Cyber attacks have surged by 47% globally in the first quarter of 2025, with organisations facing an average of 1,925 attacks each week.
Check Point Software, a cybersecurity firm, warns that attackers are growing more sophisticated and persistent, targeting critical sectors like healthcare, finance, and technology with increasing intensity.
Ransomware activity alone has soared by 126% compared to last year. Attackers are no longer just encrypting files but now also threaten to leak sensitive data unless paid — a tactic known as dual extortion.
Instead of operating as large, centralised gangs, modern ransomware groups are smaller and more agile, often coordinating through dark web forums, making them harder to trace.
The report also notes that cybercriminals are using AI to automate phishing attacks and scan systems for vulnerabilities, allowing them to strike with greater accuracy. Emerging markets remain particularly vulnerable, as they often lack advanced cybersecurity infrastructure.
Check Point urges companies to act decisively by adopting proactive security measures, investing in threat detection and employee training, and implementing real-time monitoring. Waiting for an attack instead of preparing in advance could leave organisations dangerously exposed.
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Fashion brand The North Face and luxury jeweller Cartier have confirmed recent cyber attacks that exposed customer data, including names and email addresses.
Neither company reported breaches of financial or password information.
North Face identified the attack as a credential stuffing attempt, where previously stolen passwords are used to break into other accounts.
Affected customers are being advised to change their login details, while the company’s owner, VF Corporation, continues recovering from an earlier incident.
Cartier said the breach allowed brief access to limited client data but insisted that it quickly secured its systems.
Retailers such as Adidas, Victoria’s Secret, Harrods, and M&S have all been hit in recent months, prompting warnings that the industry remains an attractive target for cyber criminals.
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Twenty-five people, including six minors, have been charged in Paris for kidnappings and attempted abductions of France’s crypto leaders. Eighteen are in pre-trial detention, others await court or are under supervision. Ages range from 16 to 23.
The investigation began with a 13 May daylight kidnapping attempt in eastern Paris, aimed at the daughter and grandson of Paymium’s CEO, Pierre Noizat. Prior failed attempts and a separate foiled abduction near Nantes earlier in the week are also linked to the case.
Video footage showed masked attackers assaulting Noizat’s family, who were hospitalised with minor injuries. Noizat praised those who defended his family during the attack.
Most suspects are French-born, with some from Senegal, Angola, and Russia. Authorities say the accused include both those who carried out the abductions and those responsible for logistics.
Defence lawyers highlighted the youth of some defendants and their vulnerability to criminal influence. The wave of kidnappings has raised national security concerns, prompting government efforts to protect wealthy crypto entrepreneurs.
Last January, Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped, tortured, and ransomed before being freed.
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Australia has imposed stricter rules on crypto ATM operators to curb scams and ensure compliance with anti-money laundering laws. A $5,000 AUD limit now applies to cash deposits and withdrawals, with scam warnings required on all machines.
Operators must also step up customer verification and improve transaction monitoring. These measures follow an AUSTRAC-led investigation that revealed older Australians, particularly those aged 60 to 70, account for a large share of crypto ATM activity.
Authorities noted that some victims were tricked into handing over life savings via these machines.
AUSTRAC has already denied registration renewal to one provider, Harro’s Empires, due to ongoing misuse risks.
The agency warned that other non-compliant operators could face similar penalties. It also urged broader adoption of cash limits across exchanges to reduce financial crime exposure.
To strengthen awareness, AUSTRAC and the federal police have released educational materials to be displayed near ATMs. The move comes amid rising scam reports, with 150 confirmed cases and over $3.1 million AUD in losses reported within a year.
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A major data breach has exposed over 184 million user credentials, including emails, passwords, and account details for platforms such as Google, Microsoft and government portals. It is still unclear whether this was due to negligence or deliberate criminal activity.
The unencrypted, unprotected database was discovered online by cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler, who confirmed many of the credentials were current and accurate. The breach highlights ongoing failures by data handlers to apply even the most basic security measures.
Fowler believes the data was gathered using infostealer malware, which silently extracts login information from compromised devices and sells it on the dark web. After the database was reported, the hosting provider took it offline, but the source remains unknown.
Security experts urge users to update passwords across all platforms, enable two-factor authentication, and use password managers and data removal services. In today’s hyper-connected world, the exposure of such critical information without encryption is seen as both avoidable and unacceptable.
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Microsoft has dismantled a major cybercrime operation centred around the Lumma Stealer malware, which had infected over 394,000 Windows devices globally.
In partnership with global law enforcement and industry partners, Microsoft seized more than 1,300 domains linked to the malware.
The malware was known for stealing sensitive data such as login credentials, bank details and cryptocurrency information, making it a go-to tool for cybercriminals since 2022.
The takedown followed a court order from a US federal court and included help from the US Department of Justice, Europol, and Japan’s cybercrime unit.
Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit also received assistance from firms like Cloudflare and Bitsight to disrupt the infrastructure that supported Lumma’s Malware-as-a-Service network.
The operation is being hailed as a significant win against a sophisticated threat that had evolved to target Windows and Mac users. Security experts urge users to adopt strong cyber hygiene, including antivirus software, two-factor authentication, and password managers.
Microsoft’s action is part of a broader effort to tackle infostealers, which have fuelled a surge in data breaches and identity theft worldwide.
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Colt Technology Services, Honeywell, and Nokia have joined forces to trial quantum key distribution (QKD) via satellites to develop quantum-safe networks. The trial builds on a previous Colt pilot focused on terrestrial quantum-secure networks.
The collaboration aims to tackle the looming cybersecurity risks of quantum computing, which threatens to break current encryption methods. The project seeks to deliver secure global communication beyond the current 100km terrestrial limit by trialling space-based and subsea QKD.
Low-Earth orbit satellites will explore QKD over ultra-long distances, including transatlantic spans. The initiative is designed to support sectors that handle sensitive data, such as finance, healthcare, and government, by offering encryption solutions resistant to quantum threats.
Leaders from all three companies emphasised the urgency of developing safeguards to protect against future threats. A joint white paper, The Journey to Quantum-Safe Networking, has been released to outline the risks and technical roadmap for this new frontier in secure communications.
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BitMEX has revealed it successfully stopped a phishing attempt by the Lazarus Group, a hacking network linked to North Korea. Attackers posed as a Web3 partner on LinkedIn, trying to trick a BitMEX employee into running malicious GitHub code.
BitMEX’s security team detected the threat early and linked it to infrastructure previously associated with Lazarus.
The exchange noted Lazarus uses simple phishing before more advanced hacks. A failed operational safeguard even exposed an IP address tied to North Korean operations, located in Jiaxing, China.
Experts believe the group’s hacking efforts are split among subgroups, each with different technical skill levels.
Lazarus has been blamed for a sharp rise in crypto thefts. Chainalysis reported North Korean-linked actors stole $1.34 billion in 2024, accounting for 61% of the total stolen in crypto-related crimes that year.
Social engineering remains their primary entry tactic, as seen in major incidents like the Bybit and Radiant Capital hacks.
The group continues to launch daily fraud attempts using a mix of phishing, fake job offers, and malicious files to compromise individuals and organisations across the crypto space.
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When Google’s Jules AI agent added a new feature to a live codebase in under ten minutes, it initially seemed like a breakthrough. But the same capabilities that allow AI tools to scan, modify, and deploy code rapidly also introduce new, troubling possibilities—particularly in the hands of malicious actors.
Experts are now voicing concern over the risks posed by hostile agents deploying AI tools with coding capabilities. If weaponised by rogue states or cybercriminals, the tools could be used to quietly embed harmful code into public or private repositories, potentially affecting millions of lines of critical software.
Even a single unnoticed line among hundreds of thousands could trigger back doors, logic bombs, or data leaks. The risk lies in how AI can slip past human vigilance.
From modifying update mechanisms to exfiltrating sensitive data or weakening cryptographic routines, the threat is both technical and psychological.
Developers must catch every mistake; an AI only needs to succeed once. As such tools become more advanced and publicly available, the conversation around safeguards, oversight, and secure-by-design principles is becoming urgent.
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Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will block access to five major cryptocurrency exchanges on 28 June for operating without a licence. Bybit, 1000X, CoinEx, OKX, and XT.COM offered trading services to Thai users without authorisation, leading to legal action.
The SEC aims to protect investors and prevent money laundering.
New anti-cybercrime laws passed in April give authorities broad powers to shut down suspicious websites quickly. The Royal Decree lets the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society target unlicensed platforms.
Enforcement has since intensified against offshore crypto operators.
Thailand is also adopting blockchain for public finance. The Ministry of Finance launched G-Token, a blockchain-based investment token for government bonds.
G-Tokens cannot be used as currency, maintaining a clear line from volatile cryptocurrencies. Regulators have imposed stricter customer checks and faster suspension of suspicious accounts, while extending liability to banks, telecoms, and social media firms.
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