More than 108,000 users of ManageMyHealth may have had their information exposed following a data breach affecting one of the country’s largest patient portals. The incident occurred on Wednesday and is believed to have affected between 6% and 7% of the platform’s 1.8 million registered users.
ManageMyHealth said affected users will be contacted within 48 hours with details about whether and how their data was accessed. Chief executive Vino Ramayah said the company takes the protection of health information extremely seriously and acknowledged the stress such incidents can cause.
He confirmed that the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has been notified and is working with the company to meet legal obligations.
Health Minister Simeon Brown described the breach as concerning but stated that there was no evidence to suggest that Health New Zealand systems, including My Health Account, had been compromised. He added that health services were continuing to operate as normal and that there had been no clinical impact on patient care.
Health New Zealand said it is coordinating with the National Cyber Security Centre and other agencies to understand the scope of the breach and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.
Officials stressed expectations around security standards, transparency and clear communication, while ongoing engagement with primary care providers and GPs continues.
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Google has filed a lawsuit against a Chinese-speaking cybercriminal network it says is behind a large share of scam text messages targeting people in the United States. The company says the legal action is aimed at disrupting the group’s online infrastructure rather than seeking damages.
According to the complaint, the group, known as Darcula, develops and sells phishing software that allows scammers to send mass text messages posing as trusted organisations such as postal services, government agencies, or online platforms. The tools are designed to be easy to use, enabling people with little technical expertise to run large-scale scams.
Google says the software has been used by hundreds of scam operators to direct victims to fake websites where credit card details are stolen. The company estimates that hundreds of thousands of payment cards have been compromised globally, with tens of thousands linked to victims in the United States.
The lawsuit asks a US court to grant Google the authority to seize and shut down websites connected to the operation, a tactic technology companies increasingly use when criminal networks operate in countries beyond the reach of US law enforcement. Investigations by journalists and cybersecurity researchers suggest the group operates largely in Chinese and has links to individuals based in China and other countries.
The case highlights the growing scale of text-based fraud in the US, where cybercrime losses continue to rise sharply. Google says it will continue combining legal action with technical measures to limit the reach of large scam networks and protect users from increasingly sophisticated phishing campaigns.
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State officials have warned the public about a phishing campaign using the fake domain codify.inc to impersonate official government websites. Cybercriminals aim to steal personal information and login credentials from unsuspecting users.
Several state agencies are affected, including the departments of Labor and Industrial Relations, Education, Health, Transportation, and many others. Fraudulent websites often mimic official URLs, such as dlir.hi.usa.codify.inc, and may use AI-based services to entice users.
Residents are urged to verify website addresses carefully. Official government portals will always end in .gov, and any other extensions like .inc or .co are not legitimate. Users should type addresses directly into their browsers rather than clicking links in unsolicited emails or texts.
Suspicious websites should be reported to the State of Hawaii at soc@hawaii.gov to help protect other residents from falling victim to the scam.
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Cybersecurity experts are raising alarms as AI transitions from a theoretical concern to an operational threat. The H2 2025 ESET Threat Report shows AI-powered malware is now targeting systems globally, raising attack sophistication.
PromptLock, the first AI-driven ransomware, uses a dual-component system to generate unique scripts for each target. The malware autonomously decides to exfiltrate, encrypt, or destroy data, using a feedback loop to ensure reliable execution.
Other AI threats include PromptFlux, which rewrites malware for persistence, and PromptSteal, which harvests sensitive files. These developments highlight the growing capabilities of attackers using machine learning models to evade traditional defences.
The ransomware-as-a-service market is growing, with Qilin, Akira, and Warlock using advanced evasion techniques. The convergence of AI-driven malware and thriving ransomware economies presents an urgent challenge for organisations globally.
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Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has warned residents to stay alert for fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid traffic violations or tolls. Officials say the messages are part of a phishing campaign targeting Illinois drivers.
The scam texts typically warn recipients that their vehicle registration or driving privileges are at risk of suspension. The messages urge immediate action via links that steal money or personal information.
The Secretary of State’s office said it sends text messages only to remind customers about scheduled DMV appointments. It does not communicate by text about licence status, vehicle registration issues, or enforcement actions.
Officials advised residents not to click on links or provide personal details in response to such messages. The texts are intended to create fear and pressure victims into acting quickly.
Residents who receive scam messages are encouraged to report them to the Federal Trade Commission through its online fraud reporting system.
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A ransomware attack has disrupted the Oltenia Energy Complex, Romania’s largest coal-based power producer, after hackers encrypted key IT systems in the early hours of 26 December.
The state-controlled company confirmed that the Gentlemen ransomware strain locked corporate files and disabled core services, including ERP platforms, document management tools, email and the official website.
The organisation isolated affected infrastructure and began restoring services from backups on new systems instead of paying a ransom. Operations were only partially impacted and officials stressed that the national energy system remained secure, despite the disruption across business networks.
A criminal complaint has been filed. Additionally, both the National Directorate of Cyber Security of Romania and the Ministry of Energy have been notified.
Investigators are still assessing the scale of the breach and whether sensitive data was exfiltrated before encryption. The Gentlemen ransomware group has not yet listed the energy firm on its dark-web leak site, a sign that negotiations may still be underway.
An attack that follows a separate ransomware incident that recently hit Romania’s national water authority, underlining the rising pressure on critical infrastructure organisations.
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Korean Air has disclosed a data breach affecting about 30,000 employees. Stolen records were taken from systems operated by a former subsidiary.
The breach occurred at catering supplier KC&D, sold off in 2020. Hackers, who had previously attacked the Washington Post accessed employee names and their bank account details, while customer data remained unaffected.
Investigators linked the incident to exploits in Oracle E-Business Suite. Cybercriminals abused zero day flaws during a wider global hacking campaign.
The attack against Korean Air has been claimed by the Cl0p ransomware group. Aviation firms worldwide have reported similar breaches connected to the same campaign.
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Aflac, a health and life insurer in the US, revealed that a cyberattack discovered in June affected over 22.6 million individuals. Personal and claims information, including social security numbers, may have been accessed.
The investigation found the attack likely originated from the Scattered Spider cybercrime group. Authorities were notified, and third-party cybersecurity experts were engaged to contain the incident.
Systems remained operational, and no ransomware was detected, with containment achieved within hours. Notifications have begun, and the insurer continues to monitor for potential fraudulent use of data.
Class-action lawsuits have been filed in response to the incident, which also affected employees, agents, and other related individuals. Erie and Philadelphia Insurance previously reported network issues linked to similar threats.
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The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that a data breach occurred, but stated that its impact appears to be limited. According to the agency, only a very small number of science servers were affected, and these systems were located outside ESA’s main corporate network.
Claims about the breach began circulating on 26 December, when a hacker using the alias ‘888’ alleged that more than 200 gigabytes of ESA data had been compromised and put up for sale. The hacker claimed the material included source code, internal project documents, API tokens, and embedded login credentials.
ESA acknowledged the allegations on 29 December and launched a forensic investigation. A day later, the agency stated that its initial findings confirmed unauthorised access but suggested the scope was far smaller than online claims implied.
The affected servers were described as unclassified systems used for collaborative engineering work within the scientific community. ESA said it has already informed relevant stakeholders and taken immediate steps to secure any potentially impacted devices.
The investigation is still ongoing, and ESA has stated that it will provide further updates once the forensic analysis is complete.
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The presidency of the Council of the European Union next year is expected to see Ireland lead a European drive for ID-verified social media accounts.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said the move is intended to limit anonymous abuse, bot activity and coordinated disinformation campaigns that he views as a growing threat to democracy worldwide.
A proposal that would require users to verify their identity instead of hiding behind anonymous profiles. Harris also backed an Australian-style age verification regime to prevent children from accessing social media, arguing that existing digital consent rules are not being enforced.
Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan is expected to bring forward detailed proposals during the presidency.
The plan is likely to trigger strong resistance from major social media platforms with European headquarters in Ireland, alongside criticism from the US.
However, Harris believes there is growing political backing across Europe, pointing to signals of support from French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Harris said he wanted constructive engagement with technology firms rather than confrontation, while insisting that stronger safeguards are now essential.
He argued that social media companies already possess the technology to verify users and restrict harmful accounts, and that European-level coordination will be required to deliver meaningful change.
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