Kiteworks, the technology company specializing in secure file transfer services, has issued an urgent warning to its customers about an “imminent” cyberattack threat. The company, formerly known as Accellion, advised users to proactively shut down their servers as a precautionary measure after receiving credible intelligence from law enforcement suggesting that threat actors may target their systems soon. This alert came with no confirmation of any breach to date, but reflects a preventive effort to avoid potential exploitation.

According to Kiteworks’ chief information security officer, Frank Balonis, the company embarked on this notification out of caution while collaborating with law enforcement agencies. The exact source of the tip and the identity of any hacker groups involved have not been disclosed, and government agencies like the FBI and CISA have declined to comment on the situation. To mitigate risks, Kiteworks recommends that customers upgrade to its latest software release, version 9.5.1, which fixes all known vulnerabilities.

The concern centers around potential zero-day vulnerabilities, which are security flaws unknown to the vendor and without an available fix, making them especially dangerous. The company’s advice to clients to shut down their systems ahead of the weekend underscores the urgency and severity of the threat. Kiteworks, which serves thousands of customers across various industries including healthcare, technology, and government, has a significant number of externally facing systems that could be affected by an unpatched exploit.

This is not the first time Kiteworks has faced cybersecurity challenges. Prior to its rebranding from Accellion in 2021, the company suffered a widespread cyberattack that compromised multiple organizations by exploiting vulnerabilities in its file-transfer software. That incident involved data theft and ransom demands and affected hundreds of businesses that relied on its services. The recent alert is a stark reminder of the ongoing threats faced by firms managing sensitive data over the internet.