Hackers have stolen personal and medical information from nearly 500,000 participants in the Netherlands’ cervical cancer screening programme. The attack targeted the NMDL laboratory in Rijswijk between 3 and 6 July, but authorities were only informed on 6 August.
Data includes names, addresses, birth dates, citizen service numbers, possible test results and healthcare provider details. For some victims, phone numbers and email addresses were also stolen. The lab, owned by Eurofins Scientific, has suspended operations while a security review occurs.
The Dutch Population Screening Association has switched to a different laboratory to process future tests and is warning those affected of the risk of fraud. Local media reports suggest hackers may also have accessed up to 300GB of data on other patients from the past three years.
Security experts say the breach underscores the dangers of weak links in healthcare supply chains. Victims are now being contacted by the authorities, who have expressed regret for the distress caused.
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TechUK has issued a comprehensive framework to guide the UK government’s digital transformation, emphasising the importance of secure technological progress as a national imperative.
The proposal outlines three foundational pillars: shaping digital regulation, strengthening countries and regions through digital investment, and advancing international digital trade.
It also calls for sweeping investments in digital skills to ensure citizens are prepared for the digital era. The trade body underscores the need for a digitally confident workforce to sustain the nation’s tech-driven ambitions.
Taken together, these recommendations aim to keep the UK a competitive and resilient digital economy that works for all citizens, supports sustainable growth, and adapts confidently to evolving global digital realities.
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Indonesia is urgently working to secure strategic autonomy in AI as Huawei rapidly expands its presence in the country’s critical infrastructure. Officials are under pressure to swiftly adopt enforceable safeguards to balance innovation and security. The aim is to prevent critical vulnerabilities from emerging.
Huawei’s telecom dominance extends into AI through 5G infrastructure, network tools, and AI cloud centres. Partnerships with local telecoms, along with government engagement, position the company at the heart of Indonesia’s digital landscape.
Experts warn that concentrating AI under one foreign supplier could compromise data sovereignty and heighten security risks. Current governance relies on two non-binding guidelines, providing no enforceable oversight or urgent baseline for protecting critical infrastructure.
The withdrawal of Malaysia from Huawei’s AI projects highlights urgent geopolitical stakes. Indonesia’s fragmented approach, with ministries acting separately, risks producing conflicting policies and leaving immediate gaps in security oversight.
Analysts suggest a robust framework should require supply chain transparency, disclosure of system origins, and adherence to data protection laws. Indonesia must act swiftly to establish these rules and coordinate policy across ministries to safeguard its infrastructure.
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Quantum computing is set to shift from theory to real-world applications in 2025, driven by breakthroughs from Google and IBM. With error-corrected qubits and faster processing, the market is projected to reach $292 billion by 2035.
New chips, such as Google’s Willow, have significantly reduced errors, while interconnect innovations link multiple processors. Hybrid quantum-classical systems are emerging, with AI refining results for logistics, energy grids, and secure financial transactions.
The technology is accelerating drug discovery, climate modelling, and materials science, cutting R&D timelines and improving simulation accuracy. Global firms like Pasqal are scaling production in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, even as geopolitical tensions rise.
Risks remain high, from the energy demands of quantum data centres to threats against current encryption. Experts urge rapid adoption of post-quantum cryptography and fault-tolerant systems before mass deployment.
As the UN marks 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science, quantum computing is quietly being integrated into operations worldwide, solving problems that surpass those of classical machines. The revolution has begun, largely unnoticed but poised to redefine economies and technology.
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Security researcher Dirk-jan Mollema demonstrated methods for bypassing authentication in hybrid Active Directory (AD) and Entra ID environments at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. The techniques could let attackers impersonate any synced hybrid user, including privileged accounts, without triggering alerts.
Mollema demonstrated how a low-privilege cloud account can be converted into a hybrid user, granting administrative rights. He also demonstrated ways to modify internal API policies, bypass enforcement controls, and impersonate Exchange mailboxes to access emails, documents, and attachments.
Microsoft has addressed some issues by hardening global administrator security and removing specific API permissions from synchronised accounts. However, a complete fix is expected only in October 2025, when hybrid Exchange and Entra ID services will be separated.
Until then, Microsoft recommends auditing synchronisation servers, using hardware key storage, monitoring unusual API calls, enabling hybrid application splitting, rotating SSO keys, and limiting user permissions.
Experts say hybrid environments remain vulnerable if the weakest link is exploited, making proactive monitoring and least-privilege policies critical to defending against these threats.
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The US Judiciary has confirmed suffering a cyberattack and says it is reinforcing systems to prevent further breaches. In a press release, it described ‘escalated cyberattacks of a sophisticated and persistent nature’ targeting its case management system and sensitive files.
Most documents in the judiciary’s electronic system are public; however, some contain confidential or proprietary information that is sealed from public view. The documents, it warned, are of interest to threat actors, prompting courts to introduce stricter controls on access under monitored conditions.
The Administrative Office of the US Courts is collaborating with Congress, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and other relevant agencies on security measures. No details were given on the exact methods of reinforcement.
The US court system has been a frequent target of cybercrime. Previous incidents include a 2020 federal court breach, a 2024 attack on Washington state courts, and a ransomware strike on the Los Angeles Superior Court in summer 2024.
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A critical flaw in the Windows version of WinRAR is being exploited to install malware that runs automatically at startup. Users are urged to update to version 7.13 immediately, as the software does not update itself.
Tracked as CVE-2025-8088, the vulnerability allows malicious RAR files to place content in protected system folders, including Windows startup locations. Once there, the malware can steal data, install further payloads and maintain persistent access.
ESET researchers linked the attacks to the RomCom hacking group, a Russian-speaking operation known for espionage and ransomware campaigns. The flaw has been used in spear-phishing attacks where victims opened infected archives sent via email.
WinRAR’s July update fixes the cybersecurity issue by blocking extractions outside user-specified folders. Security experts recommend caution with email attachments, antivirus scanning of archives and regular checks of startup folders for suspicious files.
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US law enforcement, alongside nine other nations, dismantled the BlackSuit ransomware gang’s infrastructure, replacing its leak site with a takedown notice after a coordinated operation. The group, formerly known as Royal, had amassed over $370 million in ransoms since 2022.
More than 450 victims were targeted across critical infrastructure sectors, with ransom demands soaring up to $60 million. Dallas suffered severe disruption in a notable attack, affecting emergency services and courts.
German authorities seized key infrastructure, securing data that is now under analysis to identify further collaborators. The operation also included confiscating servers, domains and digital assets used for extortion and money laundering.
New research indicates that members of BlackSuit may already be shifting to a new ransomware operation called Chaos. US agencies seized $2.4 million in cryptocurrency linked to a Chaos affiliate, marking a significant blow to evolving cybercrime efforts.
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Tesla has reportedly shut down its Dojo supercomputer project following multiple high-profile departures, including that of project head Peter Bannon. CEO Elon Musk ended the AI chip programme, reassigning the remaining staff to other data centre projects.
Dojo aimed to process vehicle data for autonomous driving and reduce Tesla’s reliance on Nvidia and AMD. The project faced delays, with leaders such as Jim Keller, Ganesh Venkataramanan, and Bannon departing before its closure.
About 20 former Dojo employees have joined DensityAI, a stealth startup founded by ex-Tesla staff, which is expected to work on AI chips for robots and data centres. Tesla will now rely more on Nvidia, AMD, and Samsung.
Samsung recently secured a $16.5 billion deal to supply AI chips for Tesla’s self-driving cars, robots, and data centres. Musk said Samsung’s Texas factory will produce Tesla’s AI6 chips, with AI5 chips to be made in 2026.
Musk suggested that combining AI5 and AI6 chips could form a ‘Dojo 3’ system, while Dojo 2 would not launch. The shutdown comes as Tesla restructures, with executive exits, job cuts, and renewed focus on AI integration across Musk’s companies.
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James Cameron, the director behind the iconic Terminator franchise, has warned that the real-world use of AI could lead to a catastrophic scenario similar to the series’ apocalyptic Judgement Day.
While Cameron is writing the script for Terminator 7, he has expressed concern that mixing AI with weapons systems, including nuclear defence, poses grave risks.
He explained that the rapid pace of decision-making in such systems might require superintelligent AI to respond quickly. Yet, human error has already brought the world close to disaster in the past.
Cameron also highlighted three major existential threats humanity faces: climate change, nuclear weapons, and superintelligence. He suggested that AI might ultimately offer a solution rather than just a danger, reflecting a nuanced view beyond simple dystopian fears.
His evolving perspective mirrors the Terminator franchise itself, which has long balanced the destructive potential of AI with more hopeful portrayals of technology as a possible saviour.
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