Tag: emerging threats
8326 articles
Iran War Reshapes Regional Arms Sales Dynamics
Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Farnborough Airshow as Breaking Defense's Multimedia Director Daniel Woolfolk takes you on a tour of the grounds. In this episode of The Break Out, Daniel gives you a firsthand glimpse of the action on the show floor.
Senate Targets Online Safety with Sweeping Bills on AI, Privacy
As social media giants face mounting criticism nationwide, a coalition of nearly 100 organizations is urging lawmakers to take bold action, arguing that current laws aren't doing enough to protect users' wellbeing. The Senate Commerce Committee is now taking a major step forward with a package of five bills aimed at overhauling online safety, privacy, and AI regulations.
Space Operators Face Confidence Deficit in Orbital Safety Assessments
New research suggests that space operators may be making critical safety decisions based on orbital data that's less reliable than they think, putting them at risk of catastrophic collisions. In fact, a recent analysis found that typical operators are only mitigating a mere 7 percent of actual collision risk.
Lawmakers Push to Extend ID Theft Services for OPM Breach Victims
Lawmakers are pushing for a bill that would provide lifetime identity protection for the 4.2 million federal employees and contractors affected by the 2015 Office of Personnel Management breach, giving them the peace of mind they deserve. The proposed RECOVER PII Act aims to make the currently expiring protection program permanent, ensuring victims are safeguarded against ID theft for life.
Malware Exploits Direct IP Connections to Evade DNS-Based Defenses
Nearly half of malware samples with command-and-control activity connect directly to IP addresses, dodging DNS-based defenses and highlighting a significant blind spot in traditional security measures. This alarming trend was uncovered in an analysis of over 4 million dynamic reports, revealing that 45.32% of malicious code uses direct-to-IP connections to evade detection.
Italy Deploys 700 Troops to Gulf in Secretive Military Mission
Italy has made a significant move in the Gulf region, deploying around 700 troops in a covert military operation to boost surveillance and defense against Iranian threats. This substantial show of force marks one of Italy's most notable Gulf deployments in years.
INC Ransomware Exploits SonicWall Zero-Days Amid Rising Attacks
INC ransomware is rapidly exploiting recently patched SonicWall zero-days, with researchers warning of a surge in attacks. This ransomware-as-a-service operation is now the most active threat actor taking advantage of the vulnerability chain.
AI-Powered Vulnerability Discovery Surges, Threatens Patch Window
In a staggering two-month sprint, Palo Alto Networks' NOVA uncovered 14,090 confirmed vulnerabilities in just 3,915 open-source software projects - a remarkable demonstration of AI-powered vulnerability discovery's rapid impact. This autonomous pipeline is revolutionizing the way we identify and tackle software vulnerabilities.
Cloud Platforms Expose Phishers to Easy MFA Bypass Tactics
Reputable cloud platforms have unwittingly become a phishing haven, with threat actors exploiting their trusted reputations, generous free tiers, and instant onboarding to launch attacks - all thanks to lenient security measures that rarely require verification. This has made it alarmingly easy for phishers to bypass multi-factor authentication and wreak havoc.
Senators Warn of AI Security Risks from US Policy Unpredictability
US senators are warning that the unpredictable approach to AI security is undermining America's competitiveness and inadvertently driving businesses to adopt Chinese alternatives, which could create new security risks. This lack of clarity is prompting concerns that customers may be pushed towards less secure options.
Iran and Oman Forge Deal to Control Strait of Hormuz Transit
Iran and Oman are cooking up a plan to shake up shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with vessels entering the Persian Gulf taking one route near Iran's coast and those leaving taking another near Oman. The proposed deal would also involve service fees to cover environmental impact, cargo security, and more.
Japan Warns of China's Deepening Military Reach in Pacific
China's military reach is expanding at an alarming rate, with the People's Liberation Army now actively projecting power into the Pacific beyond the First Island Chain, a development that Japan's government has identified as a critical threat to its peace and security.
Breach Victims Set for Lifetime Identity Protection
With the federal government's identity protection services set to expire on September 30, 22.1 million breach victims from the 2015 China-linked breaches face a looming gap in lifetime protection. Will they be left vulnerable after a decade of coverage?
Agencies Misattribute AI Hallucinations, Overlook Data Context Challenges
When AI systems produce inaccurate responses, the knee-jerk reaction is often to blame the models themselves, but the real issue frequently lies in the data feeding them. As agencies ramp up their AI efforts, they're overlooking a crucial factor: the context and quality of the data, which can make or break the reliability of AI systems.
AI Dominates Hacker Summer Camp Agenda
This week, Las Vegas is buzzing with Hacker Summer Camp, a trio of conferences that bring together the brightest minds in infosec to tackle the hottest topics, including the game-changing impact of autonomous agents and agentic artificial intelligence. From grassroots community rooms to massive corporate expos, the conversation is all about harnessing AI to revolutionize defense and offense in the digital landscape.
Greatness PhaaS Expands to Device Code Phishing
Meet Greatness, a phishing-as-a-service powerhouse that's upgraded its game, now offering a one-stop-shop for cybercriminals to mastermind credential theft, device code phishing, and OAuth consent abuse - all from a single, user-friendly dashboard. This commercial crimeware toolkit has evolved into a full-fledged ecosystem, supporting multiple platforms like iCloud, Yahoo, and Google Workspace.
Researchers Expose Weaknesses in AI Guardrails Against Cyberattacks
Researchers found that AI guardrails against cyberattacks are surprisingly easy to bypass, with attackers often simply telling the model they're allowed to perform a certain action - and it complies. Simple tactics like reframing requests and claiming certain roles reliably trick AIs into assisting with malicious activities.
CISA Warns of Active N-able Flaw Exploit in Federal Agencies
Exploiting the N-able flaw can give attackers unrestricted control over your N-central console, putting your entire operation at risk. Federal agencies have just three days to patch this high-severity vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-18577, under CISA's Binding Operational Directive 26-04.
Microsoft Boosts Bug Bounty Payouts to Record $20 Million
Microsoft just made it very rewarding to be a security researcher, shelling out a record $20 million in bug bounties to 562 talented individuals who helped the company squash vulnerabilities. That's a big jump from last year's $17 million, and a testament to the power of AI-driven security research!
npm Supply-Chain Attack Exposes Hundreds of Packages
A massive npm supply-chain attack has compromised at least 868 packages, with over 1,300 affected and a staggering 2 billion monthly downloads impacted. The self-propagating malware, ChainDrop, has spread rapidly, infecting widely-used caching utilities and leaving a trail of damage in its wake.
Malware Campaigns Exploit Software Updates for ScreenConnect Installation
Cyber attackers have launched a sneaky malware campaign, dubbed SMOKE#SCREEN, that uses fake software updates and social-engineering tricks to install ConnectWise ScreenConnect on victims' devices. The campaign relies on clever tactics like phishing emails and fake Adobe and Zoom updates to gain access to systems.
WhatsApp Scam Exploits Linked Devices Feature to Hijack Accounts
Beware of a sneaky WhatsApp scam that's hijacking accounts by tricking you into voting for a friend - but actually hands over control to attackers. One wrong click can let scammers take over your account, and you might not even get a password reset alert.
Varonis Unveils Agent IBAC to Curb Rogue AI Behavior
Imagine a world where rogue AI agents can't wreak havoc on your data - Varonis' new Agent IBAC capability is here to make that a reality, ensuring software agents operate within their intended boundaries. By monitoring agent behavior in real-time, Agent IBAC prevents unauthorized actions and protects sensitive data from exposure or deletion.
Npm Worm Exploits Hundreds of Packages via Keyv Link
Hundreds of packages in the npm registry have been compromised by a worm exploiting a vulnerability in the Keyv library, with 353 poisoned versions across 79 package names verified. This malicious campaign uses a preinstall lifecycle command to spread and harvest sensitive credentials and secrets from various sources.