Cybercrime

Researchers track financial cyberattacks in Africa and spot new ransomware group

Cybersecurity researchers have identified a series of cyberattacks targeting African financial institutions since at least July 2023. The campaign, attributed to a threat cluster named CL-CRI-1014 by Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, involves using open-source and publicly available tools to maintain unauthorised access to compromised systems.

According to Unit 42, ‘CL’ stands for ‘cluster’ and ‘CRI’ refers to ‘criminal motivation.’ The threat actor is believed to be operating as an initial access broker (IAB), seeking to obtain entry into networks and sell access to other cybercriminals on underground forums.

Researchers noted that the group employs methods to evade detection by spoofing legitimate software, including copying digital signatures and using application icons from Microsoft Teams, Palo Alto Networks Cortex, and VMware Tools to disguise malicious payloads. Tools deployed include PoshC2 for command-and-control, Chisel for network tunnelling, and Classroom Spy for remote access.

While the initial intrusion vector remains unclear, once access is achieved, the attackers reportedly use MeshCentral Agent and Classroom Spy to control machines, with Chisel deployed to bypass firewalls. PoshC2 is propagated across Windows hosts and persisted through various techniques, including services, scheduled tasks, and startup shortcuts. In some cases, stolen user credentials were used to set up proxies via PoshC2.

Trustwave SpiderLabs has reported the emergence of a new ransomware group named Dire Wolf, which has claimed 16 victims across multiple countries, including the United States, India, and Italy, with primary targets in the technology, manufacturing, and financial sectors.

Dire Wolf ransomware was developed in Golang. It includes disabling system logging, terminating a predefined list of services and applications, and deleting shadow copies to hinder recovery. Although details about the group’s initial access or lateral movement techniques are unknown, Trustwave advises organisations to maintain standard cybersecurity practices and monitor for the techniques observed during the analysis.

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Cybercrime in Africa: Turning research into justice and action

At the Internet Governance Forum 2025 in Lillestrøm, Norway, experts and policymakers gathered to confront the escalating issue of cybercrime across Africa, marked by the launch of the research report ‘Access to Justice in the Digital Age: Empowering Victims of Cybercrime in Africa’, co-organised by UNICRI and ALT Advisory.

Based on experiences in South Africa, Namibia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, the study highlights a troubling rise in cybercrime, much of which remains invisible due to widespread underreporting, institutional weaknesses, and outdated or absent legal frameworks. The report’s author, Tina Power, underscored the need to recognise cybercrime not merely as a technical challenge, but as a profound justice issue.

One of the central concerns raised was the gendered nature of many cybercrimes. Victims—especially women and LGBTQI+ individuals—face severe societal stigma and are often met with disbelief or indifference when reporting crimes such as revenge porn, cyberstalking, or online harassment.

Sandra Aceng from the Women of Uganda Network detailed how cultural taboos, digital illiteracy, and unsympathetic police responses prevent victims from seeking justice. Without adequate legal tools or trained officers, victims are left exposed, compounding trauma and enabling perpetrators.

Law enforcement officials, such as Zambia’s Michael Ilishebo, described various operational challenges, including limited forensic capabilities, the complexity of crimes facilitated by AI and encryption, and the lack of cross-border legal cooperation. Only a few African nations are party to key international instruments like the Budapest Convention, complicating efforts to address cybercrime that often spans multiple jurisdictions.

Ilishebo also highlighted how social media platforms frequently ignore law enforcement requests, citing global guidelines that don’t reflect African legal realities. To counter these systemic challenges, speakers advocated for a robust, victim-centred response built on strong laws, sustained training for justice-sector actors, and improved collaboration between governments, civil society, and tech companies.

Nigerian Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu called for a unified African stance to pressure big tech into respecting the continent’s legal systems. The session ended with a consensus – the road to justice in Africa’s digital age must be paved with coordinated action, inclusive legislation, and empowered victims.

Track all key moments from the Internet Governance Forum 2025 on our dedicated IGF page.

TxTag users targeted in sophisticated phishing scheme

A new phishing campaign targets employees with fake TxTag toll payment alerts, using legitimate-looking government domains to trick recipients into handing over sensitive information. The emails warn users of an impending account suspension unless they urgently pay a small fee, creating a false alarm to prompt quick action.

While the messages appear to come from official sources, researchers found they actually originate from an Indiana-based GovDelivery system—not Texas toll authorities—highlighting a subtle but crucial red flag. Once victims click the link, they are taken to a convincing replica of the TxTag payment site hosted at a fraudulent domain.

The page displays a believable debt of $6.69 to make the request seem routine and non-threatening. However, instead of simply logging in, users are asked to provide full personal details and, later, complete credit card information—including CVV codes.

The phishing site even validates card data to ensure the theft yields high-quality credentials. After submitting the data, victims see a fake processing message, which may be followed by an error claiming the card is unsupported.

That trick often leads users to input additional card details, giving attackers access to multiple financial accounts. The scam exemplifies the growing sophistication of phishing attacks in the US that combine technical misdirection with emotional manipulation, preying on trust in government branding and the fear of financial penalties.

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INTERPOL cracks down on global cybercrime networks

Over 20,000 malicious IP addresses and domains linked to data-stealing malware have been taken down during Operation Secure, a coordinated cybercrime crackdown led by INTERPOL between January and April 2025.

Law enforcement agencies from 26 countries worked together to locate rogue servers and dismantle criminal networks instead of tackling threats in isolation.

The operation, supported by cybersecurity firms including Group-IB, Kaspersky and Trend Micro, led to the removal of nearly 80 per cent of the identified malicious infrastructure. Authorities seized 41 servers, confiscated over 100GB of stolen data and arrested 32 suspects.

More than 216,000 individuals and organisations were alerted, helping them act quickly by changing passwords, freezing accounts or blocking unauthorised access.

Vietnamese police arrested 18 people, including a group leader found with cash, SIM cards and business records linked to fraudulent schemes. Sri Lankan and Nauruan authorities carried out home raids, arresting 14 suspects and identifying 40 victims.

In Hong Kong, police traced 117 command-and-control servers across 89 internet providers. INTERPOL hailed the effort as proof of the impact of cross-border cooperation in dismantling cybercriminal infrastructure instead of allowing it to flourish undisturbed.

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Hackers are selling 94 billion stolen cookies on Telegram

Cybercriminals are trading nearly 94 billion stolen browser cookies on Telegram, with over 20% still active and capable of granting direct access to user accounts.

These cookies, essential for keeping users logged in and websites functioning smoothly, are being repurposed as tools for account hijacking, bypassing login credentials and putting personal data at risk. Security experts warn that hundreds of millions of users globally could be exposed.

The data, revealed by cybersecurity firm NordVPN, shows that the theft spans 253 countries, with Brazil, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the US among the most affected.

Google services were the prime target, with over 4.5 billion stolen cookies linked to Google accounts, followed by YouTube, Microsoft, and Bing. Many of these cookies contain session IDs and user identifiers, which allow hackers to impersonate users and access their online accounts without detection.

The surge in cookie theft marks a 74% increase over the previous year, driven largely by the spread of malware. Redline, Vidar, and LummaC2 are among the most prolific infostealers, collectively responsible for over 60 billion stolen cookies.

These malware strains extract saved data from browsers and often act as gateways for more advanced cyberattacks.

New strains like RisePro, Stealc, Nexus, and Rhadamanthys are also emerging, designed to steal browser credentials and banking data more efficiently.

Many of these stolen cookies are being exchanged on Telegram channels, raising alarm about the app’s misuse. In response, Telegram stated:

‘The sale of private data is expressly forbidden by Telegram’s terms of service and is removed whenever discovered. Moderators empowered with custom AI and machine learning tools proactively monitor public parts of the platform and accept reports to remove millions of pieces of harmful content each year.’

With cookie theft becoming an increasingly common tactic, experts urge users to regularly clear cookies, use secure browsers, and consider additional protective measures to guard their digital identity.

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Agentic AI could accelerate and automate future cyberattacks, Malwarebytes warns

A new report by Malwarebytes warns that the rise of agentic AI will significantly increase the frequency, sophistication, and scale of cyberattacks.

Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, threat actors have used generative AI to write malware, craft phishing emails, and execute realistic social engineering schemes.

One notable case from January 2024 involved a finance employee who was deceived into transferring $25 million during a video call with AI-generated deepfakes of company executives.

Criminals have also found ways to bypass safety features in AI models using techniques such as prompt chaining, injection, and jailbreaking to generate malicious outputs.

While generative AI has already lowered the barrier to entry for cybercrime, the report highlights that agentic AI—capable of autonomously executing complex tasks—poses a far greater risk by automating time-consuming attacks like ransomware at scale.

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NatWest hit by 100 million cyber attacks every month

NatWest is defending itself against an average of 100 million cyber attacks each month, according to the bank’s head of cybersecurity.

Speaking to Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee, Chris Ulliott outlined the ‘staggering’ scale of digital threats targeting the bank’s systems. Around a third of all incoming emails are blocked before reaching staff, as they are suspected to be the start of an attack.

Instead of relying on basic filters, NatWest analyses every email for malicious content and has a cybersecurity team of hundreds, supported by a multi-million-pound budget.

Mr Ulliott also warned of the growing use of AI by cyber criminals to make scams more convincing—such as altering their appearance during video calls to build trust with victims.

Police Scotland reported that cybercrime has more than doubled since 2020, with incidents rising from 7,710 to 18,280 in 2024. Officials highlighted the threat posed by groups like Scattered Spider, believed to consist of young hackers sharing techniques online.

MSP Rona Mackay called the figures ‘absolutely staggering,’ while Ben Macpherson said he had even been impersonated by fraudsters.

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are now working together to tackle online crime. Meanwhile, Age Scotland warned that many older people lack confidence online, making them especially vulnerable to scams that can lead to financial ruin and emotional distress.

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Masked cybercrime groups rise as attacks escalate worldwide

Cybercrime is thriving like never before, with hackers launching attacks ranging from absurd ransomware demands of $1 trillion to large-scale theft of personal data. Despite efforts from Microsoft, Google and even the FBI, these threat actors continue to outpace defences.

A new report by Group-IB has analysed over 1,500 cybercrime investigations to uncover the most active and dangerous hacker groups operating today.

Rather than fading away after arrests or infighting, many cybercriminal gangs are re-emerging stronger than before.

Group-IB’s May 2025 report highlights a troubling increase in key attack types across 2024 — phishing rose by 22%, ransomware leak sites by 10%, and APT (advanced persistent threat) attacks by 58%. The United States was the most affected country by ransomware activity.

At the top of the cybercriminal hierarchy now sits RansomHub, a ransomware-as-a-service group that emerged from the collapsed ALPHV group and has already overtaken long-established players in attack numbers.

Behind it is GoldFactory, which developed the first iOS banking trojan and exploited facial recognition data. Lazarus, a well-known North Korean state-linked group, also remains highly active under multiple aliases.

Meanwhile, politically driven hacktivist group NoName057(16) has been targeting European institutions using denial-of-service attacks.

With jurisdictional gaps allowing cybercriminals to flourish, these masked hackers remain a growing concern for global cybersecurity, especially as new threat actors emerge from the shadows instead of disappearing for good.

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G7 to address North Korea’s role in major crypto hacks

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations are set to tackle North Korea’s ongoing cyber threats, particularly its involvement in large-scale cryptocurrency hacks.

The agenda will reportedly focus on the regime’s use of stolen crypto funds to finance weapons programmes. The issue has raised international concern over global security risks.

The summit, hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney from 15 to 17 June in Alberta, is expected to address geopolitical challenges, including North Korea’s tightening alliance with Russia. Such ties have further complicated attribution of attacks and enforcement of sanctions, experts warn.

Investigations have linked North Korean hackers, notably the Lazarus Group, to major crypto heists. These include the $622 million Axie Infinity breach and February’s $1.4 billion Bybit attack. Analysts believe other cyber units are also active, making digital asset protection a growing priority.

The G7, comprising France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and Canada, aims to strengthen coordination against cybercrime. It also seeks to limit the regime’s ability to exploit the crypto ecosystem for hostile purposes.

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Cyber incident disrupts services at Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer has confirmed that a cyberattack has disrupted food availability in some stores and forced the temporary shutdown of online services. The company has not officially confirmed the nature of the breach, but cybersecurity experts suspect a ransomware attack.

The retailer paused clothing and home orders on its website and app after issues arose over the Easter weekend, affecting contactless payments and click-and-collect systems. M&S said it took some systems offline as a precautionary measure.

Reports have linked the incident to the hacking group Scattered Spider, although M&S has declined to comment further or provide a timeline for the resumption of online orders. The disruption has already led to minor product shortages and analysts anticipate a short-term hit to profits.

Still, M&S’s food division had been performing strongly, with grocery spending rising 14.4% year-on-year, according to Kantar. The retailer, which operates around 1,000 UK stores, earns about one-third of its non-food sales online. Shares dropped earlier in the week but closed Tuesday slightly up.

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