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SonicWall has confirmed that an attacker gained access to customer firewall configuration files stored in its cloud backup portal, exposing firewall rules, encrypted credentials, routing data, and more. The security vendor says the compromise affected all customers using its cloud backup service.
The Breach and Scope
The entry vector was a brute-force attack against a customer-facing SonicWall system. Once inside, the attacker accessed the backup repository housing critical firewall configuration files. SonicWall initially stated that the cloud backup service was used by fewer than 5% of its install base, then removed that qualification from their public disclosure.
Although the passwords to those configuration files were encrypted, SonicWall acknowledged that the attacker now has all the time needed to crack them offline. Weak passwords could make plaintext recovery easier.
What Was Exposed
According to forensic insights and public statements, exposed data includes:
- Firewall rules and access control policies
- Encrypted credentials used in device configuration
- Routing configurations and network topology data
- Metadata about the firewalls and cloud backup state
Security researchers warn that even encrypted data can aid future attacks once patterns of rules or routes are known, adversaries can better craft targeted exploits.
Broader Security Context
This incident is especially concerning for SonicWall because its products have been repeatedly targeted. Since late 2021, fourteen SonicWall vulnerabilities have been added to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) “known exploited vulnerabilities” catalog. Nine of those have been leveraged in ransomware campaigns.
What makes this breach distinctive is that it strikes at the vendor’s internal infrastructure not just vulnerabilities in deployed devices. That raises harder questions about cloud security, vendor responsibility, and whether adequate protections were in place.
Response & Mitigation by SonicWall
SonicWall says it has notified affected customers, deployed additional security hardening, and is working with Mandiant (part of Google Cloud) to investigate and bolster its cloud environment.
It also issued tools to help customers detect potential exposure and urged users to log into the MySonicWall portal and check whether their firewalls were backed up in the cloud.
What Affected Customers Should Do
- Change administrative and configuration passwords immediately, using strong, unique credentials
- Audit firewall rules and configurations for anomalies or unauthorized changes
- Temporarily disable or restrict cloud backup use until you confirm it’s secure
- Enable rate limiting, multi-factor authentication, and API access protections if not already enabled
- Monitor for unusual login or file-access patterns in firewall and network logs
Takeaway & Lessons
Even trusted vendors can become vectors of compromise. This breach underscores that cloud backup and vendor infrastructure must be treated with the same security rigor as endpoint devices themselves. Administrators should demand transparency, cryptographic protections, and independent audits from vendors, rather than assuming “it just works.”