Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 08 August 2025

Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.

Executive Summary

This week, we start with insights into the evolving tactics of attackers. A study has shown how AI can plan and execute complex cyber attacks without human intervention, while other attackers are using stolen credentials and vulnerabilities to gain access to managed service providers. Social engineering attacks have surged over the past year, with attackers able to access their target’s corporate systems within 5 minutes. Once they are in, the attackers are expanding their tactics beyond encryption and exfiltration, and victims continue to pay the ransom demands.

We also report that the UK is third most targeted country globally, behind the US and Canada, and we highlight the challenges facing small and medium sized business in particular. We also highlight that cyber incidents do not only happen as part of an attack; they also occur when data is vulnerable due to mismanaged systems and accesses. As all these risks increase, we also highlight the potential value of cyber insurance as part of a robust and planned cyber security strategy


Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

AI Can Plan and Execute Cyber Attacks Without Human Intervention

A recent study from Carnegie Mellon University, in collaboration with Anthropic, has demonstrated the growing capabilities of AI in cyber security. The research showed that large language models (LLMs) can autonomously plan and execute complex cyber attacks, such as replicating the 2017 Equifax breach, without any human intervention. The AI functioned as the planner, delegating tasks to sub-agents, and managed to deploy malware and extract data. While this work was conducted in a controlled environment, it raises significant concerns about the potential for AI-driven cyber attacks. These developments signal a shift towards more autonomous and adaptive threats.

https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/ai-llms-are-now-so-clever-that-they-can-independently-plan-and-execute-cyberattacks-without-human-intervention-and-i-fear-that-it-is-only-going-to-get-worse

Ransomware Gangs Attacking Managed Service Providers with Stolen Login Credentials and Vulnerabilities

Ransomware groups Akira and Lynx are increasingly targeting managed service providers (MSPs) and small businesses, exploiting stolen credentials and vulnerabilities. These groups have compromised over 365 organisations, with Akira evolving into one of the top 10 ransomware operations, focusing on MSPs to access extensive client networks. Both groups utilise techniques such as credential-based attacks, file encryption, and data theft, to extort ransoms. They share similarities with the notorious Conti ransomware, indicating potential code reuse. The attacks also involve evasion tactics such as disabling security software and targeting backup systems to ensure successful encryption.

https://cybersecuritynews.com/akira-and-lynx-ransomware/

Hackers Uses Social Engineering Attack to Gain Remote Access in 5 Minutes

A recent cyber attack investigation demonstrated how threat actors compromised corporate systems in under five minutes using social engineering and trusted business tools. Hackers impersonated IT support to gain remote access via QuickAssist, then deployed malicious PowerShell scripts to install a remote access tool and harvest credentials. The attack, which leveraged legitimate Windows tools, highlights the growing risk of social engineering tactics in bypassing security. The incident underscores the need for improved user training and prompt incident response to mitigate the impact of such rapid breaches.

https://cybersecuritynews.com/hacked-in-300-seconds/

Social Engineering Attacks Surged This Past Year

Palo Alto Networks’ latest report reveals that social engineering attacks have become the leading method for cyber attacks over the past year, with 36% of the incident response cases traced back to this tactic. These attacks, used by a variety of groups, including financially motivated cyber criminals and nation-state operatives, often target employees with system-wide access, such as help desk staff and administrators. Social engineering is particularly effective in compromising sensitive data, with 60% of such attacks leading to data exposure. The report highlights that these attacks have spiked in frequency, especially from groups like Scattered Spider and North Korean operatives.

https://cyberscoop.com/social-engineering-top-attack-vector-unit-42/

Ransomware Actors Expand Tactics Beyond Encryption and Exfiltration

A recent Barracuda report reveals that ransomware actors have expanded their tactics beyond data encryption and exfiltration. Other common activities included wiping backups or deleting shadow copies of files (37%), installing additional malware or payloads (29%), infecting multiple endpoints such as computers or servers (26%), and threatening partners, shareholders, or customers (22%). Attackers also threatened to alert the authorities or the press (21%) and even threatened staff (16%). Only a quarter (24%) of incidents involved data encryption. Data was stolen and either leaked or retained in 54% of cases. These multidimensional tactics increase pressure on victims to pay.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-expand-encryption/

Cyber Criminals Are Getting Personal, and It’s Working

Cyber criminals are increasingly personalising their attacks, with phishing kits becoming harder to detect and reverse-engineer. A key tactic involves using custom-made kits, driven by AI, to scale campaigns. Email-based attacks continue to rise, with business email compromise (BEC) becoming a prominent threat. Lumma Stealer malware is the most prevalent, often delivered through common file attachments or cloud services. Financial lures and urgency-based messages remain the top tactics used to trick victims, with cyber criminals employing sophisticated methods to bypass detection. The growing use of AI is enabling more targeted and scalable phishing efforts.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/08/07/email-attacks-q2-2025/

Ransomware Victims Are Still Paying Up, Some More Than Once

A recent report from Semperis reveals that ransomware attacks remain a significant threat, with 81% of US firms and 78% globally targeted in the past year. Attackers succeed in over half of cases, and many companies pay ransoms multiple times. The majority of payments range between $500,000 and $1 million, but some companies face repeated attacks. The report highlights the growing risk of identity infrastructure breaches, including Active Directory and Okta, which enable attackers to persist and escalate their reach. Organisations are urged to automate defences, secure identity systems, and prepare comprehensive ransomware-response plans.

https://uk.pcmag.com/ransomware-protection/159370/ransomware-victims-are-still-paying-up-some-more-than-once

SMBs Struggle with Alert Overload, Cloud Blind Spots and Insider Threats

TrustLayer’s 2025 UK Cyber Resilience Report reveals a growing challenge for UK SMBs in managing cyber security. With shrinking budgets and rising alert volumes, organisations struggle to protect against email, cloud, and insider threats. The report highlights critical gaps, including limited cloud visibility, outdated security tools, and insider risks, with nearly one in three data breaches originating from employees. Additionally, alert overload is leading to stress and burnout in security teams. TrustLayer recommends streamlining security tools, automating processes, and focusing on human-centric operations to build a more resilient, efficient cyber security strategy.

https://pressat.co.uk/releases/uk-cyber-resilience-crisis-deepens-as-smbs-struggle-with-alert-overload-cloud-blind-spots-and-insider-threats-reveals-trustlayer-bf47d61391c355972f7a5f019c4b7ca8/

Britons Face Cyber-Attack Surge as UK Becomes Most Targeted Country in Europe

The UK has seen a significant rise in cyber attacks, making it the third most targeted country globally, behind the US and Canada. According to a NordVPN report, there has been a 7% increase in malware incidents, totalling 103 million, with the UK having the highest malware concentration per user in Europe. Cyber criminals often use trusted brands like Google, Amazon, and Yahoo to deceive users into exposing sensitive data. Malware now includes a wide range of threats, from data theft to device hijacking. The rise in online scams and increasingly sophisticated techniques highlights growing cyber security risks for UK businesses and consumers.

https://eandt.theiet.org/2025/08/06/britons-face-cyber-attack-surge-uk-becomes-most-targeted-country-europe

Exposed Without a Breach - The Cost of Data Blindness

Data blindness, where sensitive information is exposed without traditional cyber attack methods, poses a significant risk to organisations. This occurs when misconfigured systems, overpermissioned users, and unmonitored data flows leave critical data vulnerable. Traditional tools fail to account for modern data environments, where information is scattered across cloud platforms, third-party services, and AI-generated content. As a result, visibility gaps lead to unnoticed breaches, with the consequences often as severe as a traditional cyber attack. To mitigate this, organisations must adopt continuous, real-time data visibility, ensuring sensitive data is always monitored and aligned with business context.

https://securityaffairs.com/180813/security/exposed-without-a-breach-the-cost-of-data-blindness.html

Cyber Insurance Premiums Are Soaring — And So Are Your Risks

The global cyber insurance market is set to grow rapidly, doubling by 2030, driven by rising cyber risks such as ransomware and stringent regulatory requirements like GDPR and NIS2. As cyber attacks become more frequent and costly, businesses are increasingly relying on insurance as a safety net. Insurers are adjusting by incorporating real-time threat intelligence to price policies more accurately. Firms should consider the appropriateness of their cyber insurance to protect client data and manage cyber risks effectively. It is critical for firms to review their policies and ensure adequate coverage.

https://abovethelaw.com/2025/08/cyber-insurance-premiums-are-soaring-and-so-are-your-risks/



Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

Nearly one-third of ransomware victims are hit multiple times, even after paying hackers | IT Pro

Akira and Lynx Ransomware Attacking Managed Service Providers With Stolen Login Credential and Vulnerabilities

New EDR killer tool used by eight different ransomware groups

Britons face cyber-attack surge as UK becomes most targeted country in Europe | Engineering and Technology Magazine

Ransomware groups shift to quadruple extortion to maximize pressure - Help Net Security

75% of UK business leaders are willing to risk criminal penalties to pay ransoms | IT Pro

Ransomware is up, zero-days are booming, and your IP camera might be next - Help Net Security

Ransomware goes cloud native to target your backup infrastructure | CSO Online

Ransomware Actors Expand Tactics Beyond Encryption and Exfiltration - Infosecurity Magazine

On the Rise: Ransomware Victims, Breaches, Infostealers

This devious ransomware is able to hijack your system to turn off Microsoft Defender | TechRadar

Akira Ransomware Exploits SonicWall VPNs in Likely Zero-Day Attack on Fully-Patched Devices

Ransomware Surges as Attempts Spike 146%

Nimble 'Gunra' Ransomware Evolves With Linux Variant

Storm-2603 Deploys DNS-Controlled Backdoor in Warlock and LockBit Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware gangs join attacks targeting Microsoft SharePoint servers

Study: 78% of Companies Targeted with Ransomware

Ransomware-as-a-Service Economy - Trends, Targets & Takedowns

Ransomware attacks: The evolving extortion threat to US financial institutions | CSO Online

Akira ransomware abuses CPU tuning tool to disable Microsoft Defender

Royal and BlackSuit ransomware gangs hit over 450 US companies

Qilin Ransomware Affiliate Panel Login Credentials Exposed Online – DataBreaches.Net

SocGholish Malware Spread via Ad Tools; Delivers Access to LockBit, Evil Corp, and Others

Countering the Threat of Ransomware as a Service

Why we shouldn’t just repeat ransomware groups’ claims, Sunday edition – DataBreaches.Net

Authorities seize BlackSuit ransomware gang's servers | TechCrunch

Ransomware Victims

Ransomware attacks cripple government services across Dutch Caribbean islands | NL Times

Ransomware plunges insurance company into bankruptcy | Fortra

SBM investigates alleged cyber incident amid claims of reputational threat - NEWS.MC - Monaco News

More than 1 million patients affected by DaVita ransomware attack; those are preliminary numbers – DataBreaches.Net

Highlands Oncology Group notifies 113,575 people after ransomware attack by Medusa – DataBreaches.Net

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

Cybercriminals are getting personal, and it's working - Help Net Security

Attackers exploit link-wrapping services to steal Microsoft 365 logins

Cybercriminals Abandon Tech Tricks for Personalized Deception Tactics, VIPRE's Q2 2025 Email Threat Report Reveals

Phishers Abuse M365 'Direct Send' to Spoof Internal Users

Mozilla warns Firefox add-on devs of new phishing attacks • The Register

Other Social Engineering

Cybercriminals are getting personal, and it's working - Help Net Security

Social engineering attacks surged this past year, Palo Alto Networks report finds | CyberScoop

Hackers Uses Social Engineering Attack to Gain Remote Access in 300 Seconds

Cybercriminals Abandon Tech Tricks for Personalized Deception Tactics, VIPRE's Q2 2025 Email Threat Report Reveals

Gen Z in the Crosshairs: Cybercriminals Shift Focus to Young, Digital-Savvy Workers - SecurityWeek

QR Code Quishing Attacks Surge 50%: Protect Against Data Theft

Security expert warns: don't list defense work on LinkedIn - or you could be at risk of getting hacked | TechRadar

CrowdStrike investigated 320 North Korean IT worker cases in the past year | CyberScoop

North Korean IT worker infiltrations exploded 220% over the past 12 months, with GenAI weaponized at every stage of the hiring process | Fortune

15,000 Fake TikTok Shop Domains Deliver Malware, Steal Crypto via AI-Driven Scam Campaign

Cisco Victim of Voice Phishing Attack, Customer Data Stolen

How not to hire a North Korean IT spy | CSO Online

Indeed recruiter text scam: I responded to one of the “job” messages. It got weird quickly.

Hackers using fake summonses in attacks on Ukraine's defense sector | The Record from Recorded Future News

Fraud, Scams and Financial Crime

Thousands duped by fake pharmacy websites using AI tricks, crypto payments, and fake reviews to push unsafe drugs | TechRadar

Experts Alarmed by UK Government’s Companies House ID Checks - Infosecurity Magazine

Scammers abusing WhatsApp group invites​ | Cybernews

Fraud controls don’t guarantee consumer trust - Help Net Security

Indeed recruiter text scam: I responded to one of the “job” messages. It got weird quickly.

AI Fuels Record Number of Fraud Cases - Infosecurity Magazine

Nigerian accused of hacking tax preparation businesses extradited to US | CyberScoop

Artificial Intelligence

9 things you shouldn't use AI for at work | ZDNET

Your employees uploaded over a gig of files to GenAI tools last quarter - Help Net Security

CrowdStrike: Threat Actors Increasingly Lean on AI Tools

15,000 Fake TikTok Shop Domains Deliver Malware, Steal Crypto via AI-Driven Scam Campaign

Russian Cyber Threat Group Uses AI-Guided Malware

This AI didn’t just simulate an attack - it planned and executed a real breach like a human hacker | TechRadar

Financial sector faced most AI-powered cyberattacks: survey

Rising Mobile Browser Attacks: AI Threats and Key Defenses

AI Guardrails Under Fire: Cisco's Jailbreak Demo Exposes AI Weak Points - SecurityWeek

Cybersecurity Pros Say IoT, Large Language Models Are Risk Areas of Concern

AI can write your code, but nearly half of it may be insecure - Help Net Security

The Day Everything Changed: A CISO’s Perspective on the Carnegie Mellon AI Hacking Study | MSSP Alert

Security Researchers Just Hacked ChatGPT Using A Single 'Poisoned' Document

Thousands duped by fake pharmacy websites using AI tricks, crypto payments, and fake reviews to push unsafe drugs | TechRadar

AI Fuels Record Number of Fraud Cases - Infosecurity Magazine

Vibe Coding: When Everyone’s a Developer, Who Secures the Code? - SecurityWeek

NIST seeks to avoid reinventing the wheel with AI security guidance

Prioritizing Cybersecurity: Essential for Business Survival Against AI Threats

What's keeping risk leaders up at night? AI, tariffs, and cost cuts - Help Net Security

42% of Developers Using AI Say Their Codebase is Now Mostly AI-Generated

Anthropic wants to stop AI models from turning evil - here's how | ZDNET

Claude Vulnerabilities Let Attackers Execute Unauthorized Commands With its Own Help

Gemini AI Promptware Attack Exploits Calendar Invites to Hijack Smart Homes

Malware

On the Rise: Ransomware Victims, Breaches, Infostealers

15,000 Fake TikTok Shop Domains Deliver Malware, Steal Crypto via AI-Driven Scam Campaign

Russian Cyber Threat Group Uses AI-Guided Malware

SocGholish Malware Spread via Ad Tools; Delivers Access to LockBit, Evil Corp, and Others

Staggering 800% Rise in Infostealer Credential Theft - Infosecurity Magazine

New 'Shade BIOS' Technique Beats Every Kind of Security

New Undectable Plague Malware Attacking Linux Servers to Gain Persistent SSH Access

Antivirus vendors fail to spot persistent Linux backdoor • The Register

Python-powered malware grabs 200K passwords, credit cards • The Register

‘Highly evasive’ Vietnamese-speaking hackers stealing data from thousands of victims in 62+ nations | CyberScoop

Your browser’s tools can’t see what extensions are really doing - and hackers know it perfectly well | TechRadar

Dangerous new Linux malware strikes - thousands of users see passwords, personal info stolen, here's what we know | TechRadar

CISA releases malware analysis for Sharepoint Server attack • The Register

Fake WhatsApp developer libraries hide destructive data-wiping code

Wave of 150 crypto-draining extensions hits Firefox add-on store

CL-STA-0969 Installs Covert Malware in Telecom Networks During 10-Month Espionage Campaign

Mobile

Rising Mobile Browser Attacks: AI Threats and Key Defenses

PlayPraetor Android Trojan Infects 11,000+ Devices via Fake Google Play Pages and Meta Ads

Google addresses six vulnerabilities in August’s Android security update | CyberScoop

PlayPraetor Android RAT expands rapidly across Spanish and French-speaking regions

Hackers are cracking mobile browsers to bypass security - here's how they do it and how to stay safe | TechRadar

France orders officials to drop foreign messaging apps over cybersecurity fears

Germany’s top court holds that police can only use spyware to investigate serious crimes | The Record from Recorded Future News

Internet of Things – IoT

Ransomware is up, zero-days are booming, and your IP camera might be next - Help Net Security

Cybersecurity Pros Say IoT, Large Language Models Are Risk Areas of Concern

The humble printer highlights overlooked security flaws | CIO Dive

Gemini AI Promptware Attack Exploits Calendar Invites to Hijack Smart Homes

Data Breaches/Leaks

On the Rise: Ransomware Victims, Breaches, Infostealers

Legal aid cyber-attack has pushed sector towards collapse, say lawyers | Legal aid | The Guardian

Google says hackers stole its customers' data by breaching its Salesforce database | TechCrunch

Exposed Without a Breach: The Cost of Data Blindness

Cisco Victim of Voice Phishing Attack, Customer Data Stolen

Top MoD civil servant to leave in wake of Afghan data breach - BBC News

Average global data breach cost now $4.44 million - Help Net Security

Swipe Right for a Cyberattack: Dating Sites, EV Chargers, and Sex Toys

No, 16 Billion New User Credentials Weren’t Leaked—but the Risk Remains | Proofpoint US

Allianz faces fresh lawsuit as cyberattack exposes 1.4 million records | Insurance Business America

Bouygues Telecom Data Breach Exposes 6.4 Million Customer Records - Infosecurity Magazine

Air France and KLM disclosed data breaches following the hack of a third-party platform

Chanel and Pandora latest retailers to be hit by cyber attacks | Retail Week

Pandora confirms data breach amid ongoing Salesforce data theft attacks

More than 1 million patients affected by DaVita ransomware attack; those are preliminary numbers – DataBreaches.Net

Allianz Life cyberattack gets worse as company confirms Social Security numbers stolen | TechRadar

Sex toy maker Lovense threatens legal action after fixing security flaws that exposed users' data | TechCrunch

Lovense flaws expose emails and allow account takeover

PBS confirms data breach after employee info leaked on Discord servers

Despite data breaches like the Tea app, companies see little consequence - The Washington Post

TeaOnHer, a rival Tea app for men, is leaking users' personal data and driver's licenses | TechCrunch

Florida prison exposes visitor contact info to every inmate • The Register

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

Cybercriminals are getting personal, and it's working - Help Net Security

Britons face cyber attack surge as UK becomes most targeted country in Europe | Engineering and Technology Magazine

Why the Old Ways Are Still the Best for Most Cybercriminals

From fake CAPTCHAs to RATs: Inside 2025's cyber deception threat trends - Help Net Security

Python-powered malware grabs 200K passwords, credit cards • The Register

Vietnamese Hackers Use PXA Stealer, Hit 4,000 IPs and Steal 200,000 Passwords Globally

‘Highly evasive’ Vietnamese-speaking hackers stealing data from thousands of victims in 62+ nations | CyberScoop

Nigerian accused of hacking tax preparation businesses extradited to US | CyberScoop

Countering the Threat of Ransomware as a Service

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

15,000 Fake TikTok Shop Domains Deliver Malware, Steal Crypto via AI-Driven Scam Campaign

Wave of 150 crypto-draining extensions hits Firefox add-on store

Thousands duped by fake pharmacy websites using AI tricks, crypto payments, and fake reviews to push unsafe drugs | TechRadar

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

Your employees uploaded over a gig of files to GenAI tools last quarter - Help Net Security

UK cyber resilience crisis deepens as SMBs struggle with alert overload, cloud blind spots and insider threats, reveals TrustLayer | Pressat

CrowdStrike investigated 320 North Korean IT worker cases in the past year | CyberScoop

North Korean IT worker infiltrations exploded 220% over the past 12 months, with GenAI weaponized at every stage of the hiring process | Fortune

Ninety laptops, millions of dollars: US woman jailed over North Korea remote-work scam | US news | The Guardian

Laptop Farm: What It Is & How It's Used, Explained

How not to hire a North Korean IT spy | CSO Online

Insurance

Cyber Insurance Premiums Are Soaring — And So Are Your Risks - Above the Law

Supply Chain and Third Parties

Akira and Lynx Ransomware Attacking Managed Service Providers With Stolen Login Credential and Vulnerabilities

Air France and KLM disclosed data breaches following the hack of a third-party platform

Chanel and Pandora latest retailers to be hit by cyber attacks | Retail Week

Pandora confirms data breach amid ongoing Salesforce data theft attacks

Luxembourg probes reported attack on Huawei tech that caused nationwide telecoms outage | The Record from Recorded Future News

Cloud/SaaS

UK cyber resilience crisis deepens as SMBs struggle with alert overload, cloud blind spots and insider threats, reveals TrustLayer | Pressat

Google says hackers stole its customers' data by breaching its Salesforce database | TechCrunch

Attackers exploit link-wrapping services to steal Microsoft 365 logins

Ransomware goes cloud native to target your backup infrastructure | CSO Online

Phishers Abuse M365 'Direct Send' to Spoof Internal Users

How the UK's cloud strategy was hijacked by a hyperscaler duopoly | Computer Weekly

New Microsoft Exchange Vulnerability Puts Hybrid Cloud Environments at - Infosecurity Magazine

Outages

Luxembourg probes reported attack on Huawei tech that caused nationwide telecoms outage | The Record from Recorded Future News

Identity and Access Management

Privilege Escalation Issue in Amazon ECS Leads to IAM Hijacking

Encryption

Encryption Made for Police and Military Radios May Be Easily Cracked | WIRED

Linux and Open Source

New Linux backdoor Plague bypasses auth via malicious PAM module

New Undectable Plague Malware Attacking Linux Servers to Gain Persistent SSH Access

Antivirus vendors fail to spot persistent Linux backdoor • The Register

New malware avoids antivirus detection, unleashes a "plague" on your devices | TechRadar

Dangerous new Linux malware strikes - thousands of users see passwords, personal info stolen, here's what we know | TechRadar

Nimble 'Gunra' Ransomware Evolves With Linux Variant

Foreign adversaries are trying to weaponize open-source software, report finds - Nextgov/FCW

Russian, Chinese coders secretly insert malicious code in open-source software, says new report - Washington Times

Lansweeper finds Linux is growing on business endpoints • The Register

Yes, you need a firewall on Linux - here's why and which to use | ZDNET

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

Attackers exploit link-wrapping services to steal Microsoft 365 logins

Akira and Lynx Ransomware Attacking Managed Service Providers With Stolen Login Credential and Vulnerabilities

Python-powered malware grabs 200K passwords, credit cards • The Register

Vietnamese Hackers Use PXA Stealer, Hit 4,000 IPs and Steal 200,000 Passwords Globally

‘Highly evasive’ Vietnamese-speaking hackers stealing data from thousands of victims in 62+ nations | CyberScoop

Staggering 800% Rise in Infostealer Credential Theft - Infosecurity Magazine

Hackers Steal 1.8 Billion Credentials, 9 Billion Data Records

Social Media

15,000 Fake TikTok Shop Domains Deliver Malware, Steal Crypto via AI-Driven Scam Campaign

Security expert warns: don't list defense work on LinkedIn - or you could be at risk of getting hacked | TechRadar

Amnesty slams X for 'central role' in fueling UK violence • The Register

Instagram lets you see your friends' locations now, and vice versa - here's how | ZDNET

Malvertising

PlayPraetor Android Trojan Infects 11,000+ Devices via Fake Google Play Pages and Meta Ads

SocGholish Malware Spread via Ad Tools; Delivers Access to LockBit, Evil Corp, and Others

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

Europe’s Cybersecurity Puzzle: NIS2 Progress in 30 Pieces | McDermott Will & Schulte - JDSupra

75% of UK business leaders are willing to risk criminal penalties to pay ransoms | IT Pro

The VPNs allowing youngsters to bypass UK age verification rules

'A disaster waiting to happen' — Cybersecurity experts react to UK age verification law | Tom's Guide

One Week of the Online Safety Act: Cyber Experts Weigh In - IT Security Guru

'Can I see some ID?' As online age verification spreads, so do privacy concerns | CBC News

Why do angry UK internet users want to repeal the Online Safety Act? Here are the 5 biggest complaints | TechRadar

Social media battles and barbs on both sides of Atlantic over UK Online Safety Act | Internet safety | The Guardian

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill | Technology Law Dispatch

CISA, USCG make example out of organization they audited • The Register

Former and current officials clash over CISA’s role in US cyber defenses at Black Hat - Nextgov/FCW

Senate confirms national cyber director pick Sean Cairncross | CyberScoop

Annual ODPA report highlights local Data Law adequacy - Bailiwick Express News Guernsey

Illumina Settles Allegations of Cyber Vulnerabilities in Genomic Sequencing for $9.8M

Independent Cybersecurity Audits Will Be Required for ‘Significant Risk’ Under CCPA | Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer - JDSupra

America Is Blinding Itself - by Mark Hertling - The Bulwark

US Agencies Fail IT Security Audits, Jeopardizing National Security

DoD Secretary Hegseth Draws A Line: Cybersecurity No Longer Optional

Models, Frameworks and Standards

Europe’s Cybersecurity Puzzle: NIS2 Progress in 30 Pieces | McDermott Will & Schulte - JDSupra

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill | Technology Law Dispatch

NIST seeks to avoid reinventing the wheel with AI security guidance

NCSC Updates Cyber Assessment Framework to Build UK CNI Resilience - Infosecurity Magazine

DoD Secretary Hegseth Draws A Line: Cybersecurity No Longer Optional

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

How CISOs are training the next generation of cyber leaders | CSO Online

The Five Steps to Increase UK Cyber Resilience Detailed | SC Media UK

5 hard truths of a career in cybersecurity — and how to navigate them | CSO Online

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

Ninety laptops, millions of dollars: US woman jailed over North Korea remote-work scam | US news | The Guardian

Details emerge on BlackSuit ransomware takedown | CyberScoop

Nigerian accused of hacking tax preparation businesses extradited to US | CyberScoop


Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

NATO condemns Russian cyber activities

New Tallinn Paper analysis Russian cyber agression and proposes ways to strengthen Europe’s cyber defence

Europe must adapt to Russia's hybrid cyber war

Pro-Iran Hackers Aligned Cyber with Kinetic War Aims - Infosecurity Magazine

Iranian hackers were more coordinated, aligned during Israel conflict than it seemed | CyberScoop

DoD Secretary Hegseth Draws A Line: Cybersecurity No Longer Optional

CL-STA-0969 Installs Covert Malware in Telecom Networks During 10-Month Espionage Campaign

Microsoft caught in crossfire of U.S.-China cyber war - Cryptopolitan

Nation State Actors

China

Foreign adversaries are trying to weaponize open-source software, report finds - Nextgov/FCW

Russian, Chinese coders secretly insert malicious code in open-source software, says new report - Washington Times

Storm-2603 Deploys DNS-Controlled Backdoor in Warlock and LockBit Ransomware Attacks

China’s botched Great Firewall upgrade invites attacks • The Register

Chinese Nation-State Hackers Breach Southeast Asian Telecoms

DoD Secretary Hegseth Draws A Line: Cybersecurity No Longer Optional

CL-STA-0969 Installs Covert Malware in Telecom Networks During 10-Month Espionage Campaign

Microsoft caught in crossfire of U.S.-China cyber war - Cryptopolitan

Why an explosive fight erupted over the UK's new Chinese embassy - BBC News

Microsoft flaw ‘opens the door’ for hackers. It will be hard to close | World Business | postguam.com

Chinese cyberattack on US nuclear agency highlights importance of cyber hygiene | The Strategist

Nvidia says its chips have no 'backdoors' after China raises concerns | Fox Business

China Says US Exploited Old Microsoft Flaw for Cyberattacks - Bloomberg

Russia

NATO condemns Russian cyber activities

New Tallinn Paper analysis Russian cyber agression and proposes ways to strengthen Europe’s cyber defence

Europe must adapt to Russia's hybrid cyber war

Russian, Chinese coders secretly insert malicious code in open-source software, says new report - Washington Times

Russian Cyber Threat Group Uses AI-Guided Malware

DoD Secretary Hegseth Draws A Line: Cybersecurity No Longer Optional

Hackers using fake summonses in attacks on Ukraine's defense sector | The Record from Recorded Future News

Ukrainian drone attacks are causing blackouts and shutdowns for Russian mobile internet | TechRadar

Iran

Pro-Iran Hackers Aligned Cyber with Kinetic War Aims - Infosecurity Magazine

Iranian hackers were more coordinated, aligned during Israel conflict than it seemed | CyberScoop

North Korea

Ninety laptops, millions of dollars: US woman jailed over North Korea remote-work scam | US news | The Guardian

CrowdStrike investigated 320 North Korean IT worker cases in the past year | CyberScoop

North Korean IT worker infiltrations exploded 220% over the past 12 months, with GenAI weaponized at every stage of the hiring process | Fortune

Laptop Farm: What It Is & How It's Used, Explained

Foreign adversaries are trying to weaponize open-source software, report finds - Nextgov/FCW

How not to hire a North Korean IT spy | CSO Online


Tools and Controls

Cyber Insurance Premiums Are Soaring — And So Are Your Risks - Above the Law

AI can write your code, but nearly half of it may be insecure - Help Net Security

New EDR killer tool used by eight different ransomware groups

75 percent of cybersecurity leaders don’t trust their own data - BetaNews

'A disaster waiting to happen' — Cybersecurity experts react to UK age verification law | Tom's Guide

One Week of the Online Safety Act: Cyber Experts Weigh In - IT Security Guru

Why do angry UK internet users want to repeal the Online Safety Act? Here are the 5 biggest complaints | TechRadar

Social media battles and barbs on both sides of Atlantic over UK Online Safety Act | Internet safety | The Guardian

Privilege Escalation Issue in Amazon ECS Leads to IAM Hijacking

UK cyber resilience crisis deepens as SMBs struggle with alert overload, cloud blind spots and insider threats, reveals TrustLayer | Pressat

Ransomware goes cloud native to target your backup infrastructure | CSO Online

Exposed Without a Breach: The Cost of Data Blindness

Sex toy maker Lovense threatens legal action after fixing security flaws that exposed users' data | TechCrunch

The humble printer highlights overlooked security flaws | CIO Dive

What's keeping risk leaders up at night? AI, tariffs, and cost cuts - Help Net Security

Fraud controls don’t guarantee consumer trust - Help Net Security

Akira ransomware abuses CPU tuning tool to disable Microsoft Defender

Mind the overconfidence gap: CISOs and staff don’t see eye to eye on security posture | CSO Online

CISOs say they're prepared, their data says otherwise - Help Net Security

Misconfigurations Are Not Vulnerabilities: The Costly Confusion Behind Security Risks

Vibe Coding: When Everyone’s a Developer, Who Secures the Code? - SecurityWeek

China’s botched Great Firewall upgrade invites attacks • The Register

Cybersecurity Incident Response Needs A War Room, Not A Playbook

Yes, you need a firewall on Linux - here's why and which to use | ZDNET


Reports Published in the Last Week

Cost of a data breach 2025 | IBM



Vulnerability Management

Akira and Lynx Ransomware Attacking Managed Service Providers With Stolen Login Credential and Vulnerabilities

Ransomware is up, zero-days are booming, and your IP camera might be next - Help Net Security

The Critical Flaw in CVE Scoring

Exposed Without a Breach: The Cost of Data Blindness

Misconfigurations Are Not Vulnerabilities: The Costly Confusion Behind Security Risks

AI Beats Hackers to a Zero-Day Cybersecurity Discovery, Twice

Microsoft’s Update Mistake—45% Of All Windows Users Now At Risk

US Agencies Fail IT Security Audits, Jeopardizing National Security

Vulnerabilities

New Microsoft Exchange Vulnerability Puts Hybrid Cloud Environments at Risk- Infosecurity Magazine

Akira Ransomware Exploits SonicWall VPNs in Likely Zero-Day Attack on Fully-Patched Devices

Google fixed two Qualcomm bugs that were actively exploited in the wild

Android's August 2025 Update Patches Exploited Qualcomm Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

Enterprise Secrets Exposed by CyberArk Conjur Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

Microsoft flaw ‘opens the door’ for hackers. It will be hard to close | World Business | postguam.com

Google addresses six vulnerabilities in August’s Android security update | CyberScoop

CISA releases malware analysis for Sharepoint Server attack • The Register

Ransomware gangs join attacks targeting Microsoft SharePoint servers

Apple iOS 18.6 Update Patches 29 Security Flaws, Fixes Exploited WebKit Bug

Adobe issues emergency fixes for AEM Forms zero-days after PoCs released

Millions of Dell PCs with Broadcom chips open to attack • The Register

Microsoft Releases Guidance on High-Severity Vulnerability (CVE-2025-53786) in Hybrid Exchange Deployments | CISA

New Ghost Calls tactic abuses Zoom and Microsoft Teams for C2 operations

RCE Flaw in AI Coding Tool Poses Software Supply Chain Risk

Vibe coding tool Cursor allows persistent code execution • The Register

Trend Micro fixes two actively exploited Apex One RCE flaws

SonicWall: Attackers did not exploit zero-day vulnerability to compromise Gen 7 firewalls - Help Net Security

Akira ransomware abuses CPU tuning tool to disable Microsoft Defender

Proton fixes Authenticator bug leaking TOTP secrets in logs

Critical Vulnerabilities Found in NVIDIA's Triton Inference Server - Infosecurity Magazine

Adobe Issues Out-of-Band Patches for AEM Forms Vulnerabilities With Public PoC - SecurityWeek

Microsoft caught in crossfire of U.S.-China cyber war - Cryptopolitan

China: US spies used Microsoft Exchange 0-day to steal info • The Register

Nvidia Patches Critical RCE Vulnerability Chain

CISA Adds 3 D-Link Vulnerabilities to KEV Catalog Amid Active Exploitation Evidence

Lovense Security Bugs Fixed | SC Media UK


Sector Specific

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Black Arrow Cyber Advisory - 13 August 2025 - Security Updates from Microsoft, Adobe, SAP, Fortinet and Ivanti

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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 01 August 2025