Government, Industry Specific Department of Government Efficiency Staffers Established Unauthorized ‘Live Replica’ of SSA Data Chris Riotta • August 26, 2025 Image: Matt Gush/Shutterstock A report published Tuesday by a whistleblower reveals that staffers from the Trump administration’s Department of…
April 17, 2025 | Password Security / Blockchain
Blockchain technology, widely recognized for its role in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, is increasingly being leveraged for online authentication. As various industries adopt blockchain-based security solutions, could this technology eventually render passwords obsolete?
Understanding Blockchain
At its core, blockchain is a secure method for maintaining, encrypting, and exchanging digital transaction records. Its security advantages lie in its decentralized structure: the distributed ledger can be accessed by participants across multiple nodes, and it remains immutable. Control is collective, meaning no single entity can alter the ledger’s contents.
Potential Security Benefits
One notable benefit is the creation of a ‘self-sovereign identity’ that revolutionizes online identification. This approach allows users to manage their identity independently of centralized institutions, enabling them to log in to websites or services using a personal, private ID they fully control…
Blockchain Provides Enhanced Security: Don’t Overlook Password Protection April 17, 2025 As the digital landscape evolves, blockchain technology is garnering attention beyond its cryptocurrency roots, particularly for its potential applications in online security and authentication. With businesses across multiple sectors…
A recent whistleblower revelation has led to the exposure of a significant data breach affecting the sensitive information of approximately 300 million Americans. Allegations link this cybersecurity failure to Elon Musk, raising alarms in the industry. Despite prior warnings, lapses…
May 22, 2025
Vulnerability / Threat Intelligence
A Chinese-speaking threat actor, identified as UAT-6382, has exploited a recently patched remote-code-execution vulnerability in Trimble Cityworks to deploy Cobalt Strike and VShell. According to an analysis by Cisco Talos researchers Asheer Malhotra and Brandon White, “UAT-6382 effectively targeted CVE-2025-0944, conducted reconnaissance, and quickly implemented various web shells and custom malware for sustained access.” Following their infiltration, UAT-6382 showed significant interest in systems related to utility management. Cisco Talos observed these attacks beginning in January 2025, specifically aimed at the enterprise networks of local government entities in the U.S. CVE-2025-0944, with a CVSS score of 8.6, pertains to a vulnerability in the GIS-focused asset management software that could allow for remote code execution. The flaw has been patched.
Chinese Hackers Exploit Trimble Cityworks Vulnerability to Gain Access to U.S. Government Networks May 22, 2025 In a concerning cybersecurity development, a group of Chinese-speaking hackers identified as UAT-6382 has been implicated in exploiting a recently patched vulnerability in Trimble…
April 14, 2023
Mobile Security / Cyber Threat
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added two vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog due to active exploitation evidence. The vulnerabilities include:
CISA’s advisory for CVE-2023-20963 notes that the Android Framework contains an unspecified vulnerability that enables privilege escalation when an app is updated to a higher Target SDK without requiring additional execution privileges. Google acknowledged in its March 2023 Android Security Bulletin that there are signs of limited, targeted exploitation of CVE-2023-20963. This revelation follows a report from Ars Technica that Android apps digitally signed by a Chinese e-commerce entity may be affected.
Active Exploitation of Critical Android and Novi Survey Vulnerabilities On April 14, 2023, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced the inclusion of two severe vulnerabilities in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. These vulnerabilities have been confirmed…
Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks, Fraud Management & Cybercrime Pakistan-Linked Actors Target Indian Linux Operating System Prajeet Nair (@prajeetspeaks) • August 26, 2025 The Attari–Wagah border crossing between India and Pakistan in a photo dated April 23, 2013. (Image: mimmikhail/Shutterstock) A…
📅 April 21, 2025
Cybersecurity / Hacking News
Can a seemingly harmless click trigger a major cyberattack? Surprisingly, yes. Last week’s events highlighted how hackers are adept at blending in with routine actions—whether it’s opening a file, initiating a project, or logging in normally. There are no loud alerts or glaring red flags; instead, attackers slip through unnoticed, exploiting minor weaknesses like misconfigured systems, trusted browser features, or recycled login credentials. These are not merely technical glitches—they reflect habits that are being exploited. Join us as we review the most significant developments from the week and their implications for your security.
Active Exploitation of Newly Patched Windows Vulnerability — A recently addressed security flaw affecting Windows NTLM has come under active attack, allowing malicious actors to leak NTLM hashes or user passwords since March 19, 2025. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-24054 (CVSS score: 6.5), is a hash disclosure spoofing issue that Microsoft corrected last month during its Patch Tuesday updates.
Weekly Cybersecurity Recap: iOS Vulnerabilities, 4Chan Breach, NTLM Exploits, and More April 21, 2025 Cybersecurity Updates Recent events in the cybersecurity landscape have underscored the fragility of digital safety, revealing that seemingly innocuous actions, such as clicking a link or…
Farmers Insurance has confirmed a data breach impacting the personal information of over 1 million policyholders due to a third-party cyberattack. This incident has been linked by various sources to recent Salesforce-related cyberattacks and involved a sophisticated vishing scam, which…
Google Reports APT41’s Exploitation of Open Source GC2 Tool to Target Media and Job Websites
April 17, 2023
Cyber Threat / Cloud Security
A Chinese nation-state group has reportedly targeted an unnamed Taiwanese media outlet using an open-source red teaming tool called Google Command and Control (GC2). This activity is part of a larger trend of utilizing Google’s infrastructure for malicious purposes. Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) attributes the operation to a threat actor known as HOODOO, also identified as APT41, Barium, Bronze Atlas, Wicked Panda, and Winnti. The attack begins with a phishing email that includes links to a password-protected file on Google Drive. This file contains the Go-based GC2 tool, which retrieves commands from Google Sheets and exfiltrates data via the cloud storage service. “Once installed on the victim’s machine, the malware queries Google Sheets for attacker commands,” stated Google’s cloud division in its latest Threat Horizons Report.
APT41 Exploits Open Source Tool to Target Taiwanese Media Outlets In a recently uncovered cyber operation, Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) reported that a Chinese state-sponsored threat actor known as APT41 has aimed its sights on a Taiwanese media organization.…
Fraud Management & Cybercrime, Fraud Risk Management, Mobile Payments Fraud ACI Worldwide’s New Signals Network Intelligence Technology Aims to Combat APP Scams Brian Pereira (creed_digital) • August 26, 2025 Image: Shutterstock Real-time payments (RTP) and other cashless transaction methods allow…
