Hackers

• A Security, a startup founded by Israeli cybersecurity veterans, has emerged from stealth after raising $37 million in funding from Lightspeed and Cyberstarts. • The company's autonomous platform is designed to identify and remediate exploit paths, preventing AI-enabled hackers from chaining vulnerabilities into full-scale breaches. • The founding team includes former experts from Check Point Software, Hunters, the IDF’s Unit 8200, and Sygnia, bringing specialized experience in red-team operations and AI engineering.

• North Korean state-sponsored hackers are deploying AI tools to scan and exploit cybersecurity blind spots in target networks, according to a new Google cybersecurity report. • The report details how these actors use generative AI for reconnaissance, automating vulnerability discovery at scale beyond traditional manual methods. • This development underscores AI's dual role as both a defensive asset for cybersecurity firms and an offensive weapon for nation-state adversaries.

Hack of online learning system caused chaos for students and faculty last week, delaying some final examsThe company that operates online learning system Canvas said it struck a deal with hackers to delete the data they pilfered in a cyberattack that created chaos for students, many of them in the middle of finals.Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, said in an online post that it “reached an agreement with the unauthorized actor involved in this incident”. Continue reading...

Liberal frontbencher says the country’s ‘sovereign capabilities’ have been eroded. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCyber criminals have hacked into the Sri Lankan finance ministry’s computer system and siphoned off US$2.5 million, Agence France Presse reports.It is the most amount of cash ever stolen by hackers from a state institution in the debt-saddled country, which is recovering from a crippling economic crisis in 2022 after Colombo defaulted on its US$46 billion external debt.To put it bluntly, if ANZUS is going to continue for another 75 years, we need to invest in our industrial base and our defence force. Continue reading...

Britain’s cybersecurity agency says companies must step up vigilance to prevent espionage attacksBusiness live – latest updatesBritish businesses are being urged to step up their vigilance against a China-linked hacking ploy that uses everyday devices for espionage.The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and agencies in nine other countries have warned of persistent attempts by Beijing-backed groups to hack equipment such as wifi routers to launch cyber-attacks. Continue reading...

• North Korean-linked hackers executed a $290 million cryptocurrency theft from Kelp DAO, marking the largest digital asset heist of the year and demonstrating persistent threats to blockchain platforms. • The attack underscores vulnerabilities in decentralized finance infrastructure and the sophistication of state-sponsored cybercriminal operations targeting crypto assets. • Security experts warn of escalating coordination between criminal groups and nation-state actors targeting high-value cryptocurrency holdings globally.

Expert stresses importance of keeping routers updated and checking for unusual activity, as hackers could ‘take you to fake sites’Russian hackers are exploiting commonly sold internet routers to harvest information for espionage purposes, the UK’s cybersecurity agency has said.The hack could allow attackers to obtain users’ credentials, redirect them to fake sites, and potentially access other devices on their home network such as phones and PCs, said Alan Woodward, a professor at the University of Surrey. Continue reading...

• The Iran-supporting group Handala claimed responsibility for hacking Stryker, a Michigan-based medical technology company, in retaliation for US strikes killing Iranian schoolchildren. • DigiCert tracked nearly 5,800 cyberattacks by nearly 50 Iran-tied groups, primarily targeting US and Israeli companies. • Attacks included spyware via fake bomb shelter apps on Android devices during Iranian missile strikes in Israel, accessing cameras, locations, and data.

• Iran-linked hackers posted private messages and photographs belonging to FBI Director Kash Patel in what appears to be a cyber retaliation operation amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. • The breach represents a significant security incident targeting senior U.S. intelligence leadership during heightened Middle East conflict. • The incident underscores growing cyber threats and Iranian capabilities to penetrate U.S. government security systems.

The Handala Hack Team published more than 300 emails from Kash Patel’s inbox between 2010 and 2019Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxIran-linked hackers have broken into the personal email inbox of Kash Patel, FBI’s director, publishing photographs of him and other documents on the internet, the hackers and the bureau said on Friday.On their website, the hacker group Handala Hack Team said Patel “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims”. The hackers published a series of personal photographs of Patel sniffing and smoking cigars, riding in an antique convertible and making a face while taking a picture of himself in the mirror with a large bottle of rum. Continue reading...

• Iran-linked hackers conducted a cyberattack last week on Stryker, a US medical technology company, exposing modern cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure. • The incident serves as a wake-up call for the United States regarding vulnerabilities in the healthcare sector to nation-state actors. • Stryker, a major player in med-tech, faced disruptions highlighting the escalating risks from geopolitical cyber operations.