Bitsight researchers have uncovered the BADBOX botnet, infecting over 192,000 Android devices, mainly Yandex Smart TVs and Hisense smartphones, with financial motives. Despite mitigation efforts by Germany's BSI, the botnet's global spread, impacting regions like Russia, China, and the U.S., remains largely unchecked.

The White House and the Open-Source Software Security Initiative have released a report to boost cybersecurity in open-source software, focusing on supply chain security and memory-safe programming. It promotes using SBOMs, AI tools, and better development practices to enhance security and mitigate risks, urging collaboration between the government and the open-source community.

Eric Mizell from Keyfactor warns that organizations must prepare for post-quantum cryptography to avoid future security crises similar to Y2K. With NIST deadlines approaching, Mizell highlights the need for proactive strategies, including hybrid certificates and secure code signing, to manage cybersecurity risks and ensure software integrity.

API security now hinges on managing Non-Human Identities (NHIs) as they constitute a large part of web traffic vulnerabilities. Emphasizing NHI management can bolster cybersecurity and improve compliance and efficiency.

A Seattle firefighter, Adam Griffin, lost $450,000 from his crypto wallet in a complex scam initiated by a Google prompt. Google highlights the targeted nature of the phishing, advising users against unsolicited calls.

Gusto's Chief Security Officer warns of a shift in cyberattacks from server-side to client-side, highlighting neglected risks like e-skimming and formjacking. Effective management requires tools like Feroot Inspector to track vulnerabilities and secure sensitive data.

Rostislav Panev, a dual Russian-Israeli national, was arrested in Israel for his alleged role in the LockBit ransomware group and is facing extradition to the U.S. He is among seven charged, as international efforts continue to dismantle the cyber group.

Effective access control and secrets management are crucial in cybersecurity to secure Non-Human Identities (NHIs) and reduce data breaches. Automating secrets rotation not only enhances security but also improves operational efficiency, making it a vital strategy for industries handling sensitive data.

Daniel Christian Hulea has been sentenced to 20 years for his role in the NetWalker ransomware attacks, netting $21.5 million in bitcoins. Hulea's conviction follows his extradition from Romania to the U.S., highlighting international cooperation against cybercrime.

Three npm packages, @rspack/core, @rspack/cli, and Vant, were compromised on December 19, 2024, by attackers who used stolen tokens to insert cryptomining malware. The incident underscores the necessity for enhanced security in open-source package management, as the malicious updates were quickly removed and replaced with secure versions.

The Play ransomware group has taken responsibility for a cyberattack on Krispy Kreme, disrupting its online services since November 29, 2023. In response, Krispy Kreme engaged cybersecurity experts to mitigate the breach, as ransom demands threaten data leaks by December 21.

Ascension, a major U.S. healthcare provider, is grappling with a massive data breach affecting over 5.6 million individuals due to a May 2023 ransomware attack by Black Basta. This breach, among the year's largest, exposed sensitive health and personal information, prompting Ascension to offer identity theft protection and disrupt services to manage the fallout.

In light of the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks, DHS and the FBI urge Americans to use end-to-end encrypted messaging apps. CISA highlights the need for robust security measures like hardware-based MFA and secure app settings to protect against hacking threats.

A significant zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft's deprecated NTLM protocol allows attackers to steal credentials just by users viewing a malicious file in Windows Explorer. Despite NTLM's deprecation, 64% of Active Directory users still rely on it, making this flaw a widespread risk, urging upgrades to modern authentication protocols like Kerberos and implementing security measures like Extended Protection for Authentication.

A severe SQL injection flaw, CVE-2023-48788, with a CVSS score of 9.3, is allowing cybercriminals to execute unauthorized code via crafted data packets. These attacks, affecting companies globally, exploit Fortinet systems to install remote access software, with tools like Mimikatz used for deeper infiltration, as reported by Kaspersky in December 2024.

The Lazarus Group, linked to North Korea, has intensified cyberattacks targeting industries like aerospace and cryptocurrency through fake job offers leading to malware infections. This surge in sophisticated attacks, part of "Operation Dream Job," aligns with North Korea's increased cyber theft, with $1.34 billion stolen in 2024, nearly double the previous year's figures.

BeyondTrust detected a cyberattack in December 2024, compromising Remote Support SaaS instances and a critical API key, leading to potential password resets. In response, the company revoked the key, notified clients, and patched vulnerabilities, including two identified as CVE-2024-12356 and CVE-2024-12686, though active exploitation remains unconfirmed.

SEALSQ Corp has launched 17 WISeSat satellites with post-quantum cryptographic chips to counter quantum computing threats. Partnering with SpaceX, they aim to secure global IoT communications.

A third of organizations are boosting their cybersecurity budgets to invest in AI, recognizing its benefits despite initial costs. By 2025, 90% of leaders expect budget increases driven by AI demand.