. Over a dozen of these vulnerabilities received critical severity scores, indicating their potential for widespread impact. Notable examples include:

• Ivanti Connect Secure VPNs: Faced mass exploitation following the disclosure of two zero-day vulnerabilities, leading to the compromise of thousands of devices, including those used by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
• Palo Alto Networks' PAN-OS GlobalProtect: High-severity vulnerabilities allowed for remote code execution and multi-factor bypass, exploited by both nation-state actors and ransomware groups.
• Check Point SSLVPN Appliance (CVE-2024-24919): Even security vendors were not immune, with a disclosed zero-day vulnerability in a Check Point product being promptly addressed with a patch.

This spike in zero-day exploits underscores the intense focus of attackers on identifying and weaponizing previously unknown weaknesses in these critical network components.

The Rise of ORBs and Sophisticated Botnets

A key evolution in edge device exploitation was their increasing use in establishing Operational Relay Boxes (ORBs). These anonymization infrastructures allow threat actors to mask their activities and relay commands across a network of compromised devices, evading traditional security measures.

State-sponsored groups were at the forefront of this trend:

• Flax Typhoon and the Raptor Train Botnet: This Chinese APT group orchestrated a sophisticated botnet of over 200,000 compromised devices, including SOHO routers, NAS systems, and IP cameras. Organized into multi-tiered layers and controlled through the "Sparrow" platform, Raptor Train enabled remote operations, DDoS attacks, and espionage.
• Volt Typhoon and the KV-botnet: Another Chinese-linked actor known for targeting US critical infrastructure utilized a network of compromised SOHO routers and firewalls, primarily targeting EoL equipment from Cisco and NetGear, to hide its activities.

However, financially motivated groups also recognized the value of ORBs:

• Faceless Proxy Network: This network leveraged older compromised IoT and EoL devices to offer anonymization services for various malicious activities, demonstrating the broader adoption of this technique.

The deployment of such sophisticated botnets and ORBs highlights the strategic use of compromised edge devices to establish persistent and covert command-and-control channels, posing a significant long-term risk to both public and private sector entities.

Financially Motivated Actors Join the Fray

Historically, the exploitation of edge devices for advanced persistent threats (APTs) was primarily associated with nation-state actors. However, 2024 saw a notable shift with financially motivated cybercriminal groups increasingly targeting these assets.

Magnet Goblin, a financially motivated actor emerging in 2024, exemplified this trend by focusing on the rapid exploitation of newly disclosed vulnerabilities in widely used edge devices like Ivanti Connect Secure VPNs, Magento, and Qlik Sense. Their toolkit included custom malware like NerbianRAT and WARPWIRE, designed for data theft and remote access, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of edge device vulnerabilities and their potential for financial gain.

This convergence of tactics, with cybercriminals adopting methods previously favored by state-sponsored actors, signifies a maturing threat landscape where financial incentives are driving innovation in edge device exploitation.

Implications and the Path Forward

The escalating exploitation of edge devices in 2024 has profound implications for cyber security:

• Expanded Attack Surface: The increasing number of vulnerable and unmonitored edge devices significantly expands the overall attack surface for organizations.
• Bypassing Traditional Security: Attackers leveraging compromised edge devices can often bypass traditional security measures focused on endpoints and servers.
• Increased Risk of Lateral Movement: A successful breach of an edge device provides a crucial entry point for attackers to move laterally within the network, compromising sensitive data and critical systems.
• Difficulty in Detection and Remediation: The covert nature of ORBs and the challenges in patching edge devices make it difficult to detect and remediate these compromises effectively.

Addressing this evolving threat requires a multi-faceted approach:

• Prompt Patching and Vulnerability Management: Organizations must prioritize the timely patching of all edge devices, including those in remote or branch locations. Implementing a robust vulnerability management program to identify and address weaknesses is crucial.
• Enhanced Monitoring and Detection: Implementing thorough monitoring and strong detection systems specifically tailored for edge devices is essential to identify suspicious activity and potential compromises. This includes analyzing network traffic for unusual patterns and known indicators of compromise (IoCs) associated with edge device exploits.
• Network Segmentation: Implementing effective network segmentation can limit the impact of a breach on an edge device by restricting lateral movement to other critical parts of the network.
• Retiring EoL Devices: Organizations must develop a strategy to identify and retire outdated and unsupported edge devices that pose a significant security risk.
• Security Awareness Training: Educating employees about the risks associated with potentially compromised home routers when accessing corporate resources via VPN can help mitigate threats stemming from personal devices.

The "Edge Wars" of 2024 serve as a stark reminder that securing the network perimeter remains a fundamental aspect of cyber security. As attackers continue to evolve their tactics and target these critical access points, organizations must adapt their defenses to ensure the continued integrity and security of their digital assets. Ignoring the vulnerabilities within edge devices is no longer an option in the face of this escalating and increasingly sophisticated threat landscape.