Cyber Updates

Reading on the heading, I hope, while I mention the “Man‑In‑The‑Middle”, you did not take it as your dreaded uncle who chimes awkwardly and listens to your private conversations, texting your friends, or subtly steering the gossip. Then let me burst your thinking bubble on this, absolutely not! I’m not talking about that awkward uncle at family gatherings. But a severe attack by a cyber trickster who eavesdrops and manipulates your online conversations without you noticing. There’s no laughing emoji when someone intercepts your banking info or chat messages without your knowledge. So, next time, don’t be confused — MITM is far less cuddly and far more creepy than that uncle who interrupts every family story but a cybercriminal lurking…

Security researchers recently revealed that the personal information of millions of people who applied for jobs at McDonald’s was exposed after they guessed the password (“123456”) for the fast food chain’s account at Paradox.ai, a company that makes artificial intelligence based hiring chatbots used by many Fortune 500 companies. Paradox.ai said the security oversight was an isolated incident that did not affect its other customers, but recent security breaches involving its employees in Vietnam tell a more nuanced story. …

Marko Elez, a 25-year-old employee at Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been granted access to sensitive databases at the U.S. Social Security Administration, the Treasury and Justice departments, and the Department of Homeland Security. So it should fill all Americans with a deep sense of confidence to learn that Mr. Elez over the weekend inadvertently published a private key that allowed anyone to interact directly with more than four dozen large language models (LLMs) developed by Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI. …

Let’s begin with a simple question—when was the last time you checked your spam folder? Chances are, it’s full of unsolicited promotions, bank fraud warnings, shipment updates you never requested, and “urgent” documents waiting to be downloaded. Most of us delete them without a second thought. There are times, however, when one of those emails makes it through to your primary inbox, looking clean, legitimate, and even familiar. That one email—if clicked—can paralyze your business operations. In 2025, this is no longer an edge case. It’s happening daily, and small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) across India are among the hardest hit. The Evolving Face of Email Threats in India Email remains the most common and cost-effective form of business communication….

Authorities in the United Kingdom this week arrested four alleged members of “Scattered Spider,” a prolific data theft and extortion group whose recent victims include multiple airlines and the U.K. retail chain Marks & Spencer. …

Microsoft today released updates to fix at least 137 security vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems and supported software. None of the weaknesses addressed this month are known to be actively exploited, but 14 of the flaws earned Microsoft’s most-dire “critical” rating, meaning they could be exploited to seize control over vulnerable Windows PCs with little or no help from users. …

A sudden pop-up, a mysterious slowdown, files you can’t open, or a warning message demanding payment – these are the chilling signs that your PC might have just become another victim of a cyberattack. If you are addressing these on your PC or have addressed them earlier or want to be secured from these, this blog is just for you! The 21st century has seen many positive changes in the technology sector, from the development of computers to the launching of AI. But with positive by default, negative actors come in, and so is the case with the technology. The bad actors, like theft, cyber-attack, phishing, malware, ransomware and many more, have taken new and advanced means, challenging the positive…

In May 2025, the U.S. government sanctioned a Chinese national for operating a cloud provider linked to the majority of virtual currency investment scam websites reported to the FBI. But more than a month later, the accused continues to openly operate accounts at a slew of American tech companies, including Facebook, Github, LinkedIn, PayPal and Twitter/X. …

Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) briefed Capitol Hill staff recently on hardening the security of their mobile devices, after a contacts list stolen from the personal phone of the White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was reportedly used to fuel a series of text messages and phone calls impersonating her to U.S. lawmakers. But in a letter this week to the FBI, one of the Senate’s most tech-savvy lawmakers says the feds aren’t doing enough to recommend more appropriate security protections that are already built into most consumer mobile devices. …

“Congratulations! Your income‑tax refund of ₹4,500 is ready. Verify your bank details here.” The message seemed beneficial, but for real, it is a scam that you can get caught off-guard. Don’t let scammers lure you to such and similar scams that will take all your hard-earned money and leave you with just regret. It is rightly said, ‘precaution is better than cure’, and an eagle’s eye on every message, mail, or call you receive can keep you protected from scammers at all levels. But surprisingly, India is the hub and is among the countries that are top on the scammers list. Every day in India, thousands wake up to such messages, and many get fooled by them. Fake tax‑refund messages…