In a nod to the evolving threat landscape that comes with cloud computing and AI and the growing supply chain threats, Microsoft is broadening its bug bounty program to reward researchers who uncover threats to its users that come from third-party code, like commercial and open source software,

The post Microsoft Expands its Bug Bounty Program to Include Third-Party Code appeared first on Security Boulevard.

As they work to fend off the rapidly expanding number of attempts by threat actors to exploit the dangerous React2Shell vulnerability, security teams are learning of two new flaws in React Server Components that could lead to denial-of-service attacks or the exposure of source code.

The post React Fixes Two New RSC Flaws as Security Teams Deal with React2Shell appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Bad actors that include nation-state groups to financially-motivated cybercriminals from across the globe are targeting the maximum-severity but easily exploitable React2Shell flaw, with threat researchers see everything from probes and backdoors to botnets and cryptominers.

The post Attackers Worldwide are Zeroing In on React2Shell Vulnerability appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The exploitation efforts by China-nexus groups and other bad actors against the critical and easily abused React2Shell flaw in the popular React and Next.js software accelerated over the weekend, with threats ranging from stolen credentials and initial access to downloaders, crypto-mining, and the NoodleRat backdoor being executed.

The post Exploitation Efforts Against Critical React2Shell Flaw Accelerate appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The cybersecurity landscape is undergoing another seismic shift — one driven not just by AI-enabled attackers but by a structural imbalance in how defenders and adversaries innovate. John Watters traces the evolution of modern cyber intelligence from its earliest days to the new era of AI-accelerated attacks, showing how past lessons are repeating themselves at..

The post How AI-Enabled Adversaries Are Breaking the Threat Intel Playbook appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The LockBit ransomware group is making a comeback, with a new data leak site and 21 new victims. LockBit was once the most feared ransomware group, and it still vastly outnumbers other ransomware groups with more than 2,700 claimed victims over its six-year-history, but a series of international law enforcement actions that began in February 2024 severely disrupted the group, and it has struggled to mount a sustained comeback since. LockBit 4.0, released in early 2025, failed to gain much traction and was never completely rolled out, and rivals like Qilin have done well attracting ransomware affiliates with favorable terms like profit sharing and enhanced features. But LockBit 5.0, announced on the underground forum RAMP in September, may be helping the group gain some traction, as it has since launched a new dark web data leak site and claimed new victims, Cyble reported in recent notes to clients. Dec. 8 update: LockBit claimed an additional 14 victims over the weekend since this article was published, raising the group's total to 21 for the month, behind only Qilin and Akira.

LockBit 'Fully Reactivated'

Despite a nearly two-year struggle to regain its footing, LockBit remains by far the most active ransomware group over its six-year history, its 2,757 victims more than double that of its nearest rivals, including Qilin, Akira, Play and CL0P (chart below from Cyble). [caption id="attachment_107448" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] LockBit remains the most dominant ransomware group of all time by a significant margin (Cyble)[/caption] Despite its history and name, LockBit’s comeback route has been a steep one, as arrests, leaked source code and operational leaks have repeatedly hampered comeback attempts and given rivals an advantage. But Cyble reported to clients on Dec. 5 that LockBit has “fully reactivated its public ransomware operations.” The new data leak site launched on November 5 and currently lists 21 new victims, plus several that had been previously claimed by the group. The new LockBit 5.0 variant, internally codenamed “ChuongDong,” has been driving the group’s reemergence. The new ransomware variant includes a complete redevelopment of the ransomware panel and lockers, and the new malware is more modular and offers faster encryption and better evasion of security defenses. Obfuscation is a key feature of the new ransomware version, which targets Linux, Windows and VMware ESXi environments.

LockBit Victims, Sectors and Targeted Countries

One notable new victim claimed by LockBit is an Asian airline providing regional passenger transport and charter services. Another new listing is a major Caribbean real estate company. Looking at the 42 victims claimed by LockBit in 2025 through Dec. 5, what stands out are the sectors and countries targeted, which differ from other leading ransomware groups. LockBit has had surprising success targeting financial services organizations. The group has claimed more victims in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector in 2025 than in other industries (chart below). Overall, financial services isn’t among the top 10 sectors attacked by all ransomware groups, as the BFSI sector typically has stronger cybersecurity controls than other sectors. [caption id="attachment_107450" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] LockBit has had significant success targeting financial services companies (Cyble)[/caption] Also interesting is LockBit’s success targeting organizations in South America (chart below), which differs significantly from other ransomware groups, whose attacks are largely focused on the U.S., Canada and Europe. [caption id="attachment_107452" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] LockBit has had more success in South America than other ransomware groups (Cyble)[/caption] It remains to be seen if LockBit can mount a sustained comeback this time, but the group has a uniquely interesting base to build on. Ransomware affiliates are opportunistic, however, and they tend to gravitate toward the ransomware groups that offer the best chance at profitability and success. LockBit's comeback will depend on its ability to convince affiliates that it deserves to be back among the leaders. Article published on Dec. 5 and updated on Dec. 8 to reflect an increase in recent victims claimed by LockBit from seven to 21.

Chinese-sponsored groups are using the popular Brickstorm backdoor to access and gain persistence in government and tech firm networks, part of the ongoing effort by the PRC to establish long-term footholds in agency and critical infrastructure IT environments, according to a report by U.S. and Canadian security offices.

The post China Hackers Using Brickstorm Backdoor to Target Government, IT Entities appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Security and developer teams are scrambling to address a highly critical security flaw in frameworks tied to the popular React JavaScript library. Not only is the vulnerability, which also is in the Next.js framework, easy to exploit, but React is widely used, including in 39% of cloud environments.

The post Dangerous RCE Flaw in React, Next.js Threatens Cloud Environments, Apps appeared first on Security Boulevard.

A threat group dubbed ShadyPanda exploited traditional extension processes in browser marketplaces by uploading legitimate extensions and then quietly weaponization them with malicious updates, infecting 4.3 million Chrome and Edge users with RCE malware and spyware.

The post ShadyPanda’s Years-Long Browser Hack Infected 4.3 Million Users appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Cyble researchers have identified new Linux malware that combines Mirai-derived DDoS botnet capabilities with a stealthy fileless cryptominer, enabling both network disruption and financial profit in the same threat campaign. “This campaign represents a sophisticated and financially motivated operation combining botnet propagation with stealthy cryptomining,” Cyble threat intelligence researchers wrote in a blog post today. Stealthy techniques and processes allow the new Mirai variant to conduct its mischief in secret. “The attacker employs multiple advanced techniques—including raw-socket scanning, masqueraded processes, internal localhost IPC, dynamic DNS resolution, and fileless miner configuration—to evade detection and maintain long-term persistence on compromised devices,” the researchers said.

Linux Malware Combines Mirai Botnet with XMRig Cryptominer

Combining Mirai-based DDoS botnet capabilities with XMRig-based cryptomining capabilities reflects a growing trend of “hybrid monetization strategies, where threat actors maximize ROI by leveraging infected devices not only for botnet attacks but also for illicit cryptocurrency mining,” the researchers wrote. Organizations operating Linux servers, cloud workloads, or exposed IoT devices “should prioritize hardening and continuous monitoring to mitigate their risk,” they said. The malware uses a multi-stage infection chain that begins with a downloader delivering architecture-specific V3G4/Mirai binaries across x86_64, ARM, and MIPS systems. The second stage, Mddos.x86_64, is a statically linked and UPX-packed Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) file with stripped symbols, “making static inspection more complicated,” Cyble said. After executing and gathering system information, the Linux malware moves into stealth mode, renaming its process to appear as a system daemon (systemd-logind), detaching from the terminal, and launching parallel worker threads for attack operations, command and control (C2) communication, and inter-process communication (IPC) coordination. “A key characteristic of this botnet variant is its use of raw TCP sockets, allowing precise crafting of SYN packets for high-velocity SSH scanning campaigns,” the researchers said. At the same time, worker threads resolve the C2 domain (baojunwakuang[.]asia) via repeated queries to Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) to maintain command channels. “This multi-threaded DNS resolution strategy is typical of Mirai-style bots, allowing the malware to maintain connectivity and receive commands while executing attacks in parallel,” the researchers wrote.

Fileless Cryptominer

In the third stage, the malware deploys a covert Monero cryptominer by downloading a UPX-packed XMRig binary from the IP 159.75.47[.]123 and stores it in /tmp/.dbus-daemon to masquerade as a legitimate process. Instead of a local configuration file, the miner obtains its configuration dynamically from the C2 server, “enabling real-time updates to wallet addresses, mining pools, and algorithms while leaving no on-disk artifacts” and hindering forensic analysis. “Unlike typical miner deployments that embed a static configuration file on disk ... this sample requests runtime configuration data directly from the C2 server,” the Cyble researchers said. That technique allows the threat actors to avoid exposing wallet addresses, pool endpoints and algorithms during static analysis while dynamically rotating mining parameters and preventing visibility of miner settings on the infected host. During execution, the miner connects to the C2 server to make a configuration request, and the server responds with a JSON blob containing the pool URL, wallet address, algorithm, and thread count. The full Cyble blog includes recommendations for defenders, MITRE ATT&CK techniques, and indicators of compromise (IoCs).

Cybersecurity startup Aisle discovered a subtle but dangerous coding error in a Firefox WebAssembly implementation sat undetected for six months despite being shipped with a regression testing capability created by Mozilla to find such a problem.

The post Undetected Firefox WebAssembly Flaw Put 180 Million Users at Risk appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The FBI says that account takeover scams this year have resulted in 5,100-plus complaints in the U.S. and $262 million in money stolen, and Bitdefender says the combination of the growing number of ATO incidents and risky consumer behavior is creating an increasingly dangerous environment that will let such fraud expand.

The post FBI: Account Takeover Scammers Stole $262 Million this Year appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The Russian state-sponsored group behind the RomCom malware family used the SocGholish loader for the first time to launch an attack on a U.S.-based civil engineering firm, continuing its targeting of organizations that offer support to Ukraine in its ongoing war with its larger neighbor.

The post Russian-Backed Threat Group Uses SocGholish to Target U.S. Company appeared first on Security Boulevard.

AI-enabled cybercriminals are exploiting the holiday shopping season with precision phishing, account takeovers, payment skimming and ransomware, forcing retailers to adopt real-time, adaptive defenses to keep pace.

The post AI Cybercriminals Target Black Friday and Cyber Monday appeared first on Security Boulevard.

AI-powered cyberattacks are rising fast, and AI firewalls offer predictive, adaptive defense—but their cost, complexity and ROI must be carefully justified as organizations weigh upgrades.

The post Are AI Firewalls Worth the Investment?  appeared first on Security Boulevard.

A new iteration of the Shai-Hulud malware that ran through npm repositories in September is faster, more dangerous, and more destructive, creating huge numbers of malicious repositories, compromised scripts, and GitHub users attacked, creating one of the most significant supply chain attacks this year.

The post The Latest Shai-Hulud Malware is Faster and More Dangerous appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Huntress threat researchers are tracking a ClickFix campaign that includes a variant of the scheme in which the malicious code is hidden in the fake image of a Windows Update and, if inadvertently downloaded by victims, will deploy the info-stealing malware LummaC2 and Rhadamanthys.

The post Attackers are Using Fake Windows Updates in ClickFix Scams appeared first on Security Boulevard.

SitusAMC, a services provider with clients like JP MorganChase and Citi, said its systems were hacked and the data of clients and their customers possibly compromised, sending banks and other firms scrambling. The data breach illustrates the growth in the number of such attacks on third-party providers in the financial services sector.

The post Hack of SitusAMC Puts Data of Financial Services Firms at Risk appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Security is reaching a breaking point as growing technical complexity becomes a major risk vector. Learn why modern systems amplify threats—and how to stay ahead.

The post Security is at a Tipping Point: Why Complexity is the New Risk Vector  appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Agencies with the US and other countries have gone hard after bulletproof hosting services providers this month, including Media Land, Hypercore, and associated companies and individuals, while the FiveEyes threat intelligence alliance published BPH mitigation guidelines for ISPs, cloud providers, and network defenders.

The post U.S., International Partners Target Bulletproof Hosting Services appeared first on Security Boulevard.

An attack on the app of CRM platform-provider Gainsight led to the data of hundreds of Salesforce customers being compromised, highlighting the ongoing threats posed by third-party software in SaaS environments and illustrating how one data breach can lead to others, cybersecurity pros say.

The post Salesforce: Some Customer Data Accessed via Gainsight Breach appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The SEC dismissed the remain charges in the lawsuit filed in 2023 against software maker SolarWinds and CISO Timothy Brown in the wake of the massive Sunburst supply chain attack, in which a Russian nation-state group installed a malicious update into SolarWInds software that then compromised the systems of some customers.

The post SEC Dismisses Remains of Lawsuit Against SolarWinds and Its CISO appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Security researchers have identified a new Android banking trojan that does much more than steal banking credentials. It can also record encrypted messages and essentially enables complete control of infected devices. ThreatFabric researchers are calling the new Android malware “Sturnus.” “A key differentiator is its ability to bypass encrypted messaging,” the researchers said. “By capturing content directly from the device screen after decryption, Sturnus can monitor communications via WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.” “Sturnus represents a sophisticated and comprehensive threat, implementing multiple attack vectors that provide attackers with near-complete control over infected devices,” they said. “The combination of overlay-based credential theft, message monitoring, extensive keylogging, real-time screen streaming, remote control, device administrator abuse, and comprehensive environmental monitoring creates a dangerous threat to victims' financial security and privacy.” So far the malware has been configured for targeted attacks against financial institutions in Southern and Central Europe, suggesting that a broader campaign will follow. “While we emphasize that the malware is likely in its pre-deployment state, it is also currently fully functional, and in aspects such as its communication protocol and device support, it is more advanced than current and more established malware families,” they warned.

Android Malware Deploys Fake Login Screens

The trojan harvests banking credentials through “convincing fake login screens that replicate legitimate banking apps,” the researchers said. The Android malware also offers attacks “extensive remote control, enabling them to observe all user activity, inject text without physical interaction, and even black out the device screen while executing fraudulent transactions in the background—without the victim’s knowledge,” they warned. The malware combines HTML overlays and keylogging to capture and exfiltrate user credentials and sensitive data. The overlay engine maintains a repository of phishing templates under /data/user/0/<malware_package>/files/overlays/, where each HTML file corresponds to a specific banking application. When an overlay is triggered, the malware launches a WebView configured with JavaScript, DOM storage, and a JavaScript bridge to intercept and forward any data the victim enters directly to the command and control (C2) server. The malware also includes a full-screen “block overlay” that lets attackers hide their activities from victims by displaying a full-screen black overlay that blocks visual feedback while the malware operates in the background. Beyond basic keystroke logging, the malware continuously monitors the device’s UI tree and sends structured logs that describe what is displayed on screen, which lets attackers reconstruct user activity even when screen capture is blocked or when network conditions prevent live video transmission. “Together, these mechanisms give the operator a detailed, real-time picture of the victim’s actions while providing multiple redundant paths for data theft,” the researchers said.

Capturing Encrypted Messages

Sturnus also monitors the foreground app and automatically activates its UI tree collection when the victim opens encrypted messaging services such as WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram. “Because it relies on Accessibility Service logging rather than network interception, the malware can read everything that appears on screen—including contacts, full conversation threads, and the content of incoming and outgoing messages—in real time,” the researchers said. “This makes the capability particularly dangerous: it completely sidesteps end-to-end encryption by accessing messages after they are decrypted by the legitimate app, giving the attacker a direct view into supposedly private conversations.” The ThreatFabric report also contained two SHA-256 hashes, the second of which is currently detected by 23 of 67 security vendors on VirusTotal: 045a15df1121ec2a6387ba15ae72f8e658c52af852405890d989623cf7f6b0e5 0cf970d2ee94c44408ab6cbcaabfee468ac202346b9980f240c2feb9f6eb246d

Compromised VPN credentials are the most common initial access vector for ransomware attacks, according to a new report. Nearly half of ransomware attacks in the third quarter abused compromised VPN credentials as the initial access point, according to research from Beazley Security, the cybersecurity arm of Beazley Insurance. Nearly a quarter of initial access attacks came from external service exploitation, while remote desktop service (RDS) credential compromises, supply chain attacks and social engineering accounted for 6% each (chart below). [caption id="attachment_106993" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Initial access vectors in ransomware attacks (Beazley Security)[/caption] “This trend underscores the importance of ensuring that multifactor authentication (MFA) is configured and protecting remote access solutions and that security teams maintain awareness and compensating controls for any accounts where MFA exceptions have been put in place,” the report said. In addition to the critical need for MFA, the report also underscores the importance of dark web monitoring for leaked credentials, which are often a precursor to much bigger cyberattacks.

SonicWall Compromises Led Attacks on VPN Credentials

A “prolonged campaign” targeting SonicWall devices by the Akira ransomware group was responsible for some of the 10-point increase in the percentage of VPN attacks. “Adding to SonicWall’s misery this quarter was a significant breach of their cloud service, including sensitive configuration backups of client SonicWall devices,” the report added. Akira, Qilin and INC were by far the most active ransomware groups in the third quarter, Beazley said – and all three exploit VPN and remote desktop credentials. Akira “typically gains initial access by exploiting weaknesses in VPN appliances and remote services,” the report said. In the third quarter, they used credential stuffing and brute force attacks to target unpatched systems and weak credentials. Akira accounted for 39% of Beazley Security incident response cases in the third quarter. Akira “consistently gained access by using valid credentials in credential stuffing attacks against SonicWall SSLVPN services, exploiting weak access controls such as absent MFA and insufficient lockout policies on the device,” the report said. Qilin’s initial access techniques include phishing emails, malicious attachments, and brute forcing weak credentials or stolen credentials in remote desktop protocol (RDP) and VPN services. INC Ransomware uses a combination of phishing, credential theft, and exploitation of exposed enterprise appliances for initial access. “Beazley Security responders observed the group leverage valid, compromised credentials to access victim environments via VPN and Remote Desktop,” the report said.

Cisco, Citrix Vulnerabilities, SEO Poisoning Also Exploited

Critical vulnerabilities in Cisco and Citrix NetScaler were also targeted by attackers in the third quarter. In one campaign, a sophisticated threat actor leveraged CVE-2025-20333 and CVE-2025-20363 in Cisco ASA VPN components to gain unauthorized access into environments, Beazley said. Another campaign targeted a critical SNMP flaw (CVE-2025-20352) in Cisco IOS.‍ Threat actors also targeted Citrix NetScaler vulnerabilities CVE-2025-7775 and CVE-2025-5777. The latter has been dubbed “Citrix Bleed 2” because of similarities to 2023’s “Citrix Bleed” vulnerability (CVE-2023-4966). A “smaller yet noteworthy subset” of ransomware attacks gained access via search engine optimization (SEO) poisoning attacks and malicious advertisements, used for initial access in some Rhysida ransomware attacks. “This technique places threat actor-controlled websites at the top of otherwise trusted search results, tricking users into downloading fake productivity and administrative tools such as PDF editors,” the report said. “These tools can be trojanized with various malware payloads, depending on threat actor objectives, and can potentially give threat actors a foothold directly on the endpoint in a network. The attack is effective because it bypasses other traditional social engineering protections like email filters that prevent phishing attacks.”

Cyble and the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) have announced a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Cyble and BOCRA MoU is designed to provide stronger defenses, improved detection capabilities, and faster incident response for critical sectors across Botswana.  The agreement, formed in collaboration with the Botswana National CSIRT, marks an important step toward enhancing the country’s national cybersecurity posture at a time when global cyber threats continue to escalate.  

Strengthening National Cybersecurity Capabilities 

Under the Cyble and BOCRA MoU, both organizations will work closely to advance Botswana’s cybersecurity ecosystem. The collaboration will focus on building stronger cyber defense mechanisms, improving incident response readiness, and equipping national cybersecurity teams with access to Cyble threat intelligence technologies.  Cyble will provide BOCRA with real-time intelligence on emerging threats, leveraging its proprietary AI-native platforms that monitor malicious activity across the open, deep, and dark web. This advanced situational awareness will help Botswana’s security teams quickly identify risk indicators, detect suspicious activity, and mitigate threats before they escalate. The partnership aims to reduce the impact of cyber incidents on citizens, enterprises, and critical national infrastructure. 

Expanding Cyber Skills and Knowledge Transfer 

Another essential focus area of the Cyble and BOCRA MoU is capacity building. The agreement includes initiatives to enhance cybersecurity skills, support workforce development, and promote knowledge transfer. This is expected to help Botswana establish a sustainable talent pipeline capable of addressing modern cyber risks.  According to Cyble, strengthening human expertise is as crucial as deploying technical solutions. Training programs, workshops, and shared intelligence efforts will support BOCRA and the Botswana National CSIRT in their mandate to safeguard the country’s digital landscape.  Manish Chachada, Co-founder and COO of Cyble, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. “This partnership reflects our continued commitment to supporting national cybersecurity priorities across Africa. By combining Cyble’s threat intelligence expertise with BOCRA’s regulatory leadership, we are confident in our ability to strengthen Botswana’s cyber resilience and help the nation navigate the rapidly evolving threat landscape,” he said. 

About BOCRA 

The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority serves as the national body responsible for regulating the communications sector, advancing cybersecurity programs, enhancing digital infrastructure resilience, and promoting cyber awareness across the country. As cyber threats grow more complex, BOCRA’s role in coordinating national cyber readiness becomes increasingly critical. 

About Cyble 

Cyble, an AI-first cybersecurity company, is recognized globally for its expertise in dark web intelligence, digital risk protection, and predictive cyber defense. Its platforms process more than 50TB of threat data daily, helping organizations detect, measure, and mitigate risks in real time. Cyble works with Fortune 500 enterprises and government entities worldwide, supporting the shift toward intelligent, autonomous cybersecurity solutions.  The Cyble and BOCRA MoU reinforces the shared vision of both organizations to ensure a safer, more secure digital future for Botswana.  Explore how Cyble’s AI-powered threat intelligence and digital risk protection solutions can help your business stay ahead of emerging risks.  Visit www.cyble.com to learn more. 

Akira ransomware is exploiting MFA push-spam, weak VPN security and identity gaps. Learn why these attacks succeed and the counter-playbook defenders must deploy now.

The post The Akira Playbook: How Ransomware Groups Are Weaponizing MFA Fatigue  appeared first on Security Boulevard.

As Black Friday sale scams continue to rise, shoppers across Europe and the US are being urged to stay vigilant this festive season. With promotions kicking off earlier than ever, some starting as early as October 30 in Romania, cybercriminals have had an extended window to target bargain hunters, exploiting their search for deals with fraudulent schemes. Black Friday 2025, this year, scammers have been impersonating top brands such as Amazon, MediaMarkt, TEMU, IKEA, Kaufland, Grohe, Oral-B, Binance, Louis Vuitton, Jack Daniel’s, Reese’s, and United Healthcare. Among them, Amazon remains the most frequently abused brand, appearing in phishing messages, fake coupon offers, and mobile scams promising massive discounts.

Amid these ongoing threats, many shoppers are also expressing frustration with deceptive pricing tactics seen during the Black Friday period. One Reddit user described the experience as increasingly misleading:

“I'm officially over the Black Friday hype. It used to feel like a sale, now it feels like a prank.

I was tracking a coffee machine at $129. When the ‘Black Friday early deal’ showed up, it became ‘$159 now $139 LIMITED TIME.’ I saw $129 two weeks ago. The kids’ tablet went from $79 to $89 with a Holiday Deal tag — paying extra for a yellow label.

I've been doing Black Friday hunting for 10+ years and it's only gotten worse. Fake doorbusters, fake urgency, fake ‘original’ prices. Feels like they're A/B testing how cooked our brains are as long as the button screams ‘53% OFF.’

Now I only buy when needed and let a Chrome extension track my Amazon orders. It clawed back $72 last month from so-called ‘preview pricing’ after prices dropped again.”

This sentiment reflects a growing concern: while scam campaigns imitate trusted brands, the pressure-driven marketing tactics surrounding Black Friday can also make consumers more vulnerable to fraud.

Moreover, a recent campaign even spoofed United Healthcare, offering a fake “Black Friday Smile Upgrade” with Oral-B dental kits, aiming to collect sensitive personal data. According to data from the City of London Police, shoppers lost around £11.8 million to online shopping fraud during last year’s festive season, from 1 November 2024 to 31 January 2025. Fraudsters often pressure victims with claims that deals are limited or products are scarce, forcing hurried decisions that can result in stolen funds or sensitive information.

A Month-Long Shopping Season Means More Risk

With strong discounts across electronics, toys, apparel, and home goods, consumers are drawn to higher-ticket items. This year, electronics saw discounts up to 30.1%, toys 28%, apparel 23.2%, and furniture 19%, while televisions, appliances, and sporting goods hit record lows in price, prompting significant e-commerce growth. Adobe reported that for every 1% decrease in price, demand increased by 1.029% compared to the previous year, driving an additional $2.25 billion in online spending, a part of the overall $241.4 billion spent online. The combination of high consumer demand and deep discounts makes the Black Friday shopping period especially attractive to cybercriminals, as the increased volume of online transactions offers more opportunities for scams.

How to Protect Yourself from Black Friday Sale Scams

Ahead of Black Friday on November 28, shoppers are being encouraged to follow advice from the Stop! Think Fraud campaign, run by the Home Office and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Key precautions include:

• Check the shop is legitimate: Always verify reviews on trusted websites before making a purchase.
• Secure your accounts: Enable two-step verification (2SV) for important accounts to add an extra layer of security.
• Pay securely: Use credit cards or verified payment services like PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Avoid storing card details on websites and never pay by direct bank transfer.
• Beware of delivery scams: Avoid clicking links in unexpected messages or calls and confirm any delivery claims with the organization directly.

Individuals are also urged to report suspicious emails, texts, or fake websites to the NCSC, which collaborates with partners to investigate and remove malicious content. For businesses and security-conscious shoppers, leveraging tools like Cyble’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Platform can help monitor brand impersonation, detect scams, and protect sensitive data in real-time during Black Friday sale scams. With the rise of cyber threats during high-demand shopping periods, proactive intelligence is key to staying safe. Stay alert this Black Friday, your bargains are only valuable if your personal data stays safe. Learn more about how Cyble can protect you and your business here.

Four U.S. citizens and a Ukrainian national pleaded guilty to their roles in a North Korean IT worker scam that victimized more than 135 U.S. companies and netted more than $2.2 million for the DPRK regime and is military and weapons programs.

The post 4 U.S. Citizens, Ukrainian Plead Guilty in N. Korea IT Worker Scheme appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Microsoft mitigated what it called a record-breaking DDoS attack by bad actor using the Aisuru botnet, a collection of about 300,000 infected IoT devices. The size of the attack and the botnet used in it is the latest example of a DDoS environment that continues to scale in pace with the internet.

The post Microsoft Fends Off Massive DDoS Attack by Aisuru Botnet Operators appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Google is suing the Smishing Triad group behind the Lighthouse phishing-as-a-service kit that has been used over the past two years to scam more than 1 million people around the world with fraudulent package delivery or EZ-Pass toll fee messages and stealing millions of credit card numbers. Google also is backing bills in Congress to address the threat.

The post Google Uses Courts, Congress to Counter Massive Smishing Campaign appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The intrusion a year ago into Conduent Business Solutions' systems, likely by the SafePay ransomware group, that affected more than 10.5 individuals will likely cost the company more than $50 million in related expenses and millions more to settle the lawsuits that are piling up.

The post Conduent Faces Financial Hit, Lawsuits from Breach Affecting 10.5 Million appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Checkout.com said the notorious ShinyHunters threat group breached a badly decommissioned legacy cloud storage system last used by the company in 2020 and stole some merchant data. The hackers demanded a ransom, but the company instead will give the amount demanded to cybersecurity research groups.

The post ShinyHunters Compromises Legacy Cloud Storage System of Checkout.com appeared first on Security Boulevard.

AI vendor Anthropic says a China-backed threat group used the agentic capabilities in its Claude AI model to automate as much as 90% of the operations in a info-stealing campaign that presages how hackers will used increasingly sophisticated AI capabilities in future cyberattacks.

The post Anthropic Claude AI Used by Chinese-Back Hackers in Spy Campaign appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The Akira ransomware group poses an “imminent threat to critical infrastructure,” the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned today. CISA joined with the FBI, other U.S. agencies and international counterparts to issue a lengthy updated advisory on the ransomware group, adding many new Akira tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), indicators of compromise (IoCs), and vulnerabilities exploited by the group. Akira is consistently one of the most active ransomware groups, so the update from CISA and other agencies is significant. As of late September, Akira has netted about $244.17 million in ransom payments, CISA said. The Akira ransomware group information was sourced from “FBI investigations and trusted third-party reporting,” the agency said. In a busy two days for the agency, CISA also added three vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog (CVE-2025-9242, a WatchGuard Firebox Out-of-Bounds Write vulnerability, CVE-2025-12480, a Gladinet Triofox Improper Access Control vulnerability, and CVE-2025-62215, a Microsoft Windows Race Condition vulnerability), and reissued orders to federal agencies to patch Cisco vulnerabilities CVE-2025-20333 and CVE-2025-20362.

Akira Ransomware Group Targets Vulnerabilities for Initial Access

The CISA Akira advisory notes that in a June 2025 incident, Akira encrypted Nutanix Acropolis Hypervisor (AHV) virtual machine (VM) disk files for the first time, expanding the ransomware group’s abilities beyond VMware ESXi and Hyper-V by abusing CVE-2024-40766, a SonicWall vulnerability. The updated advisory adds six new vulnerabilities exploited by Akira threat actors for initial access, including:

• CVE-2020-3580, a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)
• CVE-2023-28252, a Windows Common Log File System Driver Elevation of Privilege vulnerability
• CVE-2024-37085, a VMware ESXi authentication bypass vulnerability
• CVE-2023-27532, a Veeam Missing Authentication for Critical Function vulnerability
• CVE-2024-40711, a Veeam Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability
• CVE-2024-40766, a SonicWall Improper Access Control vulnerability

“Akira threat actors gain access to VPN products, such as SonicWall, by stealing login credentials or exploiting vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-40766,” the CISA advisory said. In some cases, they gain initial access with compromised VPN credentials, possibly by using initial access brokers or brute-forcing VPN endpoints. The group also uses password spraying techniques and tools such as SharpDomainSpray to gain access to account credentials. Akira threat actors have also gained initial access through the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol by exploiting a router’s IP address. “After tunneling through a targeted router, Akira threat actors exploit publicly available vulnerabilities, such as those found in the Veeam Backup and Replication component of unpatched Veeam backup servers,” the advisory said.

Akira’s Latest Discovery, Persistence and Evasion Tactics

Visual Basic (VB) scripts are frequently used by the group to execute malicious commands, and nltest /dclist: and nltest /DOMAIN_TRUSTS are used for network and domain discovery. Akira threat actors abuse remote access tools such as AnyDesk and LogMeIn for persistence and to “blend in with administrator activity,” and Impacket is used to execute the remote command wmiexec.py and obtain an interactive shell. Akira threat actors also uninstall endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems to evade detection. In one incident, Akira threat actors bypassed Virtual Machine Disk (VMDK) file protection by powering down the domain controller’s VM and copying the VMDK files to a newly created VM, CISA said. “This sequence of actions enabled them to extract the NTDS.dit file and the SYSTEM hive, ultimately compromising a highly privileged domain administrator’s account,” the advisory said. Veeam.Backup.MountService.exe has also been used for privilege escalation (CVE-2024-40711), and AnyDesk, LogMeIn, RDP, SSH and MobaXterm have been used for lateral movement. Akira actors have used tunneling utilities such as Ngrok for command and control (C2) communications, initiating encrypted sessions that bypass perimeter monitoring. PowerShell and Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) have also been used to disable services and execute malicious scripts. Akira threat actors have been able to exfiltrate data in just over two hours from initial access, CISA said. The new Akira_v2 variant appends encrypted files with an .akira or .powerranges extension, or with .akiranew or .aki. A ransom note named fn.txt or akira_readme.txt appears in both the root directory (C:) and each user’s home directory (C:\Users). CISA recommended a number of security best practices for combatting the Akira ransomware threat, including prioritizing remediating known exploited vulnerabilities, enforcing phishing-resistant multifactor authentication (MFA), and maintaining regular, tested offline backups of critical data.

Ransomware attacks soared 30% in October to the second-highest total on record, Cyble reported today. The 623 ransomware attacks recorded in October were second only to February 2025’s record attacks, when a CL0P MFT campaign drove the total number of ransomware attacks to 854. October was the sixth consecutive monthly increase in ransomware attacks, Cyble noted in a blog post. Qilin once again was the most active ransomware group, for the sixth time in the seven months since the decline of RansomHub. Qilin’s 210 claimed victims were three times greater than second-place Akira (chart below). Just behind Akira was Sinobi with 69 victims, a remarkable rise for a group that first emerged in July. [caption id="attachment_106750" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Top ransomware groups October 2025 (Cyble)[/caption] Construction, Professional Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, IT and Energy/Utilities were the most targeted sectors (chart below). [caption id="attachment_106751" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Ransomware attacks by industry October 2025 (Cyble)[/caption] Cyble noted that 31 incidents in October may have affected critical infrastructure, and another 26 incidents had possible supply chain implications. The U.S. once again was the most attacked country, its 361 attacks 10 times greater than second-place Canada (chart below). [caption id="attachment_106753" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Ransomware attacks by country October 2025 (Cyble)[/caption] “Of concern is the emergence of Australia as a top five target, as the country’s rich resources and high per-capita GDP have made the country a rich target for threat actors,” Cyble noted. Ransomware attacks are up 50% so far this year, with 5,194 ransomware attacks through October 31, Cyble said, “as new leaders like Qilin, Sinobi and The Gentlemen have more than made up for the decline of former leaders such as LockBit and RansomHub.”

Vulnerabilities Exploited by Ransomware Groups

Critical IT vulnerabilities and unpatched internet-facing assets have fueled a rise in both ransomware and supply chain attacks this year, Cyble said. Vulnerabilities targeted in October included:

• CVE-2025-61882 in Oracle E-Business Suite – targeted by Cl0p
• CVE-2025-10035 in GoAnywhere MFT – exploited by Medusa
• CVE-2021-43226 a Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation vulnerability – Exploited by unknown ransomware groups, according to a CISA advisory
• CVE-2025-6264 in Velociraptor – targeted by Warlock ransomware operators
• CVE‑2024‑1086 in the Linux kernel’s netfilter :nf_tables module – Exploited by unknown ransomware groups, according to a CISA advisory

Ransomware Attacks and Key Developments

Below were some of the most important ransomware developments in October, according to Cyble. Ransomware operators are “increasingly hijacking or silently installing legitimate remote access tools” such as AnyDesk, RustDesk, Splashtop, and TightVNC after credential compromise to gain persistent access, control, antivirus neutralization and ransomware delivery. Recent BlackSuit campaigns used Vishing to steal VPN credentials for initial access and DCSync on a domain controller for high-privilege access, and used AnyDesk and a custom RAT for persistence. “Other measures included wiping forensic traces with CCleaner, and using Ansible to deploy BlackSuit ransomware across ESXi hosts, encrypting hundreds of VMs and causing major operational disruption,” Cyble said. Qilin affiliates deployed a Linux-based ransomware binary on Windows machines by abusing remote-management tools like WinSCP, Splashtop, AnyDesk, and ScreenConnect, and leveraging BYOVD (Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver) attacks, among other tools and tactics. Trigona ransomware operators brute-forced exposed MS-SQL servers and embedded malware inside database tables and exporting it to disk to install payloads. DragonForce posted on the RAMP cybercrime forum that it is opening its partner program to the public, offering services like professional file analysis/audit, hash decryption, call support, and free victim storage. Registration requires a $500 non-refundable fee. Affiliates were warned to follow the group’s rules “or face account blocking or free decryptor distribution.” Zeta88 — the alleged operator of The Gentlemen ransomware — announced updates to their Windows, Linux and ESXi lockers, including a silent mode for Windows that encrypts without renaming files and preserves timestamps, and self-spread capabilities across networks and domains. The release also introduced multiple encryption-speed modes, Windows operating modes, and a universal decryptor. The full Cyble blog also included recommended best practices and recent high-confidence Qilin indicators of compromise (IoCs).

With AI phishing attacks rising 1,760% and achieving a 60% success rate, learn how attackers use AI, deepfakes and automation — and discover proven, multi-layered defense strategies to protect your organization in 2025.

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Phishing attacks are becoming increasingly targeted as scammers refine their tactics to exploit social and economic issues. Instead of mass emailing identical messages, cybercriminals now create tailored campaigns that appear legitimate to specific audiences. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that these phishing attacks are becoming more advanced, often imitating trusted institutions such as government agencies, banks, or health insurers. By leveraging familiar branding and credible topics like cryptocurrency or tax rule changes, scammers are deceiving individuals into sharing personal information.

Phishing Emails Impersonate Canton of Zurich

In one of the latest reported incidents, recipients received emails that appeared to originate from the Canton of Zurich, urging them to update information to comply with new cryptocurrency tax regulations. The email carried the official logo and layout, included a short compliance deadline, and threatened fines or legal action if ignored. [caption id="attachment_106720" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Source: NCSC[/caption] Victims were directed to a fake website that closely mirrored the legitimate Canton of Zurich portal. After providing personal details such as their address, IBAN, date of birth, and telephone number, users were shown a confirmation page and then redirected to the real website — reinforcing the illusion of authenticity. [caption id="attachment_106721" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Source: NCSC[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_106722" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Source: NCSC[/caption]   Although the stolen data might not seem highly sensitive, authorities warn that it can be misused in follow-up scams. For instance, fraudsters may later call victims pretending to be bank representatives, using the collected personal details to sound credible and gain further access.

Emails Targeting Senior Citizens

A second phishing attack reported by the NCSC impersonated the Federal Tax Administration and focused on senior citizens. These emails referenced pension fund benefits, promising payouts and asking recipients to update their information. The messages used personalized greetings and professional formatting to build trust. While it is unclear if the emails were sent exclusively to older individuals, the targeted tone suggests an attempt to exploit a more vulnerable demographic. [caption id="attachment_106719" align="aligncenter" width="358"] Source: NCSC[/caption] Such campaigns highlight the shift from random spam emails to targeted phishing, where scammers invest more effort in psychological manipulation and social engineering.

Recommendations from the NCSC

Authorities are advising citizens to remain alert and follow these steps to reduce the risk of falling victim to phishing attacks:

• Be cautious of any email requesting personal or financial details.
• Never click on links or fill out forms from unsolicited messages.
• Verify the sender’s address and look for missing salutations or unofficial URLs.
• When uncertain, contact the official organization directly for clarification.
• Report suspicious links to antiphishing.ch.
• If financial information has been disclosed, contact your bank or card issuer immediately.
• In case of monetary loss, report the incident to the police via the Suisse ePolice platform.

Proactive Measures Against Phishing Attacks

The evolution of phishing attacks in Switzerland demonstrates how cybercriminals continuously adapt their methods to exploit trust and uncertainty. While public awareness campaigns remain vital, organizations must also invest in threat intelligence solutions that detect fraudulent domains, fake websites, and malicious email infrastructure before they reach potential victims. Platforms like Cyble provide proactive visibility into phishing campaigns and threat actor activity across the dark web and surface web, enabling businesses to take timely action and protect their customers and employees. Learn more about how intelligence-led defense can safeguard your organization from phishing and social engineering threats: Request a demo from Cyble

Regional APT Threat Situation In September 2025, the global threat hunting system of Fuying Lab detected a total of 24 APT attack activities. These activities were primarily concentrated in regions including East Asia, South Asia, as shown in the following figure. Regarding the activity levels of different groups, the most active APT groups this month […]

The post NSFOCUS Monthly APT Insights – September 2025 appeared first on NSFOCUS, Inc., a global network and cyber security leader, protects enterprises and carriers from advanced cyber attacks..

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Explore how AI is transforming cybersecurity from reactive threat response to proactive, predictive protection — while addressing ethics, privacy, and the human-AI balance.

The post The Future of AI in Security: From Reactive to Proactive Protection  appeared first on Security Boulevard.

The GRC platform market is witnessing strong growth as organizations across the globe focus on strengthening governance, mitigating risks, and meeting evolving compliance demands. According to recent estimates, the market was valued at USD 49.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 127.7 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 11.18% between 2025 and 2033.

This GRC platform market growth reflects the increasing need to protect sensitive data, manage cyber risks, and streamline regulatory compliance processes.

Rising Need for Governance, Risk, and Compliance Solutions

As cyberthreats continue to rise, enterprises are turning to GRC platforms to gain centralized visibility into their risk posture. These solutions help organizations identify, assess, and respond to potential risks, ensuring stronger governance and reduced operational disruption.

The market’s momentum is also fueled by heightened regulatory scrutiny and the introduction of new compliance frameworks worldwide. Businesses are under pressure to maintain transparency, accuracy, and accountability in their governance and reporting processes — areas where a GRC platform adds significant value.

By integrating governance, risk, and compliance management into one system, companies can make informed decisions, reduce human error, and ensure consistent adherence to evolving regulations.

 GRC Platform Market Insights and Key Segments

The GRC platform market is segmented based on deployment model, solution, component, end-user, and industry vertical.

• Deployment Model: The on-premises deployment model dominates the market due to enhanced security and customization options. It is preferred by organizations handling sensitive data or operating under strict regulatory environments.

• Solution Type: Compliance management holds the largest market share as businesses prioritize automation of documentation, tracking, and reporting to stay audit-ready.

• Component: Software solutions lead the market by offering analytics, policy management, and workflow automation to streamline risk processes.

• End User: Medium enterprises represent the largest segment, focusing on scalable solutions that balance security and efficiency.

• Industry Vertical: The BFSI sector remains a key adopter due to its complex regulatory landscape and high data security requirements.

Key Drivers of the GRC Platform Market

Several factors contribute to the rapid expansion of the GRC platform market:

1. Escalating Cyber Risks: As cyber incidents become more frequent and sophisticated, organizations seek to integrate cybersecurity measures within GRC frameworks. These integrations improve detection, response, and recovery capabilities.

2. Evolving Compliance Standards: Increasing regulatory pressure drives adoption of GRC solutions to ensure businesses stay aligned with global standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.

3. Automation and Efficiency: Advanced GRC software reduces manual reporting and enhances accuracy, enabling faster audit responses and improved decision-making.

4. Operational Resilience: A robust GRC system ensures business continuity by minimizing vulnerabilities and improving crisis management strategies.

Regional Outlook and Future Trends

North America currently leads the GRC platform market, supported by mature digital infrastructure and strong regulatory frameworks. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a key growth area, driven by increased cloud adoption and a rising focus on data privacy.

In the coming years, integration with AI, analytics, and threat intelligence tools will transform how organizations approach governance and risk. The market is expected to evolve toward more predictive and adaptive compliance solutions.

Leveraging Threat Intelligence for Stronger Risk Governance

As organizations expand their digital ecosystems, threat intelligence has become a vital part of effective risk management. Platforms like Cyble help enterprises identify, monitor, and mitigate emerging cyber risks before they escalate. Integrating such intelligence-driven insights into a GRC platform strengthens visibility and helps build a proactive security posture.

For security leaders aiming to align governance with real-time intelligence, exploring a quick free demo of integrated risk and compliance tools can offer valuable perspective on enhancing organizational resilience.

AI agents are increasingly being used to search the web, making traditional bot mitigation systems inadequate and opening the door for malicious actors to develop and deploy bots that impersonate legitimate agents from AI vendors to launch account takeover and financial fraud attacks.

The post Radware: Bad Actors Spoofing AI Agents to Bypass Malicious Bot Defenses appeared first on Security Boulevard.

AI malware may be in the early stages of development, but it's already being detected in cyberattacks, according to new research published this week. Google researchers looked at five AI-enabled malware samples - three of which have been observed in the wild - and found that the malware was often lacking in functionality and easily detected. Nonetheless, the research offers insight into where the use of AI in threat development may go in the future. “Although some recent implementations of novel AI techniques are experimental, they provide an early indicator of how threats are evolving and how they can potentially integrate AI capabilities into future intrusion activity,” the researchers wrote.

AI Malware Includes Infostealers, Ransomware and More

The AI-enabled malware samples included a reverse shell, a dropper, ransomware, a data miner and an infostealer. The researchers said malware families like PROMPTFLUX and PROMPTSTEAL are the first to use Large Language Models (LLMs) during execution. “These tools dynamically generate malicious scripts, obfuscate their own code to evade detection, and leverage AI models to create malicious functions on demand, rather than hard-coding them into the malware,” they said. “While still nascent, this represents a significant step toward more autonomous and adaptive malware.” “[A]dversaries are no longer leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) just for productivity gains, they are deploying novel AI-enabled malware in active operations,” they added. “This marks a new operational phase of AI abuse, involving tools that dynamically alter behavior mid-execution.” However, the new AI malware samples are only so effective. Using hashes provided by Google, they were all detected by roughly a third or more of security tools on VirusTotal, and two of the malware samples were detected by nearly 70% of security tools.

AI Malware Samples and Detection Rates

The reverse shell, FRUITSHELL (VirusTotal), is a publicly available reverse shell written in PowerShell that establishes a remote connection to a command-and-control (C2) server and enables a threat actor to launch arbitrary commands on a compromised system. “Notably, this code family contains hard-coded prompts meant to bypass detection or analysis by LLM-powered security systems,” the researchers said. It was detected by 20 of 62 security tools (32%), and has been observed in threat actor operations. The dropper, PROMPTFLUX (VirusTotal), was written in VBScript and uses an embedded decoy installer for obfuscation. It uses the Google Gemini API for regeneration by prompting the LLM to rewrite its source code and saving the new version to the Startup folder for persistence, and the malware attempts to spread by copying itself to removable drives and mapped network shares. Google said the malware appears to still be under development, as incomplete features are commented out and the malware limits Gemini API calls. “The current state of this malware does not demonstrate an ability to compromise a victim network or device,” they said. The most interesting feature of PROMPTFLUX may be its ability to periodically query Gemini to obtain new code for antivirus evasion. “While PROMPTFLUX is likely still in research and development phases, this type of obfuscation technique is an early and significant indicator of how malicious operators will likely augment their campaigns with AI moving forward,” they said. It was detected by 23 of 62 tools (37%). The ransomware, PROMPTLOCK (VirusTotal), is a proof of concept cross-platform ransomware written in Go that was developed by NYU researchers. It uses an LLM to dynamically generate malicious Lua scripts at runtime, and is capable of filesystem reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and file encryption on Windows and Linux systems. It was detected by 50 of 72 security tools on VirusTotal (69%). The data miner, PROMPTSTEAL (VirusTotal), was written in Python and uses the Hugging Face API to query the LLM “Qwen2.5-Coder-32B-Instruct” to generate Windows commands to gather system information and documents. The Russian threat group APT28 (Fancy Bear) has been observed using PROMPTSTEAL, which the researchers said is their “first observation of malware querying an LLM deployed in live operations.” It was detected by 47 of 72 security tools (65%). The infostealer, QUIETVAULT (VirusTotal), was written in JavaScript and targets GitHub and NPM tokens. The credential stealer uses an AI prompt and AI CLI tools to look for other potential secrets and exfiltrate files to GitHub. It has been observed in threat actor operations and was detected by 29 of 62 security tools (47%). The full Google report also looks at advanced persistent threat (APT) use of AI tools, and also included this interesting comparison of malicious AI tools such as WormGPT: [caption id="attachment_106590" align="aligncenter" width="1098"] Comparison of malicious AI tools (Google)[/caption]

Smart buildings face rising IoT cyber threats. Learn how simulations, AI, and red or purple teaming can strengthen defenses and improve incident response.

The post Simulating Cyberattacks to Strengthen Defenses for Smart Buildings  appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Two former cybersecurity pros were indicted with conspiring with a third unnamed co-conspirator of using the high-profile BlackCat ransomware to launch attacks in 2023 against five U.S. companies to extort payment in cryptocurrency and then splitting the proceeds.

The post Security Experts Charged with Launching BlackCat Ransomware Attacks appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Threat actors are working with organized crime groups to target freight operators and transportation companies, infiltrate their systems through RMM software, and steal cargo, which they then sell online or ship to Europe, according to Proofpoint researchers, who saw similar campaigns last year.

The post Hackers Targeting Freight Operators to Steal Cargo: Proofpoint appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Software supply chain attacks hit levels in October that were more than 30% higher than any previous month. Threat actors on dark web data leak sites claimed 41 supply chain attacks in October, 10 more than the previous high seen in April 2025, Cyble reported today in a blog post. Supply chain attacks have more than doubled since April, averaging more than 28 a month compared to the 13 attacks per month seen between early 2024 and March 2025, Cyble said (chart below). [caption id="attachment_106524" align="aligncenter" width="717"] Supply chain attacks by month 2024-2025 (Cyble)[/caption]

Reasons Behind the Record Supply Chain Attacks

The threat intelligence company cited several reasons for the increase in attacks. The primary drivers of the surge in supply chain attacks have been a “combination of critical and zero-day IT vulnerabilities and threat actors actively targeting SaaS and IT service providers,” the blog post said, noting that “the sustained increase suggests that the risk of supply chain attacks may remain elevated going forward.” Cloud security threats and AI-based phishing campaigns are other causes cited by Cyble, although voice phishing (vishing) also played a large role in recent Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters Salesforce breaches.

IT Companies Hit Hardest as Ransomware Groups Lead Attacks

All 24 industry sectors tracked by Cyble have been hit by a supply chain attack this year, but IT and IT services companies have been by far the biggest target because of “the rich target they represent and their downstream customer reach.” The 107 supply chain attacks targeting IT companies so far this year have been more than triple those of the next nearest sectors, which include financial services, transportation, technology and government (chart below). [caption id="attachment_106523" align="aligncenter" width="723"] Supply chain attacks by sector 2025 (Cyble)[/caption] Ransomware groups have been some of the biggest contributors to the increase in supply chain attacks. Qilin and Akira have been the top two ransomware groups so far this year, and the two have also claimed “an above-average share of supply chain attacks,” Cyble said. Akira’s recent victims have included an unnamed “major open-source software project,” the threat researchers said, and the 23GB of data stolen by the group includes “internal confidential files, and reports related to software issues and internal operations,” among other information. Akira and Qilin have also claimed a number of attacks on IT companies, including some serving sensitive sectors such as government, intelligence, defense, law enforcement agencies, healthcare, industrial and energy companies, and payment processing and financial infrastructure solutions. In one incident, Qilin claimed to have stolen source code for proprietary software products used by law enforcement, criminal justice, public safety, and security organizations. In one case, Qilin claimed to have breached customers of a U.S.-based cybersecurity and cloud services provider for healthcare and dental organizations through “clear-text credentials stored in Word and Excel documents hosted on the company’s systems.” Kyber, a new ransomware group, leaked more than 141GB of project files, internal builds, databases, and backup archives allegedly stolen from “a major U.S.-based defense and aerospace contractor that provides communication, surveillance, and electronic warfare systems.” Cl0p ransomware group exploits of Oracle E-Business Suite vulnerabilities a Red Hat GitLab breach were among the other major incidents in October.

Protecting Against Supply Chain Risks

The Cyble researchers said that guarding against supply chain attacks ”can be challenging because these partners and suppliers are, by nature, trusted, but security audits and assessing third-party risk should become standard cybersecurity practices.” The researchers outlined several steps security teams can take to better protect their organizations. “The most effective place to control software supply chain risks is in the continuous integration and development (CI/CD) process, so carefully vetting partners and suppliers and requiring good security controls in contracts are essential for improving third-party security,” the threat researchers added.

So long and thanks for all the fish: Peter Williams admits to selling unpatched iPhone bugs to a shady Russian broker.

The post US Defense Contractor Boss Sold Zero Days to Russia — Cops a Plea appeared first on Security Boulevard.

AdaptixC2, a legitimate and open red team tool used to assess an organization's security, is being repurposed by threat actors for use in their malicious campaigns. Threat researchers with Silent Push have linked the abuse of the technology back to a Russian-speaking bad actor who calls himself "RalfHacker."

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