n this special CVE Year in Review episode of IT SPARC Cast, John Barger and Lou Schmidt break from the usual single-CVE format to count down the five worst IT security failures of 2025.

From long-lived remote code execution flaws in enterprise networking gear, to a ransomware attack that shut down a global distributor, to systemic cloud outages that shattered the concept of “five nines” availability, this episode looks at what really went wrong—and why it matters heading into 2026.

These weren’t theoretical risks. They were real-world failures that disrupted supply chains, exposed critical infrastructure, and forced the industry to rethink assumptions about resilience, cloud reliability, and operational security.

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📋 Show Notes

🔥 Top 5 IT Security Fails of 2025

01:39 - #5 – Ruckus Networks

Ruckus suffered from multiple long-lived remote code execution and authentication bypass vulnerabilities that persisted across 2024 and 2025. Impacted products included SmartZone, ZoneDirector, Cloudpath, and ICX switch management interfaces. Several flaws allowed unauthenticated access to management planes, enabling attackers to take over wireless controllers, push malicious firmware, and pivot deeper into enterprise networks. The lack of timely patches and limited communication made remediation especially painful for customers.

04:32 - #4 – Ingram Micro

A ransomware attack forced one of the world’s largest technology distributors to effectively shut down operations for days. Ordering systems went offline, patch access was disrupted, and thousands of downstream partners and customers were impacted. While it remains unclear whether ransom was paid, the incident highlighted how a single distributor outage can cascade across the IT supply chain, delaying hardware replacements, breaking SLAs, and costing millions in lost revenue.

07:21 - #3 – SAP NetWeaver

CVE-2025-31324 exposed a critical unauthenticated remote code execution flaw in SAP NetWeaver’s Visual Composer. Actively exploited in the wild before many organizations were aware of its existence, the vulnerability gave attackers potential access to finance, HR, procurement, and supply-chain data. For enterprises running SAP at the core of operations, successful exploitation meant full application takeover and deep visibility into business processes.

10:26 - #2 – React

A severe remote code execution issue in React sent shockwaves through the software ecosystem. With an estimated one-third of cloud applications depending on React, attackers were able to chain exploits involving dependency poisoning, build pipeline compromise, and even client-side execution. While patches were released quickly, the sheer scale of affected deployments meant many systems remained vulnerable well after disclosure—and some still are.

12:23 - #1 – Cloud Outages

2025 marked the year that “five nines” effectively died. Major outages across AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Microsoft 365, and IBM Cloud caused multi-hour disruptions affecting identity systems, collaboration tools, healthcare platforms, and public-safety infrastructure. Many incidents were caused not by attackers, but by control plane failures, DNS issues, NTP misconfigurations, and cascading dependencies. The result: billions in estimated financial impact and renewed concern over life-critical workloads running entirely in the cloud.

Watch Cloud SLA Theater: Why 99.999% Uptime Is a Joke in 2025 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygcYoFBXdjQ

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17:19 - Wrap Up

If you think we missed a major security failure—or disagree with our rankings—we want to hear from you. Reach out, leave a comment, or send us feedback. Your insights often shape future episodes.

🔗 Connect With Us

IT SPARC Cast

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John Barger

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarger/

Lou Schmidt

X: @loudoggeek

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louis-schmidt-b102446/

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