AI is expected to play an increasingly important role in improving Britain’s road and rail networks. MPs highlighted its potential during a transport-focused industry summit in Parliament.
The Transport Select Committee chair welcomed government investment in AI and infrastructure. Road maintenance, connectivity and reduced delays were cited as priorities for economic growth.
UK industry leaders showcased AI tools that autonomously detect and repair potholes. Businesses said more intelligent systems could improve reliability while cutting costs and disruption.
Experts warned that stronger cybersecurity must accompany AI deployment. Safeguards are needed to protect critical transport infrastructure from external threats and misuse.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A cyberattack hit AZ Monica hospital in Belgium, forcing the shutdown of all servers, cancellation of scheduled procedures, and transfer of critical patients. The hospital network, with campuses in Antwerp and Deurne, provides acute, outpatient, and specialised care to the local population.
The attack was detected at 6:32 a.m., prompting staff to disconnect systems proactively. While urgent care continues, non-urgent consultations and surgeries have been postponed due to restricted access to the digital medical record.
Seven critical patients were safely transferred with Red Cross support.
Authorities and hospital officials have launched an investigation, notifying police and prosecutors. Details of the attack remain unclear, and unverified reports of a ransom demand have not been confirmed.
The hospital emphasised that patient safety and continuity of care are top priorities.
Cyberattacks on hospitals can severely disrupt medical services, delay urgent treatments, and put patients’ lives at risk, highlighting the growing vulnerability of healthcare systems to digital threats.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Microsoft has launched a joint legal action in the US and the UK to dismantle RedVDS, a subscription service supplying criminals with disposable virtual computers for large-scale fraud. The operation with German authorities and Europol seized key domains and shut down the RedVDS marketplace.
RedVDS enabled sophisticated attacks, including business email compromise and real estate payment diversion schemes. Since March 2025, it has caused about US $40 million in US losses, hitting organisations like H2-Pharma and Gatehouse Dock Condominium Association.
Globally, over 191,000 organisations have been impacted by RedVDS-enabled fraud, often combined with AI-generated emails and multimedia impersonation.
Microsoft emphasises that targeting the infrastructure, rather than individual attackers, is key. International cooperation disrupted servers and payment networks supporting RedVDS and helped identify those responsible.
Users are advised to verify payment requests, use multifactor authentication, and report suspicious activity to reduce risk.
The civil action marks the 35th case by Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, reflecting a sustained commitment to dismantling online fraud networks. As cybercrime evolves, Microsoft and partners aim to block criminals and protect people and organisations globally.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A UK public sector cyberattack on Kensington and Chelsea Council has exposed the growing vulnerability of government organisations to data breaches. The council stated that personal details linked to hundreds of thousands of residents may have been compromised after attackers targeted the shared IT infrastructure.
Security experts warn that interconnected systems, while cost-efficient, create systemic risks. Dray Agha, senior manager of security operations at Huntress, said a single breach can quickly spread across partner organisations, disrupting essential services and exposing sensitive information.
Public sector bodies remain attractive targets due to ageing infrastructure and the volume of personal data they hold. Records such as names, addresses, national ID numbers, health information, and login credentials can be exploited for fraud, identity theft, and large-scale scams.
Gregg Hardie, public sector regional vice president at SailPoint, noted that attackers often employ simple, high-volume tactics rather than sophisticated techniques. Compromised credentials allow criminals to blend into regular activity and remain undetected for long periods before launching disruptive attacks.
Hardie said stronger identity security and continuous monitoring are essential to prevent minor intrusions from escalating. Investing in resilient, segmented systems could help reduce the impact of future UK public sector cyberattack incidents and protect critical operations.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A newly identified vulnerability in Telegram’s mobile apps allows attackers to reveal users’ real IP addresses with a single click. The flaw, known as a ‘one-click IP leak’, can expose location and network details even when VPNs or proxies are enabled.
The issue comes from Telegram’s automatic proxy testing process. When a user clicks a disguised proxy link, the app initiates a direct connection request that bypasses all privacy protections and reveals the device’s real IP address.
Cybersecurity researcher @0x6rss demonstrated an attack on X, showing that a single click is enough to log a victim’s real IP address. The request behaves similarly to known Windows NTLM leaks, where background authentication attempts expose identifying information without explicit user consent.
ONE-CLICK TELEGRAM IP ADDRESS LEAK!
In this issue, the secret key is irrelevant. Just like NTLM hash leaks on Windows, Telegram automatically attempts to test the proxy. Here, the secret key does not matter and the IP address is exposed. Example of a link hidden behind a… https://t.co/KTABAiuGYIpic.twitter.com/NJLOD6aQiJ
Attackers can embed malicious proxy links in chats or channels, masking them as standard usernames. Once clicked, Telegram silently runs the proxy test, bypasses VPN or SOCKS5 protections, and sends the device’s real IP address to the attacker’s server, enabling tracking, surveillance, or doxxing.
Both Android and iOS versions are affected, putting millions of privacy-focused users at risk. Researchers recommend avoiding unknown links, turning off automatic proxy detection where possible, and using firewall tools to block outbound proxy tests. Telegram has not publicly confirmed a fix.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Fintech investment platform Betterment has confirmed a data breach after hackers gained unauthorised access to parts of its internal systems and exposed personal customer information.
The incident occurred on 9 January and involved a social engineering attack connected to third-party platforms used for marketing and operational purposes.
The company said the compromised data included customer names, email and postal addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth.
No passwords or account login credentials were accessed, according to Betterment, which stressed that customer investment accounts were not breached.
Using the limited system access, attackers sent fraudulent notifications to some users promoting a crypto-related scam.
Customers were advised to ignore the messages instead of engaging with the request, while Betterment moved quickly to revoke the unauthorised access and begin a formal investigation with external cybersecurity support.
Betterment has not disclosed how many users were affected and has yet to provide further technical details. Representatives did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication, while the company said outreach to impacted customers remains ongoing.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The eSafety regulator in Australia has expressed concern over the misuse of the generative AI system Grok on social media platform X, following reports involving sexualised or exploitative content, particularly affecting children.
Although overall report numbers remain low, authorities in Australia have observed a recent increase over the past weeks.
The regulator confirmed that enforcement powers under the Online Safety Act remain available where content meets defined legal thresholds.
X and other services are subject to systemic obligations requiring the detection and removal of child sexual exploitation material, alongside broader industry codes and safety standards.
eSafety has formally requested further information from X regarding safeguards designed to prevent misuse of generative AI features and to ensure compliance with existing obligations.
Previous enforcement actions taken in 2025 against similar AI services resulted in their withdrawal from the Australian market.
Additional mandatory safety codes will take effect in March 2026, introducing new obligations for AI services to limit children’s exposure to sexually explicit, violent and self-harm-related material.
Authorities emphasised the importance of Safety by Design measures and continued international cooperation among online safety regulators.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Reports published by cybersecurity researchers indicated that data linked to approximately 17.5 million Instagram accounts has been offered for sale on underground forums.
The dataset reportedly includes usernames, contact details and physical address information, raising broader concerns around digital privacy and data aggregation.
A few hours later, Instagram responded by stating that no breach of internal systems occurred. According to the company, some users received password reset emails after an external party abused a feature that has since been addressed.
The platform said affected accounts remained secure, with no unauthorised access recorded.
Security analysts have noted that risks arise when online identifiers are combined with external datasets, rather than originating from a single platform.
Such aggregation can increase exposure to targeted fraud, impersonation and harassment, reinforcing the importance of cautious digital security practices across social media ecosystems.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Sedgwick has confirmed a data breach at its government-focused subsidiary after the TridentLocker ransomware group claimed responsibility for stealing 3.4 gigabytes of data. The incident underscores growing threats to federal contractors handling sensitive US agency information.
The company said the breach affected only an isolated file transfer system used by Sedgwick Government Solutions, which serves agencies such as DHS, ICE, and CISA. Segmentation reportedly prevented any impact on wider corporate systems or ongoing client operations.
TridentLocker, a ransomware-as-a-service group that appeared in late 2025, listed Sedgwick Government Solutions on its dark web leak site and posted samples of stolen documents. The gang is known for double-extortion tactics, combining data encryption and public exposure threats.
Sedgwick has informed US law enforcement and affected clients while continuing to investigate with external cybersecurity experts. The firm emphasised operational continuity and noted no evidence of intrusion into its claims management servers.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A novel framework called AURA has been unveiled by researchers aiming to safeguard proprietary knowledge graphs in AI systems by deliberately corrupting stolen copies with realistic yet false data.
The approach is designed to preserve full utility for authorised users while rendering illicit copies ineffective instead of relying solely on traditional encryption or watermarking.
AURA works by injecting ‘adulterants’ into critical nodes of knowledge graphs, chosen using advanced algorithms to minimise changes while maximising disruption for unauthorised users.
Tests with GPT-4o, Gemini-2.5, Qwen-2.5, and Llama2-7B showed that 94–96% of correct answers in stolen data were flipped, while authorised access remained unaffected.
The framework protects valuable intellectual property in sectors such as pharmaceuticals and manufacturing, where knowledge graphs power advanced AI applications.
Unlike passive watermarking or offensive poisoning, AURA actively degrades stolen datasets, offering robust security against offline and private-use attacks.
With GraphRAG applications proliferating, major technology firms, including Microsoft, Google, and Alibaba, are evaluating AURA to defend critical AI-driven knowledge.
The system demonstrates how active protection strategies can complement existing security measures, ensuring enterprises maintain control over their data in an AI-driven world.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
