Critical infrastructure

Hackers exploit flaw in two million Cisco devices

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The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has warned organisations about sophisticated malware exploiting flaws in outdated Cisco ASA devices, urging immediate patching and stronger defences to protect critical systems.

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Semicon Coalition unites EU on chip strategy and autonomy

European ministers have signed the Declaration of the Semicon Coalition, calling for a revised EU Chips Act 2.0 to boost semiconductor resilience, innovation, and competitiveness. The declaration outlines five priorities: collaboration, investment, skills, sustainability, and global partnerships.

The coalition, launched by the Netherlands in March, includes Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain. Other EU states joined today in Brussels, where Dutch minister Vincent Karremans presented the declaration to the European Commission.

Over fifty leading European and international semiconductor players have endorsed the declaration. This support strengthens momentum for placing end-markets at the core of the EU’s semiconductor strategy and aligns with Mario Draghi’s report on competitiveness.

The priorities include aligning EU and national funding, accelerating approvals for strategic projects, building a skilled talent pipeline, and promoting circular, energy-efficient manufacturing. International partnerships will also be deepened while safeguarding European strategic autonomy.

Minister Karremans said the strategy demonstrates Europe’s response to global tensions and its commitment to boosting semiconductor capacity, research funding, and readiness for demand in AI, automotive, energy, and defense.

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Quantum leap as Caltech builds 6,100-qubit processor

A team of physicists at the California Institute of Technology has unveiled a quantum computing breakthrough, creating an array of 6,100 qubits, the largest of its kind to date.

The leap surpasses previous systems, which typically contained around a thousand qubits, and marks a step closer to practical quantum algorithms.

Researchers used caesium atoms as qubits, trapping them with laser tweezers inside an ultra-high-vacuum chamber.

These qubits maintained superposition for almost 13 seconds, nearly ten times longer than previous benchmarks. They could also be manipulated with 99.98 percent accuracy, proving that scaling up need not compromise precision.

Unlike classical bits, qubits exploit superposition, allowing a spread of probabilities instead of fixed binary states. It enables powerful computations but also demands error correction to overcome qubit fragility. The surplus qubits in this new array provide a path to large, error-corrected machines.

Physicists believe the next milestone will involve harnessing entanglement, enabling the shift from storing quantum information to processing it. If progress continues, quantum computers could soon revolutionise science by uncovering new materials, forms of matter, and fundamental laws of physics.

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UK supports JLR supply chain with £1.5 billion loan guarantee

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.

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CISA warns of advanced campaign exploiting Cisco appliances in federal networks

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.

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UK government considers supplier aid after JLR cyberattack

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.

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Brazil to host massive AI-ready data centre by RT-One

RT-One plans to build Latin America’s largest AI data centre after securing land in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The US$1.2bn project will span over one million square metres, with 300,000 m² reserved as protected green space.

The site will support high-performance computing, sovereign cloud services, and AI workloads, launching with 100MW capacity and scaling to 400MW. It will run on 100% renewable energy and utilise advanced cooling systems to minimise its environmental impact.

RT-One states that the project will prepare Brazil to compete globally, generate skilled jobs, and train new talent for the digital economy. A wide network of partners, including Hitachi, Siemens, WEG, and Schneider Electric, is collaborating on the development, aiming to ensure resilience and sustainability at scale.

The project is expected to stimulate regional growth, with jobs, training programmes, and opportunities for collaboration between academia and industry. Local officials, including the mayor of Uberlândia, attended the launch event to underline government support for the initiative.

Once complete, the Uberlândia facility will provide sovereign cloud capacity, high-density compute, and AI-ready infrastructure for Brazil and beyond. RT-One says the development will position the city as a hub for digital innovation and strengthen Latin America’s role in the global AI economy.

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UN Secretary-General warns humanity cannot rely on algorithms

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged world leaders to act swiftly to ensure AI serves humanity rather than threatens it. Speaking at a UN Security Council debate, he warned that while AI can help anticipate food crises, support de-mining efforts, and prevent violence, it is equally capable of fueling conflict through cyberattacks, disinformation, and autonomous weapons.

‘Humanity’s fate cannot be left to an algorithm,’ he stressed.

Guterres outlined four urgent priorities. First, he called for strict human oversight in all military uses of AI, repeating his demand for a global ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems. He insisted that life-and-death decisions, including any involving nuclear weapons, must never be left to machines.

Second, he pressed for coherent international regulations to ensure AI complies with international law at every stage, from design to deployment. He highlighted the dangers of AI lowering barriers to acquiring prohibited weapons and urged states to build transparency, trust, and safeguards against misuse.

Finally, Guterres emphasised protecting information integrity and closing the global AI capacity gap. He warned that AI-driven disinformation could destabilise peace processes and elections, while unequal access risks leaving developing countries behind.

The UN has already launched initiatives, including a new international scientific panel and an annual AI governance dialogue, to foster cooperation and accountability.

‘The window is closing to shape AI, for peace, justice, and humanity,’ he concluded.

For more information from the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, visit our dedicated page.

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Uzbekistan positions itself as Central Asia’s new AI and technology hub

Using its largest-ever ICT Week, Uzbekistan is showcasing ambitions to become a regional centre for AI and digital transformation.

More than 20,000 participants, 300 companies, and delegations from over 50 countries gathered in Tashkent, signalling Central Asia’s growing role in the global technology landscape.

The country invests in AI projects across various sectors, including education, healthcare, banking, and industry, with more than 100 initiatives underway.

Officials emphasise that digitalisation must serve people directly, by improving services and creating jobs for Uzbekistan’s young and expanding population.

The demographic advantage is shaping a vision of AI that prioritises dignity, opportunity, and inclusive growth.

International recognition has followed. The UN’s International Telecommunication Union described Uzbekistan as ‘leading the way’ in the region, praising high connectivity, supportive policies, and progress in youth participation and gender equality.

Infrastructure is also advancing, with global investors like DataVolt building one of Central Asia’s most advanced data centres in Tashkent.

Uzbekistan’s private sector is also drawing attention. Fintech and e-commerce unicorn Uzum recently secured significant investment from Tencent and VR Capital, reaching a valuation above €1.3 billion.

Public policy and private investment are positioning the country as a credible AI hub connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

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UK sets up expert commission to speed up NHS adoption of AI

Doctors, researchers and technology leaders will work together to accelerate the safe adoption of AI in the NHS, under a new commission launched by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The body will draft recommendations to modernise healthcare regulation, ensuring patients gain faster access to innovations while maintaining safety and public trust.

MHRA stressed that clear rules are vital as AI spreads across healthcare, already helping to diagnose conditions such as lung cancer and strokes in hospitals across the UK.

Backed by ministers, the initiative aims to position Britain as a global hub for health tech investment. Companies including Google and Microsoft will join clinicians, academics, and patient advocates to advise on the framework, expected to be published next year.

A commission that will also review the regulatory barriers slowing adoption of tools such as AI-driven note-taking systems, which early trials suggest can significantly boost efficiency in clinical care.

Officials say the framework will provide much-needed clarity for AI in radiology, pathology, and virtual care, supporting the digital transformation of NHS.

MHRA chief executive Lawrence Tallon called the commission a ‘cultural shift’ in regulation. At the same time, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said it will ensure patients benefit from life-saving technologies ‘quickly and safely’.

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