Encryption

Google spoofed in sophisticated phishing attack

A sophisticated phishing attack recently targeted Google users, exploiting a well-known email authentication method to bypass security measures.

The attackers sent emails appearing to be from Google’s legitimate address, no-reply@accounts.google.com, and claimed the recipient needed to comply with a subpoena.

The emails contained a link to a Google Sites page, prompting users to log in and revealing a fake legal support page.

What made this phishing attempt particularly dangerous was that it successfully passed both DMARC and DKIM email authentication checks, making it appear entirely genuine to recipients.

In another cyber-related development, Microsoft issued a warning regarding the use of Node.js in distributing malware. Attackers have been using the JavaScript runtime environment to deploy malware through scripts and executables, particularly targeting cryptocurrency traders via malvertising campaigns.

The new technique involves executing JavaScript directly from the command line, making it harder to detect by traditional security tools.

Meanwhile, the US has witnessed a significant change in its disinformation-fighting efforts.

The State Department has closed its Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference group, previously known as the Global Engagement Center, after accusations that it was overreaching in its censorship activities.

The closure, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has sparked criticism, with some seeing it as a victory for foreign powers like Russia and China.

Finally, gig workers face new challenges as the Tech Transparency Project revealed that Facebook groups are being used to trade fake gig worker accounts for platforms like Uber and Lyft.

Sellers offer access to verified accounts, bypassing safety checks, and putting passengers and customers at risk. Despite reports to Meta, many of these groups remain active, with the social media giant’s automated systems failing to curb the activity.

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Fake banking apps leave sellers thousands out of pocket

Scammers are using fake mobile banking apps to trick people into handing over valuable items without receiving any payment.

These apps, which convincingly mimic legitimate platforms, display false ‘successful payment’ screens in person, allowing fraudsters to walk away with goods while the money never arrives.

Victims like Anthony Rudd and John Reddock have lost thousands after being targeted while selling items through social media marketplaces. Mr Rudd handed over £1,000 worth of tools from his Salisbury workshop, only to realise the payment notification was fake.

Mr Reddock, from the UK, lost a £2,000 gold bracelet he had hoped to sell to fund a holiday for his children.

BBC West Investigations found that some of these fake apps, previously removed from the Google Play store, are now being downloaded directly from the internet onto Android phones.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute described this scam as an emerging threat, warning that in-person fraud is growing more complex instead of fading away.

With police often unable to track down suspects, small business owners like Sebastian Liberek have been left feeling helpless after being targeted repeatedly.

He has lost hundreds of pounds to fake transfers and believes scammers will continue striking, while enforcement remains limited and platforms fail to do enough to stop the spread of fraud.

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Colorado’s experiment with crypto tax payments shows limited adoption

Since Colorado began accepting cryptocurrency for tax payments in September 2022, the amount paid via crypto has been minimal. Out of the $11 billion in income tax collected since 2022, just 0.0005%, or roughly $57,000, has been paid using digital assets.

The state initially saw eight crypto payments totalling $16,426 in 2022, which rose to 22 payments amounting to $23,241 in 2023. However, the number declined again in 2024 to $17,544 across 48 payments.

Governor Jared Polis’ initiative allows taxpayers to use PayPal’s Crypto Hub, converting their crypto into US dollars. It means Colorado doesn’t directly receive crypto, undermining the notion that digital assets are widely used for tax payments.

Bitcoin, primarily a store of value, doesn’t lend itself to transactions like these, according to experts.

Although Colorado leads in this innovation, Utah is the only other state accepting cryptocurrency for taxes. Looking ahead, commentators suggest that stablecoins, rather than Bitcoin, will become the primary method for crypto-based transactions.

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Europe struggles to explain quantum to its citizens

Most Europeans remain unclear about quantum technology, despite increasing attention from EU leaders. A new survey, released on World Quantum Day, reveals that while 78 per cent of adults in France and Germany are aware of quantum, only a third truly understand what it is.

Nearly half admitted they had heard of the term but didn’t know what it means.

Quantum science studies the smallest building blocks of the universe, particles like electrons and atoms, that behave in ways classical physics can’t explain. Though invisible even to standard microscopes, they already power technologies such as GPS, MRI scanners and semiconductors.

Quantum tools could lead to breakthroughs in healthcare, cybersecurity, and climate change, by enabling ultra-precise imaging, improved encryption, and advanced environmental monitoring.

The survey showed that 47 per cent of respondents expect quantum to positively impact their country within five years, with many hopeful about its role in areas like energy, medicine and fraud prevention.

For example, quantum computers might help simulate complex molecules for drug development, while quantum encryption could secure communications better than current systems.

The EU has committed to developing a European quantum chip and is exploring a potential Quantum Act, backed by €65 million in funding under the EU Chips Act. The UK has pledged £121 million for quantum initiatives.

However, Europe still trails behind China and the US, mainly due to limited private investment and slower deployment. Former ECB president Mario Draghi warned that Europe must build a globally competitive quantum ecosystem instead of falling behind further.

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Hertz customer data stolen in vendor cyberattack

Hertz has disclosed a significant data breach involving sensitive customer information, including credit card and driver’s licence details, following a cyberattack on one of its service providers.

The breach stemmed from vulnerabilities in the Cleo Communications file transfer platform, exploited in October and December 2024.

Hertz confirmed the unauthorised access on 10 February, with further investigations revealing a range of exposed data, including names, birth dates, contact details, and in some cases, Social Security and passport numbers.

While the company has not confirmed how many individuals were affected, notifications have been issued in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and across the EU.

Hertz stressed that no misuse of customer data has been identified so far, and that the breach has been reported to law enforcement and regulators. Cleo has since patched the exploited vulnerabilities.

The identity of the attackers remains unknown. However, Cleo was previously targeted in a broader cyber campaign last October, with the Clop ransomware group later claiming responsibility.

The gang published Cleo’s company data online and listed dozens of breached organisations, suggesting the incident was part of a wider, coordinated effort.

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KiloEX loses $7.5 million in oracle hack

A hacker has exploited decentralised exchange KiloEX, draining approximately US$7.5 million by manipulating its price oracle mechanism. The breach led to an immediate suspension of the platform and sparked a cross-industry investigation involving cybersecurity firms and blockchain networks.

The vulnerability centred on KiloEX’s price feed system, which allowed the attacker to manipulate the ETH/USD feed by inputting an artificial entry price of 100 and closing it at 10,000.

According to cybersecurity firm PeckShield, this simple flaw enabled the attacker to steal millions across multiple chains, including $3.3 million from Base, $3.1 million from opBNB, and $1 million from BNB Smart Chain.

KiloEX is working with various security experts and blockchain networks such as BNB Chain and Manta Network to recover the stolen assets.

Funds are reportedly being routed through cross-chain protocols like zkBridge and Meson. Co-founder of Fuzzland, Chaofan Shou, described the breach as stemming from a ‘very simple vulnerability’ in oracle verification, where only intermediaries were validated rather than the original transaction sender.

The attack caused KiloEX’s token price to plummet by over 29% and came just one day after the platform announced a strategic partnership with DWF Labs, aimed at fuelling growth. KiloEX has promised a full incident report and a bounty programme to encourage asset recovery.

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Beijing blames NSA for hacking Asian Games systems

Chinese authorities have accused three alleged US operatives of orchestrating cyberattacks on national infrastructure during the Asian Games in Harbin this February.

The individuals, identified by Harbin police as Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson, are said to have worked through the US National Security Agency (NSA).

The attacks reportedly targeted systems critical to the Games’ operations, including athlete registration, travel, and competition management, which held sensitive personal data.

Chinese state media further claimed that the cyber intrusions extended beyond the sporting event, affecting key infrastructure in Heilongjiang province. Targets allegedly included energy, transport, water, telecoms, defence research institutions, and technology giant Huawei.

Authorities said the NSA used encrypted data to compromise Microsoft Windows systems in the region, with the aim of disrupting services and undermining national security.

The Foreign Ministry of China denounced the alleged cyberattacks as ‘extremely malicious,’ urging the United States to halt what it called repeated intrusions and misinformation.

The UD Embassy in Beijing has yet to respond, and the allegations come amid ongoing tensions, with both nations frequently accusing each other of state-backed hacking.

Only last month, the US government named and charged 12 Chinese nationals in connection with cyberespionage efforts against American interests.

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AI voice hacks put fake Musk and Zuckerberg at crosswalks

Crosswalk buttons in several Californian cities have been hacked to play AI-generated voices impersonating tech moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, delivering bizarre and satirical messages to pedestrians.

The spoof messages, which mock the CEOs with lines like ‘Can we be friends?’ and ‘Cooking our grandparents’ brains with AI slop,’ have been heard in Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Menlo Park.

US Palo Alto officials confirmed that 12 intersections were affected and the audio systems have since been disabled.

While the crosswalk signals themselves remain operational, authorities are investigating how the hack was carried out. Similar issues are being addressed in nearby cities, with local governments moving quickly to secure the compromised systems.

The prank, which uses AI voice cloning, appears to layer these spoofed messages on top of the usual accessibility features rather than replacing them entirely.

Though clearly comedic in intent, the incident has raised concerns about the growing ease with which public systems can be manipulated using generative technologies.

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DeepSeek highlights the risk of data misuse

The launch of DeepSeek, a Chinese-developed LLM, has reignited long-standing concerns about AI, national security, and industrial espionage.

While issues like data usage and bias remain central to AI discourse, DeepSeek’s origins in China have introduced deeper geopolitical anxieties. Echoing the scrutiny faced by TikTok, the model has raised fears of potential links to the Chinese state and its history of alleged cyber espionage.

With China and the US locked in a high-stakes AI race, every new model is now a strategic asset. DeepSeek’s emergence underscores the need for heightened vigilance around data protection, especially regarding sensitive business information and intellectual property.

Security experts warn that AI models may increasingly be trained using data acquired through dubious or illicit means, such as large-scale scraping or state-sponsored hacks.

The practice of data hoarding further complicates matters, as encrypted data today could be exploited in the future as decryption methods evolve.

Cybersecurity leaders are being urged to adapt to this evolving threat landscape. Beyond basic data visibility and access controls, there is growing emphasis on adopting privacy-enhancing technologies and encryption standards that can withstand future quantum threats.

Businesses must also recognise the strategic value of their data in an era where the lines between innovation, competition, and geopolitics have become dangerously blurred.

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Apple challenges UK government over encrypted iCloud access order

A British court has confirmed that Apple is engaged in legal proceedings against the UK government concerning a statutory notice linked to iCloud account encryption. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), which handles cases involving national security and surveillance, disclosed limited information about the case, lifting previous restrictions on its existence.

The dispute centres on a government-issued Technical Capability Notice (TCN), which, according to reports, required Apple to provide access to encrypted iCloud data for users in the UK. Apple subsequently removed the option for end-to-end encryption on iCloud accounts in the region earlier this year. While the company has not officially confirmed the connection, it has consistently stated it does not create backdoors or master keys for its products.

The government’s position has been to neither confirm nor deny the existence of individual notices. However, in a rare public statement, a government spokesperson clarified that TCNs do not grant direct access to data and must be used in conjunction with appropriate warrants and authorisations. The spokesperson also stated that the notices are designed to support existing investigatory powers, not expand them.

The IPT allowed the basic facts of the case to be released following submissions from media outlets, civil society organisations, and members of the United States Congress. These parties argued that public interest considerations justified disclosure of the case’s existence. The tribunal concluded that confirming the identities of the parties and the general subject matter would not compromise national security or the public interest.

Previous public statements by US officials, including the former President and the current Director of National Intelligence, have acknowledged concerns surrounding the TCN process and its implications for international technology companies. In particular, questions have been raised regarding transparency and oversight of such powers.

Legal academics and members of the intelligence community have also commented on the broader implications of government access to encrypted platforms, with some suggesting that increased openness may be necessary to maintain public trust.

The case remains ongoing. Future proceedings will be determined once both parties have reviewed a private judgment issued by the court. The IPT is expected to issue a procedural timetable following input from both Apple and the UK Home Secretary.

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