Cybersecurity

AI could save billions but healthcare adoption is slow

AI is being hailed as a transformative force in healthcare, with the potential to reduce costs and improve outcomes dramatically. Estimates suggest widespread AI integration could save up to 360 billion dollars annually by accelerating diagnosis and reducing inefficiencies across the system.

Although tools like AI scribes, triage assistants, and scheduling systems are gaining ground, clinical adoption remains slow. Only a small percentage of doctors, roughly 12%, currently rely on AI for diagnostic decisions. This cautious rollout reflects deeper concerns about the risks associated with medical AI.

Challenges include algorithmic drift when systems are exposed to real-world conditions, persistent racial and ethnic biases in training data, and the opaque ‘black box’ nature of many AI models. Privacy issues also loom, as healthcare data remains among the most sensitive and tightly regulated.

Experts argue that meaningful AI adoption in clinical care must be incremental. It requires rigorous validation, clinician training, transparent algorithms, and clear regulatory guidance. While the potential to save lives and money is significant, the transformation will be slow and deliberate, not overnight.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Italian defence firms hit by suspected Indian state-backed hackers

An advanced persistent threat (APT) group with suspected ties to India has been accused of targeting Italian defence companies in a cyber-espionage campaign.

Security researchers found that the hackers used phishing emails and malicious documents to infiltrate networks, stealing sensitive data.

The attacks, believed to be state-sponsored, align with growing concerns about nation state cyber operations targeting critical industries.

The campaign, dubbed ‘Operation Tainted Love,’ involved sophisticated malware designed to evade detection while exfiltrating confidential documents.

Analysts suggest the group’s motives may include gathering intelligence on military technology and geopolitical strategies. Italy has not yet issued an official response, but the breach underscores the escalating risks to national security posed by cyber-espionage.

This incident follows a broader trend of state-backed hacking groups increasingly focusing on the defence and aerospace sectors.

Cybersecurity experts urge organisations to strengthen defences, particularly against phishing and supply chain attacks. As geopolitical tensions influence cyberwarfare, such operations highlight the need for international cooperation in combating digital threats.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Enhancing email security through multi-factor authentication

Many users overlook one critical security setting that can stop hackers in their tracks: multi-factor authentication (MFA). Passwords alone are no longer enough. Easy-to-remember passwords are insecure, and strong passwords are rarely memorable or widely reused.

Brute-force attacks and credential leaks are common, especially since many users repeat passwords across different platforms. MFA solves this by requiring a second verification form, usually from your phone or an authenticator app, to confirm your identity.

The extra step can block attackers, even if they have your password, because they still need access to your second device. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is the most common form of MFA. It combines something you know (your password) with something you have.

Many email providers, including Gmail, Outlook, and Proton Mail, now offer built-in 2FA options under account security settings. On Gmail, visit your Google Account, select Security, and enable 2-Step Verification. Use Google Authenticator instead of SMS for better safety.

Outlook.com users can turn on 2FA through their Microsoft account’s Security settings, using an authenticator app for code generation. Proton Mail allows you to scan a QR code with Google Authenticator after enabling 2FA under Account and Password settings.

Authenticator apps are preferred over SMS, as they are vulnerable to SIM-swapping and phishing-based interception. Adding MFA is a fast, simple way to strengthen your email security and avoid becoming a victim of password-related breaches.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

CISA 2015 expiry threatens private sector threat sharing

Congress has under 90 days to renew the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 and avoid a regulatory setback. The law protects companies from liability when they share cyber threat indicators with the government or other firms, fostering collaboration.

Before CISA, companies hesitated due to antitrust and data privacy concerns. CISA removed ambiguity by offering explicit legal protections. Without reauthorisation, fear of lawsuits could silence private sector warnings, slowing responses to significant cyber incidents across critical infrastructure sectors.

Debates over reauthorisation include possible expansions of CISA’s scope. However, many lawmakers and industry groups in the United States now support a simple renewal. Health care, finance, and energy groups say the law is crucial for collective defence and rapid cyber threat mitigation.

Security experts warn that a lapse would reverse years of progress in information sharing, leaving networks more vulnerable to large-scale attacks. With only 35 working days left for Congress before the 30 September deadline, the pressure to act is mounting.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Meta under pressure after small business loses thousands

A New Orleans bar owner lost $10,000 after cyber criminals hijacked her Facebook business account, highlighting the growing threat of online scams targeting small businesses. Despite efforts to recover the account, the company was locked out for weeks, disrupting sales.

The US-based scam involved a fake Meta support message that tricked the owner into giving hackers access to her page. Once inside, the attackers began running ads and draining funds from the business account linked to the platform.

Cyber fraud like this is increasingly common as small businesses rely more on social media to reach their customers. The incident has renewed calls for tech giants like Meta to implement stronger user protections and improve support for scam victims.

Meta says it has systems to detect and remove fraudulent activity, but did not respond directly to this case. Experts argue that current protections are insufficient, especially for small firms with fewer resources and little recourse after attacks.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Hackers steal $500K via malicious Cursor AI extension

A cyberattack targeting the Cursor AI development environment has resulted in the theft of $500,000 in cryptocurrency from a Russian developer. Despite strong security practices and a fresh operating system, the victim downloaded a malicious extension named ‘Solidity Language’ in June 2025.

Masquerading as a syntax highlighting tool, the fake extension exploited search rankings to appear more legitimate than actual alternatives. Once installed, the extension served as a dropper for malware rather than offering any development features.

It contacted a command-and-control server and began deploying scripts designed to check for remote desktop software and install backdoors. The malware used PowerShell scripts to install ScreenConnect, granting persistent access to the victim’s system through a relay server.

Securelist analysts found that the extension exploited Open VSX registry algorithms by publishing with a more recent update date. Further investigation revealed the same attack methods were used in other packages, including npm’s ‘solsafe’ and three VS Code extensions.

The campaign reflects a growing trend of supply chain attacks exploiting AI coding tools to distribute persistent, stealthy malware.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AI can reshape the insurance industry, but carries real-world risks

AI is creating new opportunities for the insurance sector, from faster claims processing to enhanced fraud detection.

According to Jeremy Stevens, head of EMEA business at Charles Taylor InsureTech, AI allows insurers to handle repetitive tasks in seconds instead of hours, offering efficiency gains and better customer service. Yet these opportunities come with risks, especially if AI is introduced without thorough oversight.

Poorly deployed AI systems can easily cause more harm than good. For instance, if an insurer uses AI to automate motor claims but trains the model on biassed or incomplete data, two outcomes are likely: the system may overpay specific claims while wrongly rejecting genuine ones.

The result would not simply be financial losses, but reputational damage, regulatory investigations and customer attrition. Instead of reducing costs, the company would find itself managing complaints and legal challenges.

To avoid such pitfalls, AI in insurance must be grounded in trust and rigorous testing. Systems should never operate as black boxes. Models must be explainable, auditable and stress-tested against real-world scenarios.

It is essential to involve human experts across claims, underwriting and fraud teams, ensuring AI decisions reflect technical accuracy and regulatory compliance.

For sensitive functions like fraud detection, blending AI insights with human oversight prevents mistakes that could unfairly affect policyholders.

While flawed AI poses dangers, ignoring AI entirely risks even greater setbacks. Insurers that fail to modernise may be outpaced by more agile competitors already using AI to deliver faster, cheaper and more personalised services.

Instead of rushing or delaying adoption, insurers should pursue carefully controlled pilot projects, working with partners who understand both AI systems and insurance regulation.

In Stevens’s view, AI should enhance professional expertise—not replace it—striking a balance between innovation and responsibility.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Hackers use fake Termius app to infect macOS devices

Hackers are bundling legitimate Mac apps with ZuRu malware and poisoning search results to lure users into downloading trojanized versions. Security firm SentinelOne reported that the Termius SSH client was recently compromised and distributed through malicious domains and fake downloads.

The ZuRu backdoor, originally detected in 2021, allows attackers to silently access infected machines and execute remote commands undetected. Attackers continue to target developers and IT professionals by trojanising trusted tools such as SecureCRT, Navicat, and Microsoft Remote Desktop.

Infected disk image files are slightly larger than legitimate ones due to embedded malicious binaries. Victims unknowingly launch malware alongside the real app.

The malware bypasses macOS code-signing protections by injecting a temporary developer signature into the compromised application bundle. The updated variant of ZuRu requires macOS Sonoma 14.1 or newer and supports advanced command-and-control functions using the open-source Khepri beacon.

The functions include file transfers, command execution, system reconnaissance and process control, with captured outputs sent back to attacker-controlled domains. The latest campaign used termius.fun and termius.info to host the trojanized packages. Affected users often lack proper endpoint security.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Harnessing the power of space: Bridging innovation and the SDGs

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, experts gathered to explore how a growing and diversifying space ecosystem can be harnessed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moderated by Alexandre Vallet from ITU, the panel highlighted how space has evolved from providing niche satellite connectivity to enabling comprehensive systems that address environmental, humanitarian, and developmental challenges on a global scale.

Almudena Azcarate-Ortega of UNIDIR emphasised the importance of distinguishing between space security—focused on intentional threats like cyberattacks and jamming—and space safety, which concerns accidental hazards. She highlighted the legal gap in existing treaties and underlined how inconsistent interpretations of key terms complicate international negotiations.

Meanwhile, Dr Ingo Baumann traced the evolution of space law from Cold War-era compliance to modern frameworks that prioritise national competitiveness, such as the proposed EU Space Act.

Technological innovation also featured prominently. Bruno Bechard from Kineis presented how their IoT satellite constellation supports SDGs by monitoring wildlife, detecting forest fires, and improving supply chains across remote areas underserved by terrestrial networks. However, he noted that narrowband services like theirs face outdated regulatory frameworks and high fees, making market entry more difficult than for broadband providers.

Chloe Saboye-Pasquier of Ridespace closed with a call for more harmonised regulations. Her company brokers satellite launches and often navigates conflicting legal systems across countries.

She flagged radio frequency registration delays and a lack of mutual recognition between national laws as critical barriers, especially for newcomers and countries without dedicated space agencies. As the panel concluded, speakers agreed that achieving the SDGs through space innovation requires not just cutting-edge technology, but also cohesive global governance, clear legal standards, and inclusive access to space infrastructure.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.

Building digital resilience in an age of crisis

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, the session ‘Information Society in Times of Risk’ spotlighted how societies can harness digital tools to weather crises more effectively. Experts and researchers from across the globe shared innovations and case studies that emphasised collaboration, inclusiveness, and preparedness.

Chairs Horst Kremers and Professor Ke Gong opened the discussion by reinforcing the UN’s all-of-society principle, which advocates cooperation among governments, civil society, tech companies, and academia in facing disaster risks.

The Singapore team unveiled their pioneering DRIVE framework—Digital Resilience Indicators for Veritable Empowerment—redefining resilience not as a personal skill set but as a dynamic process shaped by individuals’ environments, from family to national policies. They argued that digital resilience must include social dimensions such as citizenship, support networks, and systemic access, making it a collective responsibility in the digital era.

Turkish researchers analysed over 54,000 social media images shared after the 2023 earthquakes, showing how visual content can fuel digital solidarity and real-time coordination. However, they also revealed how the breakdown of communication infrastructure in the immediate aftermath severely hampered response efforts, underscoring the urgent need for robust and redundant networks.

Meanwhile, Chinese tech giant Tencent demonstrated how integrated platforms—such as WeChat and AI-powered tools—transform disaster response, enabling donations, rescues, and community support on a massive scale. Yet, presenters cautioned that while AI holds promise, its current role in real-time crisis management remains limited.

The session closed with calls for pro-social platform designs to combat polarisation and disinformation, and a shared commitment to building inclusive, digitally resilient societies that leave no one behind.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.