Network security

Salt Typhoon hackers breached Viasat during 2024 presidential campaign

According to Bloomberg News, satellite communications firm Viasat Inc. was reportedly among the targets of the Chinese-linked cyberespionage operation known as Salt Typhoon, which coincided with the 2024 US presidential campaign.

The breach, believed to have occurred last year, was discovered in 2025. Viasat confirmed it had investigated the incident in cooperation with an independent cybersecurity partner and relevant government authorities.

According to the company, the unauthorised access stemmed from a compromised device, though no evidence of customer impact has been found. ‘Viasat believes that the incident has been remediated and has not detected any recent activity related to this event,’ the firm stated, reaffirming its collaboration with United States officials.

Salt Typhoon, attributed to China by US intelligence, has previously been accused of breaching major telecom networks, including Verizon, AT&T and Lumen. Hackers allegedly gained full access to internal systems, enabling the geolocation of millions of users and the interception of phone calls.

In December 2024, US officials disclosed that a ninth telecom company had been compromised and confirmed that individuals connected to both Kamala Harris’s and Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns were targeted.

Chinese authorities have consistently rejected the claims, labelling them disinformation. Beijing maintains it ‘firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks and cybertheft in all forms’.

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

Microsoft begins password deletion in six weeks

Microsoft has announced that it will begin deleting saved passwords from its Authenticator app in six weeks, urging users to shift to more secure passkeys. The company confirmed that by August 2025, saved passwords will no longer be accessible, marking a decisive move away from traditional logins.

Users can transition their credentials to Microsoft Edge or adopt passkeys, which are less vulnerable to phishing and breaches. Despite growing risks, Google is making similar recommendations as most users still rely on passwords or outdated two-factor authentication.

The changes reflect a broader industry push to phase out passwords entirely, citing their inherent insecurity and the surge in credential-based attacks. Microsoft also warned that attackers are intensifying efforts to exploit passwords before their relevance fades.

Authenticator will continue supporting passkeys, but users must keep it enabled as their passkey provider. Microsoft’s message is clear: act now to secure your accounts before password support disappears.

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

UK cyber agency warns AI will accelerate cyber threats by 2027

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has warned that integrating AI into national infrastructure creates a broader attack surface, raising concerns about an increased risk of cyber threats.

Its latest report outlines how AI may amplify the capabilities of threat actors, especially when it comes to exploiting known vulnerabilities more rapidly than ever before.

By 2027, AI-enabled tools are expected to shorten the time between vulnerability disclosure and exploitation significantly. The evolution could pose a serious challenge for defenders, particularly within critical systems.

The NCSC notes that the risk of advanced cyber attacks will likely escalate unless organisations can keep pace with so-called ‘frontier AI’.

The centre also predicts a growing ‘digital divide’ between organisations that adapt to AI-driven threats and those left behind. The divide could further endanger the overall cyber resilience of the UK. As a result, decisive action is being urged to close the gap and reduce future risks.

NCSC operations director Paul Chichester said AI is expanding attack surfaces, increasing the volume of threats, and speeding up malicious activity. He emphasised that while these dangers are real, AI can strengthen the UK’s cyber defences.

Organisations are encouraged to adopt robust security practices using resources like the Cyber Assessment Framework, the 10 Steps to Cyber Security, and the new AI Cyber Security Code of Practice.

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

Google warns against weak passwords amid £12bn scams

Gmail users are being urged to upgrade their security as online scams continue to rise sharply, with cyber criminals stealing over £12 billion in the past year alone. Google is warning that simple passwords leave people vulnerable to phishing and account takeovers.

To combat the threat, users are encouraged to switch to passkeys or use ‘Sign in with Google’, both of which offer stronger protections through fingerprint, face ID or PIN verification. Over 60% of Baby Boomers and Gen X users still rely on weak passwords, increasing their exposure to attacks.

Despite the availability of secure alternatives, only 30% of users reportedly use them daily. Gen Z is leading the shift by adopting newer tools, bypassing outdated security habits altogether.

Google recommends adding 2-Step Verification for those unwilling to leave passwords behind. With scams growing more sophisticated, extra security measures are no longer optional, they are essential.

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

CISOs warn AI-driven cyberattacks are rising, with DNS infrastructure at risk

A new report warns that chief information security officers (CISOs) are bracing for a sharp increase in cyber-attacks as AI continues to reshape the global threat landscape. According to CSC’s report, 98% of CISOs expect rising attacks over the next three years, with domain infrastructure a key concern.

AI-powered domain generation algorithms (DGAs) have been flagged as a key threat by 87% of security leaders. Cyber-squatting, DNS hijacking, and DDoS attacks remain top risks, with nearly all CISOs expressing concern over bad actors’ increasing use of AI.

However, only 7% said they feel confident in defending against domain-based threats.

Concerns have also been raised about identity verification. Around 99% of companies worry their domain registrars fail to apply adequate Know Your Customer (KYC) policies, leaving them vulnerable to infiltration.

Meanwhile, half of organisations have not implemented or tested a formal incident response plan or adopted AI-driven monitoring tools.

Budget constraints continue to limit cybersecurity readiness. Despite the growing risks, only 7% of CISOs reported a significant increase in security budgets between 2024 and 2025. CSC’s Ihab Shraim warned that DNS infrastructure is a prime target and urged firms to act before facing technical and reputational fallout.

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

Workplace deepfake abuse: What employers must know

Deepfake technology—AI-generated videos, images, and audio—has entered the workplace in alarming ways.

Once difficult to produce, deepfakes are now widely accessible and are being used to harass, impersonate, or intimidate employees. These synthetic media attacks can cause deep psychological harm, damage reputations, and expose employers to serious legal risks.

While US federal law hasn’t yet caught up, new legislation like the Take It Down Act and Florida’s Brooke’s Law require platforms to remove non-consensual deepfake content within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, employers could face claims under existing workplace laws if they fail to act on deepfake harassment. Inaction may lead to lawsuits for creating a hostile environment or for negligent oversight.

Most workplace policies still don’t mention synthetic media and something like this creates blind spots, especially during investigations, where fake images or audio could wrongly influence decisions.

Employers need to shift how they assess evidence and protect both accused and accuser fairly. It’s time to update handbooks, train staff, and build clear response plans that include digital impersonation and deepfake abuse.

By treating deepfakes as a modern form of harassment instead of just a tech issue, organisations can respond faster, protect staff, and maintain trust. Proactive training, updated policies, and legal awareness will be crucial to workplace safety in the age of AI.

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

Anubis ransomware threatens permanent data loss

A new ransomware threat known as Anubis is making waves in the cybersecurity world, combining file encryption with aggressive monetisation tactics and a rare file-wiping feature that prevents data recovery.

Victims discover their files renamed with the .anubis extension and are presented with a ransom note warning that stolen data will be leaked unless payment is made.

What sets Anubis apart is its ability to permanently erase file contents using a command that overwrites them with zero-byte shells. Although the filenames remain, the data inside is lost forever, rendering recovery impossible.

Researchers have flagged the destructive feature as highly unusual for ransomware, typically seen in cyberespionage rather than financially motivated attacks.

The malware also attempts to change the victim’s desktop wallpaper to reinforce the impact, although in current samples, the image file was missing. Anubis spreads through phishing emails and uses tactics like command-line scripting and stolen tokens to escalate privileges and evade defences.

It operates as a ransomware-as-a-service model, meaning less-skilled cybercriminals can rent and use it easily.

Security experts urge organisations to treat Anubis as more than a typical ransomware threat. Besides strong backup practices, firms are advised to improve email security, limit user privileges, and train staff to spot phishing attempts.

As attackers look to profit from stolen access and unrecoverable destruction, prevention becomes the only true line of defence.

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

ChatGPT and generative AI have polluted the internet — and may have broken themselves

The explosion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has flooded the internet with low-quality, AI-generated content, making it harder for future models to learn from authentic human knowledge.

As AI continues to train on increasingly polluted data, a loop forms in which AI imitates already machine-made content, leading to a steady drop in originality and usefulness. The worrying trend is referred to as ‘model collapse’.

To illustrate the risk, researchers compare clean pre-AI data to ‘low-background steel’ — a rare kind of steel made before nuclear testing in 1945, which remains vital for specific medical and scientific uses.

Just as modern steel became contaminated by radiation, modern data is being tainted by artificial content. Cambridge researcher Maurice Chiodo notes that pre-2022 data is now seen as ‘safe, fine, clean’, while everything after is considered ‘dirty’.

A key concern is that techniques like retrieval-augmented generation, which allow AI to pull real-time data from the internet, risk spreading even more flawed content. Some research already shows that it leads to more ‘unsafe’ outputs.

If developers rely on such polluted data, scaling models by adding more information becomes far less effective, potentially hitting a wall in progress.

Chiodo argues that future AI development could be severely limited without a clean data reserve. He and his colleagues urge the introduction of clear labelling and tighter controls on AI content.

However, industry resistance to regulation might make meaningful reform difficult, raising doubts about whether the pollution can be reversed.

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

Hacktivists target Iran’s Bank Sepah in major cyberattack

A cyberattack has reportedly hit Iran’s Bank Sepah by the hacktivist group Predatory Sparrow. The group announced on Tuesday that it had ‘destroyed all data’ at the bank, which is closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s military.

Several Bank Sepah branches were closed, and customers reported being unable to access their accounts.
The attack coincided with broader banking disruptions in Iran, affecting services at Kosar and Ansar banks, both associated with military entities and subject to US sanctions.

Authorities in Iran have yet to publicly acknowledge the attack, though the IRGC-linked Fars news agency claimed the issues would be resolved in a few hours.

Predatory Sparrow said it targeted Bank Sepah for its alleged role in financing Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes and in helping the country circumvent international sanctions.

The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on Iranian steel plants and fuel stations and is widely believed by Tehran to receive foreign support, particularly from Israel.

Bank Sepah, one of the country’s oldest financial institutions, operates around 1,800 branches within Iran and maintains offices across Europe. The United States sanctioned the bank in 2019 following Iran’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.

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

Indonesia’s cyber push faces capacity challenges in the provinces

Indonesia is decentralising its approach to cybersecurity, launching eight regional Cyber Crime Directorates within provincial police forces in September 2024.

These directorates, located in areas including Jakarta, East Java, Bali, and Papua, aim to boost local responses to increasingly complex cyber threats—from data breaches and financial fraud to hacktivism and disinformation.

The move marks a shift from Jakarta-led cybersecurity efforts toward a more distributed model, aligning with Indonesia’s broader decentralisation goals. It reflects the state’s recognition that digital threats are not only national in scope, but deeply rooted in local contexts.

However, experts warn that regionalising cyber governance comes with significant challenges. Provincial police commands often lack specialised personnel, digital forensics capabilities, and adaptive institutional structures.

Many still rely on rotations from central agencies or basic training programs—insufficient for dealing with fast-moving and technically advanced cyberattacks.

Moreover, the culture of rigid hierarchy and limited cross-agency collaboration may further hinder rapid response and innovation at the local level. Without reforms to increase flexibility, autonomy, and inter-agency cooperation, these new directorates risk becoming symbolic rather than operationally impactful.

The inclusion of provinces like Central Sulawesi and Papua also reveals a political dimension. These regions are historically security-sensitive, and the presence of cyber directorates could serve both policing and state surveillance functions, raising concerns over the balance between security and civil liberties.

To be effective, the initiative requires more than administrative expansion. It demands sustained investment in talent development, modern infrastructure, and trusted partnerships with local stakeholders—including the private sector and academia.

If these issues are not addressed, Indonesia’s push to regionalise cybersecurity may reinforce old hierarchies rather than build meaningful local capacity. Stronger, smarter institutions—not just new offices—will determine whether Indonesia can secure its digital future.

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