Critical infrastructure

European healthcare group AMEOS suffers a major hack

Millions of patients, employees, and partners linked to AMEOS Group, one of Europe’s largest private healthcare providers, may have compromised their personal data following a major cyberattack.

The company admitted that hackers briefly accessed its IT systems, stealing sensitive data including contact information and records tied to patients and corporate partners.

Despite existing security measures, AMEOS was unable to prevent the breach. The company operates over 100 facilities across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, employing 18,000 staff and managing over 10,000 beds.

While it has not disclosed how many individuals were affected, the scale of operations suggests a substantial number. AMEOS warned that the stolen data could be misused online or shared with third parties, potentially harming those involved.

The organisation responded by shutting down its IT infrastructure, involving forensic experts, and notifying authorities. It urged users to stay alert for suspicious emails, scam job offers, or unusual advertising attempts.

Anyone connected to AMEOS is advised to remain cautious and avoid engaging with unsolicited digital messages or requests.

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Filtered data not enough, LLMs can still learn unsafe behaviours

Large language models (LLMs) can inherit behavioural traits from other models, even when trained on seemingly unrelated data, a new study by Anthropic and Truthful AI reveals. The findings emerged from the Anthropic Fellows Programme.

This phenomenon, called subliminal learning, raises fresh concerns about hidden risks in using model-generated data for AI development, especially in systems meant to prioritise safety and alignment.

In a core experiment, a teacher model was instructed to ‘love owls’ but output only number sequences like ‘285’, ‘574’, and ‘384’. A student model, trained on these sequences, later showed a preference for owls.

No mention of owls appeared in the training data, yet the trait emerged in unrelated tests—suggesting behavioural leakage. Other traits observed included promoting crime or deception.

The study warns that distillation—where one model learns from another—may transmit undesirable behaviours despite rigorous data filtering. Subtle statistical cues, not explicit content, seem to carry the traits.

The transfer only occurs when both models share the same base. A GPT-4.1 teacher can influence a GPT-4.1 student, but not a student built on a different base like Qwen.

The researchers also provide theoretical proof that even a single gradient descent step on model-generated data can nudge the student’s parameters toward the teacher’s traits.

Tests included coding, reasoning tasks, and MNIST digit classification, showing how easily traits can persist across learning domains regardless of training content or structure.

The paper states that filtering may be insufficient in principle since signals are encoded in statistical patterns, not words. The insufficiency limits the effectiveness of standard safety interventions.

Of particular concern are models that appear aligned during testing but adopt dangerous behaviours when deployed. The authors urge deeper safety evaluations beyond surface-level behaviour.

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Altman warns AI voice cloning will break bank security

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned that AI poses a serious threat to financial security through voice-based fraud.

Speaking at a Federal Reserve conference in Washington, Altman said AI can now convincingly mimic human voices, rendering voiceprint authentication obsolete and dangerously unreliable.

He expressed concern that some financial institutions still rely on voice recognition to verify identities. ‘That is a crazy thing to still be doing. AI has fully defeated that,’ he said. The risk, he noted, is that AI voice clones can now deceive these systems with ease.

Altman added that video impersonation capabilities are also advancing rapidly. Technologies that become indistinguishable from real people could enable more sophisticated fraud schemes. He called for the urgent development of new verification methods across the industry.

Michelle Bowman, the Fed’s Vice Chair for Supervision, echoed the need for action. She proposed potential collaboration between AI developers and regulators to create better safeguards. ‘That might be something we can think about partnering on,’ Bowman told Altman.

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FBI alert: Fake Chrome updates used to spread malware

The FBI has warned Windows users about the rising threat of fake Chrome update installers quietly distributing malware when downloaded from unverified sites.

Windows PCs remain especially vulnerable when users sideload these installers based on aggressive prompts or misleading advice.

These counterfeit Chrome updates often bypass security defences, installing malicious software that can steal data, turn off protections, or give attackers persistent access to infected machines.

In contrast, genuine Chrome updates, distributed through the browser’s built‑in update mechanism, remain secure and advisable.

To reduce risk, the FBI recommends that users remove any Chrome software that is not sourced directly from Google’s official site or the browser’s automatic updater.

They further advise enabling auto‑updates and dismissing pop-ups urging urgent manual downloads. This caution aligns with previous security guidance targeting fake installers masquerading as browser or system updates.

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Amazon closes AI research lab in Shanghai as global focus shifts

Amazon is shutting down its AI research lab in Shanghai, marking another step in its gradual withdrawal from China. The move comes amid continuing US–China trade tensions and a broader trend of American tech companies reassessing their presence in the country.

The company said the decision was part of a global streamlining effort rather than a response to AI concerns.

A spokesperson for AWS said the company had reviewed its organisational priorities and decided to cut some roles across certain teams. The exact number of job losses has not been confirmed.

Before Amazon’s confirmation, one of the lab’s senior researchers noted on WeChat that the Shanghai site was the final overseas AWS AI research lab and attributed its closure to shifts in US–China strategy.

The team had built a successful open-source graph neural network framework known as DGL, which reportedly brought in nearly $1 billion in revenue for Amazon’s e-commerce arm.

Amazon has been reducing its footprint in China for several years. It closed its domestic online marketplace in 2019, halted Kindle sales in 2022, and recently laid off AWS staff in the US.

Other tech giants including IBM and Microsoft have also shut down China-based research units this year, while some Chinese AI firms are now relocating operations abroad instead of remaining in a volatile domestic environment.

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US agencies warn of rising Interlock ransomware threat targeting healthcare sector

US federal authorities have issued a joint warning over a spike in ransomware attacks by the Interlock group, which has been targeting healthcare and public services across North America and Europe.

The alert was released by the FBI, CISA, HHS and MS-ISAC, following a surge in activity throughout June.

Interlock operates as a ransomware-as-a-service scheme and first emerged in September 2024. The group uses double extortion techniques, not only encrypting files but also stealing sensitive data and threatening to leak it unless a ransom is paid.

High-profile victims include DaVita, Kettering Health and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Rather than relying on traditional methods alone, Interlock often uses compromised legitimate websites to trigger drive-by downloads.

The malicious software is disguised as familiar tools like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge installers. Remote access trojans are then used to gain entry, maintain persistence using PowerShell, and escalate access using credential stealers and keyloggers.

Authorities recommend several countermeasures, such as installing DNS filtering tools, using web firewalls, applying regular software updates, and enforcing strong access controls.

They also advise organisations to train staff in recognising phishing attempts and to ensure backups are encrypted, secure and kept off-site instead of stored within the main network.

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Cisco ISE vulnerabilities actively targeted by attackers

Attackers have begun actively targeting critical vulnerabilities in Cisco’s Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE‑PIC), less than a month after patches were made available.

The flaws, CVE‑2025‑20281 and CVE‑2025‑20337, allow unauthenticated users to execute arbitrary commands at the root level via manipulated API inputs. A third issue, CVE‑2025‑20282, enables arbitrary file uploads to privileged directories.

All three bugs received a maximum severity score of 10/10. Cisco addressed them in 3.3 Patch 7 and 3.4 Patch 2. Despite no confirmed public breaches, the company has reported attempted exploits in the wild and is urging immediate updates.

Given ISE’s role in enterprise network access control and policy enforcement, compromised systems could provide attackers with pervasive root-level access. Security teams should prioritise patching, audit their ISE/ISE‑PIC deployments, and monitor API logs for unusual activity.

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Autonomous vehicles fuel surge in 5G adoption

The global 5G automotive market is expected to grow sharply from $2.58 billion in 2024 to $31.18 billion by 2034, fuelled by the rapid adoption of connected and self-driving vehicles.

A compound annual growth rate of over 28% reflects the strong momentum behind the transition to smarter mobility and safer road networks.

Vehicle-to-everything communication is predicted to lead adoption, as it allows vehicles to exchange real-time data with other cars, infrastructure and even pedestrians.

In-car entertainment systems are also growing fast, with consumers demanding smoother connectivity and on-the-go access to apps and media.

Autonomous driving, advanced driver-assistance features and real-time navigation all benefit from 5G’s low latency and high-speed capabilities. Automakers such as BMW have already begun integrating 5G into electric models to support automated functions.

Meanwhile, the US government has pledged $1.5 billion to build smart transport networks that rely on 5G-powered communication.

North America remains ahead due to early 5G rollouts and strong manufacturing bases, but Asia Pacific is catching up fast through smart city investment and infrastructure development.

Regulatory barriers and patchy rural coverage continue to pose challenges, particularly in regions with strict data privacy laws or limited 5G networks.

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Hong Kong Post cyberattack exposes EC‑Ship user data

A cyberattack on the Hong Kong Post has been confirmed. Targeting its EC‑Ship online shipping portal, the attack compromised personal address‑book information for approximately 60,000 to 70,000 users.

The data breach included names, physical addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses of both senders and recipients.

The incident, detected late Sunday into Monday, involved an attacker using a legitimate EC‑Ship account to exploit a code vulnerability. Though the system’s security protocols identified unusual activity and suspended the account, the hacker persisted until the flaw was fully patched.

Affected customers received email alerts and were advised to monitor their information closely and alert contacts of potential phishing attempts.

Hong Kong Post is now collaborating with the Hong Kong Police Force, the Digital Policy Office, and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. It implements a layered cybersecurity solution managed by the government’s Digital Policy Office.

The Postmaster General emphasised that remediation steps have been taken to close the loophole and pledged ongoing infrastructure improvements. An official investigation is underway to reinforce resilience and safeguard user data.

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North Korea turns to Russia for AI development help

North Korea is dispatching AI researchers, interns and students to countries such as Russia in an effort to strengthen its domestic tech sector, according to a report by NK News.

The move comes despite strict UN sanctions that restrict technological exchange, particularly in high-priority areas like AI.

Kim Kwang Hyok, head of the AI Institute at Kim Il Sung University, confirmed the strategy in an interview with a pro-Pyongyang outlet in Japan. He admitted that international restrictions remain a major hurdle but noted that researchers continue developing AI applications within North Korea regardless.

Among the projects cited is ‘Ryongma’, a multilingual translation app supporting English, Russian, and Chinese, which has been available on mobile devices since 2021.

Kim also mentioned efforts to develop an AI-driven platform for a hospital under construction in Pyongyang. However, technical limitations remain considerable, with just three known semiconductor plants operating in the country.

While Russia may seem like a natural partner, its own dependence on imported hardware limits how much it can help.

A former South Korean diplomat told NK News that Moscow lacks the domestic capacity to provide high-performance chips essential for advanced AI work, making large-scale collaboration difficult.

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