Swedish authorities have ruled out sabotage in the recent Baltic Sea fibre optic cable break, attributing the damage to adverse weather, faulty equipment, and poor seamanship.
Senior prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist of Sweden’s National Security Unit stated Monday that the vessel responsible for the 26 January incident, which severed an undersea cable between Latvia and Sweden, did not act with malicious intent.
Swedish officials, including the coast guard, police, and military, participated in the probe. While the vessel had been seized during the investigation, authorities have now lifted that restriction.
Google identified more than 57 cyber threat actors linked to China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia leveraging the company’s AI technology to enhance their cyber and information warfare efforts. According to a new report by Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG), the state-sponsored hacking groups, known as Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), primarily use AI for tasks such as researching vulnerabilities, writing malicious code, and creating targeted phishing campaigns.
The company says that Iranian APT actors, particularly APT42, were identified as the most frequent users of Google’s AI tool, Gemini. They used it for reconnaissance on cybersecurity experts and organizations, and phishing operations.
Beyond APT groups, underground cybercriminal forums have begun advertising illicit AI models, such as WormGPT, WolfGPT, FraudGPT, and GhostGPT—AI systems designed to bypass ethical safeguards and facilitate phishing, fraud, and cyberattacks.
In the report, Google stated that the company has implemented countermeasures to prevent abuse of its AI system and has called for stronger collaboration between government and private industry to bolster cybersecurity defenses.
ENGlobal Corporation, a major contractor in the energy sector and federal government, was locked out of its financial systems for six weeks following a ransomware attack that began on 25 November 2024, the company disclosed in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The attack disrupted access to key business applications, affecting operational and corporate functions, including financial and reporting systems. However, ENGlobal stated that its systems have been fully restored, and the attackers no longer have access.
The Oklahoma-based company also confirmed that the breach involved unauthorised access to sensitive personal information stored on its IT systems. The company stated that affected individuals will be notified accordingly.
In an earlier SEC filing in December, ENGlobal revealed that the attackers had encrypted data files after gaining access, forcing the company to restrict IT system access and limit operations to essential functions. Despite the disruption, the company does not expect a material financial impact from the incident.
Founded in 1985, ENGlobal specialises in designing and constructing automation and instrumentation systems for commercial and government clients, including the US defence industry. The company reported $6 million in 2024 third-quarter revenue last quarter.
No ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which caused a longer-than-average outage.
OpenAI has introduced a new AI tool called deep research, designed to conduct multi-step research on the internet for complex tasks. The tool is powered by an optimised version of the upcoming OpenAI o3 model, enabling it to browse and analyse online content, including text, images, and PDFs, to generate detailed reports.
Deep research significantly reduces the time required for research, with OpenAI stating that it accomplishes tasks in minutes that would take a human several hours.
Despite its capabilities, the tool remains in its early stages and has limitations, such as difficulties in distinguishing credible sources from rumours and challenges in conveying uncertainty accurately.
The feature is already accessible via the web version of ChatGPT and will be extended to mobile and desktop applications later in February.
Deep research is the second AI agent introduced by OpenAI this year, following the January preview of Operator, which assists users with tasks like to-do lists and travel planning.
Taiwan has officially banned government agencies from using DeepSeek AI, citing security risks and concerns over potential data exposure to China. The move strengthens previous guidance, which only advised against its use.
Premier Cho Jung-tai announced the decision after a cabinet meeting, stressing the importance of safeguarding national information security. Officials raised fears over possible censorship on DeepSeek and the risk of sensitive data being transferred to China.
The digital ministry had initially stated on Friday that government departments should avoid the AI service but did not explicitly prohibit it. The latest announcement formalises the ban, aligning with Taiwan’s broader approach to restricting Chinese technology.
Authorities in several other countries, including South Korea, France, Italy, and Ireland, have also scrutinised DeepSeek’s handling of personal data.
Australia has imposed sanctions on the extremist online network ‘Terrorgram’ in an effort to combat rising antisemitism and online radicalisation. Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that engaging with the group would now be a criminal offence, helping to prevent young people from being drawn into far-right extremism. The move follows similar actions by Britain and the US.
Wong described ‘Terrorgram’ as a network that promotes white supremacy and racially motivated violence, making it the first entirely online entity to face Australian counterterrorism financing sanctions. Offenders could face up to 10 years in prison and substantial fines. Sanctions were also renewed against four other right-wing groups, including the Russian Imperial Movement and The Base.
The network primarily operates on the Telegram platform, which stated that it has long banned such content and removed related channels. The US designated ‘Terrorgram’ as a violent extremist group in January, while Britain criminalised affiliation with it in April.
Australia has seen a rise in antisemitic incidents, including attacks on synagogues and vehicles since the Israel-Gaza conflict began in October 2023. Police recently arrested neo-Nazi group members in Adelaide and charged a man for displaying a Nazi symbol on National Day.
Young people in Guernsey are being offered a free six-week course on AI to help them understand both the opportunities and challenges of the technology. Run by Digital Greenhouse in St Peter Port, the programme is open to students and graduates over the age of 16, regardless of their academic background. Experts from University College London (UCL) deliver the lessons remotely each week.
Jenny de la Mare from Digital Greenhouse said the course was designed to “inform and inspire” participants while helping them stand out in job and university applications. She emphasised that the programme was not limited to STEM students and could serve as a strong introduction to AI for anyone interested in the field.
Recognising that young people in Guernsey may have fewer opportunities to attend major tech events in the UK, organisers hope the course will give them a competitive edge. The programme has already started but is still open for registrations, with interested individuals encouraged to contact Digital Greenhouse.
With Germany’s parliamentary elections just weeks away, lawmakers are warning that authoritarian states, including Russia, are intensifying disinformation efforts to destabilise the country. Authorities are particularly concerned about a Russian campaign, known as Doppelgänger, which has been active since 2022 and aims to undermine Western support for Ukraine. The campaign has been linked to fake social media accounts and misleading content in Germany, France, and the US.
CSU MP Thomas Erndl confirmed that Russia is attempting to influence European elections, including in Germany. He argued that disinformation campaigns are contributing to the rise of right-wing populist parties, such as the AfD, by sowing distrust in state institutions and painting foreigners and refugees as a problem. Erndl emphasised the need for improved defences, including modern technologies like AI to detect disinformation, and greater public awareness and education.
The German Foreign Ministry recently reported the identification of over 50,000 fake X accounts associated with the Doppelgänger campaign. These accounts mimic credible news outlets like Der Spiegel and Welt to spread fabricated articles, amplifying propaganda. Lawmakers stress the need for stronger cooperation within Europe and better tools for intelligence agencies to combat these threats, even suggesting that a shift in focus from privacy to security may be necessary to tackle the issue effectively.
Greens MP Konstantin von Notz highlighted the security risks posed by disinformation campaigns, warning that authoritarian regimes like Russia and China are targeting democratic societies, including Germany. He called for stricter regulation of online platforms, stronger counterintelligence efforts, and increased media literacy to bolster social resilience. As the election date approaches, lawmakers urge both government agencies and the public to remain vigilant against the growing threat of foreign interference.
WhatsApp has identified an advanced hacking campaign targeting nearly 90 users across more than two dozen countries. The attack, linked to Israeli spyware firm Paragon Solutions, exploited a zero-click vulnerability, meaning victims’ devices were compromised without them needing to interact with any malicious files. The messaging platform, owned by Meta, has since taken steps to block the hacking attempts and has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Paragon.
While WhatsApp has not disclosed the identities of those targeted, reports indicate that journalists and members of civil society were among the victims. The company has referred affected users to Citizen Lab, a Canadian watchdog that investigates digital security threats. Law enforcement agencies and industry partners have also been alerted, though specifics remain undisclosed.
Paragon, which was recently acquired by US investment firm AE Industrial Partners, has not commented on the allegations. The company presents itself as a responsible player in the spyware industry, claiming to sell its technology only to governments in stable democracies. However, critics argue that the continued spread of surveillance tools increases the risk of human rights abuses, with spyware repeatedly found on the devices of activists, journalists, and officials worldwide.
Cybersecurity experts warn that the growing use of commercial spyware poses an ongoing threat to digital privacy. Despite claims of ethical safeguards, the latest revelations suggest that even companies with supposedly responsible practices may be engaging in questionable surveillance activities.
The United Kingdom is set to become the first country to criminalise the use of AI to create child sexual abuse images. New offences will target AI-generated explicit content, including tools that ‘nudeify’ real-life images of children. The move follows a sharp rise in AI-generated abuse material, with reports increasing nearly five-fold in 2024, according to the Internet Watch Foundation.
The government warns that predators are using AI to disguise their identities and blackmail children into further exploitation. New laws will criminalise the possession, creation, or distribution of AI tools designed for child abuse material, as well as so-called ‘paedophile manuals’ that provide instructions on using such technology. Websites hosting AI-generated child abuse content will also be targeted, and authorities will gain powers to unlock digital devices for inspection.
The measures will be included in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Earlier this month, Britain also announced plans to outlaw AI-generated ‘deepfake’ pornography, making it illegal to create or share sexually explicit deepfakes. Officials say the new laws will help protect children from emerging online threats.
