In October 2025, reports surfaced that Chinese hackers had infiltrated the networks of F5 Inc., a major supplier of networking devices for Fortune 500 companies, stealing source code and vulnerability information. The intrusion lasted for about a year and prompted an emergency directive from the U.S. government. Because F5 products are used to secure traffic across many organisations, the hack raised fears that attackers could exploit unknown vulnerabilities in F5 hardware and software.
The incident reinforces the importance of vendor risk management and network segmentation. Organisations should inventory devices from critical suppliers and monitor for security advisories. Apply firmware updates quickly, and consider isolating vendor equipment in separate network segments to reduce the impact of a compromise. Evaluate whether vendors have adequate incident response plans and whether they share information transparently.
Additionally, implement defence‑in‑depth: do not rely solely on a single layer of protection from any vendor. Use intrusion detection systems, network monitoring, and logging to detect anomalous activity. Regularly assess third‑party software and hardware through penetration testing and vulnerability scanning. The F5 hack demonstrates that even trusted vendors can become points of failure, making vendor oversight and network hygiene essential.
