Exposed Dixell/Copeland XWEB PRO refrigeration controllers with unpatched vulnerabilities, notably CVE-2026-25085, are being exploited as part of an SMTP botnet. These industrial control devices, commonly used in supermarkets and cold storage, are abused as tunnel gateways, residential proxy exits, and spam senders. Analysis shows coordinated outbound SMTP traffic targeting overlapping mail lists, indicating organized malicious use. The vulnerable devices lack security monitoring, enabling prolonged exploitation without detection.
Over 100 stores across multiple European countries experienced cyberattacks targeting internet-exposed refrigeration controllers, causing fridges and freezers to heat up and spoil food. The attacks affected stores in Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, and other countries, with some units set as high as 50°C. The incidents resemble a prior wave of attacks in France that disrupted around 700 supermarkets. The compromised devices include legacy Danfoss and Copeland refrigeration controllers, many of which have management interfaces exposed to the internet and lack available patches. The attackers exploited default credentials and internet exposure to force refrigeration units into defrost mode. Physical modifications alongside software updates are needed to fully mitigate the vulnerability. Investigations are ongoing, and no group has claimed responsibility.
VAPOR PANDA initiated a global espionage campaign starting October 17, 2026, leveraging the AI-driven ARTEX framework along with DeepSeek and commercial large language models to conduct simultaneous intrusions against over 200 organizations worldwide. Targets included foreign ministries in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as U.S. semiconductor, defense, pharmaceutical, nuclear, and telecommunications sectors. The adversary deployed the BLOODALCHEMY backdoor, performed credential spraying, and directed AI agents to identify systems lacking endpoint security sensors. This campaign marks a shift from single intrusions to multiple autonomous attack paths coordinated by AI agents under human strategic guidance in Chinese. It highlights the use of open-source AI combined with commercial LLMs to scale intrusion operations beyond manual capabilities.
Infoblox attributes the Help Traffic Distribution System (TDS) to Hotejka, a small Russian-language affiliate program believed to be a rebrand of ROI777, which was exposed in 2018. Operating since April 2017, this TDS delivers tech support scams directing users to call centers where social engineering convinces victims to install remote desktop tools like UltraViewer, enabling persistent access for malicious activities. Hotejka's affiliates include Balada Injector, Detour Dog, and DollyWay, who redirect traffic through compromised websites, malvertising, social media, and spam. Since April 2026, operations have leveraged free Cloudflare Pages infrastructure, creating approximately 300 new domains daily. Infoblox developed predictive detection capabilities that identify malicious domains seven days before deployment, successfully detecting over 16,000 domains and reducing customer exposure from 4% to 0.5%. The scam employs browser locks with alarming warnings impersonating Microsoft, ultimately leading vict...
A cyberattack targeted refrigeration controllers in hundreds of European supermarkets, causing refrigerators and freezers to defrost by raising temperatures to 50°C. The attack affected major supermarket chains including Auchan, Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Intermarché, Monoprix, and Cooperative U, with most damage in France and additional impacts in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. The attackers exploited vulnerabilities in Danfoss refrigeration controllers, leading to significant food spoilage and financial losses estimated in the millions of euros. The incident followed a recent disclosure of vulnerabilities in the Danfoss AK-SM 800A management platform, which could allow remote code execution and configuration manipulation. It is unclear if the disclosed vulnerabilities were exploited in this attack. Recovery efforts are ongoing, and investigations are underway.
Operation Master is a sophisticated cybercrime campaign exploiting a GlobalProtect authentication bypass vulnerability (CVE-2026-0257) to compromise enterprise networks across multiple countries. The attackers conducted extensive network scanning to identify high-value targets, executed SQL injection attacks with privilege escalation to steal databases, and exfiltrated Active Directory credentials. They monetized stolen data by selling it on underground forums and operating a multi-tenant automated invoice fraud platform that sent millions of phishing messages and fraudulent links. The operation employed advanced phishing techniques including M365 OAuth device-code phishing and voice-based credential harvesting, with payments collected via PIX through serverless proxies.
A suspected Chinese-speaking threat actor linked to Red Heron conducted extensive exploitation campaigns from May to September 2026. The attacker exploited multiple vulnerabilities in WordPress (CVE-2026-63030, CVE-2026-60137) to breach a western government organization, stealing over 18,000 sensitive records including credentials and personally identifiable information. Additionally, the actor exploited CVE-2026-7273 in ZyXEL GS1900 switches, compromising 996 devices across 48 countries and exfiltrating configurations and credentials. The adversary demonstrated sophisticated capabilities such as custom tool development possibly using large language models, privilege escalation, and systematic data exfiltration via PowerShell-based techniques.
The GrelosGTM cybercriminal group abuses the legitimate functionality of Google Tag Manager to compromise e-commerce websites, primarily those running Magento CMS. Since early 2020, they have injected malicious Google Tag Manager scripts that load multi-stage JavaScript payloads via WebSocket connections. The final payload is a heavily obfuscated JavaScript sniffer designed to steal payment card information during checkout through fake payment forms. Stolen data is exfiltrated to attacker-controlled servers. The campaign has affected at least seven websites across Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Iranian-linked cyber-espionage group Tortoiseshell has expanded its malware toolkit with a new reverse SSH tunneling utility disguised as wtsapi32.dll and a C++ backdoor similar to TWOSTROKE malware. The SSH tunnel uses the Windows OpenSSH client to connect to command-and-control servers. The backdoor supports executing files, shell commands, in-memory DLL execution, and file manipulation. Infrastructure analysis shows domains linked to multiple countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK, Belgium, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the United States, indicating broader targeting beyond the Middle East and US defense and military sectors. The group has been active since 2018 and maintains persistent infrastructure despite domain suspensions. No known exploits in the wild or patches are reported.
Kratos is a mature Phishing-as-a-Service operation targeting Microsoft 365 users across the United States, Europe, and other regions. The platform enables attackers to steal credentials through trusted platforms, anti-bot verification, and convincing login pages. Researchers traced three generations of the kit and uncovered 1,484 previously unattributed detonations. The operation targets organizations across more than 20 countries with particularly strong concentration in the US, Spain, and Southern Europe. Kratos includes an operator panel allowing deployment of phishing domains, configurable Telegram or email delivery, geographic restrictions, and multiple anti-bot systems. The kit has evolved through three page generations (V0, V1, V2) with different exfiltration code. Activity has been visible since January 2026, with the operator panel active since September 2025.
Tomorrowland Belgium 2026, spanning two weekends in July at De Schorre in Boom, sold out rapidly, creating opportunities for cybercriminals. Investigation uncovered approximately a dozen fraudulent websites impersonating the festival brand to target ticket seekers and travellers. These scams include fake ticket shops mimicking official sales with countdown timers and fraudulent biometric checks, travel sites offering bogus accommodation and transport packages, and affiliate schemes. The operations harvest complete identity data, payment credentials, and personal information through sophisticated social engineering. Victims lose money with no recourse, face identity theft risks, and ultimately receive invalid or non-existent tickets. The scammers exploit high demand, tight supply, and rushed purchasing decisions, with sites registered weeks in advance and pushed hardest when official tickets are sold out.
Lidl disclosed a data breach affecting customers in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands due to a hack of a third-party service provider. Attackers accessed and stole personal information from a separately stored file containing customer data related to Lidl's online shop. The online shop systems themselves were not compromised. Stolen data includes customer names, contact details, dates of birth, and customer numbers, with potential but unconfirmed exposure of passwords, billing, delivery addresses, and payment information. Lidl has notified affected customers and relevant authorities and warned about possible phishing attempts.
Beginning in August 2025, a sophisticated intrusion was discovered where attackers used log poisoning techniques to deploy a web shell on vulnerable phpMyAdmin panels. The threat actors exploited misconfigured web applications to plant China Chopper web shells, controlled via AntSword, before deploying Nezha, an open-source monitoring tool, to facilitate remote command execution. This led to the deployment of Ghost RAT on compromised systems. Analysis revealed over 100 compromised machines, predominantly located in Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong. The attackers demonstrated technical proficiency through multi-stage operations, utilizing AWS and VPS infrastructure, with indicators pointing to China-nexus threat actors. The campaign highlights increasing abuse of legitimate publicly available tools to achieve malicious objectives while maintaining plausible deniability.
European governments are transitioning from encrypted messaging applications like Signal and WhatsApp to sovereign Matrix-based solutions. This shift follows successful phishing campaigns, primarily attributed to Russian intelligence services, exploiting Signal's linked devices feature to gain persistent access to political communications. While Signal was initially recommended for external communications, scope creep led to its widespread use for sensitive statecraft discussions. Matrix-based systems offer advantages including federated architecture, government-controlled identity platforms, and customizable data retention policies. However, these homegrown solutions introduce new security vulnerabilities and implementation challenges. The walled-garden nature of current sovereign systems limits their utility for international diplomacy, suggesting Signal will continue to be used for communications with external parties despite the security concerns.
Since mid-2025, China-aligned threat actor TA416 has resumed targeting European government and diplomatic organizations after a two-year operational shift to Southeast Asia. The campaigns primarily focused on diplomatic missions to the EU and NATO, using web bug reconnaissance and malware delivery through compromised accounts and attacker-controlled infrastructure. In March 2026, TA416 expanded operations to Middle Eastern diplomatic entities following the Iran conflict outbreak. Throughout this period, the actor continuously evolved infection chains, utilizing fake Cloudflare Turnstile pages, OAuth redirect abuse, and C# project files to deliver a customized PlugX backdoor via DLL sideloading. The group employed both broad reconnaissance campaigns and targeted malware delivery, demonstrating sophisticated tradecraft including use of re-registered legitimate domains and cloud infrastructure for command and control operations.
The ShinyHunters hacker group claimed to have stolen over 350GB of information from European Commission cloud systems. The post European Commission Reports Cyber Intrusion and Data Theft appeared first on SecurityWeek .
The sanctions target two Chinese individuals, two Chinese companies, and one Iranian firm involved in hacking EU member states. The post EU Sanctions Chinese, Iranian Firms Supporting Hacking Operations appeared first on SecurityWeek .
A sophisticated new malware called KadNap has been discovered targeting Asus routers and conscripting them into a botnet for proxying malicious traffic. The malware employs a custom version of the Kademlia Distributed Hash Table protocol to conceal its command-and-control infrastructure within a peer-to-peer system, evading traditional network monitoring. The botnet, which has grown to over 14,000 infected devices, is marketed by a proxy service called Doppelganger, tailored for criminal activity. More than 60% of KadNap's victims are based in the United States. The malware demonstrates versatility by targeting various edge networking devices and employing different C2 servers for different victim types.
Check Point Research has identified a Chinese-nexus advanced persistent threat group named Silver Dragon, targeting organizations in Southeast Asia and Europe since mid-2024. The group, likely operating under APT41, exploits public-facing servers and uses phishing emails for initial access. They deploy custom tools including GearDoor, a backdoor using Google Drive for command and control, SSHcmd for remote access, and SilverScreen for covert screen monitoring. Silver Dragon primarily focuses on government entities, utilizing Cobalt Strike beacons and DNS tunneling for communication. The group's sophisticated tactics and evolving toolkit demonstrate a well-resourced and adaptable threat actor.
Key Findings Introduction In recent months, Check Point Research (CPR) has been tracking a sophisticated, Chinese-aligned threat group whose activity demonstrates operational correlation with campaigns previously associated with APT41. We have designated this activity cluster as Silver Dragon. This group actively targets organizations in Southeast Asia and Europe, with a particular focus on government entities. […] The post Silver Dragon Targets Organizations in Southeast Asia and Europe appeared first on Check Point Research .
