Oracle Zero-Days Exploited & Deel $300M Funding Round

🎯 Key Takeaways

✓ Oracle Zero-Days: CVE-2025-61884 and CVE-2025-61882 confirmed exploited in the wild by Google Threat Intelligence
✓ Deel Funding: $300M Series E led by Ribbit Capital values payroll platform at $17.3B
✓ Zepto $400M Round: Indian quick-commerce startup raises late-stage funding led by CalPERS
✓ Spotify AI Music: Partnerships with Sony, Universal, Warner for AI-generated music integration
✓ Crypto Market Fear: Bitcoin down to $110,774 (-2.2%), fear index drops to 32 (lowest since April 2025)

Oracle E-Business Suite Zero-Days Exploited in the Wild

Oracle E-Business Suite zero-day vulnerabilities CVE-2025-61884 and CVE-2025-61882 — Oracle EBS zero-day vulnerabilities confirmed exploited by Google Threat Intelligence Group

Google Confirms Active Exploitation of Two Oracle Vulnerabilities

On October 16, 2025, Google's Threat Intelligence Group confirmed that CVE-2025-61884 and CVE-2025-61882 were exploited in the wild as zero-days. CVE-2025-61884 is a vulnerability in the Runtime user interface in the Oracle Configurator product of Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS), representing an "easily exploitable vulnerability [that] allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Configurator".

🚨 Critical Vulnerability Details:

CVE-2025-61884

Product: Oracle Configurator (Oracle E-Business Suite)

Attack Vector: Network access via HTTP, no authentication required

Impact: Allows unauthenticated attackers to compromise Oracle Configurator

Exploitation Status: Confirmed exploited in the wild by Google TAG

CVE-2025-61882

Product: Oracle E-Business Suite

Exploitation Status: Confirmed exploited in the wild by Google TAG

Related Campaign: Associated with CVE-2025-61884 exploitation

⚠️ IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED: Organizations running Oracle E-Business Suite should immediately apply available patches and review access logs for signs of compromise. The ease of exploitation and lack of authentication requirements make these vulnerabilities particularly dangerous for internet-facing EBS deployments.

This marks another significant supply chain security concern as Oracle E-Business Suite is widely deployed in enterprise environments for financial management, supply chain operations, and customer relationship management. The confirmation of active exploitation highlights the critical need for prompt patching of enterprise software vulnerabilities.

Deel Raises $300M Series E at $17.3B Valuation

Global Payroll Platform Reaches Unicorn Status with Major Round

San Francisco-based payroll platform Deel announced a $300 million Series E funding round led by Ribbit Capital, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz and Coatue, valuing the company at $17.3 billion. The funding marks one of the largest fintech rounds of 2025 and positions Deel as a dominant player in the global payroll and HR compliance market.

💰 Funding Round Details:

• Amount Raised: $300 million Series E
• Valuation: $17.3 billion post-money
• Lead Investor: Ribbit Capital
• Participating Investors: Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Coatue Management
• Use of Funds: Global expansion, product development, compliance infrastructure
• Market Position: One of largest HR tech/payroll platforms globally

Platform Overview & Market Impact

Deel provides a comprehensive platform for hiring, managing, and paying global teams, handling payroll, compliance, and contractor management across 150+ countries. The platform has become essential infrastructure for remote-first companies navigating complex international employment regulations and tax requirements.

🌍 Global HR Tech Boom: Deel's massive valuation reflects the shift toward distributed workforces and the growing complexity of international employment compliance. The company competes with Rippling, Remote, and traditional payroll providers like ADP and Gusto in an increasingly crowded market.

💼 Other Major Funding Announcements: October 16, 2025

Zepto Raises $400M for Indian Quick-Commerce Expansion

Indian quick-commerce startup Zepto raised $400 million in a late-stage funding round led by CalPERS (California Public Employees' Retirement System), positioning the company for aggressive expansion in India's rapidly growing instant delivery market competing with Swiggy Instamart and Blinkit.

Upgrade Fintech Raises $165M Pre-IPO Round

Fintech startup Upgrade raised $165 million in new funding to strengthen its balance sheet as it prepares for an eventual IPO. The round was led by Neuberger Berman with participation from DST Global and Ribbit Capital. Peter Sterling, Neuberger Berman's head of specialty finance, joined Upgrade's board.

Adcytherix €105M Series A for Antibody-Drug Development

French biotech Adcytherix closed a €105 million (~$122M) Series A to accelerate antibody-drug development, led by Bpifrance and co-led by Kurma Partners, Andera Partners, and Angelini Ventures.

📊 Other Notable Rounds:

• Second Nature: $22M Series B (AI sales training platform) - Sienna VC
• Chari: $12M Series A (Moroccan fintech, first VC-backed to get national license)
• Avid: $6.5M Seed (AI fundraising for nonprofits) - Silverton Partners
• Engagesoft: $3.5M Pre-Series A (Saudi employee engagement analytics) - Silicon Badia

🎵 Spotify Moves Further Into AI Music with Major Label Partnerships

Sony, Universal, Warner Partner with Spotify on AI-Generated Content

Spotify announced partnerships with all three major music labels—Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group—to integrate AI-generated music into the platform. The move represents a significant shift in the music industry's approach to artificial intelligence, balancing artist rights with technological innovation.

🎼 Industry Shift: The partnerships mark a departure from earlier resistance to AI music, with major labels now seeking to control and monetize AI-generated content rather than fight it. Terms likely include revenue sharing models and artist attribution requirements.

The collaboration comes amid ongoing debates about AI's role in music creation, copyright issues surrounding training data, and compensation models for artists whose work influences AI-generated compositions.

📊 Market Snapshot: October 16, 2025

💱 Currency Exchange

1 USD = ₹87.94

October 16, 2025

↑ Strengthened

Weekly low at ₹87.69

🪙 Cryptocurrency Markets - Fear Index Drops to 32

Market Sentiment Deteriorates: The crypto fear and greed index dropped to 32 on October 16, 2025—the lowest value since April 2025. Market capitalization decreased by 1.4% to $3.88 trillion, with 93 of the top 100 coins declining on the day.

₿

Bitcoin

$110,774

↓ 2.2%

💎

Ethereum

$3,993

↓ 4.4%

🐕

Dogecoin

$0.198

↓ 3%

🦴

Shiba Inu

$0.0000128

↓ 2%

⚠️ Fear Mode: With 93 of top 100 coins down and fear index at 32, the market shows signs of continued bearish sentiment following the $19-25B liquidation event earlier in October. Total crypto market cap at $3.88T represents a 1.4% daily decline.

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Oracle Zero-Days Under Active Attack & Deel Raises $300M at $17.3B

Dillip Chowdary