A phishing campaign is abusing Google Cloud applications to impersonate legitimate Google emails, deceiving recipients into trusting malicious messages. Attackers leverage the credibility of Google Cloud infrastructure to bypass traditional email security filters and increase the success rate of phishing attempts. This technique enables threat actors to send emails that appear authentic, potentially leading to credential theft, malware deployment, or further social engineering attacks. The campaign is currently assessed as medium severity due to its potential impact and ease of exploitation without requiring user interaction beyond opening the email. European organizations, especially those heavily reliant on Google Workspace and cloud services, face increased risk. Mitigation requires enhanced email filtering, user awareness training focused on recognizing subtle phishing cues, and strict verification of email sources even when messages appear to come from trusted domains. Countries with high adoption of Google services and significant cloud infrastructure usage, such as the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, are most likely to be targeted. Given the campaign's use of trusted cloud platforms to impersonate legitimate emails, defenders must remain vigilant and implement layered security controls to reduce exposure.
The VVS Discord Stealer is a Python-based malware designed to exfiltrate sensitive Discord user data including credentials and tokens. It uses Pyarmor with BCC mode and AES-128-CTR encryption to heavily obfuscate its code, evading detection by static and dynamic analysis tools. The malware decrypts encrypted Discord tokens, queries Discord APIs for user information, injects malicious JavaScript into the Discord client to intercept active sessions, and extracts data from multiple web browsers. It achieves persistence by configuring itself to run at system startup and deceives victims by displaying a fake error message. While no known exploits or CVEs are reported, its capabilities pose a medium severity threat. The stealer primarily targets Windows environments where Discord and browsers are installed and relies on user interaction, likely via social engineering. European organizations with significant Discord usage, especially in technology, gaming, media, and education sectors, face risks of credential theft, unauthorized access, data leakage, and operational disruption. Detection requires behavioral and heuristic analysis due to strong obfuscation techniques.
A newly disclosed Windows persistence technique leverages NTUSER. MAN file writes to achieve registry-based persistence without triggering registry callback detections in Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) systems. This method bypasses common monitoring mechanisms by avoiding direct registry calls to HKCU, making it stealthy and effective for medium integrity persistence. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the technique poses a medium severity risk due to its evasion capabilities and potential for undetected persistence. European organizations relying on Windows environments and EDR solutions that monitor registry callbacks should be aware of this threat. Mitigation requires enhanced monitoring of NTUSER. MAN file modifications and behavioral analysis beyond traditional registry callback detection. Countries with high Windows adoption and advanced cyber threat landscapes, such as Germany, France, and the UK, are likely more exposed. The technique’s stealth and ease of implementation elevate its risk profile, warranting proactive defensive measures.
Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin have admitted being affiliates of the BlackCat/Alphv ransomware group. The post Two US Cybersecurity Pros Plead Guilty Over Ransomware Attacks appeared first on SecurityWeek .
The Qilin ransomware group hacked the healthcare organization and stole data from its systems in May 2025. The post Covenant Health Data Breach Impacts 478,000 Individuals appeared first on SecurityWeek .
GreyNoise has observed thousands of requests targeting a dozen vulnerabilities in Adobe ColdFusion during the Christmas 2025 holiday. The post Adobe ColdFusion Servers Targeted in Coordinated Campaign appeared first on SecurityWeek .
A new automated red-team tool has been developed to identify critical vulnerabilities in AI applications that integrate large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-4. The tool focuses on discovering prompt injection or jailbreak attacks, system prompt leaks, and potential leakage of personally identifiable information (PII) from the model's context or training data. Early tests on AI startups revealed prompt leaks within minutes, highlighting the immature state of LLM security. This threat exposes significant risks including unauthorized command execution, data exposure, and compromise of AI system integrity. European organizations adopting AI solutions without robust security controls may face data breaches and operational disruptions. Mitigation requires specialized security assessments tailored to LLM-based applications, including prompt sanitization, strict access controls, and continuous monitoring. Countries with high AI adoption and technology sectors, such as Germany, France, and the UK, are particularly at risk. Given the critical impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability and ease of exploitation without authentication, the severity is assessed as critical. Defenders must prioritize securing AI integrations to prevent exploitation of these novel attack surfaces.
The RondoDox botnet exploits a critical vulnerability known as React2Shell to compromise IoT devices and web servers. This flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, enabling the hijacking of vulnerable systems to incorporate them into the botnet. Although no specific affected versions or patches have been disclosed yet, the threat is considered critical due to the potential scale and impact. European organizations operating IoT infrastructure or web services are at risk, especially those with devices lacking timely security updates. The botnet could be leveraged for large-scale DDoS attacks, data exfiltration, or further network infiltration. Mitigation requires proactive network monitoring, segmentation of IoT devices, and rapid deployment of vendor patches once available. Countries with high IoT adoption and significant web infrastructure, such as Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands, are most likely to be targeted. Given the ease of exploitation and critical impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, the suggested severity is critical. Defenders should prioritize detection and containment efforts immediately to prevent widespread compromise.
DeedRAT is a sophisticated backdoor associated with the Chinese APT group Salt Typhoon, targeting critical sectors globally. It infiltrates systems through phishing campaigns, utilizing DLL sideloading to evade detection. The malware establishes persistence via registry run keys and service creation, ensuring long-term access. DeedRAT's capabilities include file manipulation, system reconnaissance, and payload execution. The infection chain involves three files: a legitimate executable, a malicious DLL, and an encrypted file. Once installed, it attempts to connect to its command-and-control server. Defensive measures include monitoring email traffic, registry changes, and anomalous service creations.
A hacker claims to have breached the European Space Agency (ESA) and is selling 200GB of stolen data. The breach was disclosed via a Reddit post linking to an external news source, but technical details and verification remain minimal. The compromised data volume suggests a significant exfiltration of sensitive information, potentially impacting ESA's confidentiality and operational security. No known exploits or vulnerabilities have been publicly identified, and there is no evidence of active exploitation beyond the data sale claim. European organizations, especially those in aerospace and governmental sectors, could face increased risk from secondary attacks leveraging this breach. Mitigation requires immediate internal investigation, enhanced monitoring for data exfiltration, and tightening of access controls. Countries with strong aerospace sectors and ESA involvement, such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, are most likely to be affected. Given the high potential impact on confidentiality and the strategic importance of ESA, the suggested severity is high. Defenders should prioritize verifying the breach, assessing data sensitivity, and preparing incident response plans accordingly.
In 2025, there was a significant increase in rogue ScreenConnect installations, part of a broader trend of threat actors abusing remote monitoring and management tools (RMMs). These tools were used to gain access, blend in, move laterally, and maintain persistence in target systems. Attackers employed various social engineering tactics to trick employees into downloading malicious RMMs. Common lures included fake Social Security statements, invitations, and financial documents. The Huntress Security Operations Center identified recurring patterns in lures, domains, and file hashes associated with these attacks. Some campaigns showed signs of targeting specific industries, such as accounting firms. The article provides detailed examples of attack patterns, top malicious domains, and file hashes observed throughout the year.
The DarkSpectre browser extension campaigns have compromised approximately 8.8 million users worldwide by distributing malicious browser extensions. These campaigns involve extensions that likely perform unauthorized data collection, user tracking, or other malicious activities, impacting user privacy and security. Although no specific affected versions or exploits in the wild are detailed, the scale of impact and exposure indicates a high-severity threat. European organizations using popular browsers susceptible to these extensions are at risk of data leakage and potential downstream attacks. The threat does not require user authentication but likely depends on user installation of malicious extensions, making user awareness critical. Mitigation involves proactive monitoring of browser extensions, enforcing strict extension policies, and educating users about risks. Countries with high browser usage and significant digital economies, such as Germany, France, and the UK, are most likely to be affected. Given the broad impact on confidentiality and potential integrity of user data, ease of exploitation through extension installation, and large affected user base, this threat is assessed as high severity. Defenders should prioritize detection and removal of these extensions and strengthen endpoint security controls.
Hackers exploited a multisignature (multisig) wallet vulnerability in the Unleash Protocol, resulting in the theft of approximately $3.9 million. The attack involved hijacking control over the multisig wallet, which is designed to require multiple approvals for transactions, thereby bypassing its intended security. This incident highlights risks associated with multisig wallet management and governance in decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. Although no specific CVEs or patches are currently available, the breach demonstrates a high-severity threat due to the large financial loss and potential for similar attacks on other DeFi protocols. European organizations involved in blockchain, cryptocurrency, or DeFi services could face significant financial and reputational damage if targeted. Mitigation requires robust multisig wallet security practices, including strict key management, enhanced access controls, and continuous monitoring for suspicious activity. Countries with active blockchain ecosystems and financial hubs, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK, are most likely to be affected. Given the attack's impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of funds, ease of exploitation through governance compromise, and lack of user interaction, the suggested severity is high. Defenders should prioritize securing multisig wallets and governance processes to prevent similar hijacks.
The RondoDox botnet is actively exploiting a vulnerability known as React2Shell to compromise Next.js servers. This flaw allows attackers to breach server environments running Next.js, a popular React framework for server-side rendering. Although no CVSS score is assigned, the threat is rated high severity due to the potential for unauthorized access and control over affected servers. The exploitation enables attackers to deploy botnet activities, which can lead to data breaches, service disruption, and further lateral movement within compromised networks. European organizations using Next.js for web applications are at risk, especially those in countries with high adoption of modern web technologies. Mitigation requires immediate patching once available, network segmentation, and monitoring for unusual outbound traffic indicative of botnet command and control. Countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands are likely to be most affected due to their large tech sectors and extensive use of Next.
The Everest ransomware group has reportedly leaked 1TB of stolen data from ASUS, a major technology company. This incident involves a significant data breach resulting from a ransomware attack, where attackers exfiltrated sensitive corporate data before encrypting systems. Although no specific affected versions or exploited vulnerabilities are detailed, the leak highlights the ongoing threat ransomware groups pose to large enterprises. The attack's medium severity suggests moderate impact, but the large volume of leaked data could have serious confidentiality implications. European organizations, especially those in the technology supply chain or with partnerships with ASUS, may face indirect risks such as data exposure or secondary attacks. Mitigation should focus on enhancing network segmentation, monitoring for data exfiltration, and securing third-party vendor relationships. Countries with strong technology sectors and close economic ties to ASUS, such as Germany, France, and the UK, are more likely to be affected. Given the data leak scale and ransomware context, the threat severity is assessed as high due to potential confidentiality loss and operational disruption. Defenders should prioritize incident response readiness and data leak detection capabilities to mitigate similar threats.
A modified variant of the Shai-Hulud worm has been detected testing payloads on the npm registry, raising concerns about potential malware propagation through widely used JavaScript packages. Although no known exploits are currently active in the wild, the presence of this malware on a major package repository poses a significant risk to software supply chains. The worm’s modifications suggest an evolution in its capabilities, potentially increasing its stealth or infection vectors. European organizations relying on npm packages for development and production environments could face risks to their code integrity and operational availability if infected packages are introduced. Mitigation requires proactive monitoring of package dependencies, strict validation of third-party code, and enhanced supply chain security practices. Countries with large software development sectors and high npm usage, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands, are more likely to be impacted. Given the high severity rating and potential for widespread impact, organizations should prioritize detection and prevention measures. The threat is assessed as high severity due to its potential impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with the ease of exploitation through trusted package repositories and no need for user interaction once dependencies are installed.
Two US cybersecurity experts have been found guilty of participating in an extortion scheme involving the ALPHV ransomware. This case highlights insider threats where individuals with cybersecurity expertise exploit their knowledge for criminal activities. Although no specific technical vulnerabilities or exploits are detailed, the involvement of trusted experts in ransomware operations raises concerns about the integrity of cybersecurity professionals. The threat does not currently have known exploits in the wild beyond this criminal activity. European organizations could be indirectly impacted due to the global reach of ALPHV ransomware campaigns. Mitigation should focus on insider threat detection, enhanced vetting, and monitoring of cybersecurity personnel. Countries with significant ransomware targeting history and high adoption of cybersecurity services may be more affected. Given the medium severity rating and lack of direct technical exploit details, the threat severity is assessed as medium. Defenders should remain vigilant about insider risks and ransomware extortion schemes involving trusted individuals.
The worm exposed Trust Wallet’s Developer GitHub secrets, allowing attackers to publish a backdoor extension and steal funds from 2,520 wallets. The post Shai-Hulud Supply Chain Attack Led to $8.5 Million Trust Wallet Heist appeared first on SecurityWeek .