Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 12 December 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

With our sights on the New Year, our review this week looks at cyber security in 2026 and the risks that we all need to manage. Without doubt, AI is a major factor in that, both when used by organisations without a defined security policy as well as when used maliciously by attackers as described below. There are also some interesting insights from an analysis of cyber insurance claims in our review this week, and we include news of new tactics by attackers through mobile devices and social engineering.

We are clear that cyber security requires business leaders to understand current risks, and to implement aligned controls across people, operations and technology. The evolution of AI and other risks in 2026 further reinforces the need for this business-wide approach, supported by a CISO that can translate between technology and business management. Proportionality is always a key consideration, balancing cost and effectiveness. Contact us to see how to achieve this through a pragmatic and commercially aligned strategy.


Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Human-Centric Cyber Risks Surge as AI Enters the Workforce, Report Finds

Research highlights a sharp rise in incidents linked to human behaviour as AI becomes embedded in daily work. Organisations report significant growth in email-driven attacks, social engineering, unsafe behaviour, and mistakes. AI-related incidents and deepfake-enabled fraud are increasing, while shadow AI usage is expanding as employees turn to unsanctioned tools, weakening visibility and control over data and decision-making.

Source: https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2025/12/10/human-centric-cyber-risks-surge-as-ai-enters-the-workforce-report-finds/

Trend Micro Issues Warning Over Rise of 'Vibe Crime' as Cyber Criminals Turn to Agentic AI to Automate Attacks

Trend Micro warns that so-called vibe crime will accelerate cyber crime by enabling autonomous, end-to-end attack chains powered by agentic AI. Rather than sudden spikes, organisations should expect persistent background activity that scales without human oversight. This evolution reframes cybercrime-as-a-service into a model where AI performs continuous reconnaissance, phishing, fraud, and exploitation.

Source: https://www.itpro.com/security/cyber-crime/trend-micro-vibe-crime-agentic-ai-cyber-crime

What the Rise in Cyber Insurance Claims Reveals About the Vulnerability of UK Businesses

UK cyber insurance claims have surged, reflecting both rising threat activity and weaknesses created by outsourcing, poor oversight, and complex supply chains. Cost-driven decisions can reduce visibility and weaken access controls, increasing exposure. Higher premiums alone are unlikely to fix the problem, with current payouts seen as an early warning of deeper systemic risk without stronger controls and better risk maturity.

Source: https://www.techmonitor.ai/comment-2/cyber-insurance-uk-vulnerabilities?cf-view

Nearly Two-Thirds of Organisations to Increase Cyber Security Investments in 2026: Marsh

Marsh reports that most organisations plan to increase cyber security spending, with many expecting significant budget rises. Third-party risk is a major driver, as a large proportion experienced at least one material supplier-related cyber incident in the past year. UK organisations show particularly strong intent to increase investment to address exposure and resilience gaps.

Source: https://www.reinsurancene.ws/nearly-two-thirds-of-organisations-to-increase-cybersecurity-investments-in-2026-marsh/

When It Comes to Security Resilience, Cheaper Isn’t Always Better

Cost-focused procurement can undermine cyber resilience by increasing dependency on fragile suppliers and underinvested controls. Savings achieved through cheaper vendors can be quickly erased by incidents such as ransomware, service disruption, or third-party data compromise. The article argues for procurement incentives that prioritise resilience and continuity, treating cyber security as a core business survival issue rather than a compliance cost.

Source: https://www.csoonline.com/article/4101863/when-it-comes-to-security-resilience-cheaper-isnt-always-better.html

Cyber Threats Are Evolving Fast - Is Your Leadership Keeping Up?

Effective cyber security depends on leadership, governance, and organisational culture, not just technology. Incidents damage trust, reputation, and revenue, while early executive response often determines the scale of impact. The article stresses the importance of senior ownership, clear communication, and disciplined programme management to translate cyber strategy into consistent, operational outcomes.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/cyber-threats-are-evolving-fast-are-you-keeping-up/498554

A Tale of Two CISOs: Why An Engineering-Focused CISO Can Be a Liability

An engineering-led approach to cyber security can create blind spots by assuming strong preventative controls are sufficient. Risk often shifts into overlooked areas such as permissions, pipelines, and operational processes. A more effective model assumes failure, focuses on limiting blast radius, rehearses response, and aligns people, process, and technology under strong governance.

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/why-an-engineering-focused-ciso-can-be-a-liability

Why Small Businesses Can’t Afford to Overlook Cyber Security This Peak Season

Peak retail periods attract heightened attacker activity as transaction volumes rise. Phishing, ransomware, and malware campaigns intensify, with seasonal lures proving highly effective. For small businesses, cyber security failures can disrupt sales, expose customer data, and trigger recovery costs, making basic protections essential to protecting revenue during critical trading periods.

Source: https://www.raconteur.net/technology/why-small-businesses-cant-afford-to-overlook-cybersecurity-this-peak-season

New DroidLock Malware Locks Android Devices and Demands a Ransom

DroidLock is a newly identified Android threat that locks devices and demands payment while harvesting sensitive data including messages, contacts, call logs, and recordings. The malware can be remotely controlled and can wipe data or steal lock patterns. Campaigns target Spanish-speaking users and spread through malicious sites offering fake apps that request extensive permissions.

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-droidlock-malware-locks-android-devices-and-demands-a-ransom/

Push Security Uncovers “ConsentFix”: A New Class of Browser-Native Phishing Attack

ConsentFix blends social engineering with open authorisation (OAuth) consent abuse to enable account takeover without requiring traditional login credentials. By operating entirely within the browser and targeting trusted first-party applications, the technique can bypass MFA and endpoint controls. Distribution through search results further reduces reliance on email-based phishing, complicating detection.

Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251211310366/en/Push-Security-Uncovers-ConsentFix-A-New-Class-of-Browser-Native-Phishing-Attack

Report Surfaces Multiple Novel Social Engineering Tactics and Techniques

Threat researchers report attackers using increasingly creative social engineering techniques to evade controls and deliver malware. Campaigns include legal-themed emails, fake government sites, malicious SVG files, and counterfeit software updates. Information-stealing malware dominates observed threats, while a notable proportion of malicious emails bypass gateway scanning.

Source: https://securityboulevard.com/2025/12/report-surfaces-multiple-novel-social-engineering-tactics-and-techniques/

EU Leaders to Push Defence Readiness Amid Russia ‘Hybrid Attack’ Warnings

EU leaders will use the December European Council summit to accelerate defence cooperation, boost weapons production for Ukraine, and strengthen protection against cyber and drone attacks. Draft conclusions warn of an intensified hybrid campaign by Russia and Belarus and call for faster resilience measures, shared military capabilities, and new funding. Leaders will also debate long-term support for Ukraine through at least 2027, including use of frozen Russian assets.

Source: https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-leaders-summit-defense-readiness-russia-hybrid-attack-warnings-ukraine/



Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

Ransomware Payments Surpassed $4.5 Billion: US Treasury - SecurityWeek

Researchers spot 700 percent increase in hypervisor attacks • The Register

Cyber insurance claims in 2024 tripled. UK firms are vulnerable

New DroidLock malware locks Android devices and demands a ransom

Ransomware keeps widening its reach - Help Net Security

Banks paid $370M in ransoms to cybercriminals in 2024 | American Banker

Ransomware IAB abuses EDR for stealthy malware execution

Packer-as-a-Service Shanya Hides Ransomware, Kills EDR

DeadLock Ransomware Uses BYOVD to Evade Security Measures - Infosecurity Magazine

Ransomware Targeting Hyper-V and VMware ESXi Surges as Akira Group Exploits System Vulnerabilities

Akira ransomware: FBI tallies 250 million in payouts – DataBreaches.Net

Ransomware Victim Warning: The Streisand Effect May Apply

Russian hackers debut simple ransomware service • The Register

Ransomware gangs turn to Shanya EXE packer to hide EDR killers

Contractors with hacking records accused of wiping 96 govt databases

FBI: Crooks manipulate online photos to fuel virtual kidnapping ransoms

Industrial ransomware attacks rise sharply in Q3 2025

UK ransomware payment ban could ‘significantly shift’ cyber market :: Insurance Day

Ransomware Victims

Banks paid $370M in ransoms to cybercriminals in 2024 | American Banker

NHS taking legal action after patient and staff data stolen in cyber attack | The Independent

Barts Health NHS discloses data breach after Oracle zero-day hack

Industrial ransomware attacks rise sharply in Q3 2025

Cyber attack chaos ahead of Christmas | Westminster Extra

UK Hospital Asks Court to Stymie Ransomware Data Leak

HSE offers €750 to victims of 2021 cyberattack which affected 90,000 people | Irish Independent

IE: HSE confirms second ransomware attack but ‘no evidence’ patient data was stolen – DataBreaches.Net

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

How phishers hide banking scams behind free Cloudflare Pages | Malwarebytes

New Spiderman phishing service targets dozens of European banks

Novel clickjacking attack relies on CSS and SVG • The Register

AI Is Driving a Shift in Targeted Email Attacks

Other Social Engineering

Push Security Uncovers “ConsentFix”: A New Class of Browser-Native Phishing Attack

Novel clickjacking attack relies on CSS and SVG • The Register

Global Scams, From Southeast Asia's Pig Butchering to Russia's 'Black Widows'

New Vishing Attack Leverages Microsoft Teams Call and QuickAssist to Deploy .NET Malware

ClickFix Style Attack Uses Grok, ChatGPT for Malware Delivery

ClickFix Social Engineering Sparks Rise of CastleLoader Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine

Report Surfaces Multiple Novel Social Engineering Tactics and Techniques - Security Boulevard

Imposter for hire: How fake people can gain very real access | Microsoft Security Blog

Hackers posed as law enforcement to gain Apple Account data

FBI: Crooks manipulate online photos to fuel virtual kidnapping ransoms

Crims using social media images in virtual kidnapping scams • The Register

Fraud, Scams and Financial Crime

Global Scams, From Southeast Asia's Pig Butchering to Russia's 'Black Widows'

How phishers hide banking scams behind free Cloudflare Pages | Malwarebytes

Key barrier to online fraud can be bypassed for pennies, say researchers - CNA

Russian police bust bank-account hacking gang that used NFCGate-based malware | The Record from Recorded Future News

California man admits role in $263 million cryptocurrency theft that funded lavish lifestyle

Myanmar's army says it wants to eradicate scam compounds. Is it really doing that? - BBC News

Scam-Busting FCA Firm Checker Tool Given Cautious Welcome - Infosecurity Magazine

‘Report fraud’ service replaces Action Fraud as UK’s official reporting portal

Artificial Intelligence

Researchers Uncover 30+ Flaws in AI Coding Tools Enabling Data Theft and RCE Attacks

Block all AI browsers for the foreseeable future: Gartner • The Register

UK cyber agency warns LLMs will always be vulnerable to prompt injection | CyberScoop

New Prompt Injection Attack via Malicious MCP Servers Let Attackers Drain Resources

OpenAI warns new models pose 'high' cybersecurity risk - CNA

Human-Centric Cyber Risks Surge as AI Enters the Workforce, Report Finds - IT Security Guru

Exclusive | AI Hackers Are Coming Dangerously Close to Beating Humans - WSJ

ClickFix Style Attack Uses Grok, ChatGPT for Malware Delivery

Cybersecurity Threats and AI Disruptions Top Concerns for IT Leaders in 2026, Veeam Survey Finds

NVIDIA research shows how agentic AI fails under attack - Help Net Security

AI hallucinations and sophisticated cyberattacks: Business tech concerns for next year - Digital Journal

UK NCSC Raises Alarms Over Prompt Injection Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine

LLMs are everywhere in your stack and every layer brings new risk - Help Net Security

Trend Micro issues warning over rise of 'vibe crime' as cyber criminals turn to agentic AI to automate attacks | IT Pro

Ignoring AI in the threat chain could be a costly mistake, experts warn | CSO Online

Cyber experts warn AI will accelerate attacks and overwhelm defenders in 2026 - BetaNews

AI is accelerating cyberattacks. Is your network prepared?

Latest macOS malware uses trusted search & AI to dupe users

Copilot's No Code AI Agents Liable to Leak Company Data

AI Is Driving a Shift in Targeted Email Attacks

The AMOS infostealer is piggybacking ChatGPT's chat-sharing feature | Kaspersky official blog

It's time to revamp IT security to deal with AI

OpenAI user data was breached, but changing your password won't help - here's why | ZDNET

LLM privacy policies keep getting longer, denser, and nearly impossible to decode - Help Net Security

Tehran and Moscow sign deal on AI, cybersecurity | Iran International

Police Admit AI Surveillance Panopticon Still Has Issues With "Some Demographic Groups"

Brussels attacks Google for ‘unfairly harvesting’ web and YouTube content for AI

Privacy concerns raised as Grok AI found to be a stalker's best friend

Trump Signs Executive Order to Block State AI Regulations - SecurityWeek

AML/CFT/Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing/Sanctions

Predator Spyware Maker Intellexa Evades Sanctions - Infosecurity Magazine

Britain sanctions Russian, Chinese entities over disinfo, cyber threats - CNA

UK Sanctions Russian and Chinese Firms Suspected of Being ‘Malign Actors’ in Information Warfare - SecurityWeek

2FA/MFA

Death to one-time text codes: Passkeys are the new hotness • The Register

Android Warning—New Attack Unlocks Your Phone And Steals Your Texts

Malware

Wide Range of Malware Delivered in React2Shell Attacks - SecurityWeek

ClickFix Style Attack Uses Grok, ChatGPT for Malware Delivery

Latest macOS malware uses trusted search & AI to dupe users

New Vishing Attack Leverages Microsoft Teams Call and QuickAssist to Deploy .NET Malware

ClickFix Social Engineering Sparks Rise of CastleLoader Attacks - Infosecurity Magazine

Ransomware IAB abuses EDR for stealthy malware execution

Packer-as-a-Service Shanya Hides Ransomware, Kills EDR

DeadLock Ransomware Uses BYOVD to Evade Security Measures - Infosecurity Magazine

Information stealers are on the rise, are you at risk? | Cyber.gov.au

Four Threat Clusters Using CastleLoader as GrayBravo Expands Its Malware Service Infrastructure

Threat Actors Poisoning SEO Results to Attack Organizations With Fake Microsoft Teams Installer

Malicious Microsoft VS Code extensions steal data | Cybernews

'PyStoreRAT' malware uses fake developer tools on GitHub to infect Windows systems - SiliconANGLE

NANOREMOTE Malware Uses Google Drive API for Hidden Control on Windows Systems

The AMOS infostealer is piggybacking ChatGPT's chat-sharing feature | Kaspersky official blog

Threat Actors Deploying CoinMiner Malware via USB Drives Infecting Workstations

Experts Confirm JS#SMUGGLER Uses Compromised Sites to Deploy NetSupport RAT

Malicious VSCode extensions on Microsoft's registry drop infostealers

Researchers Find Malicious VS Code, Go, npm, and Rust Packages Stealing Developer Data

MuddyWater Deploys UDPGangster Backdoor in Targeted Turkey-Israel-Azerbaijan Campaign

New Mirai Botnet Variant 'Broadside' Actively Attacking Users in the Wild

Bots/Botnets

Bots, bias, and bunk: How to tell what's real on the net • The Register

Analysts Warn of Cybersecurity Risks in Humanoid Robots

'Botnets in physical form' are top humanoid robot risk • The Register

New 'Broadside' Botnet Poses Risk to Shipping Companies - SecurityWeek

New Mirai Botnet Variant 'Broadside' Actively Attacking Users in the Wild

Mobile

New DroidLock malware locks Android devices and demands a ransom

Android Malware FvncBot, SeedSnatcher, and ClayRat Gain Stronger Data Theft Features

New malware turns trusted banking apps into phone hijacking tools — how to stay safe | Tom's Guide

Russian police bust bank-account hacking gang that used NFCGate-based malware | The Record from Recorded Future News

Android Warning—New Attack Unlocks Your Phone And Steals Your Texts

Israel’s Military Bans Android Devices as Targeted Cyberattacks Intensify, Orders To Use Only Iphones - The420.in

ClayRat Android Spyware Expands Capabilities - Infosecurity Magazine

Threat Actors Targeting Messaging Applications | Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider - JDSupra

Uneven regulatory demands expose gaps in mobile security - Help Net Security

Internet of Things – IoT

Porsche panic in Russia as cars mysteriously bricked • The Register

Should you be afraid of smart home hacking? 6 ways experts keep their devices protected | ZDNET

Porsche outage in Russia serves as a reminder of the risks in connected vehicle security

Ring's 'Familiar Faces' is here: Why privacy experts worry it's mass surveillance in disguise | ZDNET

Data Breaches/Leaks

UK Reports Worse Data Breaches and Greater Concern for IT Help Desk Risk: RSA ID IQ Report Unveils Top Identity Threats

Copilot's No Code AI Agents Liable to Leak Company Data

OpenAI user data was breached, but changing your password won't help - here's why | ZDNET

Spain arrests teen who stole 64 million personal data records

UK fines LastPass £1.2 million for data breach affecting 1.6 million people | The Record from Recorded Future News

NHS taking legal action after patient and staff data stolen in cyber attack | The Independent

US military contractor breach expose employee data | Cybernews

Over 10,000 Docker Hub images found leaking credentials, auth keys

PSNI officer 'felt fear and disbelief' after data breach - BBC News

Users report chaos as Legal Aid Agency stumbles back online • The Register

Contractors with hacking records accused of wiping 96 govt databases

Coupang CEO Resigns Following Major Data Breach Exposing 34 Million Customers - IT Security Guru

Hospice Firm, Eye Care Practice Notifying 520,000 of Hacks

Hackers claim Volkswagen dealer data is for sale | Cybernews

One of Sudan’s last flying airlines breached, say hackers​ | Cybernews

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

Trend Micro issues warning over rise of 'vibe crime' as cyber criminals turn to agentic AI to automate attacks | IT Pro

Global Scams, From Southeast Asia's Pig Butchering to Russia's 'Black Widows'

European cops arrest 193 'violence-as-a-service' suspects • The Register

Contractors with hacking records accused of wiping 96 govt databases

Ex-teen hackers warn parents are clueless as children steal ‘millions’ – DataBreaches.Net

National cybercrime network operating for 14 years dismantled in Indonesia | TechRadar

British threat actor ‘Danish Zulfiqar’ rumored to have been arrested and $18.58M crypto assets seized - Cryptopolitan

How old is the average hacker? What does a new research report suggest? (1) – DataBreaches.Net

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

California man admits role in $263 million cryptocurrency theft that funded lavish lifestyle

Threat Actors Deploying CoinMiner Malware via USB Drives Infecting Workstations

British threat actor ‘Danish Zulfiqar’ rumored to have been arrested and $18.58M crypto assets seized - Cryptopolitan

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

Human-Centric Cyber Risks Surge as AI Enters the Workforce, Report Finds - IT Security Guru

KnowBe4 Research Reveals 96% of Organizations Struggle to Secure the Human Element as AI Transforms the NexGen Workforce

Insurance

Cyber insurance claims in 2024 tripled. UK firms are vulnerable

UK ransomware payment ban could ‘significantly shift’ cyber market :: Insurance Day

Supply Chain and Third Parties

Shai-Hulud 2.0: Guidance for detecting, investigating, and defending against the supply chain attack | Microsoft Security Blog

NHS taking legal action after patient and staff data stolen in cyber attack | The Independent

Barts Health NHS discloses data breach after Oracle zero-day hack

UK Hospital Asks Court to Stymie Ransomware Data Leak

Software Supply Chain

'PyStoreRAT' malware uses fake developer tools on GitHub to infect Windows systems - SiliconANGLE

Malware Discovered in 19 Visual Studio Code Extensions - Infosecurity Magazine

Researchers Find Malicious VS Code, Go, npm, and Rust Packages Stealing Developer Data

Cloud/SaaS

Shai-Hulud 2.0: Guidance for detecting, investigating, and defending against the supply chain attack | Microsoft Security Blog

New Vishing Attack Leverages Microsoft Teams Call and QuickAssist to Deploy .NET Malware

NANOREMOTE Malware Uses Google Drive API for Hidden Control on Windows Systems

Swiss Government Sounds The Alarm Bell Over Cloud Storage Security Risks

US charges former Accenture employee with misleading feds on cloud platform’s security - Nextgov/FCW

Microsoft investigates Copilot outage affecting users in Europe

Outages

Cloudflare Outage Caused by React2Shell Mitigations - SecurityWeek

Microsoft investigates Copilot outage affecting users in Europe

Porsche outage in Russia serves as a reminder of the risks in connected vehicle security

Encryption

CISOs Should Be Asking These Quantum Questions Today

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

New wave of VPN login attempts targets Palo Alto GlobalProtect portals

Over 10,000 Docker Hub images found leaking credentials, auth keys

Death to one-time text codes: Passkeys are the new hotness • The Register

Should you stop logging in through Google and Facebook? Consider these SSO risks vs. benefits | ZDNET

Social Media

EU fines X $140 million over deceptive blue checkmarks

How to prove you're not a deepfake on Zoom: LinkedIn's 'verified' badge is now free for all platforms | ZDNET

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

Portugal updates cybercrime law to exempt security researchers

UK finally vows to look at 35-year-old Computer Misuse Act • The Register

UK fines LastPass £1.2 million for data breach affecting 1.6 million people | The Record from Recorded Future News

Are we mistaking regulation for resilience? | Computer Weekly

UK Unveils Cybersecurity Bill: Major Overhaul for Critical Infrastructure Operators Coming? | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP - JDSupra

Briefing: Online Safety Act Parliamentary Petition Debate | Open Rights Group

What 35 years of privacy law say about the state of data protection - Help Net Security

EU fines X $140 million over deceptive blue checkmarks

Defense bill addresses secure phones, AI training, cyber troop mental health | CyberScoop

UK.gov rejects £1.8B digital ID cost, offers no alternative • The Register

Porn company starts new age checks after £1m fine - BBC News

UK porn traffic down since beginning of age checks but VPN use up, says Ofcom | Pornography | The Guardian

UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill: pragmatic overhaul or regulatory overload? | Osborne Clarke

UK ransomware payment ban could ‘significantly shift’ cyber market :: Insurance Day

Uneven regulatory demands expose gaps in mobile security - Help Net Security

Trump Signs Executive Order to Block State AI Regulations - SecurityWeek

‘Report fraud’ service replaces Action Fraud as UK’s official reporting portal

On cyber, Trump’s national security strategy emphasizes industry and regional partners | The Record from Recorded Future News

UK ICO Demands “Urgent Clarity” on Facial Recognition Bias Claims - Infosecurity Magazine

Flipping the NIS2 Switch: What Germany's Implementation Means for 2026 Compliance | Morrison & Foerster LLP - JDSupra

The implementation of the NIS-2 Directive in Germany – What are the deviations from the NIS-2 Directive? | Osborne Clarke

Models, Frameworks and Standards

OWASP Project Publishes List of Top Ten AI Agent Threats - Security Boulevard

NIST Plans to Build Threat and Mitigation Taxonomy for AI Agents - Security Boulevard

Flipping the NIS2 Switch: What Germany's Implementation Means for 2026 Compliance | Morrison & Foerster LLP - JDSupra

UK Unveils Cybersecurity Bill: Major Overhaul for Critical Infrastructure Operators Coming? | Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP - JDSupra

Porn company starts new age checks after £1m fine - BBC News

UK porn traffic down since beginning of age checks but VPN use up, says Ofcom | Pornography | The Guardian

Briefing: Online Safety Act Parliamentary Petition Debate | Open Rights Group

Germany implements NIS2 – What you need to know now, Theresa Ehlen, Lutz Riede, Christoph Werkmeister, Julia Utzerath

The implementation of the NIS-2 Directive in Germany – What are the deviations from the NIS-2 Directive? | Osborne Clarke

Data Protection

What 35 years of privacy law say about the state of data protection - Help Net Security

Cybersecurity Leaders Put Data Protection and Response at the Top of the 2026 Agenda.

Careers, Roles, Skills, Working in Cyber and Information Security

Why An Engineering-Focused CISO Can Be a Liability

Why Losing One Security Engineer Can Break Your Defences | SC Media UK

88% of Cybersecurity Professionals Impacted by Skills Gap

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

European cops arrest 193 'violence-as-a-service' suspects • The Register

UK ICO Demands “Urgent Clarity” on Facial Recognition Bias Claims - Infosecurity Magazine

US charges former Accenture employee with misleading feds on cloud platform’s security - Nextgov/FCW

California man admits role in $263 million cryptocurrency theft that funded lavish lifestyle

National cybercrime network operating for 14 years dismantled in Indonesia | TechRadar

Spain arrests teen who stole 64 million personal data records

British threat actor ‘Danish Zulfiqar’ rumored to have been arrested and $18.58M crypto assets seized - Cryptopolitan

Russian police bust bank-account hacking gang that used NFCGate-based malware | The Record from Recorded Future News

Myanmar's army says it wants to eradicate scam compounds. Is it really doing that? - BBC News

Poland charges Ukrainians found in possession of hacking equipment | Notes From Poland

US extradites Ukrainian accused of hacking for Russia • The Register

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

Key barrier to online fraud can be bypassed for pennies, say researchers - CNA

Bots, bias, and bunk: How to tell what's real on the net • The Register

UK on frontline of new information war as Russia floods social media with fake videos - The Mirror


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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

NATO prepares for hybrid threats: Alliance Commander-in-Chief reveals details | УНН

Chinese cyberspies target VMware vSphere for long-term persistence | CSO Online

Minister to issue sobering warning about Putin's 'cyber army' in the UK | News UK | Metro News

UK calls on Europe to counter Russia's expanding info wars • The Register

When Do Cyber Campaigns Cross a Line? | Lawfare

EU leaders to push defense readiness amid Russia ‘hybrid attack’ warnings – POLITICO

UK launches hybrid fighting force to secure undersea cables • The Register

How Europe can turn the tide on Russia's underwater warfare

China using cyber weapons for societal havoc, chaos in US | The Jerusalem Post

Gaps and Seams in the Law of Armed Conflict for AI-Enabled Cyber Operations - Lieber Institute West Point

Ukraine’s wartime experience provides blueprint for infrastructure protection - Atlantic Council

Nation State Actors

Have you been targeted by state-sponsored hackers? Apple, Google issue fresh alerts | Cybernews

Apple, Google issue fresh global alerts over state-backed cyber threats | World News - Business Standard

China

Chinese cyberspies target VMware vSphere for long-term persistence | CSO Online

Britain sanctions Russian, Chinese entities over disinfo, cyber threats - CNA

UK Sanctions Russian and Chinese Firms Suspected of Being ‘Malign Actors’ in Information Warfare - SecurityWeek

React2Shell Vulnerability Under Attack From China-Nexus Groups

2 Men Linked to China’s Salt Typhoon Hacker Group Likely Trained in a Cisco ‘Academy’ | WIRED

Trump prioritizing trade with China over cyber war, Salt Typhoon goes unpunished | Cybernews

China using cyber weapons for societal havoc, chaos in US | The Jerusalem Post

As White House moves to send AI chips to China, Trump’s DOJ prosecutes chip smugglers | CyberScoop

Experts sound alarm on Chinese-made electronics that can be weaponized to trigger blackouts in the US | The Independent

China’s Intelligence Chief Outlines Hardline Five-Year Security Plan - StratNews Global

Russia

Russia’s hybrid warfare puts Europe to the test

Britain sanctions Russian, Chinese entities over disinfo, cyber threats - CNA

UK Sanctions Russian and Chinese Firms Suspected of Being ‘Malign Actors’ in Information Warfare - SecurityWeek

NATO prepares for hybrid threats: Alliance Commander-in-Chief reveals details | УНН

Minister to issue sobering warning about Putin's 'cyber army' in the UK | News UK | Metro News

EU leaders to push defense readiness amid Russia ‘hybrid attack’ warnings – POLITICO

UK launches hybrid fighting force to secure undersea cables • The Register

How Europe can turn the tide on Russia's underwater warfare

Ukraine’s wartime experience provides blueprint for infrastructure protection - Atlantic Council

Russian police bust bank-account hacking gang that used NFCGate-based malware | The Record from Recorded Future News

US extradites Ukrainian accused of hacking for Russia • The Register

Tehran and Moscow sign deal on AI, cybersecurity | Iran International

Harbadus attacks Andvaria: cyber war game tests Nato defences against Russia | Nato | The Guardian

Cyber Attack on Reporters Without Borders Linked to Russian Security Services

Critical Infrastructure at Risk: Pro-Russia Hacktivist Campaigns Against Dams and Water Systems - NS Energy

US Warns of Ongoing Pro-Russia Critical Infrastructure Hacks

Porsche outage in Russia serves as a reminder of the risks in connected vehicle security

Russia allegedly still using Starlink-guided drones in Ukraine, report claims — Starlink Mini strapped to grounded drone points to ongoing issue, despite U.S. DoD claims threat was blunted | Tom's Hardware

Aeroflot hack explained: report says infrastructure was nearly destroyed | Cybernews

Cyberattack Reportedly Paralyzes Russia’s Military Registration Database - The Moscow Times

Iran

US Posts $10 Million Bounty for Iranian Hackers - SecurityWeek

Tehran and Moscow sign deal on AI, cybersecurity | Iran International

MuddyWater Deploys UDPGangster Backdoor in Targeted Turkey-Israel-Azerbaijan Campaign

North Korea

Apple, Google issue fresh global alerts over state-backed cyber threats | World News - Business Standard

React2Shell Exploit Campaigns Tied to North Korean Cyber Tactics - Infosecurity Magazine

North Korean hackers exploit React2Shell flaw in EtherRAT malware attacks

Imposter for hire: How fake people can gain very real access | Microsoft Security Blog

Lazarus Group: The $2.1 Billion Cyber Threat and Your Defense Strategy - Security Boulevard

Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence

Danish intelligence classifies Trump’s America as a security risk – POLITICO

Intellexa Leaks Reveal Zero-Days and Ads-Based Vector for Predator Spyware Delivery

Predator Spyware Maker Intellexa Evades Sanctions - Infosecurity Magazine

Apple, Google Send New Round of Cyber Threat Notifications to Users


Tools and Controls

Nearly two-thirds of organisations to increase cybersecurity investments in 2026: Marsh - Reinsurance News

Researchers Uncover 30+ Flaws in AI Coding Tools Enabling Data Theft and RCE Attacks

Block all AI browsers for the foreseeable future: Gartner • The Register

Researchers spot 700 percent increase in hypervisor attacks • The Register

Ransomware Targeting Hyper-V and VMware ESXi Surges as Akira Group Exploits System Vulnerabilities

When it comes to security resilience, cheaper isn’t always better | CSO Online

UK porn traffic down since beginning of age checks but VPN use up, says Ofcom | Pornography | The Guardian

Briefing: Online Safety Act Parliamentary Petition Debate | Open Rights Group

UK fines LastPass £1.2 million for data breach affecting 1.6 million people | The Record from Recorded Future News

New wave of VPN login attempts targets Palo Alto GlobalProtect portals

Ransomware IAB abuses EDR for stealthy malware execution

Packer-as-a-Service Shanya Hides Ransomware, Kills EDR

DeadLock Ransomware Uses BYOVD to Evade Security Measures - Infosecurity Magazine

NVIDIA research shows how agentic AI fails under attack - Help Net Security

Resilience is the new currency | Professional Security Magazine

CISOs are spending big and still losing ground - Help Net Security

Cyber budget cuts are slowing down, but that doesn't mean there's light on the horizon for security teams | IT Pro

US charges former Accenture employee with misleading feds on cloud platform’s security - Nextgov/FCW

Are we mistaking regulation for resilience? | Computer Weekly

Ransomware gangs turn to Shanya EXE packer to hide EDR killers

MITRE Posts Results of 2025 ATT&CK Enterprise Evaluations - SecurityWeek

Harbadus attacks Andvaria: cyber war game tests Nato defences against Russia | Nato | The Guardian

15 years in, zero trust remains elusive — with AI rising to complicate the challenge | CSO Online

Reports Published in the Last Week

Human-Centric Cyber Risks Surge as AI Enters the Workforce, Report Finds - IT Security Guru

KnowBe4 Research Reveals 96% of Organizations Struggle to Secure the Human Element as AI Transforms the NexGen Workforce

Other News

The hidden dynamics shaping who produces influential cybersecurity research - Help Net Security

Analysts Warn of Cybersecurity Risks in Humanoid Robots

'Botnets in physical form' are top humanoid robot risk • The Register

'Cyber security is no longer just an IT issue': QBE urges cross-functional cyber prep | Insurance Business

Need for 'attacking mindset' as major cyber hacks up 50 per cent | In Cumbria

Porn Is Being Injected Into Government Websites Via Malicious PDFs

National Crime Agency leaflet given to pupils linked to 'explicit sexual content' - BBC News

Surviving system meltdowns and cyber attacks - Monevator

Cybersecurity’s New Power Dynamics | Goodwin - JDSupra

‘Report fraud’ service replaces Action Fraud as UK’s official reporting portal

How Can Retailers Cyber-Prepare for the Most Vulnerable Time of the Year?

Cyber risk is the most pressing threat to Irish businesses

Fire Stick users receive warning message while illegally streaming as crackdown begins

Aeroflot hack explained: report says infrastructure was nearly destroyed | Cybernews

Why Singapore remains cautious over naming state actors in cyber-attacks - Yahoo News Singapore


Vulnerability Management

Why bug bounty schemes have not led to secure software | Computer Weekly

MITRE shares 2025's top 25 most dangerous software weaknesses

Vulnerabilities

North Korean hackers exploit React2Shell flaw in EtherRAT malware attacks

React2Shell Vulnerability Under Attack From China-Nexus Groups

Cloudflare blames Friday outage on borked React2shell fix • The Register

Wide Range of Malware Delivered in React2Shell Attacks - SecurityWeek

Attacks pinned to critical React2Shell defect surge, surpass 50 confirmed victims | CyberScoop

Microsoft Patches 57 Vulnerabilities, Three Zero-Days - SecurityWeek

Microsoft releases Windows 10 KB5071546 extended security update

Intel, AMD Processors Affected by PCIe Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

React2Shell Exploit Campaigns Tied to North Korean Cyber Tactics - Infosecurity Magazine

Intel, AMD Processors Affected by PCIe Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

Ivanti Security Update: Patch for Code Execution Vulnerabilities in Endpoint Manager

Adobe Patches Nearly 140 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

Google fixes eighth Chrome zero-day exploited in attacks in 2025

Google Patches Mysterious Chrome Zero-Day Exploited in the Wild - SecurityWeek

Google Fixes Gemini Enterprise Flaw That Exposed Corporate Data - Infosecurity Magazine

Microsoft won’t fix .NET RCE bug affecting enterprise apps • The Register

This 30-year-old app is somehow still one of the biggest security risks on Windows

IBM Patches Over 100 Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

Microsoft Outlook Vulnerability Let Attackers Execute Malicious Code Remotely

Maximum-severity XXE vulnerability discovered in Apache Tika

Apache warns of 10.0-rated flaw in Tika metadata toolkit • The Register

Fortinet warns of critical FortiCloud SSO login auth bypass flaws

SAP fixes three critical vulnerabilities across multiple products

Firefox 146 adds Windows backup, improved privacy, and security fixes | PCWorld

Critical Gogs zero-day under attack, 700 servers hacked

Hackers Actively Exploiting ArrayOS AG VPN Vulnerability to Deploy Webshells

Hackers abuse Notepad++ updater | Cybernews

Warning: WinRAR Vulnerability CVE-2025-6218 Under Active Attack by Multiple Threat Groups

Google Fortifies Chrome Agentic AI Against Indirect Prompt Injection Attacks - SecurityWeek

700+ self-hosted Git instances battered in 0-day attacks • The Register


Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime & Shipping

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

·       OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3


Contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to external articles are provided for general interest and awareness only. Linking to or reposting external content does not constitute endorsement of or by any organisation, service, or product. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, security, or availability of external websites or links. Full credit is given to the original authors and sources. E&OE.

 

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Black Arrow Cyber Advisory 10 December 2025 - Security Updates from Microsoft, SAP, Adobe, Fortinet, Google Android, Ivanti, React.js