3/12/2026 March 12, 2026March 12, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Stryker Tells SEC That Timeline for Recovery From Cyberattack UnknownStryker Cyberattack Adds to Fears of New Front in Iran WarHow ‘Handala’ Became the Face of Iran’s Hacker CounterattacksWhat Role Has Cyber Warfare Played in Iran?New Data Shows Increase in FBI Searches of Americans’ Data Last YearU.S. Lawmakers Move to Kill the FBI’s Warrantless Wiretap AccessPolice Scotland Fined After Sharing Victim’s Phone DataU.S. Charges Another Ransomware Negotiator Linked to BlackCat AttacksOperation Lightning Takes Down SocksEscort Proxy Network Blamed for Tens of Millions in FraudU.S. Sanctions North Korea IT Worker Networks in Laos, VietnamChina’s CERT Warns OpenClaw Can Inflict Nasty WoundsIsraeli Cyber Firm Onyx Security Launches Operations With $40 Million Funding RoundUK Regulators Demand Social Media Platforms Make It Harder for Kids Under 13 to Access SitesLloyds, Bank of Scotland and Halifax Apps Showed Customers Other Users’ TransactionsTelus Says It Is Investigating Hack of Its SystemsEngland Hockey Investigating Ransomware Data BreachINC Ransomware Group Holds Healthcare Hostage in OceaniaRust-Based VENON Malware Targets 33 Brazilian Banks with Credential-Stealing OverlaysPixRevolution Malware Hijacks Brazil’s PIX Transfers in Real Time…Six Android Malware Families Target Pix Payments, Banking Apps, and Crypto WalletsHive0163 Uses AI-Assisted Slopoly Malware for Persistent Access in Ransomware AttacksCISA Flags Actively Exploited n8n RCE Bug as 24,700 Instances Remain ExposedCISA Issues Emergency Directive Over Exploited Cisco SD-WAN FlawsApple Issues Security Updates for Older iOS Devices Targeted by Coruna WebKit ExploitVeeam Warns of Critical Flaws Exposing Backup Servers to RCE AttacksGoogle Paid $17.1 Million for Vulnerability Reports in 2025
3/11/2026 March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Krebs: Iran-Backed Hackers Claim Wiper Attack on Medtech Firm Stryker…Iran Plots ‘Infrastructure Warfare’ Against Multiple U.S. Tech Giants…Iran-Linked Hackers Claim Cyberattack on Albania’s Parliament Email Systems…Iranian Influence Operation Using Fake Personas to Deceive U.S. Instagram Users Disrupted, Meta SaysMeta Ramps up Efforts to Disrupt Industrialized ScammingAI Cyber Startup Kai Raises $125 MillionSenators Propose Federal AI Commission Days After Anthropic BanResearchers Discover Major Security Gaps in LLM GuardrailsResearchers Trick Perplexity’s Comet AI Browser Into Phishing Scam in Under Four MinutesForeign Hacker in 2023 Compromised Epstein Files Held by FBI, Source and Documents Show238,000 Impacted by Bell Ambulance Data BreachUNC6426 Exploits nx npm Supply-Chain Attack to Gain AWS Admin Access in 72 HoursNew Phantomraven npm Attack Wave Steals Dev Data via 88 PackagesXygeni GitHub Action Compromised Via Tag PoisonSQLi Flaw in Elementor Ally Plugin Impacts 250k+ WordPress SitesCritical n8n Flaws Allow Remote Code Execution and Exposure of Stored CredentialsDozens of Vendors Patch Security Flaws Across Enterprise Software and Network DevicesKrebs: Microsoft Patch Tuesday, March 2026 EditionFrance: National Cybersecurity Agency Reports Ransomware Attack Drop in 2025Cyber-Attacks on UK Firms Increase at Four Times Global RateWhatsApp Introduces Parent-Managed Accounts for Pre-Teens
3/10/2026 March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment APT28 Uses BEARDSHELL and COVENANT Malware to Spy on Ukrainian MilitaryFinnish Intelligence Warns of Persistent Cyber Espionage From Russia, ChinaIsraeli Cyber Authority Uses AI to Mock Iranian Hackers, Counter Psychological WarfareCybercrime Isn’t Just a Cover for Iran’s Government Goons – It’s a Key Part of Their OperationsGPS Attacks Near Iran Are Wreaking Havoc on Delivery and Mapping AppsSignal Issues Scam Warning to Users After Hackers Target OfficialsYour Data Has Been Breached! (And This Notice Is a Scam!)Cloud Attackers Now Prefer Vulnerability Exploits Over Credentials, Google Cloud FindsU.S. Judiciary to Fast-Track Court Records System Upgrade After HackingMeta Acquires AI Agent Social Network MoltbookOpenAI’s Promptfoo Deal Plugs Agentic AI Testing GapMicrosoft Brings Phishing-Resistant Windows Sign-Ins via Entra PasskeysKadNap Malware Infects 14,000+ Edge Devices to Power Stealth Proxy BotnetNew BeatBanker Android Malware Poses as Starlink App to Hijack DevicesNew ‘BlackSanta’ EDR Killer Spotted Targeting HR DepartmentsCrooks Compromise WordPress Sites to Push Infostealers via Fake CAPTCHA PromptsNew ‘Zombie ZIP’ Technique Lets Malware Slip Past Security ToolsCISA Flags SolarWinds, Ivanti, and Workspace One Vulnerabilities as Actively ExploitedFortiGate Devices Exploited to Breach Networks and Steal Service Account CredentialsNew “LeakyLooker” Flaws in Google Looker Studio Could Enable Cross-Tenant SQL QueriesHPE Warns of Critical AOS-CX Flaw Allowing Admin Password ResetsCritical Microsoft Excel Bug Weaponizes Copilot Agent for Zero-Click Information Disclosure AttackUK Plans to Shift Fraud Fight Onto Telecoms, Tech CompaniesRudd Confirmed to Head NSA, Cyber Command After Near Year-Long Vacancy
3/9/2026 March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Web Server Exploits and Mimikatz Used in Attacks Targeting Asian Critical InfrastructureUNC4899 Breached Crypto Firm After Developer AirDropped Trojanized File to Work DeviceDutch Gov’t Warns of Russian Signal, WhatsApp Account Hijacking AttacksKrebs: How AI Assistants are Moving the Security GoalpostsAI vs AI: Agent Hacked McKinsey’s Chatbot and Gained Full Read-Write Access in Just Two HoursFBI Warns of Phishing Attacks Impersonating U.S. City, County OfficialsUK Launches New Crackdown Unit to Tackle Cyber-Fraud at the SourceWhite House Floats Victims Restoration Program for Millions Affected by Cyber FraudNew White House Cyber Strategy Pledges to Ease Regulations, ‘Impose Costs’ on Bad ActorsCrowdStrike Sues Rival AiStrike for Trademark InfringementShinyHunters Claims More High-Profile Victims in Latest Salesforce Customers Data HeistEricsson U.S. Discloses Data Breach After Service Provider HackOntario Health Agency Vendor Suffered Major Ransomware Attack in 2025Threat Actor Exploits Flaws and Uses Elastic Cloud SIEM to Manage Stolen DataMicrosoft Teams Phishing Targets Employees With A0Backdoor MalwareMalicious npm Package Posing as OpenClaw Installer Deploys RAT, Steals macOS CredentialsChrome Extension Turns Malicious After Ownership Transfer, Enabling Code Injection and Data TheftGoogle: Cloud Attacks Exploit Flaws More Than Weak CredentialsAre We Ready for Auto Remediation With Agentic AI?Trump Nominee Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd to Lead Cyber Command, NSA Clears Key Senate Hurdle
3/6-8/2026 March 8, 2026March 8, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment FBI Investigates Breach of Surveillance and Wiretap Systems…China Suspected in Breach of FBI Surveillance NetworkChina-Linked Hackers Use TernDoor, PeerTime, BruteEntry in South American Telecom AttacksMojtaba Khamenei to Succeed His Father as Iran’s Supreme LeaderIran Internet Blackout Reaches 6th Day as Rights Groups Call for End to Digital ShutdownThe Future of Iran’s Internet Is More Uncertain Than EverIran’s MuddyWater Hackers Hit US Firms with New ‘Dindoor’ BackdoorWhite House Publishes Long-Awaited Cybersecurity StrategyTrump Signs Executive Order Aimed at Cybercrime GangsCBP Used Online Ad Data to Track Phone LocationsOnline Age-Verification Tools Spread Across U.S. For Child Safety, but Adults Are Being SurveilledProton Mail Helped FBI Unmask Anonymous ‘Stop Cop City’ ProtesterPalantir Rallies 15% for the Week as Iran War Boosts Prospects, Muting Anthropic ConcernAI Agents Now Help Attackers, Including North Korea, Manage Their Drudge WorkSpeakeasies to Shadow AI: Banning AI Browsers Will FailEU Court Adviser Says Banks Must Immediately Refund Phishing VictimsGhanain Man Pleads Guilty to Role in $100 Million Fraud RingTfL Hack in 2024 Affected Around 10 Million People, BBC Can RevealDeKalb County (IN) Officials Release Data Breach Notice to ResidentsTennis Player Shares Threats Sent to Personal Phone, WTA Tour Says No Breach of Private DataTransparent Tribe Uses AI to Mass-Produce Malware Implants in Campaign Targeting IndiaBing AI Promoted Fake OpenClaw GitHub Repo Pushing Info-Stealing MalwareFake Claude Code Install Guides Push Infostealers in InstallFix AttacksMulti-Stage VOID#GEIST Malware Delivering XWorm, AsyncRAT, and Xeno RATTermite Ransomware Breaches Linked to ClickFix CastleRAT AttacksMicrosoft Reveals ClickFix Campaign Using Windows Terminal to Deploy Lumma StealerHackers Abuse .arpa DNS and ipv6 to Evade Phishing DefensesHikvision and Rockwell Automation CVSS 9.8 Flaws Added to CISA KEV CatalogCISA Warns Feds to Patch iOS Flaws Exploited in Crypto-Theft AttacksOpenAI Codex Security Scanned 1.2 Million Commits and Found 10,561 High-Severity IssuesAnthropic Finds 22 Firefox Vulnerabilities Using Claude Opus 4.6 AI ModelRansomware’s New Target: The Systems Built to Recover From ItIndonesia to Ban Children Under 16 From Social Media
3/5/2026 March 5, 2026March 5, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Israel Says It Knocked Out Iran’s Cyber Warfare HeadquartersHow Israel’s Cyber Chief Is Navigating Through the Dystopian Cyber-AI PeriodIran’s Pro-Regime Hackers Cannot Back Up Their Claims of Successful Cyber AttacksHow a Music Streaming CEO Built an Open-Source Global Threat Map in His Spare TimeTrump, Bondi Face Lawsuit Over Approval of ByteDance TikTok U.S. Asset SalePolice Dismantles Online Gambling Ring Exploiting Ukrainian WomenFBI Arrests Suspect Linked to $46M Crypto Theft From U.S. Marshals62 People Indicted by Taiwanese Prosecutors Over Ties to Cyber Scam Company Prince GroupPhobos Ransomware Admin Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ConspiracyDust Specter Targets Iraqi Officials with New SPLITDROP and GHOSTFORM MalwareItalian Prosecutors Confirm Journalist Was Hacked With Paragon SpywarePassaic County (NJ) IT Systems Hacked as Officials Warn Other NJ Towns May Be TargetedWikipedia Hit by Self-Propagating JavaScript Worm That Vandalized PagesContextCrush Flaw Exposes AI Development Tools to AttacksAI-Driven Insider Risk Now a “Critical Business Threat,” Report WarnsCisco Flags More SD-WAN Flaws as Actively Exploited in AttacksWordPress Membership Plugin Bug Exploited to Create Admin AccountsGoogle Says 90 Zero-Days Were Exploited in Attacks Last Year
3/4/2026 March 5, 2026March 5, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Multi-Stage “BadPaw” Malware Campaign Targets UkraineAPT41-Linked Silver Dragon Targets Governments Using Cobalt Strike and Google Drive C2Surge in Attacks on Surveillance Cameras Linked to Iranian Hackers149 Hacktivist DDoS Attacks Hit 110 Organizations in 16 Countries After Middle East ConflictHow Vulnerable Are Computers to an 80-Year-Old Spy Technique? Congress Wants AnswersSpyware-Grade Coruna iOS Exploit Kit Now Used in Crypto Theft AttacksKaspersky Dismisses Claims Coruna iPhone Exploit Kit Is Connected to NSA-Linked OperationAnthropic ‘Made a Mistake’ in Pentagon Talks and Should ‘Correct Course,’ FCC Boss SaysU.S. and EU Police Shut Down LeakBase, a Site Accused of Sharing Stolen Passwords and Hacking ToolsMicrosoft Helps Bust Global Hacking Service Tycoon 2FAMississippi Medical Center Reopens Clinics Hit by Ransomware AttackHacker Mass-Mails HungerRush Extortion Emails to Restaurant PatronsFake LastPass Support Email Threads Try to Steal Vault PasswordsFake Laravel Packages on Packagist Deploy RAT on Windows, macOS, and LinuxCisco Warns of Max Severity Secure FMC Flaws Giving Root AccessMail2Shell Zero-Click Attack Lets Hackers Hijack FreeScout Mail ServersCISA Adds Actively Exploited VMware Aria Operations Flaw CVE-2026-22719 to KEV CatalogBitwarden Adds Support for Passkey Login on Windows 11Calls for Global Digital Estate Standard as Posthumous Deepfake Fraud Risk GrowsStranger Things Meets Cybersecurity: Lessons from the Hive Mind
3/3/2026 March 3, 2026March 3, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Hack of Cameras, AI Use: Wide Cyberattack on Iran Preceded Khamenei KillingIsrael: RedAlert Spyware Campaign Exploits Wartime Panic With Trojanized AppIranian Cyber Threat Actor Targets Iraqi Government Officials in AI-Powered CampaignIranian Drone Strikes Hit Amazon Data Centers in Gulf, Disrupting Cloud ServicesLeaked Database Sheds Light on Iranian Crypto Sanctions EvasionThe Lead U.S. Cyber Agency Is Stretched Thin as Iran Hacking Threat EscalatesCyberwarriors Elevated to Big Leagues in U.S. War With IranU.S. Banks on High Alert for Cyberattacks as Iran War EscalatesA Possible U.S. Government iPhone-Hacking Toolkit Is Now in the Hands of Foreign Spies and CriminalsHow Journalists Are Reporting From Iran With No InternetWith Developer Verification, Google’s Apple Envy Threatens to Dismantle Android’s Open LegacyWestern Allies Form 6G Security Coalition Amid Tech Rivalry With ChinaGoogle Urges Supreme Court to Strike Down Geofence Warrants as UnconstitutionalLexisNexis Confirms Data Breach as Hackers Leak Stolen FilesPaint Maker Giant AkzoNobel Confirms Cyberattack on u.s. SiteStar Citizen Game Dev Discloses Breach Affecting User DataUntil Last Month, Attackers Could’ve Stolen Info From Perplexity Comet Users Just by Sending a Calendar InviteFake Tech Support Spam Deploys Customized Havoc C2 Across OrganizationsAI and Deepfakes Supercharge Sophisticated Cyber-Attacks, Says CloudflareGoogle Confirms CVE-2026-21385 in Qualcomm Android Component ExploitedGoogle Chrome Shifts to Two-Week Release Cycle for Increased StabilityHuge “Shadow Layer” of Organizations Hit by Supply Chain AttacksHalf of U.S. CISOs Work the Equivalent of a Six-Day WeekChat at Your Own Risk! Data Brokers Are Selling Deeply Personal Bot TranscriptsTurns Out Most Cybercriminals Are Old Enough to Know BetterCalifornia Fines National High School Ticketing Platform $1.1 Million for Privacy Violations
3/2/2026 March 3, 2026March 3, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Cyber Command Disrupted Iranian Comms, Sensors, Top General SaysExpect Iran to Launch Cyber-Attacks Globally, Warns Google Head of Threat Intel…UK Warns of Iranian Cyberattack Risks Amid Middle-East Conflict…Iran-Backed Hackers Aim for Economic Disruption…Hybrid Middle East Conflict Triggers Surge in Global Cyber Activity…Attacks on GPS Spike Amid U.S. and Israeli War on IranSpace Has Become ‘War-Fighting Domain’ as Militaries Race to Orbit, SES Chief SaysCyberStrikeAI Tool Adopted by Hackers for AI-Powered AttacksFlorida Woman Imprisoned for Massive Microsoft License Fraud SchemeAlabama Man Pleads Guilty to Hacking, Extorting Hundreds of WomenGerman Court Convicts Alleged Mastermind Behind Global Investment Scam NetworkAnthropic Confirms Claude Is Down in a Worldwide Outage Across All PlatformsCyberattack Briefly Disrupts Russian Internet Regulator and Defense Ministry WebsitesRussian Propaganda Network Uses ChatGPT to Plan Influence Operations in AfricaAPT28 Tied to CVE-2026-21513 MSHTML 0-Day Exploited Before Feb 2026 Patch TuesdayNorth Korean Hackers Publish 26 npm Packages Hiding Pastebin C2 for Cross-Platform RATAlleged India-Linked Espionage Campaign Targeted Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri LankaPhish of the Day: Microsoft OAuth Scams Abuse Redirects for Malware DeliveryFake Google Security Site Uses PWA App to Steal Credentials, MFA CodesNew Chrome Vulnerability Let Malicious Extensions Escalate Privileges via Gemini PanelChrome Unveils Plan For Quantum-Safe HTTPS Certificates
2/27-3/1/2026 March 2, 2026March 2, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Killed in Major Attack by U.S. and Israel…Ahead of Strikes, Trump Was Told Iran Attack Is High Risk, High Reward…Israel Hacked Popular Iranian Prayer App to Urge Defections, Resistance…Hackers Hit Iranian Apps, Websites After U.S.-Israeli Strikes…Why the U.S. and Israel Struck When They Did: A Chance to Kill Iran’s Leaders…This Is the System That Intercepted Iran’s Missiles Over the UAE…The 5 Big ‘Known Unknowns’ of Donald Trump’s New War With IranPentagon Designates Anthropic Supply Chain Risk Over AI Military DisputeCISA Is Getting a New Acting Director After Less Than a Year: Nick Andersen is Replacing Madhu GottumukkalaNew York State Elevates Its Cyber Chief to a Broader New Security RoleKrebs: Who is the Kimwolf Botmaster “Dort”?‘Silent Failure at Scale’: The AI Risk That Can Tip the Business World Into DisorderData Broker Breaches Fueled Nearly $21 Billion in Identity-Theft LossesDoJ Seizes $61 Million in Tether Linked to Pig Butchering Crypto ScamsUkrainian Man Pleads Guilty to Running AI-Powered Fake ID Site‘Project Compass’ Cracks Down on ‘The Com’: 30 Members of Notorious Cybercrime Gang ArrestedIntellexa Founder, Three Others Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison Over Greek Spyware ScandalMeta Files Lawsuits Against Brazil, China, Vietnam Advertisers Over Celeb-Bait ScamsSouth Korea’s Tax Office Apologizes for Leaking Seed Phrase to Seized CryptoPersonal Data Stolen in Ransomware Attack on Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 AttractionUniversity of Hawaii Cancer Center Hack Exposed Social Security Numbers Of Up To 1.15 MillionNorth Korea’s APT37 Expands Toolkit to Breach Air-Gapped NetworksTrojanized Gaming Tools Spread Java-Based RAT via Browser and Chat PlatformsScarCruft Uses Zoho WorkDrive and USB Malware to Breach Air-Gapped NetworksMalicious Go Crypto Module Steals Passwords, Deploys Rekoobe BackdoorQuickLens Chrome Extension Steals Crypto, Shows ClickFix Attack900+ Sangoma FreePBX Instances Compromised in Ongoing Web Shell AttacksCISA Warns That RESURGE Malware Can Be Dormant on Ivanti DevicesClawJacked Flaw Lets Malicious Sites Hijack Local OpenClaw AI Agents via WebSocketUK Vulnerability Monitoring Service Cuts Unresolved Security Flaws by 75%Microsoft Testing Windows 11 Batch File Security ImprovementsEU Lawmakers Propose That Youth Under 16 Be Barred From Social Media Without Parental ConsentInstagram to Start Alerting Parents When Children Search for Terms Relating to Self-HarmLife Mirrors Art: Ransomware Hits Hospitals on Television (TV) & In Real Life (IRL)Samsung TVs to Stop Collecting Texans’ Data Without Express Consent
2/26/2026 February 26, 2026March 2, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment UAT-10027 Targets U.S. Education and Healthcare with Dohdoor BackdoorRansomware Payment Rate Drops to Record Low as Attacks Surge…Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters Auditioning Female Voices to Sharpen Social EngineeringThis AI Agent Is Designed to Not Go RogueMomentum Builds for Offensive Private-Sector Cyber RolesNATO Says iPhones & iPads Are Secure Enough to Handle Classified DataGreece’s Watergate: Four Convicted Over Spyware Scandal That Shook GreeceFormer Air Force Officer Arrested for Conspiring With Hacker to Provide Flight Training to Chinese MilitaryJustice Department Exposed Cooperating Witnesses in Epstein FilesNew York Sues Valve for Promoting Illegal Gambling via Game Loot BoxesOlympique Marseille Confirms ‘Attempted’ Cyberattack After Data LeakEuropean DYI Chain ManoMano Data Breach Impacts 38 Million CustomersShinyHunters Hacking Group Begins Leaking Customer Data in Dutch Telecom Odido HackAeternum Botnet Shifts Command Control to Polygon BlockchainNew AirSnitch Attack Breaks Wi-Fi Encryption in Homes, Offices, and EnterprisesPreviously Harmless Google API Keys Now Expose Gemini AI DataCritical Juniper Networks PTX Flaw Allows Full Router TakeoverTrend Micro Warns of Critical Apex One Code Execution FlawsExploitable Vulnerabilities Present in 87% of OrganizationsMicrosoft Expands Windows Restore to More Enterprise DevicesWyden Blocks Rudd Confirmation to Lead Cyber Command, NSA
2/25/2026 February 25, 2026February 25, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Google Disrupts UNC2814 GRIDTIDE Campaign After 53 Breaches Across 42 Countries…Chinese Cyberspies Breached Dozens of Telecom Firms, Gov’t AgenciesIran-Linked Group Claims Hack of Israel’s Largest Healthcare NetworkCritical Cisco SD-WAN Bug Exploited in Zero-Day Attacks Since 2023U.S. Orders Diplomats to Fight Data Sovereignty InitiativesHow Mexico’s ‘CJNG’ Drug Cartel Embraced AI, Drones, and Social MediaHere’s What a Google Subpoena Response Looks Like, Courtesy of the Epstein FilesADT Just Bought the Company That Invented Wi-Fi Motion SensingCyber Startups Ride AI Wave to Funding HighsIsraeli AI-Cyber Firm Gambit Security Raises $61 MillionNvidia Beats Back Bubble Fears With Record $68 Billion in Sales in Fourth QuarterFormer Defense Contractor Boss Gets 7+ Years for Selling Zero Days…Inside the Story of the U.S. Defense Contractor Who Leaked Hacking Tools to RussiaMoscow Man Accused of Posing as FSB Officer to Extort Conti Ransomware GangPopular Sex Toy Company Tenga Admits Hacker Stole Sensitive Customer InformationMedical Device Maker UFP Technologies Warns of Data Stolen in CyberattackHealth Insurance Tech Provider TriZetto Says More Than 3 Million Impacted by 2024 BreachPhishing Campaign ‘Diesel Vortex’ Targets Freight and Logistics Orgs in the U.S., EuropeNew York City Transit Union Purportedly Targeted by QilinMalicious NuGet Package Targets Stripe DevelopersFake ‘Interview’ Repos Lure Next.js Devs Into Running Secret-Stealing MalwareCISA Confirms Active Exploitation of FileZen CVE-2026-25108 VulnerabilityClaude Code Flaws Allow Remote Code Execution and API Key ExfiltrationZyxel Warns of Critical RCE Flaw Affecting Over a Dozen RoutersU.S. Cybersecurity Agency CISA Reportedly in Dire Shape Amid Trump Cuts and LayoffsFTC Says It Won’t Enforce COPPA Against Proper Use of Age Verification ToolsDiscord Puts Global Age Verification Policy on Hold After BacklashChinese Prosecutors Raise Alarm About Growth of Domestic IP Theft
2/24/2026 February 24, 2026February 24, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment North Korean Lazarus Group Expands Ransomware Activity With MedusaPhishing Operation With Links to Russia, Armenia Compromised Western Cargo Companies, Researchers FindChinese AI Firms Hit Claude with Distillation Attacks, Anthropic WarnsAI Has Gotten Good at Finding Bugs, Not So Good at Swatting ThemAI Is Transformative, but Won’t Replace Established Software Anytime SoonCost of Insider Incidents Surges 20% to Nearly $20mUK Fines Reddit $19 Million for Using Children’s Data UnlawfullyMarquis Sues Firewall Provider SonicWall, Alleges Security Failings With Its Firewall Backup Led to Ransomware AttackBinance Fired Staff Who Flagged $1 Billion Moving to Sanctioned Iran EntitiesU.S. ‘Committed’ to Fighting Transnational Gangs Behind Southeast Asian Scam Compounds: FBIU.S. Sanctions Russian Exploit Broker for Buying Cyber Tools Stolen From Defense ContractorUkraine Pushes Tighter Telegram Regulation, Citing Russian Recruitment of LocalsCarGurus Data Breach Exposes Information of 12.4 Million AccountsConduent Data Breach Grows, Affecting at Least 25M PeopleWynn Resorts Says Hackers Stole Employee DataShinyHunters Extortion Gang Claims Odido Breach Affecting MillionsUniversity of Mississippi Medical Center Clinics Remain Closed Nearly a Week After Cyber AttackCrypto Platform Step Finance Shutting Down After $40 Million TheftMultifaceted Phishing Scheme Deceives Bitpanda CustomersUAC-0050 Targets European Financial Institution With Spoofed Domain and RMS MalwareUnsolicitedBooker Targets Central Asian Telecoms With LuciDoor and MarsSnake Backdoors1Campaign Platform Helps Malicious Google Ads Evade DetectionAndroid Mental Health Apps With 14.7m Installs Filled With Security FlawsRoguePilot Flaw in GitHub Codespaces Enabled Copilot to Leak GITHUB_TOKENCritical SolarWinds Serv-U Flaws Offer Root Access to Servers
2/23/2026 February 23, 2026February 23, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment APT28 Targeted European Entities Using Webhook-Based Macro MalwareUkraine Says Cyberattacks on Energy Grid Now Used to Guide Missile StrikesRansomware Gangs Advancing Moscow’s Geopolitical Aims, Romanian Cyber Chief WarnsMuddyWater Targets MENA Organizations with GhostFetch, CHAR, and HTTP_VIPCybersecurity Stocks Drop for a Second Day as New Anthropic Tool Fuels AI Disruption FearsIQM Quantum Computers to List Shares in Us at Initial $1.8 Billion ValuationSuspected Anonymous Members Detained in Spain Over Post-Flood DDoS BlitzAir Côte d’Ivoire Confirms Cyberattack Following Ransomware ClaimsAd Tech Firm Optimizely Confirms Data Breach Affecting Customers After Vishing AttackSupply Chain Shai-Hulud-Like Worm Targets Developers via npm and AI ToolsWormable XMRig Campaign Uses BYOVD Exploit and Time-Based Logic BombPayPal Fraud Investigation Reveals Sophisticated Python MalwareCISA: Two Recently Patched RoundCube Webmail Flaws Now Exploited in AttacksGlobal Data Protection Authorities Warn Generative AI Companies Against Replicating Real People
2/20-22/2026 February 22, 2026February 22, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment UAE Foils Cyber Attacks, State News Agency SaysHackers Breach Contractor Linked to Ukraine’s Central Bank Collectible Coin StoreRussia Stepping up Hybrid Attacks, Preparing for Long Standoff With West, Dutch Intelligence WarnsDramatic Escalation in Frequency and Power of DDoS AttacksPredator Spyware Hooks iOS SpringBoard to Hide Mic, Camera ActivityKrebs: ‘Starkiller’ Phishing Service Proxies Real Login Pages, MFADHS Wants a Single Search Engine to Flag Faces and Fingerprints Across AgenciesNew Cybersecurity Rules for U.S. Defense Industry Create Barrier for Some Small SuppliersUkrainian National Sentenced to 5 Years in North Korea IT Worker Fraud CaseTwo Former Google Engineers and Spouse Indicted Over Trade Secret Transfers to IranShinyHunters Demands $1.5m Not to Leak Vegas Casino Wynn Resorts and Resort Chain DataJapanese Tech Giant Advantest Hit by Ransomware AttackAI-Assisted Threat Actor Compromises 600+ FortiGate Devices in 55 CountriesPayPal App Code Error Leaked Personal Info and a ‘Few’ Unauthorized TransactionsClickFix Campaign Abuses Compromised Sites to Deploy MIMICRAT MalwareCline CLI 2.3.0 Supply Chain Attack Installed OpenClaw on Developer SystemsArkanix Stealer Pops up as Short-Lived AI Info-Stealer ExperimentBeyondTrust Flaw Used for Web Shells, Backdoors, and Data ExfiltrationCISA Adds Two Actively Exploited Roundcube Flaws to KEV CatalogRomanian Hacker Faces up to 7 Years for Breaching Oregon Emergency Management Dept
2/19/2026 February 19, 2026February 19, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Researchers Warn Volt Typhoon Still Embedded in U.S. Utilities and Some Breaches May Never Be FoundNation-State Hackers Hit Businesses For Commercial EdgeIndustrial Control System Vulnerabilities Hit Record HighsThe AI Security Nightmare Is Here and It Looks Suspiciously Like Lobster…Researchers Reveal Six New OpenClaw VulnerabilitiesHow to Organize Safely in the Age of SurveillanceCrims Hit a $20M Jackpot via Malware-Stuffed ATMsINTERPOL Operation Red Card 2.0 Arrests 651 in African Cybercrime CrackdownNigerian Man Gets Eight Years in Prison for Hacking Tax FirmsUK to Demand Social Platforms Take Down Abusive Intimate Images Within 48 HoursWest Virginia Sues Apple for Alleged Child Sexual Abuse Material FailuresGoogle Blocked Over 1.75 Million Play Store App Submissions From Obtaining Excessive Access in 2025Orange Shares Hit 16-Year High on Profit Beat, New Targets and M&A HopesCyberattack Cripples University of Mississippi Medical Center Systems, Forces Clinic ClosuresAttackers Breach France’s National Bank Account DatabaseRhysida Ransomware Gang Threatens Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes After Shutting Down SchoolsMicrosoft Error Sees Confidential Emails Exposed to AI Tool CopilotBug in Student Admissions Website Ravenna Hub Exposed Children’s Personal InformationBillions of Records Exposed by Unsecured IDMerit DatabaseIndustrial-Scale Fake Coretax Apps Drive $2m Fraud in IndonesiaStarkiller: New ‘Commercial-Grade’ Phishing Kit Bypasses MFAHackers Target Microsoft Entra Accounts in Device Code Vishing AttacksFake IPTV Apps Spread Massiv Android Malware Targeting Mobile Banking UsersPromptSpy Android Malware Abuses Gemini AI to Automate Recent-Apps PersistenceRemcos RAT Expands Real-Time Surveillance CapabilitiesMicrosoft Patches CVE-2026-26119 Privilege Escalation in Windows Admin Center
2/18/2026 February 18, 2026February 18, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment New Backdoor Found in Android Tablets Targeting Users in Russia, Germany and JapanPredator Spyware Used to Infect Phone Belonging to Angolan JournalistParents Angered by Lack of Online Safety StrategySpain Orders NordVPN, ProtonVPN to Block LaLiga Piracy SitesGlendale Man Gets 5 Years in Prison for Role in Darknet Drug RingFraudster Hacked Hotel System, Paid 1 Cent for Luxury Rooms, Spanish Cops SayTexas Sues TP-Link Over China Links and Security VulnerabilitiesPoland Bans Chinese-Made Cars From Entering Military SitesHacking Conference Def Con Bans Three People Linked to Jeffrey EpsteinA Vast Trove of Exposed Social Security Numbers May Put Millions at Risk of Identity TheftData Breach at Fintech Firm Figure Affects Nearly 1 Million AccountsShinyHunters Allegedly Drove off With 1.7m Cargurus RecordsCryptojacking Campaign Exploits Driver to Boost Monero MiningTelegram Channels Expose Rapid Weaponization of SmarterMail FlawsFed Agencies Ordered to Patch Dell Bug by Saturday After Exploitation Warning…Dell’s Hard-Coded Flaw: A Nation-State GoldmineGrandstream GXP1600 VoIP Phones Exposed to Unauthenticated Remote Code ExecutionCritical Infra Honeywell CCTVs Vulnerable to Auth Bypass Flaw
2/17/2026 February 17, 2026February 17, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment China Remains Embedded in U.S. Energy Networks ‘For the Purpose of Taking It Down’Chinese Hackers Exploiting Dell Zero-Day Flaw Since Mid-2024A Defector Explains the Remote-Work Scam Helping North Korea Pay for NukesLow-Skilled Cybercriminals Use AI to Perform “Vibe Extortion” AttacksResearchers Show Copilot and Grok Can Be Abused as Malware C2 ProxiesStudy Uncovers 25 Password Recovery Attacks in Major Cloud Password ManagersSignificant Rise in Ransomware Attacks Targeting Industrial OperationsWrongly Sent Emails ‘Most Common Data Breach’Palo Alto Networks Slumps 6% as Third Quarter Profit Guidance Falls ShortU.S. Lawyers Fire Up Privacy Class Action Accusing Lenovo of Bulk Data Transfers to ChinaPoland Arrests Suspect Linked to Phobos Ransomware OperationHackers Target Supporters of Iran Protests in New Espionage CampaignCitizen Lab: Kenyan Authorities Used Cellebrite to Break Into Phone of DissidentFake Milano Cortina Sites Target Thousands With Discount Scams, Cybersecurity Firm SaysSmartLoader Attack Uses Trojanized Oura MCP Server to Deploy StealC InfostealerKeenadu Firmware Backdoor Infects Android Tablets via Signed OTA UpdatesRMM Abuse Explodes as Hackers Ditch MalwareFlaws in Popular VSCode Extensions Expose Developers to AttacksNotepad++ Boosts Update Security With ‘Double-Lock’ MechanismAndroid 17 Beta Introduces Secure-By-Default ArchitectureApple Expands RCS Encryption and Memory Protections in iOS 26.4Ireland Now Also Investigating X Over Grok-Made Sexual Images
2/13-16/2026 February 16, 2026February 16, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Google Links China, Iran, Russia, North Korea to Coordinated Defense Sector Cyber OperationsChina May Be Rehearsing a Digital Siege, Taiwan WarnsGoogle Ties Suspected Russian Actor to CANFAIL Malware Attacks on Ukrainian OrgsUAT-9921 Deploys VoidLink Malware to Target Technology and Financial SectorsMunich Security Conference: Cyber Threats Lead G7 Risk Index, Disinformation Ranks ThirdNATO Must Impose Costs on Russia, China Over Cyber and Hybrid Attacks, Says Deputy ChiefEurope Must Adapt to ‘Permanent’ Cyber and Hybrid Threats, Sweden WarnsEU Can’t Be ‘Naive’ About Enemies Shutting Down Critical Infrastructure, Warns Tech OfficialSpace Emerges as New Front in Great Power Competition, Officials WarnAI Coding Platform’s Flaws Allow BBC Reporter to Be HackedVulnerabilities in Password Managers Allow Hackers to View and Change PasswordsThe El Paso No-Fly Debacle Is Just the Beginning of a Drone Defense MessRobot Dogs Are on Going on Patrol at the 2026 World Cup in MexicoRing Ends Partnership Plans With Flock Days After Privacy Blowback From Super Bowl AdDutch Cops Arrest Man After Sending Him Confidential Files by MistakeLouis Vuitton, Dior, and Tiffany Fined $25 Million Over Data BreachesU.S. Needs to Impose ‘Real Costs’ on Bad Actors, State Department Cyber Official SaysWashington Hotel in Japan Discloses Ransomware Infection IncidentCanada Goose Ruffles Feathers Over 600K Record Dump, Says Leak Is Old NewsEurail Says Stolen Traveler Data Now up for Sale on Dark WebOver 500,000 Vkontakte Accounts Hijacked Through Malicious Chrome ExtensionsOperation DoppelBrand Weaponizes Trusted Brands For Credential TheftSnail Mail Letters Target Trezor and Ledger Users in Crypto-Theft AttacksPastebin Comments Push ClickFix JavaScript Attack to Hijack Crypto SwapsMicrosoft Discloses DNS-Based ClickFix Attack Using Nslookup for Malware StagingNew ClickFix Attack Abuses Nslookup to Retrieve Powershell Payload via DNSClaude LLM Artifacts Abused to Push Mac Infostealers in ClickFix AttackInfostealer Steals OpenClaw AI Agent Configuration Files and Gateway TokensOysterLoader Evolves With New C2 Infrastructure and ObfuscationCISA Flags Critical Microsoft Sccm Flaw as Exploited in AttacksCISA Gives Feds 3 Days to Patch Actively Exploited BeyondTrust FlawNew Chrome Zero-Day (CVE-2026-2441) Under Active Attack — Patch ReleasedStarlink Restrictions Hit Russian Forces as Moscow Seeks WorkaroundsInfosec Exec Sold Eight Zero-Day Exploit Kits to Russia, Says DOJ
2/12/2026 February 12, 2026February 12, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Palo Alto Chose Not to Tie China to Hacking Campaign for Fear of Retaliation From Beijing, Sources SayNation-State Hackers Embrace Gemini AI for Malicious Campaigns, Google FindsLazarus Campaign Plants Malicious Packages in npm and PyPI EcosystemsKim Jong Un Chooses Teen Daughter as Heir, Says SeoulCloudflare Rises 5% as AI Agent Wave Led by Viral Moltbot Boosts Security DemandCheck Point Software Lifts Profit Outlook as AI-Driven Cyber Threats SurgeAI Skills Represent Dangerous New Attack Surface, Says TrendAIThose ‘Summarize With AI’ Buttons May Be Lying to YouCrypto-Funded Human Trafficking Is ExplodingGuthrie Doorbell Video Delayed by Difficult Data Recovery, but Privacy Advocates Still WorryFTC Push for Age Verification a ‘Major Landmark’ for Spread of the ToolWhatsApp Says Russia Tried to Fully Block Platform, Push Users to State AppOdido Data Breach Exposes Personal Info of 6.2 Million CustomersRomania’s Oil Pipeline Operator Conpet Confirms Data Stolen in AttackFake AI Chrome Extensions With 300K Users Steal Credentials, EmailsWorld Leaks Ransomware Group Adds Stealthy, Custom Malware ‘RustyRocket’ to Attacks83% of Ivanti EPMM Exploits Linked to Single IP on Bulletproof Hosting InfrastructureCritical BeyondTrust RCE Flaw Now Exploited in Attacks, Patch NowWordPress Plugin With 900K Installs Vulnerable to Critical RCE FlawApple Fixes Exploited Zero-Day Affecting iOS, macOS, and Other DevicesMicrosoft: New Windows LNK Spoofing Issues Aren’t VulnerabilitiesBitwarden Introduces ‘Cupid Vault’ for Secure Password SharingA Hard Truth in Munich: Cyber Defense Runs Through Silicon ValleyU.S. Wants Cyber Partnerships to Send ‘Coordinated, Strategic Message’ to Adversaries
2/11/2026 February 12, 2026February 12, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment APT36 and SideCopy Launch Cross-Platform RAT Campaigns Against Indian EntitiesKrebs: Kimwolf Botnet Swamps Anonymity Network I2PPosting AI-Generated Caricatures on Social Media Is Risky, Infosec Killjoys WarnCBP Signs Clearview AI Deal to Use Face Recognition for ‘Tactical Targeting’AI Rising: Do We Know Enough About the Data Populating It?40 State AGs Warn House KOSA Bill Falls Short of Protecting Children OnlinePolice Arrest Seller of JokerOTP MFA Passcode Capturing ToolMoscow Moves to Throttle Telegram as Kremlin Pushes Its Own Messaging AppUK Blames Legacy Systems as Ministers Promise No Repeat of Afghan BreachGeorgia Healthcare Company ApolloMD Data Breach Impacts More Than 620,000Tulsa International Airport Hit With Ransomware AttackLummaStealer Infections Surge After Castleloader Malware CampaignsCrazy Ransomware Gang Abuses Employee Monitoring Tool in AttacksFirst Malicious Outlook Add-In Found Stealing 4,000+ Microsoft CredentialsMicrosoft Fixes Notepad Flaw That Could Trick Users Into Clicking Malicious Markdown LinksOver 60 Software Vendors Issue Security Fixes Across OS, Cloud, and Network PlatformsInterim CISA Chief: ‘When the Government Shuts Down, Cyber Threats Do Not’Is Spyware Hiding on Your Phone? How to Find Out and Remove It – Fast
2/10/2026 February 11, 2026February 11, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment DPRK Operatives Impersonate Professionals on LinkedIn to Infiltrate CompaniesNorth Korean Hackers Use New macOS Malware in Crypto-Theft Attacks“Digital Parasite” Warning as Attackers Favor Stealth for ExtortionWhite House to Meet With GOP Lawmakers on FISA Section 702 RenewalCyber Command, NSA Nominee Rudd Advances to Senate FloorBritish Army Splashes $86M on AI Gear to Speed up the Battlefield Kill ChainFugitive Behind $73M ‘Pig Butchering’ Scheme Gets 20 Years in PrisonGoogle Secures EU Antitrust Approval for $32 Billion Wiz AcquisitionMicrosoft Announces New Mobile-Style Windows Security ControlsNearly 17,000 Volvo Staff Dinged in Supplier BreachPhorpiex Phishing Delivers Low-Noise Global Group RansomwareNew Mobile Spyware ZeroDayRAT Targets Android and iOSMalicious 7-Zip Site Distributes Installer Laced With Proxy ToolReynolds Ransomware Embeds BYOVD Driver to Disable EDR Security ToolsNew Linux Botnet SSHStalker Uses Old-School IRC for C2 CommsFortinet Patches Critical SQLi Flaw Enabling Unauthenticated Code ExecutionKrebs: Patch Tuesday, February 2026 EditionMicrosoft Is Keeping Secure Boot Alive With Windows UpdatesWhat Organizations Need to Change When Managing Printers
2/9/2026 February 9, 2026February 9, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment China-Linked UNC3886 Targets Singapore Telecom Sector in Cyber Espionage CampaignBloody Wolf Targets Uzbekistan, Russia Using NetSupport RAT in Spear-Phishing CampaignSenegal Confirms Breach of National ID Card Department After Ransomware ClaimsEU, Dutch Government Announce Hacks Following Ivanti Zero-DaysEuropean Commission Discloses Breach That Exposed Staff DataLeaked Technical Documents Show China Rehearsing Cyberattacks on Neighbors’ Critical InfrastructureIran’s Digital Surveillance Machine Is Almost CompleteAI Is Here to Replace Nuclear Treaties. Scared Yet?Researchers Find 40,000+ Exposed OpenClaw InstancesSocial Media Platforms Earn Billions from Scam AdsHacked, Leaked, Exposed: Why You Should Never Use Stalkerware AppsTwo Connecticut Men Charged In Alleged $3m Gambling Fraud SchemeHackers Breach SmarterTools Network Using Flaw in Its Own SoftwareSolarWinds Web Help Desk Exploited for RCE in Multi-Stage Attacks on Exposed ServersDiscord Faces Backlash Over Age Checks After Data Breach Exposed 70,000 IDsPayment Tech Provider for Texas, Florida Governments BridgePay Working With FBI to Resolve Ransomware AttackSuspected Sabotage Disrupts Trains in Northern Italy as Winter Games BeginTeamPCP Worm Exploits Cloud Infrastructure to Build Criminal InfrastructureVoidLink Malware Exhibits Multi-Cloud Capabilities and AI CodeNew Zero-Click Flaw in Claude Desktop Extensions, Anthropic Declines FixBeyondTrust Warns of Critical RCE Flaw in Remote Support SoftwareMicrosoft: Exchange Online Flags Legitimate Emails as PhishingRussia Grants Asylum to Spanish Professor Wanted for Alleged Pro-Moscow Cyber Operations
2/6-8/2026 February 9, 2026February 9, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment German Agencies Warn of Signal Phishing Targeting Politicians, Military, JournalistsNorwegian Intelligence Discloses Country Hit by Salt Typhoon CampaignUnsettled Cyber Intel Law Erodes Private-Sector TrustU.S. Software Stocks Slammed on Mounting Fears Over AI Disruption, Lose $1 Trillion in WeekNYC Explores Using AI Cameras to Spot Subway Fare EvadersEU Says TikTok Faces Large Fine Over “Addictive Design”Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Hacking Nearly 600 Women’s Snapchat AccountsDKnife: Chinese-Made Malware Kit Targets Chinese-Based Routers and Edge DevicesFlickr Emails Users About Data Breach, PINs It on 3rd PartyPayments Platform BridgePay Confirms Ransomware Attack Behind OutageCompromised dYdX npm and PyPI Packages Deliver Wallet Stealers and RAT MalwareCISA Warns of SmarterMail RCE Flaw Used in Ransomware AttacksOpenClaw Integrates VirusTotal Scanning to Detect Malicious ClawHub SkillsNew Tool Blocks Imposter Attacks Disguised as Safe Commands
2/5/2026 February 5, 2026February 5, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Infy Hackers Resume Operations with New C2 Servers After Iran Internet Blackout EndsProtests Don’t Impede Iranian Spying on Expats, Syrians, IsraelisRussian Hackers Attacking European Maritime and Transport Orgs Using Microsoft Office ExploitAsia-Based Government Spies TGR-STA-1030 Quietly Broke Into Critical Networks Across 37 CountriesICE and CBP’s Face-Recognition App Can’t Actually Verify Who People AreSmartphones Now Involved in Nearly Every Police InvestigationAI-Enabled Voice and Virtual Meeting Fraud Surges 1000%+UNICEF Calls for Criminalization of AI Content Depicting Child Sex AbuseDark Patterns Undermine Security, One Click at a TimeCISA Gives Federal Agencies One Year to Rip Out End-Of-Life DevicesSpain’s Ministry of Science Shuts Down Systems After Breach ClaimsRomanian Oil Pipeline Operator Conpet Discloses CyberattackItalian University la Sapienza Goes Offline After CyberattackSubstack Data Breach Exposed Users’ Emails and Phone NumbersData Breach at Govtech Giant Conduent Balloons, Affecting Millions More AmericansBetterment Breach May Expose 1.4m Users After Social Engineering AttackZendesk Spam Wave Returns, Floods Users With ‘Activate Account’ EmailsAISURU/Kimwolf Botnet Launches Record-Setting 31.4 Tbps DDoS AttackRansomware Gang Uses ISPsystem VMs for Stealthy Payload DeliveryMalicious Commands in GitHub Codespaces Enable RCE
2/4/2026 February 5, 2026February 5, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment U.S. Used Cyber Weapons to Disrupt Iranian Air Defenses During 2025 StrikesUkraine Tightens Controls on Starlink Terminals to Counter Russian DronesItaly Foiled Russia-Linked Cyberattacks on Embassies, Olympic Sites, Minister Says…How 2026 Winter Olympics Security Is Preparing for the Opening CeremonyChina-Linked Amaranth-Dragon Exploits WinRAR Flaw in Espionage CampaignsOpenClaw’s AI ‘Skill’ Extensions Are a Security NightmareMicrosoft Develops Scanner to Detect Backdoors in Open-Weight Large Language ModelsGoogle Cloud’s Customer Chief Returns to Microsoft as Head of SecurityWith AI Accountability Stalling, Boards Must Push Tech Giants for Greater TransparencySuper Bowl Prepares for Potential AI Cybersecurity ThreatOwner of Incognito Dark Web Drugs Market Gets 30 Years in PrisonDragonForce Ransomware Gang Goes Full ‘Godfather’ With CartelHackers Compromise NGINX Servers to Redirect User TrafficCoinbase Confirms Insider Breach Linked to Leaked Support Tool ScreenshotsCybercrime Group Claims Responsibility for Penn Email Hack, Leaks Additional Internal Files…Hackers Publish Personal Information Stolen During Harvard, UPenn Data BreachesMicrosoft Warns Python Infostealers Target macOS via Fake Ads and InstallersGlobal SystemBC Botnet Found Active Across 10,000 Infected SystemsNew Technical Markers Reveal Expanding ShadowSyndicate Cybercriminal InfrastructureEDR Killer Tool Uses Signed Kernel Driver From Forensic SoftwareNitrogen Ransomware Is So Broken Even the Crooks Can’t Unlock Your FilesCISA Warns of Five-Year-Old GitLab Flaw Exploited in AttacksCISA: VMware ESXi Flaw Now Exploited in Ransomware AttacksCritical n8n Flaws Disclosed Along With Public Exploits
2/3/2026 February 3, 2026February 5, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Notepad++ Hosting Breach Attributed to China-Linked Lotus Blossom Hacking GroupRussian Hackers Weaponize Microsoft Office Bug in Just 3 DaysPoland Detains Defense Ministry Employee on Suspicion of Spying for RussiaU.S. Senator Says AT&T, Verizon Blocking Release of Salt Typhoon Security Assessment ReportsCISA Official Says CIRCIA Cyber Reporting Update Is ‘Weeks’ AwayCISA Updated Ransomware Intel on 59 Bugs Last Year Without Telling DefendersTrump Administration Eyes 10-Year Extension of Cybersecurity LawHow Data Brokers Can Fuel Violence Against Public ServantsX Marks the Raid: French Cops Swoop on Musk’s Paris Ops…UK ICO Launches Investigation into X Over AI Generated Non-Consensual Sexual ImageryUK Investigating First Suspected Breach of Cyber SanctionsPolish Cops Bail 20-Year-Old Bedroom Botnet OperatorVaronis to Acquire AllTrue as AI Security Concerns MountOpenAI CEO Altman Dismisses Moltbook as Likely Fad, Backs the Tech Behind It…The Rise of Moltbook Suggests Viral AI Prompts May Be the Next Big Security ThreatIron Mountain: Data Breach Mostly Limited to Marketing MaterialsStep Finance Says Compromised Execs’ Devices Led to $40M Crypto TheftNew Password-Stealing Phishing Campaign Targets Corporate Dropbox CredentialsWave of Citrix NetScaler Scans Use Thousands of Residential ProxiesResearchers Warn of New “Vect” RaaS VariantDockerDash Exposes AI Supply Chain Weakness In Docker’s Ask GordonCritical React Native Metro Dev Server Bug Under Attack as Researchers Scream Into the Void…Hackers Exploit Metro4Shell RCE Flaw in React Native CLI npm PackageCISA Flags Critical SolarWinds RCE Flaw as Exploited in AttacksSQL Injection Flaw Affects 40,000 WordPress Sites8-Minute Access: AI Accelerates Breach of AWS EnvironmentMicrosoft Finally Sends TLS 1.0 and 1.1 to the Cloud Retirement HomeCalifornia City Turns off Flock Cameras After Company Shared Data Without AuthorizationMozilla Adds One-Click Option to Disable Generative AI Features in FirefoxSpain Will Ban Social Media for Kids Under 16
2/2/2026 February 2, 2026February 2, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Fancy Bear Exploits Microsoft Office Flaw in Ukraine, EU Cyber-AttacksNotepad++ Updates Got Hijacked for Months and Could Have Spied for ChinaSpyware Maker Is Hijacking Diplomatic Efforts to Limit Commercial Hacking, Civil Society WarnsFrom Clawdbot to Moltbot to OpenClaw: Meet the AI Agent Generating Buzz and Fear Globally…OpenClaw Bug Enables One-Click Remote Code Execution via Malicious Link…Malicious MoltBot Skills Used to Push Password-Stealing Malware…Researchers Find 341 Malicious ClawHub Skills Stealing Data from OpenClaw UsersExposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the SiteHackers Recruit Unhappy Insiders to Bypass Data SecurityDrone Sightings Have Doubled Near UK Military Bases, Warns British GovernmentKrebs: Please Don’t Feed the Scattered Lapsus ShinyHuntersHackers Attempt to Extort Parents After School Refuses to Pay Ransom FeeStopICE Hacked to Send Alarming Text Messages, Admins Accuse Border Patrol Agent of SabotagePanera Bread Breach Impacts 5.1 Million Accounts, Not 14 Million CustomersMcDonald’s Is Not Lovin’ Your BigMac, Happy Meal, and McNuggets McPasswordsNationStates Confirms Data Breach, Shuts Down Game SiteOpen VSX Supply Chain Attack Used Compromised Dev Account to Spread GlassWormMicrosoft Begins NTLM Phase-Out With Three-Stage Plan to Move Windows to KerberosNSA Publishes New Zero Trust Implementation GuidelinesNetherlands Latest European Country to Mull Social Media Ban for Children
1/30-2/1/2026 February 2, 2026February 2, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Labyrinth Chollima Evolves into Three North Korean Hacking GroupsChina-Linked UAT-8099 Targets IIS Servers in Asia with BadIIS SEO MalwareRedKitten: New AI-Developed Malware SloppyMIO Campaign Targets Iranian ProtestsI Mocked the Saudi Leader on YouTube – Then My Phone Was Hacked and I Was Beaten up in LondonInformant Told FBI That Jeffrey Epstein Had a ‘Personal Hacker’Ex-Google Engineer Convicted for Stealing AI Secrets for China StartupCoupang CEO Questioned by Police Investigating Obstruction of Probe Into Data BreachThoma Bravo Explores Sale of Identity Software Firm Imprivata, Sources SayOperation Switch Off Dismantles Major Pirate TV Streaming ServicesDepartment of Justice Seizes Domains for Bulgarian Piracy SitesCrypto Wallets Received a Record $158 Billion in Illicit Funds Last YearNew Britain (CT) ‘Network Disruption’ Was Due to Ransomware Attack, Mayor SaysMandiant Finds ShinyHunters-Style Vishing Attacks Stealing MFA to Breach SaaS PlatformsCloud Storage Payment Scam Floods Inboxes With Fake RenewalsNational Crime Agency and NatWest Issue Joint Warning Over Invoice Fraud ThreatExposed MongoDB Instances Still Targeted in Data Extortion AttacksResearcher Reveals Evidence of Private Instagram Profiles Leaking PhotosResearchers Uncover Chrome Extensions Abusing Affiliate Links and Stealing ChatGPT AccessSmarterMail Fixes Critical Unauthenticated RCE Flaw with CVSS 9.3 ScoreNew Apple Privacy Feature Limits Location Tracking on iPhones, iPadsAI Security Startup CEO Posts a Job. Deepfake Candidate Applies, Inner Turmoil Ensues.Open-Source AI Is a Global Security Nightmare Waiting to Happen, Say Researchers
1/29/2026 January 29, 2026January 29, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Latvia Says Russia Remains Its Top Cyber Threat as Attacks Hit Record HighRussian ELECTRUM Tied to December 2025 Cyber Attack on Polish Power GridOperation Winter SHIELD: FBI Issues Call to Arms for Organizations to Improve CybersecurityGoogle Disrupts Extensive Residential Proxy Networks IPIDEARansomware Victim Numbers Rise, Despite Drop in Active Extortion GroupsHow Can CISOs Respond to Ransomware Getting More Violent?Patch or Perish: Vulnerability Exploits Now Dominate IntrusionsAn AI Toy Exposed 50,000 Logs of Its Chats With Kids to Anyone With a Gmail AccountOpen-Source AI Models Vulnerable to Criminal Misuse, Researchers WarnU.S. Software Stocks Slump as AI Disruption Fears Take OverICE Is Using Palantir’s AI Tools to Sort Through TipsItaly’s Winter Games Security Plan Keeps U.S. ICE in Advisory RoleCybersecurity Teams Embrace AI, Just Not at the Scale Marketing SuggestsAV Vendor eScan Goes to War With Security Shop Morphisec Over Update Server ScareFrance Fines National Employment Agency €5m Over 2024 Data BreachCyberattack on Large Russian Bread Factory The Vladimir Bread Factory Disrupts Supply DeliveriesShinyHunters Swipes Right on 10M Records in Alleged Dating App Match Group Data Grab…Match Group Breach Exposes Data from Hinge, Tinder, OkCupid, and MatchContractor Data Breach at TriZetto Provider Solutions May Have Exposed the Protected Health Info of Thousands of Central OregoniansFintech Marquis Blames Ransomware Breach on SonicWall Cloud Backup HackInitial Access Hackers TA584 Switch to Tsundere Bot for Ransomware AttacksResearchers Find 175,000 Publicly Exposed Ollama AI Servers Across 130 CountriesHugging Face Abused to Spread Thousands of Android Malware VariantsAisuru Botnet Sets New Record with 31.4 Tbps DDoS AttackIvanti Warns of Two EPMM flaws Exploited in Zero-Day AttacksGoogle Rolls Out Android Theft Protection Feature UpdatesNew Apple Feature Will Block Cell Networks From Capturing Precise Location DataNew Microsoft Teams Feature Will Let You Report Suspicious CallsNSA Pick Champions Foreign Spying Law as Nomination Advances
1/28/2026 January 28, 2026January 28, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Cyberattack on Polish Energy Grid Impacted Around 30 FacilitiesRansomware Crims Forced to Take Off-RAMP as FBI Seizes ForumVirginia Man & Empire Cybercrime Market Owner, with Partner from Florida, Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyTeen Swatting Suspects Arrested in Hungary and RomaniaSlovakian Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Darknet MarketplaceOpenAI’s ChatGPT’s Ad Costs Are on Par With Live NFL BroadcastsEx-Palantir Engineer Raises $40 Million for Cyber Startup Outtake, With Backing From Microsoft CEO NadellaTrump’s Acting Cybersecurity Chief Madhu Gottumukkala Uploaded Sensitive Government Docs to ChatGPTeScan Confirms Update Server Breached to Push Malicious UpdateEmojis in PureRAT’s Code Point to AI-Generated Malware CampaignHackers Hijack Exposed LLM Endpoints in Bizarre Bazaar OperationFake Moltbot AI Coding Assistant on VS Code Marketplace Drops MalwareAutonomous System Uncovers Long-Standing OpenSSL FlawsSolarWinds Warns of Critical Web Help Desk RCE, Auth Bypass FlawsCritical and High Severity n8n Sandbox Flaws Allow RCEUK Leaders Warned Country Risks ‘Absorbing’ Cyber and Hybrid Attacks Without Offensive DeterrenceFTC Commissioner Says Online Age Verification ‘Offers a Better Way’ to Protect Kids
1/27/2026 January 27, 2026January 27, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Chinese Mustang Panda Hackers Deploy Infostealers via CoolClient BackdoorPeckBirdy Framework Tied to China-Aligned Cyber CampaignsExperts Detect Pakistan-Linked Cyber Campaigns Aimed at Indian Government EntitiesOver 80% of Ethical Hackers Now Use AIRevealed: Leaked Chats Expose the Daily Life of a Scam Compound’s Enslaved WorkforceHe Leaked the Secrets of a Southeast Asian Scam Compound. Then He Had to Get Out AliveWhatsApp’s New ‘Lockdown’ Settings Add Another Layer of Protection Against CyberattacksFrance to Replace U.S. Videoconferencing Wares With Unfortunately Named Sovereign AlternativePrivate Equity Firm Audax Group Seeks Over $1.5 Billion for BlueCat NetworksU.S. Charges 31 More Suspects Linked to Tren de Aragua ATM Malware AttacksChinese Money Launderers Moved More Than $16 Billion of Illicit Crypto in 2025, Report FindsLet Them Eat Sourdough: ShinyHunters Claims Panera Bread as Stolen Credentials VictimNike Investigates Data Breach After Extortion Gang Leaks FilesRussian Security Systems Firm Delta Hit by Cyberattack, Services DisruptedRansomware Attacks Hits Winona County (MN)Have I Been Pwned: SoundCloud Data Breach Impacts 29.8 Million AccountsNew Malware Service ‘Stanley’ Guarantees Phishing Extensions on Chrome Web StoreWinRAR Path Traversal Flaw Still Exploited by Numerous HackersFortinet Blocks Exploited FortiCloud SSO Zero Day Until Patch is readyPyodide Sandbox Escape Enables Remote Code Execution in Grist-CoreCritical Sandbox Escape Flaw Found in Popular vm2 NodeJS LibraryCritical Grist-Core Vulnerability Allows RCE Attacks via Spreadsheet FormulasUK Plans Sweeping Overhaul of Policing Amid Surge in Online Crimes
1/26/2026 January 26, 2026January 26, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Krebs: Who Operates the Badbox 2.0 Botnet?Deepfake ‘Nudify’ Technology Is Getting Darker—And More DangerousEU Launches Investigation Into X Over Grok-Generated Sexual Images2025 Was a Wake-up Call to Protect Human Decisions, Not Just SystemsCISA Releases List of Post-Quantum Cryptography Product CategoriesUpwind Raises $250 Million to Expand Cloud SecurityLaw Firm Investigates Coupang Security Failures Ahead of Class Action DeadlineGoogle Agrees to Pay $68 Million to Settle Voice Recording LawsuitJudge Awards British Critic of Saudis $4.1 Million, Finds the Regime Hacked His DevicesIndian Users Targeted in Tax Phishing Campaign Delivering Blackmoon MalwareNew ClickFix Attacks Abuse Windows App-V Scripts to Push MalwareeScan Antivirus Supply Chain Breach Delivers Signed MalwareResearchers Uncover “Haxor” SEO Poisoning MarketplaceCloudflare Misconfiguration Behind Recent BGP Route LeakHackers Can Bypass npm’s Shai-Hulud Defenses via Git DependenciesMicrosoft Patches Actively Exploited Office Zero-Day VulnerabilitySupreme Court to Hear Facebook Pixel Tracking CaseRomania Probes Two Suspects Over Alleged Hitman-For-Hire Website
1/23-25/2026 January 25, 2026January 25, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment New DynoWiper Malware Used in Attempted Sandworm Attack on Polish Power SectorKonni Hackers Target Blockchain Engineers With AI-Built MalwareMillions of People Imperiled Through Sign-in Links Sent by SMSGmail’s Spam Filter and Automatic Sorting Are BrokenRing Can Verify Videos Now, but That Might Not Help You With Most AI FakesTikTok Forms U.S. Joint Venture to Continue Operations Under 2025 Executive OrderU.S. to Deport Venezuelans Who Emptied Bank ATMs Using MalwareUK Border Tech Budget Swells by £100M as Home Office Targets Small Boat CrossingsGermany Expels Russian Diplomat Accused of Spying on Ukraine War EffortChina Investigates Top General Zhang Youxia in Rare Purge of Senior Military LeadersU.S. Storm Leaves 850,000 Without Power, Forces 10,000 Flight CancellationsMulti-Stage Phishing Campaign Targets Russia with Amnesia RAT and RansomwareCyberattack Disrupts Digital Systems at Renowned Dresden Museum Network149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured DatabaseShinyHunters Claims Okta Customer Breaches, Leaks Data Belonging to 3 OrgsNike Probing Potential Security Incident as Hackers Threaten to Leak DataPhishing Attack Uses Stolen Credentials to Install LogMeIn RMM for Persistent AccessMalicious AI Extensions on VSCode Marketplace Steal Developer DataFortinet Confirms Critical FortiCloud Auth Bypass Not Fully PatchedCISA Updates KEV Catalog with Four Actively Exploited Software VulnerabilitiesCISA Adds Actively Exploited VMware vCenter Flaw CVE-2024-37079 to KEV CatalogHackers Get $1,047,000 for 76 Zero-Days at Pwn2Own Automotive 2026
1/22/2026 January 22, 2026January 22, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment From a Whisper to a Scream: Europe Frets About Overreliance on U.S. TechRisky Chinese Electric Buses Spark Aussie Gov’t ReviewSpanish Judge Closes NSO Group Spyware Probe Due to Lack of Cooperation From IsraelClaude’s New AI File-Creation Feature Ships With Security Risks Built InCrims Compromised Energy Firms’ Microsoft Accounts, Sent 600 Phishing EmailsMicrosoft Teams to Add Brand Impersonation Warnings to Calls1Password Is Introducing a New Phishing Prevention FeatureHouse of Lords Backs Legislation to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16Bank of England: Financial Sector Failing to Implement Basic Cybersecurity ControlsOver 160,000 Companies Notify Regulators of GDPR BreachesEurope’s GDPR Cops Dished Out €1.2B in Fines Last Year as Data Breaches Piled UpINC Ransomware Opsec Fail Allowed Data Recovery for 12 U.S. OrgsHackers Breach Fortinet FortiGate Devices, Steal Firewall Configs…Fortinet Firewalls Hit With Malicious Configuration ChangesJordan Used Cellebrite Phone-Hacking Tools Against Activists Critical of Gaza War, Report FindsOkta SSO Accounts Targeted in Vishing-Based Data Theft AttacksNew Osiris Ransomware Emerges as New Strain Using POORTRY Driver in BYOVD AttackCritical GNU InetUtils telnetd Flaw Lets Attackers Bypass Login and Gain Root AccessMalicious PyPI Package Impersonates SymPy, Deploys XMRig Miner on Linux HostsSmarterMail Auth Bypass Exploited in the Wild Two Days After Patch ReleaseRealHomes CRM Plugin Flaw Affected 30,000 WordPress SitesCritical Appsmith Flaw Enables Account TakeoversHackers Exploit 29 Zero-Days on Second Day of Pwn2Own AutomotiveCurl Ending Bug Bounty Program After Flood of AI Slop Reports
1/21/2026 January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment North Korean PurpleBravo Campaign Targeted 3,136 IP Addresses via Fake Job InterviewsPhishing and Spoofed Sites Remain Primary Entry Points For OlympicsHackers Exploit Security Testing Apps to Breach Fortune 500 FirmsFortinet Admins Report Patched FortiGate Firewalls Getting HackedNew Android Malware Uses AI to Click on Hidden Browser AdsGreek Police Arrest Scammers Using Fake Cell Tower Hidden in Car TrunkIreland Wants to Give Its Cops Spyware, Ability to Crack Encrypted MessagesEU Unveils Cybersecurity Overhaul with Proposed Update to Cybersecurity ActUK’s NCC Group to Sell Escode for $369.4 MillionEverest Ransomware Gang Said to Be Sitting on Mountain of Under Armour DataOnline Retailer PcComponentes Says Data Breach Claims are FakePeruvian Loan Scam Harvests Cards and PINs via Fake ApplicationsLastPass Warns of Fake Maintenance Messages Targeting Users’ Master PasswordsCERT/CC Warns binary-parser Bug Allows Node.js Privilege-Level Code ExecutionZoom and GitLab Release Security Updates Fixing RCE, DoS, and 2FA Bypass FlawsCisco Fixes Unified Communications RCE Zero Day Exploited in AttacksTesla Hacked, 37 Zero-Days Demoed at Pwn2Own Automotive 2026Experts Welcome Global Cybersecurity Vulnerability Enumeration Launch
1/20/2026 January 20, 2026January 20, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment North Korea-Linked Hackers Target Developers via Malicious VS Code ProjectsEU Plan to Phase-Out High-Risk Tech Draws Fire From China’s HuaweiGreece, Israel to Cooperate on Anti-Drone Systems, Cybersecurity, Greek Minister SaysKrebs: Kimwolf Botnet Lurking in Corporate, Gov’t NetworksUK Launches Landmark ‘Report Fraud’ Service to Tackle Cybercrime and FraudTudou Guarantee Marketplace Halts Telegram Transactions After Processing Over $12 BillionCyber Risks Among CEOs’ Top Worries Amid Weak Short Term Growth OutlookAI Supercharges Attacks in Cybercrime’s New ‘Fifth Wave’VoidLink Cloud Malware Shows Clear Signs of Being AI-GeneratedTrue Agentic AI Is Years Away – Here’s Why and How We Get ThereSupreme Court to Consider Whether Geofence Warrants Are ConstitutionalUK Says It Will Consider Banning Social Media for ChildrenHackers Target Afghan Government Workers With Fake Correspondence From Senior OfficialsLinkedin Phishing Campaign Exploits Open-Source Pen Testing Tool to Compromise Business ExecsNumerous Mass Spam Attacks Leverage Zendesk InstancesUStrive Security Lapse Exposed Personal Data of Its Users, Including ChildrenMinnesota Department of Human Services Data Breach Affects Over 300K IndividualsEverest Ransomware Claims McDonalds India Breach Involving Customer DataEvelyn Stealer Malware Abuses VS Code Extensions to Steal Developer Credentials and CryptoACF Plugin Bug Gives Hackers Admin on 50,000 WordPress SitesCloudflare Fixes ACME Validation Bug Allowing WAF Bypass to Origin ServersChainlit Security Flaws Highlight Infrastructure Risks in AI AppsPrompt Injection Bugs Found in Official Anthropic Git MCP ServerLawmakers Move to Extend Two Cyber Programs (Again) in Funding Proposal
1/19/2026 January 19, 2026January 19, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Iran to Consider Lifting Internet Ban; State TV Hacked to Air Anti-Regime MessagesRussian Hacktivists Intensify Disruptive Cyber Pressure on UK OrgsRead the Texts Between Trump and Norway’s Prime MinisterHow Crypto Criminals Stole $700 Million From People – Often Using Age-Old TricksIngram Micro Admits Summer Ransomware Raid Exposed Thousands of Staff RecordsCrashFix Chrome Extension Delivers ModeloRAT Using ClickFix-Style Browser Crash LuresResearchers Uncover PDFSIDER Malware Built for Long-Term, Covert System AccessGoogle Gemini Prompt Injection Flaw Exposed Private Calendar Data via Malicious Invites
1/16-18/2026 January 18, 2026January 18, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment China-Linked Hackers Exploited Sitecore Zero-Day for Initial AccessTrump Says Iran Has Told Him ‘Killing Has Stopped’ as He Pulls Back From Strike Threats…Donald Trump Calls off Iran Strikes After Steve Witkoff, Araghchi Texts…By Asking Trump to Delay Iran Attacks, Netanyahu Exposes Israel’s Air Defense Holes…Anti-Regime Activists Hack Iran’s National Broadcaster, Transmit Pahlavi’s Calls to ProtestCanada Will Regret Allowing Chinese EVs Into Their Market, U.S. SaysEU Moves to Force the Phase-Out of Chinese Suppliers From Key InfrastructureA Faceless Hacker Stole My Therapy Notes – Now My Deepest Secrets Are Online ForeverJordanian Initial Access Broker Pleads Guilty to Helping Target 50 CompaniesPolice Raid Homes of Alleged Black Basta Hackers, Hunt Suspected Russian Ringleader…Black Basta Ransomware Leader Added to EU Most Wanted and INTERPOL Red NoticeCanadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) Confirms Data Breach Exposed Info on 750,000 Canadian InvestorsTens of Millions of French Citizen Records ExposedTamperedChef Malvertising Campaign Drops Malware via Fake PDF ManualsRondoDox Botnet Targets HPE OneView Vulnerability in Exploitation WaveFive Malicious Chrome Extensions Impersonate Workday and NetSuite to Hijack AccountsGootLoader Malware Uses 500–1,000 Concatenated ZIP Archives to Evade DetectionMalicious GhostPoster Browser Extensions Found with 840,000 InstallsHackers Now Exploiting Critical Fortinet FortiSIEM Flaw in AttacksStealC Hackers Hacked as Researchers Hijack Malware Control PanelsCisco Finally Fixes AsyncOS Zero-Day Exploited Since NovemberI’m Sorry Dave, I’m Afraid I Can’t Do That! PCs Refuse to Shut Down After Microsoft Patch
1/15/2026 January 15, 2026January 15, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Chinese-Linked Hackers Target U.S. Entities With Venezuelan-Themed MalwareICE Agent Doxxing Site DDoS-ed Via Russian ServersHackers Increasingly Shun Encryption in Favour of Pure Data Theft and ExtortionFormer CISA Director Jen Easterly Will Lead RSAC ConferenceFTC Bans GM From Selling Drivers’ Location Data for Five YearsGoogle to Pay $8.25 Million to Settle Lawsuit Alleging Children’s Privacy ViolationsElon Musk’s X Says It Will Block Grok From Making Sexual ImagesData Privacy Teams Face Staffing Shortages and Budget Constraints, ISACA WarnsCloudflare Acquires AI Data Marketplace Human NativeFormer U.S. Special Forces Officer Is Now a Startup CEO—His Cybersecurity Company Has Raised $22 MillionVerizon’s Hourslong Wireless Outage Tied to Software UpdateGrubhub Confirms Hackers Stole Data in Recent Security BreachAnchorage Police Department Takes Servers Offline After Cyberattack on Service ProviderContagious Claude Code Bug Anthropic Ignored Promptly Spreads to CoworkWhisperPair: Hundreds of Millions of Audio Devices Need a Patch to Prevent Wireless Hacking and TrackingCritical WordPress Modular DS Plugin Flaw Actively Exploited to Gain Admin AccessPalo Alto Fixes GlobalProtect DoS Flaw That Can Crash Firewalls Without LoginTrio of Critical Bugs Spotted in Delta Industrial PLCsCodeBuild Flaw Put AWS Console Supply Chain At RiskGermany Turns to Israel for a ‘Cyber Dome’ Amid Rising Threats
1/14/2026 January 15, 2026January 15, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment PLUGGYAPE Malware Uses Signal and WhatsApp to Target Ukrainian Defense ForcesUkraine Appoints Digital Chief as Defense Minister to Drive Military ReformWestern Cyber Agencies Warn About Threats to Industrial Operational TechnologyBeijing Tells Chinese Firms to Stop Using U.S. and Israeli Cybersecurity Software, Sources SayLawmakers to Restart Efforts to Revive Lapsed Cyber Intel BillResearchers Null-Route Over 550 Kimwolf and Aisuru Botnet Command ServersCriminal Subscription Service Behind AI-Powered Cyber-Attacks Taken Out By MicrosoftVerizon Outage Knocks Out U.S. Mobile Service, Including Some 911 CallsFrance Fines Telcos €42M for Sub-Par Security Prior to 24M Customer BreachPalantir Is Trying to ‘Destroy’ Percepta Through Legal Action, Startup’s Execs Say in FilingGoogle’s Personal Intelligence links Gmail, Photos and Search to GeminiCalifornia AG to Probe Musk’s Grok for Nonconsensual DeepfakesUgandan Officials Turn Off Internet on Eve of National ElectionsVictorian Department of Education Says Hackers Stole Students’ DataMonroe University Says 2024 Data Breach Affects 320,000 PeopleSouth Korean Giant Kyowon Confirms Data Theft in Ransomware AttackCloud Marketplace Pax8 Accidentally Exposes Data on 1,800 MSP PartnersReprompt Attack Hijacked Microsoft Copilot Sessions for Data TheftHackers Use Fake PayPal Notices to Steal Credentials, Deploy RMMsDeadLock Ransomware Uses Polygon Smart Contracts For Proxy RotationLong-Running Web Skimming Campaign Steals Credit Cards From Online Checkout PagesCritical Node.js Vulnerability Can Cause Server Crashes via async_hooks Stack OverflowFortinet Fixes Critical FortiSIEM Flaw Allowing Unauthenticated Remote Code ExecutionKrebs: Patch Tuesday, January 2026 EditionFederal Agencies Ordered to Patch Microsoft Desktop Windows Manager BugMicrosoft Updates Windows DLL That Triggered Security Alerts
1/13/2026 January 13, 2026January 13, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Massive Cyberattack on Polish Power System in December Failed, Minister SaysHill Warning: Don’t Put Cyber Offense Before DefenseTrump Renominates Sean Plankey for CISA DirectorUkraine Parliament Approves Resignation of Security Service Chief in Major ReshuffleKremlin-Linked Hackers Pose as Charities to Spy on Ukraine’s MilitarySenior Military Cyber Operator Removed From Russia Task ForceMore Than 40 Countries Impacted by North Korea IT Worker Scams, Crypto TheftsOracle Hack Still Generating Ransom DemandsIndia’s Smartphone Security Proposal Faces Backlash Over Privacy ConcernsQuantum Software Company Haiqu Raises $11 MillionAI and Automation Could Erase 10.4 Million U.S. Roles by 2030What’s the Deal With Physical AI? Why the Next Frontier of Tech Is Already All Around YouTeen Hackers Recruited Through Fake Job AdsTennessee Man to Plead Guilty to Hacking Supreme Court’s Electronic Case Filing SystemDutch Cops Cuff Alleged AVCheck Malware Kingpin in AmsterdamTarget Employees Confirm Leaked Source Code Is AuthenticSuspected Ransomware Attack Threatens One of South Korea’s Largest Companies, Kyowon GroupEverest Ransomware Group Claims Nissan Breach, Demands ResponseCentral Maine Healthcare Breach Exposed Data of Over 145,000 PeopleBelgian Hospital AZ Monica Shuts Down Servers After CyberattackVoidLink: New Chinese-Made Malware Framework Targets Linux-Based Cloud EnvironmentsGlobal Magecart Campaign Targets Six Card NetworksSHADOW#REACTOR Campaign Uses Text-Only Staging to Deploy Remcos RATConvincing LinkedIn Comment-Reply Tactic Used in New PhishingMalicious Chrome Extension Steals MEXC API Keys by Masquerading as Trading ToolPopular Python Libraries Used in Hugging Face Models Subject to Poisoned Metadata AttackAdobe Patches Critical Apache Tika Bug in ColdFusionMicrosoft January 2026 Patch Tuesday Fixes 3 Zero-Days, 114 Flaws…Microsoft Releases Windows 10 KB5073724 Extended Security Update…New Windows Updates Replace Expiring Secure Boot Certificates
1/12/2026 January 13, 2026January 13, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Internet Monitoring Experts Say Iran Blackout Likely to ContinueSweden Detains Ex-Military IT Consultant Suspected of Spying for RussiaHungary Grants Asylum to Former Polish Minister Implicated in Spyware ProbeWorld Economic Forum: Cyber-Fraud Overtakes Ransomware as Business Leaders’ Top Cyber-Security ConcernIllicit Crypto Activity Hits Record $158bn in 2025Researchers Uncover Service Providers Fueling Industrial-Scale Pig Butchering FraudOfcom Officially Investigating X as Grok’s Nudify Button Stays Switched OnPalo Alto Networks Introduces New Vibe Coding Security Governance FrameworkHacker Gets Seven Years for Breaching Rotterdam and Antwerp Ports‘Violence-As-A-Service’ Suspect Arrested in Iraq, Extradition UnderwayKentucky Sues Character.AI, Alleging It Harms Children and Violates Data LawAnthropic Brings Claude to Healthcare with HIPAA-Ready Enterprise ToolsUniversity of Hawaii Cancer Center Hit by Ransomware AttackSpanish Energy Giant Endesa Discloses Data Breach Affecting Customers‘Bad Actor’ Hijacks Apex Legends Characters in Live MatchesTarget’s Dev Server Offline After Hackers Claim to Steal Source CodeArmenia Probes Alleged Sale of 8 Million Government Records on Hacker ForumFintech Firm Betterment Confirms Data Breach After Hackers Send Fake Crypto Scam Notification to UsersInstagram Denies Breach After Many Receive Emails Asking to Reset PasswordFacebook Login Thieves Now Using Browser-In-Browser TrickHidden Telegram Proxy Links Can Reveal Your IP Address in One Clickn8n Supply Chain Attack Abuses Community Nodes to Steal OAuth TokensCISA Orders Feds to Patch Gogs RCE Flaw Exploited in Zero-Day AttacksApple Confirms Google Gemini Will Power Siri, Says Privacy Remains a PriorityTorq Raises $140 Million for Agentic AI-Powered Cybersecurity Platform
1/9-11/2026 January 11, 2026January 11, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment China-Linked Hackers Exploit VMware ESXi Zero-Days to Escape Virtual MachinesRussian APT28 Runs Credential-Stealing Campaign Targeting Energy and Policy OrganizationsMuddyWater Launches RustyWater RAT via Spear-Phishing Across Middle East SectorsWorld Economic Forum: Deepfake Face-Swapping Tools Are Creating Critical Security RisksKrebs: Who Benefited from the Aisuru and Kimwolf Botnets?Europol Leads Global Crackdown on Black Axe Cybercrime Gang, 34 ArrestedX Didn’t Fix Grok’s ‘Undressing’ Problem. It Just Makes People Pay for It…Lawmakers Call On App Stores to Remove Grok, X Over Sexualized DeepfakesIllinois Man Charged With Hacking Snapchat Accounts to Steal Nude PhotosIreland Recalls Almost 13,000 Passports Over Missing ‘IRL’ CodeCalifornia Bans Data Broker Reselling Health Data of MillionsStellar Gains, Heavy Losses: Cybersecurity Stocks Had a Mixed YearHere’s What Cloud Security’s Future Holds for the Year AheadBreachForums Hacking Forum Database Leaked, Exposing 324,000 AccountsRansomware Attack on Texas Gas Station Firm Gulshan Management Services Leaks 377,000 User RecordsAt Least $26 Million in Crypto Stolen From Truebit Platform as Crypto Crime Landscape EvolvesAI-Powered Truman Show Operation Industrializes Investment FraudBetterment’s Financial App Sends Customers a $10,000 Crypto Scam MessageWarning Over Scams Targeting Manx Email AccountsInstagram Says It Fixed the Issue That Let Someone Send All Those Password Reset EmailsFBI Warns of North Korean QR Phishing CampaignsHackers Target Misconfigured Proxies to Access Paid LLM ServicesTrend Micro Apex Central RCE Flaw Scores 9.8 CVSS in On-Prem Windows VersionsCISA Retires 10 Emergency Cybersecurity Directives Issued Between 2019 and 2024UK Government Exempting Itself From Flagship Cyber Law Inspires Little ConfidenceFormer NSA Insider Kosiba Brought Back as Spy Agency’s No. 2
1/8/2026 January 8, 2026January 8, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment China Hacked Email Systems of U.S. Congressional Committee StaffU.S. To Leave Global Forum on Cyber ExpertiseNSA Cyber Directorate Gets New Acting LeadershipVenezuela Raid Highlights Cyber Vulnerability of Critical InfrastructureChatGPT Health Feature Draws Concern From Privacy Critics Over Sensitive Medical DataGrok Is Generating Sexual Content Far More Graphic Than What’s on XCrowdStrike Buys Identity Security Startup SGNL for $740 Million in Latest Deal PushCyera Valued at $9 Billion as Data Security Firm Raises $400 MillionEU Antitrust Regulators to Decide on Google’s Wiz Deal by February 10Texas Court Blocks Samsung From Tracking TV Viewing, Then Vacates OrderRansomware Attacks Kept Climbing in 2025 as Gangs Refused to Stay Dead…Two-Fifths of 50% of Breaches Take Two Weeks to Recover FromRussia Frees French Researcher in Prisoner Swap for Alleged Ransomware HackerChina-Linked UAT-7290 Targets Telecom Networks in South AsiaIran-Linked Hacker Group Claims to Have Hacked, Surveilled Senior Mossad AgentMore Than 100,000 Households Warned After Cyber Attack on Kensington and Chelsea CouncilSedgwick Breach Linked to TridentLocker Ransomware AttackWhatsApp Worm Spreads Astaroth Banking Trojan Across Brazil via Contact Auto-MessagingGoBruteforcer Botnet Targets Linux ServersResearchers Uncover NodeCordRAT Hidden in npm Bitcoin-Themed PackagesNew Zero-Click Attack Lets ChatGPT User Steal DataCISA Flags Microsoft Office and HPE OneView Bugs as Actively ExploitedCoolify Discloses 11 Critical Flaws Enabling Full Server Compromise on Self-Hosted InstancesCisco Patches ISE Security Vulnerability After Public PoC Exploit ReleaseCisco Switches Hit by Reboot Loops Due to DNS Client BugMicrosoft to Enforce MFA for Microsoft 365 Admin Center Sign-Ins
1/7/2026 January 7, 2026January 7, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Cyberattacks Likely Part of Military Operation in VenezuelaEuropean Space Agency Calls Cops as Crims Lift Off 500 GB of Files, Say Security Black Hole Still OpenTaiwan Says China’s War Games Sought to Undermine Global Support for the IslandChina Intensifies Cyber-Attacks on Taiwan as Energy Sector Sees Tenfold SpikeGrok AI Still Being Used to Digitally Undress Women and Children Despite Suspension PledgeIBM’s AI Agent Bob Easily Duped to Run Malware, Researchers ShowGoogle Search AI Hallucinations Push Google to Hire “AI Answers Quality” EngineersPersonal LLM Accounts Drive Shadow AI Data Leak RisksCloudy Outlook for Cyber Jobs as AI Fills Security GapsStalkerware Operator Pleads Guilty in Rare ProsecutionAlleged Cyber Scam Kingpin Arrested, Extradited to ChinaMFA Failure Enables Infostealer Breach At 50 EnterprisesIllinois Department of Human Services Reports Yearslong Data BreachCyberattack Under Investigation by Coles County School District (IL)Spanish Airline Iberia Attributes Recent Data Breach Claims to November IncidentBlack Cat Behind SEO Poisoning Malware Campaign Targeting Popular Software SearchesGhost Tap Malware Fuels Surge in Remote NFC Payment FraudVersatile Malware Loader pkr_mtsi Delivers Diverse PayloadsMicrosoft Warns Misconfigured Email Routing Can Enable Internal Domain PhishingCritical jsPDF Flaw Lets Hackers Steal Secrets via Generated PDFsVeeam Patches Critical RCE Vulnerability with CVSS 9.0 in Backup & ReplicationCritical n8n Vulnerability (CVSS 10.0) Allows Unauthenticated Attackers to Take Full Control
1/6/2026 January 6, 2026January 6, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Russia-Aligned Hackers Abuse Viber to Target Ukrainian Military and GovernmentUK Launches New Cyber Unit to Bolster Defences Against Cyber Threats…UK Government Admits Years of Cyber Policy Have Failed, Announces ResetRing’s Mobile Security Trailer Provides 360-Degree Coverage AnywhereTwo Chrome Extensions Caught Stealing ChatGPT and DeepSeek Chats from 900,000 UsersJaguar Land Rover Wholesale Volumes Down 43% After CyberattackStartup Trends Shaking Up Browsers, SOC Automation, AppSecCybersecurity Predictions 2026: An AI Arms Race and Malware AutonomyFake Booking Emails Redirect Hotel Staff to Fake BSoD Pages Delivering DCRatHospitality Sector Hit By PHALT#BLYX ClickFix Malware CampaignCloud File-Sharing Sites Targeted for Corporate Data Theft AttacksHigh-Severity Flaw in Open WebUI Affects AI ConnectionsNew D-Link Flaw in Legacy DSL Routers Actively Exploited in AttacksNew n8n Vulnerability (9.9 CVSS) Lets Authenticated Users Execute System CommandsCritical AdonisJS Bodyparser Flaw (CVSS 9.2) Enables Arbitrary File Write on ServersUnpatched Firmware Flaw Exposes TOTOLINK EX200 to Full Remote Device Takeover
1/5/2026 January 5, 2026January 5, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Russian Hackers Target European Hospitality Industry With ‘Blue Screen of Death’ MalwareThe French University Where Spies Go for TrainingAs Supply-Chain Cyber Risks Mount, Can AI Help?EU Looking ‘Very Seriously’ at Taking Action Against X Over GrokFinland Arrests Two Crew Members of Ship Suspected of Cable BreakPlaying Koi: Palo Alto Isn’t Saying if It Will Buy Security Start-upVSCode IDE Forks Expose Users to “Recommended Extension” AttacksNew Zealand Orders Review Into ManageMyHealth CyberattackAurora College Working to Get Systems Back Up After Cyber AttackCyberattack Forces British High School to CloseLedger Customers Impacted by Third-Party Global-E Data BreachU.S. Broadband Provider Brightspeed Investigates Breach ClaimsNordVPN Denies Breach Claims, Says Attackers Have “Dummy Data”VVS Stealer Uses Advanced Obfuscation to Target Discord Users
1/2-4/2026 January 4, 2026January 4, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment Inside the Operation: How the U.S. Moved to Capture Nicolás MaduroTrump Suggests U.S. Used Cyberattacks to Turn Off Lights in Venezuela During StrikesKrebs: The Kimwolf Botnet is Stalking Your Local Network8 WhatsApp Features to Boost Your Security and PrivacyHow to Protect Your iPhone or Android Device From SpywareTrump Admin Sends Heart Emoji to Commercial Spyware Makers With Lifted Predator SanctionsBitfinex Crypto Thief Who Was Serving Five Years Thanks Trump for Early ReleasePalo Alto Networks Security-Intel Boss Calls AI Agents 2026’s Biggest Insider ThreatCybersecurity Predictions for 2026: Navigating the Future of Digital ThreatsCybercrook Claims to Be Selling Infrastructure Info About Three Major U.S. UtilitiesHackers Claim to Hack Resecurity, Firm Says It Was a HoneypotSedgwick Confirms Cyber Incident Affecting Its Major Federal Contractor SubsidiaryTrust Wallet Links $8.5 Million Crypto Theft to Shai-Hulud NPM AttackCovenant Health Says May Data Breach Impacted Nearly 478,000 PatientsTransparent Tribe Launches New RAT Attacks Against Indian Government and AcademiaCybercriminals Abuse Google Cloud Email Feature in Multi-Stage Phishing CampaignOver 10K Fortinet Firewalls Exposed to Actively Exploited 2FA Bypass
1/1/2026 January 2, 2026January 2, 2026 ~ The Cyber Beat ~ Leave a comment The Top 10 Cybersecurity Stories of 2025Banner Year: The Biggest Cybersecurity and Cyberattack Stories of 2025New GlassWorm Malware Wave Targets Macs With Trojanized Crypto WalletsBritish Cyber Expert Given Visa After ‘Hacking DFAT Website’