Critical infrastructure

Cyberattack compromises personal data used for DBS checks at UK college

Bracknell and Wokingham College has confirmed a cyberattack that compromised data collected for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. The breach affects data used by Activate Learning and other institutions, including names, dates of birth, National Insurance numbers, and passport details.

Access Personal Checking Services (APCS) was alerted by supplier Intradev on August 17 that its systems had been accessed without authorisation. While payment card details and criminal conviction records were not compromised, data submitted between December 2024 and May 8, 2025, was copied.

APCS stated that its own networks and those of Activate Learning were not breached. The organisation is contacting only those data controllers where confirmed breaches have occurred and has advised that its services can continue to be used safely.

Activate Learning reported the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office following a risk assessment. APCS is still investigating the full scope of the breach and has pledged to keep affected institutions and individuals informed as more information becomes available.

Individuals have been advised to closely monitor their financial statements, exercise caution when opening phishing emails, and regularly update security measures, including passwords and two-factor authentication. Activate Learning emphasised the importance of staying vigilant to minimise risks.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund INA targets data centres and AI in healthcare

The Indonesia Investment Authority (INA), the country’s sovereign wealth fund, is sharpening its focus on digital infrastructure, healthcare and renewable energy as it seeks to attract foreign partners and strengthen national development.

The fund, created in 2021 with $5 billion in state capital, now manages assets worth around $10 billion and is expanding its scope beyond equity into hybrid capital and private credit.

Chief investment officer Christopher Ganis said data centres and supporting infrastructure, such as sub-sea cables, were key priorities as the government emphasises data independence and resilience.

INA has already teamed up with Singapore-based Granite Asia to invest over $1.2 billion in Indonesia’s technology and AI ecosystem, including a new data centre campus in Batam. Ganis added that AI would be applied first in healthcare instead of rushing into broader adoption.

Renewables also remain central to INA’s strategy, with its partnership alongside Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Clean Energy in Pertamina Geothermal Energy cited as a strong performer.

Ganis said Asia’s reliance on bank financing highlights the need for INA’s support in cross-border growth, since domestic banks cannot always facilitate overseas expansion.

Despite growing global ambitions, INA will prioritise projects directly linked to Indonesia. Ganis stressed that it must deliver benefits at home instead of directing capital into ventures without a clear link to the country’s future.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Miljodata hack exposes data of nearly 15% of Swedish population

Swedish prosecutors have confirmed that a cyberattack on IT systems provider Miljodata exposed the personal data of 1.5 million people, nearly 15% of Sweden’s population. The attack occurred during the weekend of August 23–24.

Authorities said the stolen data has been leaked online and includes names, addresses, and contact details. Prosecutor Sandra Helgadottir said the group Datacarry has claimed responsibility, though no foreign state involvement is suspected.

Media in Sweden reported that the hackers demanded 1.5 bitcoin (around $170,000) to prevent the release of the data. Miljodata confirmed the information has now been published on the darknet.

The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection has received over 250 breach notifications, with 164 municipalities and four regional authorities impacted. Employees in Gothenburg were among those affected, according to SVT.

Private companies, including Volvo, SAS, and GKN Aerospace, also reported compromised data. Investigators are working to identify the perpetrators as the breach’s scale continues to raise concerns nationwide.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

First quantum-AI data centre launched in New York City

Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) and Digital Realty have launched the first quantum-AI data centre in New York City at the JFK10 facility, powered by Nvidia GH200 Grace Hopper Superchips. The project combines superconducting quantum computers with AI supercomputing under one roof.

OQC’s GENESIS quantum computer is the first to be deployed in a New York data centre, designed to support hybrid workloads and enterprise adoption. Future GENESIS systems will ship with Nvidia accelerated computing and CUDA-Q integration as standard.

OQC CEO Gerald Mullally said the centre will drive the AI revolution securely and at scale, strengthening the UK–US technology alliance. Digital Realty CEO Andy Power called it a milestone for making quantum-AI accessible to enterprises and governments.

UK Science Minister Patrick Vallance highlighted the £212 billion economic potential of quantum by 2045, citing applications from drug discovery to clean energy. He said the launch puts British innovation at the heart of next-generation computing.

The centre, embedded in Digital Realty’s PlatformDIGITAL, will support applications in finance, security, and AI, including quantum machine learning and accelerated model training. OQC Chair Jack Boyer said it demonstrates UK–US collaboration in leading frontier technologies.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Hong Kong to speed up tech hub plan with China

One of S.A.R. of China, Hong Kong, is preparing to accelerate its cross-border technology hub plans with mainland China as the city seeks new growth drivers to offset its fragile economy.

Chief Executive John Lee is set to deliver his annual policy address on Wednesday, with the Northern Metropolis project expected to take centre stage.

The initiative aims to transform a sparsely populated area into a base for advanced industries and innovation, while reducing reliance on finance and real estate.

According to state-owned media, the government will ease financing rules to attract companies in AI, renewable energy and medical technology.

An urgency that comes despite signs of recovery, as the economy of Hong Kong grew at its fastest pace in over a year last quarter. Yet home prices continue to fall, unemployment has risen, and public finances remain stretched.

The administration is unlikely to offer sweeping property incentives, such as tax cuts or looser rules for mainland buyers, given fiscal constraints. Instead, it may revive the long-dormant Tenants Purchase Scheme, first launched in 1998, which allows public housing tenants to buy their flats at reduced prices.

Analysts say that without bold reforms, the housing market will stay under pressure as oversupply and weak sentiment weigh on values.

Hong Kong’s $7.2 trillion stock market could benefit if new listings and inflows are encouraged, especially as developers look to stimulus and lower mortgage rates to support sales.

However, with the economy of China also slowing down, doubts remain over whether deeper integration and technology investments can provide a lasting boost.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Millions of customer records stolen in Kering luxury brand data breach

Kering has confirmed a data breach affecting several of its luxury brands, including Gucci, Balenciaga, Brioni, and Alexander McQueen, after unauthorised access to its Salesforce systems compromised millions of customer records.

Hacking group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility, alleging it exfiltrated 43.5 million records from Gucci and nearly 13 million from the other brands. The stolen data includes names, email addresses, dates of birth, sales histories, and home addresses.

Kering stated that the incident occurred in June 2025 and did not compromise bank or credit card details or national identifiers. The company has reported the breach to the relevant regulators and is notifying the affected customers.

Evidence shared by ShinyHunters suggests Balenciaga made an initial ransom payment of €500,000 before negotiations broke down. The group released sample data and chat logs to support its claims.

ShinyHunters has exploited Salesforce weaknesses in previous attacks targeting luxury, travel, and financial firms. Questions remain about the total number of affected customers and the potential exposure of other Kering brands.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

European regulators push for stronger oversight in crypto sector

European regulators from Italy, France, and Austria have called for changes to the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Their proposals aim to fix supervisory gaps, improve cybersecurity, and simplify token white paper approvals.

The regulation, which came into force in December 2024, requires prior authorisation for firms offering crypto-related services in Europe. However, early enforcement has shown significant gaps in how national authorities apply the rules.

Regulators argue these differences undermine investor protection and threaten the stability of the European internal market.

Concerns have also been raised about non-EU platforms serving European clients through intermediaries outside MiCA’s scope. To counter this, authorities recommend restricting such activity and ensuring intermediaries only use platforms compliant with MiCA or equivalent standards.

Additional measures include independent cybersecurity audits, mandatory both before and after authorisation, to bolster resilience against cyber-attacks.

The proposals suggest giving ESMA direct oversight of major crypto providers and centralising white paper filings. Regulators say the changes would boost legal clarity, cut investor risks, and level the field for European firms against global rivals.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

UK to benefit from Google’s £5 billion AI plan

Google has unveiled plans to invest £5 billion (around $6.8 billion) in the UK’s AI economy over the next two years.

An announcement comes just hours before US President Donald Trump’s official visit to the country, during which economic agreements worth more than $10 billion are expected.

The investment will include establishing a new AI data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, designed to meet growing demand for services like Google Cloud.

Alongside the facility, funds will be channelled into research and development, capital expenditure, engineering, and DeepMind’s work applying AI to science and healthcare. The project is expected to generate 8,250 annual jobs for British companies.

Google also revealed a partnership with Shell to support grid stability and contribute to the UK’s energy transition. The move highlights the economic and environmental stakes tied to AI expansion, as the UK positions itself as a hub for advanced digital technologies.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Generative AI enables rapid phishing attacks on older users

A recent study has shown that AI chatbots can generate compelling phishing emails for older people. Researchers tested six major chatbots, including Grok, ChatGPT, Claude, Meta AI, DeepSeek, and Google’s Gemini, by asking them to draft scam emails posing as charitable organisations.

Of 108 senior volunteers, roughly 11% clicked on the AI-written links, highlighting the ease with which cybercriminals could exploit such tools.

Some chatbots initially declined harmful requests, but minor adjustments, such as stating the task was for research purposes, or circumvented these safeguards.

Grok, in particular, produced messages urging recipients to ‘click now’ and join a fictitious charity, demonstrating how generative AI can amplify the persuasiveness of scams. Researchers warn that criminals could use AI to conduct large-scale phishing campaigns at minimal cost.

Phishing remains the most common cybercrime in the US, according to the FBI, with seniors disproportionately affected. Last year, Americans over 60 lost nearly $5 billion to phishing attacks, an increase driven partly by generative AI.

The study underscores the urgent need for awareness and protection measures among vulnerable populations.

Experts note that AI’s ability to generate varied scam messages rapidly poses a new challenge for cybersecurity, as it allows fraudsters to scale operations quickly while targeting specific demographics, including older people.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Telecom industry outlines vision for secure 6G

Telecom experts say 6G must be secure by design as planning for the next generation of mobile networks accelerates.

Industry leaders warn that 6G will vastly expand the attack surface, with autonomous vehicles, drones, industrial robots and AR systems all reliant on ultra-low latency connections. AI will be embedded at every layer, creating opportunities for optimisation but also new risks such as model poisoning.

Quantum threats are also on the horizon, with adversaries potentially able to decrypt sensitive data. Quantum-resistant cryptography is expected to be a cornerstone of 6G defences.

With standards due by 2029, experts stress cooperation among regulators, equipment vendors and operators. Security, they argue, must be as fundamental to 6G as speed and sustainability.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!