PayOS and Mastercard have completed the first live agentic payment using a Mastercard Agentic Token, marking a pivotal step for AI-driven commerce. The demonstration, powered by Mastercard Agent Pay, extends the tokenisation infrastructure that already underpins mobile payments and card storage.
The system enables AI agents to initiate payments while enforcing consent, authentication, and fraud checks, thereby forming what Mastercard refers to as the trust layer. It shows how card networks are preparing for agentic transactions to become central to digital commerce.
Mastercard’s Chief Digital Officer, Pablo Fourez, stated that the company is developing a secure and interoperable ecosystem for AI-driven payments, underpinned by tokenized credentials. The framework aims to prepare for a future where the internet itself supports native agentic commerce.
For PayOS, the milestone represents a shift from testing to commercialisation. Chief executive Johnathan McGowan said the company is now onboarding customers and offering tools for fraud prevention, payments risk management, and improved user experiences.
The achievement signals a broader transition as agentic AI moves from pilot to real-world deployment. If security models remain effective, agentic payments could soon differentiate platforms, merchants, and issuers, embedding autonomy into digital transactions.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Hackers have targeted up to two million Cisco devices using a newly disclosed vulnerability in the company’s networking software. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-20352, affects all supported versions of Cisco IOS and IOS XE, which power many routers and switches.
Cisco confirmed that attackers have exploited the weakness in the wild, crashing systems, implanting malware, and potentially extracting sensitive data. The campaign builds on previous activity by the same threat group, which has also exploited Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance devices.
Attackers gained access after local administrator credentials were compromised, allowing them to implant malware and execute commands. The company’s Product Security Incident Response Team urged customers to upgrade immediately to fixed software releases to secure their systems.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has warned organisations about sophisticated malware exploiting flaws in outdated Cisco ASA devices, urging immediate patching and stronger defences to protect critical systems.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The UK Government will guarantee a £1.5 billion loan to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in response to the cyber-attack that forced the carmaker to halt production.
An Export Development Guarantee, administered by UK Export Finance, will back a commercial bank loan repaid over five years to stabilise JLR’s finances and protect its supply chain.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle described the attack as a strike on the UK’s automotive sector and said the guarantee would safeguard jobs across the West Midlands, Merseyside and beyond.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves called JLR a ‘jewel in the crown’ of the UK economy, stressing that the package would protect tens of thousands of jobs directly and indirectly linked to the manufacturer.
JLR employs 34,000 people in the UK and supports an automotive supply chain of 120,000 workers, many in SMEs.
The guarantee forms part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy, which includes backing for electric vehicle adoption, reduced energy costs for manufacturers, and multi-billion-pound commitments to research and development.
An announcement follows ministerial visits to JLR headquarters and supplier Webasto, with ministers promising to keep working with industry leaders to get production back online and strengthen Britain’s automotive resilience.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A new malware campaign targets WordPress sites, utilising steganography and persistent backdoors to maintain unauthorised admin access. It uses two components that work together to maintain control.
The attack begins with malicious files disguised as legitimate WordPress components. These files are heavily obfuscated, create administrator accounts with hardcoded credentials, and bypass traditional detection tools. However, this ensures attackers can retain access even after security teams respond.
This campaign can allow threat actors to inject malicious code, redirect site visitors, steal sensitive data, or deploy additional payloads. Its persistence and stealth tactics make it difficult to detect, leaving websites vulnerable for long periods.
The main component poses as a fake plugin called ‘DebugMaster Pro’ with realistic metadata. Its obfuscated code creates admin accounts, contacts external servers, and hides by allowing known admin IPs.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
US cybersecurity officials have issued an emergency directive after hackers breached a federal agency by exploiting critical flaws in Cisco appliances. CISA warned the campaign poses a severe risk to government networks.
Experts told CNN they believe the hackers are state-backed and operating out of China, raising alarm among officials. Hundreds of compromised devices are reportedly in use across the federal government, CISA stated, issuing a directive to rapidly assess the scope of this major breach.
Cisco confirmed it was urgently alerted to the breaches by US government agencies in May and quickly assigned a specialised team to investigate. The company provided advanced detection tools, worked intensely to analyse compromised environments, and examined firmware from infected devices.
Cisco stated that the attackers exploited multiple zero-day flaws and employed advanced evasion techniques. It suspects a link to the ArcaneDoor campaign reported in early 2024.
CISA has withheld details about which agencies were affected or the precise nature of the breaches, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Investigations are currently underway to contain the ongoing threat and prevent further exploitation.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is recovering from a disruptive cyberattack, gradually bringing its systems back online. The company is focused on rebuilding its operations, aiming to restore confidence and momentum as key digital functions are restored.
JLR said it has boosted its IT processing capacity for invoicing to clear its payment backlog. The Global Parts Logistics Centre is also resuming full operations, restoring parts distribution to retailers.
The financial system used for processing vehicle wholesales has been restored, allowing the company to resume car sales and registration. JLR is collaborating with the UK’s NCSC and law enforcement to ensure a secure restart of operations.
Production remains suspended at JLR’s three UK factories in Halewood, Solihull, and Wolverhampton. The company typically produces around 1,000 cars a day, but staff have been instructed to stay at home since the August cyberattack.
The government is considering support packages for the company’s suppliers, some of whom are under financial pressure. A group identifying itself as Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters has claimed responsibility for the incident.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Australia is set to expand its under-16 social media ban, with platforms such as WhatsApp, Reddit, Twitch, Roblox, Pinterest, Steam, Kick, and Lego Play potentially joining the list. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has written to 16 companies asking them to self-assess whether they fall under the ban.
The current ban already includes Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat, making it a world-first policy. The focus will be on platforms with large youth user bases, where risks of harm are highest.
Despite the bold move, experts warn the legislation may be largely symbolic without concrete enforcement mechanisms. Age verification remains a significant hurdle, with Canberra acknowledging that companies will likely need to self-regulate. An independent study found that age checks can be done ‘privately, efficiently and effectively,’ but noted there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Firms failing to comply could face fines of up to AU$49.5 million (US$32.6 million). Some companies have called the law ‘vague’ and ‘rushed.’ Meanwhile, new rules will soon take effect to limit access to harmful but legal content, including online pornography and AI chatbots capable of sexually explicit dialogue. Roblox has already agreed to strengthen safeguards.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The Dutch privacy watchdog, Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP), is warning LinkedIn users in the Netherlands to review their settings to prevent their data from being used for AI training.
LinkedIn plans to use names, job titles, education history, locations, skills, photos, and public posts from European users to train its systems. Private messages will not be included; however, the sharing option is enabled by default.
AP Deputy Chair Monique Verdier said the move poses significant risks. She warned that once personal data is used to train a model, it cannot be removed, and its future uses are unpredictable.
LinkedIn, headquartered in Dublin, falls under the jurisdiction of the Data Protection Commission in Ireland, which will determine whether the plan can proceed. The AP said it is working with Irish and EU counterparts and has already received complaints.
Users must opt out by 3 November if they do not wish to have their data used. They can disable the setting via the AP’s link or manually in LinkedIn under ‘settings & privacy’ → ‘data privacy’ → ‘data for improving generative AI’.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The UK’s ministers are considering an unprecedented intervention after a cyberattack forced Jaguar Land Rover to halt production, leaving thousands of suppliers exposed to collapse.
A late August hack shut down JLR’s IT networks and forced the suspension of its UK factories. Industry experts estimate losses of more than £50m a week, with full operations unlikely to restart until October or later.
JLR, owned by India’s Tata Motors, had not finalised cyber insurance before the breach, which left it particularly vulnerable.
Officials are weighing whether to buy and stockpile car parts from smaller firms that depend on JLR, though logistical difficulties make the plan complex. Government-backed loans are also under discussion.
Cybersecurity agencies, including the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency, are now supporting the investigation.
The attack is part of a wider pattern of major breaches targeting UK institutions and retailers, with a group calling itself Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters claiming responsibility.
A growing threat that highlights how the country’s critical industries remain exposed to sophisticated cybercriminals, raising questions about resilience and the need for stronger digital defences.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
UK travellers to the EU face new biometric checks from 12 October, but full enforcement is not expected until April 2026. Officials say the phased introduction will help avoid severe disruption at ports and stations.
An entry-exit system that requires non-EU citizens to be fingerprinted and photographed, with the data stored in a central European database for three years. A further 90-day grace period will allow French border officials to ease checks if technical issues arise.
The Port of Dover has prepared off-site facilities to prevent traffic build-up, while border officials stressed the gradual rollout will give passengers time to adapt.
According to Border Force director general Phil Douglas, biometrics and data protection advances have made traditional paper passports increasingly redundant.
These changes come as UK holidaymakers prepare for the busiest winter travel season in years, with full compliance due in time for Easter 2026.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
