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The North Korean threat actor linked to the Contagious Interview campaign has been observed merging some of the functionality of two of its malware programs, indicating that the hacking group is actively refining its toolset. That's according to new findings from Cisco Talos, which said recent campaigns undertaken by the hacking group have seen the functions of BeaverTail and OtterCookie coming closer to each other more than ever, even as the latter has been fitted with a new module for keylogging and taking screenshots.  The activity is attributed to a threat cluster that's tracked by the cybersecurity community under the monikers CL-STA-0240, DeceptiveDevelopment, DEV#POPPER, Famous Chollima, Gwisin Gang, PurpleBravo, Tenacious Pungsan, UNC5342, and Void Dokkaebi. The development comes as Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) and Mandiant revealed the threat actor's use of a stealthy technique known as EtherHiding to fetch next-stage payloads from the BNB Smart ...

A threat actor with ties to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (aka North Korea) has been observed leveraging the EtherHiding technique to distribute malware and enable cryptocurrency theft, marking the first time a state-sponsored hacking group has embraced the method. The activity has been attributed by Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) to a threat cluster it tracks as UNC5342 , which is also known as CL-STA-0240 (Palo Alto Networks Unit 42), DeceptiveDevelopment (ESET), DEV#POPPER (Securonix), Famous Chollima (CrowdStrike), Gwisin Gang (DTEX), Tenacious Pungsan (Datadog), and Void Dokkaebi (Trend Micro). The attack wave is part of a long-running campaign codenamed Contagious Interview , wherein the attackers approach potential targets on LinkedIn by posing as recruiters or hiring managers, and trick them into running malicious code under the pretext of a job assessment after shifting the conversation to Telegram or Discord. The end goal of these efforts is to ...

A financially motivated threat actor codenamed UNC5142 has been observed abusing blockchain smart contracts as a way to facilitate the distribution of information stealers, such as Atomic (AMOS), Lumma, Rhadamanthys (aka RADTHIEF), and Vidar, targeting both Windows and Apple macOS systems. "UNC5142 is characterized by its use of compromised WordPress websites and 'EtherHiding,' a technique used to obscure malicious code or data by placing it on a public blockchain, such as the BNB Smart Chain," Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) said in a report shared with The Hacker News. As of June 2025, Google said it flagged about 14,000 web pages containing injected JavaScript that exhibit behavior associated with an UNC5142, indicating indiscriminate targeting of vulnerable WordPress sites. However, the tech giant noted that it has not spotted any UNC5142 activity since July 23, 2025, either signaling a pause or an operational pivot. EtherHiding was first documented ...

The online world is changing fast. Every week, new scams, hacks, and tricks show how easy it's become to turn everyday technology into a weapon. Tools made to help us work, connect, and stay safe are now being used to steal, spy, and deceive. Hackers don't always break systems anymore — they use them. They hide inside trusted apps, copy real websites, and trick people into giving up control without even knowing it. It's no longer just about stealing data — it's about power, money, and control over how people live and communicate. This week's ThreatsDay issue looks at how that battle is unfolding — where criminals are getting smarter, where defenses are failing, and what that means for anyone living in a connected world. Crypto empire built on slavery Historic Operation Targets SE Asian Scam Networks with $15B Seizure The U.S. government has seized $15 billion (approximately 127,271 bitcoin) worth of cryptocurrency assets from one of the world's largest operators ...

A Chinese national has been convicted for her role in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme after law enforcement authorities in the U.K. confiscated £5.5 billion (about $7.39 billion) during a raid of her home in London. The cryptocurrency seizure, amounting to 61,000 Bitcoin, is believed to be the single largest such effort in the world, the Metropolitan Police said. Zhimin Qian (aka Yadi Zhang), 47, pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Monday to offenses related to acquiring and possessing criminal property (i.e., cryptocurrency). She is expected to be sentenced at a later date. The Met Police said the seizure was the result of a probe launched in 2018 after it received a tip-off about the transfer of criminal assets, with the agency accusing Zhang of orchestrating a large-scale fraud in China between 2014 and 2017 that defrauded more than 128,000 victims. According to Sky News , Zhang was arrested in April 2024. The scheme essentially duping victims , mostly between 50 and...

Cybersecurity never stops—and neither do hackers. While you wrapped up last week, new attacks were already underway. From hidden software bugs to massive DDoS attacks and new ransomware tricks, this week's roundup gives you the biggest security moves to know. Whether you're protecting key systems or locking down cloud apps, these are the updates you need before making your next security decision. Take a quick look to start your week informed and one step ahead. ⚡ Threat of the Week Cisco 0-Day Flaws Under Attack — Cybersecurity agencies warned that threat actors have exploited two security flaws affecting Cisco firewalls as part of zero-day attacks to deliver previously undocumented malware families like RayInitiator and LINE VIPER. The RayInitiator and LINE VIPER malware represent a significant evolution on that used in the previous campaign, both in sophistication and its ability to evade detection. The activity involves the exploitation of CVE-2025-20362 (CVSS score: 6.5) a...

A new campaign has been observed impersonating Ukrainian government agencies in phishing attacks to deliver CountLoader , which is then used to drop Amatera Stealer and PureMiner . "The phishing emails contain malicious Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) files designed to trick recipients into opening harmful attachments," Fortinet FortiGuard Labs researcher Yurren Wan said in a report shared with The Hacker News. In the attack chains documented by the cybersecurity company, the SVG files are used to initiate the download of a password-protected ZIP archive, which contains a Compiled HTML Help (CHM) file. The CHM file, when launched, activates a chain of events that culminate in the deployment of CountLoader. The email messages claim to be a notice from the National Police of Ukraine. CountLoader, which was the subject of a recent analysis by Silent Push, has been found to drop various payloads like Cobalt Strike, AdaptixC2, and PureHVNC RAT. In this attack chain, however,...

The North Korea-linked threat actors associated with the Contagious Interview campaign have been attributed to a previously undocumented backdoor called AkdoorTea, along with tools like TsunamiKit and Tropidoor. Slovak cybersecurity firm ESET, which is tracking the activity under the name DeceptiveDevelopment, said the campaign targets software developers across all operating systems, Windows, Linux, and macOS, particularly those involved in cryptocurrency and Web3 projects. It's also referred to as DEV#POPPER, Famous Chollima, Gwisin Gang, Tenacious Pungsan, UNC5342, and Void Dokkaebi. "DeceptiveDevelopment's toolset is mostly multi-platform and consists of initial obfuscated malicious scripts in Python and JavaScript, basic backdoors in Python and Go, and a dark web project in .NET," ESET researchers Peter Kálnai and Matěj Havránek said in a report shared with The Hacker News. The campaign essentially involves the impersonated recruiters offering what appear to...

Law enforcement authorities in Europe have arrested five suspects in connection with an "elaborate" online investment fraud scheme that stole more than €100 million ($118 million) from over 100 victims in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. According to Eurojust , the coordinated action saw searches in five places across Spain and Portugal, as well as in Italy, Romania and Bulgaria. Bank accounts and other financial assets associated with the cybercrime ring were frozen. The main perpetrator behind the operation has been accused of large-scale fraud and money laundering by running an online investment platform for several years, tricking unsuspecting individuals into parting with their funds by promising them high returns on investments in various cryptocurrencies. Once the deposits were made, the funds were transferred to bank accounts in Lithuania to launder them. Victims who attempted to withdraw their assets from the platform were asked to pay additional fees, after wh...

The security landscape now moves at a pace no patch cycle can match. Attackers aren't waiting for quarterly updates or monthly fixes—they adapt within hours, blending fresh techniques with old, forgotten flaws to create new openings. A vulnerability closed yesterday can become the blueprint for tomorrow's breach. This week's recap explores the trends driving that constant churn: how threat actors reuse proven tactics in unexpected ways, how emerging technologies widen the attack surface, and what defenders can learn before the next pivot. Read on to see not just what happened, but what it means—so you can stay ahead instead of scrambling to catch up. ⚡ Threat of the Week Google Patches Actively Exploited Chrome 0-Day — Google released security updates for the Chrome web browser to address four vulnerabilities, including one that it said has been exploited in the wild. The zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2025-10585, has been described as a type confusion issue in the V8 JavaScript ...

Threat actors with ties to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (aka DPRK or North Korea) have been observed leveraging ClickFix-style lures to deliver a known malware called BeaverTail and InvisibleFerret. "The threat actor used ClickFix lures to target marketing and trader roles in cryptocurrency and retail sector organizations rather than targeting software development roles," GitLab Threat Intelligence researcher Oliver Smith said in a report published last week. First exposed by Palo Alto Networks in late 2023, BeaverTail and InvisibleFerret have been deployed by North Korean operatives as part of a long-running campaign dubbed Contagious Interview (aka Gwisin Gang), wherein the malware is distributed to software developers under the pretext of a job assessment. Assessed to be a subset of the umbrella group Lazarus , the cluster has been active since at least December 2022. Over the years, BeaverTail has also been propagated via bogus npm packages and f...

The phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) offerings known as Lighthouse and Lucid has been linked to more than 17,500 phishing domains targeting 316 brands from 74 countries. "Phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS) deployments have risen significantly recently," Netcraft said in a new report. "The PhaaS operators charge a monthly fee for phishing software with pre-installed templates impersonating, in some cases, hundreds of brands from countries around the world." Lucid was first documented by Swiss cybersecurity company PRODAFT earlier this April, detailing the phishing kit's ability to send smishing messages via Apple iMessage and Rich Communication Services (RCS) for Android. The service is assessed to be the work of a Chinese-speaking threat actor known as the XinXin group (changqixinyun), which has also leveraged other phishing kits like Lighthouse and Darcula in its operations. Darcula is developed by an actor named LARVA-246 (aka X667788X0 or xxhcvv), while Light...

Law enforcement authorities in the U.K. have arrested two teen members of the Scattered Spider hacking group in connection with their alleged participation in an August 2024 cyber attack targeting Transport for London (TfL), the city's public transportation agency. Thalha Jubair (aka EarthtoStar, Brad, Austin, and @autistic), 19, from East London and Owen Flowers, 18, from Walsall, West Midlands were arrested at their home addresses on Tuesday, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. They are 19 and 18, respectively. It's worth noting that Flowers was initially arrested for his alleged involvement in the TfL attack in September 2024, but was subsequently released on bail. The agency said it found evidence of Flowers targeting U.S. healthcare companies, and that he has also been charged with conspiring with others to infiltrate and damage the networks of SSM Health Care Corporation and Sutter Health. Jubair has also been charged under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers...

In a world where threats are persistent, the modern CISO's real job isn't just to secure technology—it's to preserve institutional trust and ensure business continuity. This week, we saw a clear pattern: adversaries are targeting the complex relationships that hold businesses together, from supply chains to strategic partnerships. With new regulations and the rise of AI-driven attacks, the decisions you make now will shape your organization's resilience for years to come. This isn't just a threat roundup; it's the strategic context you need to lead effectively. Here's your full weekly recap, packed with the intelligence to keep you ahead. ⚡ Threat of the Week New HybridPetya Ransomware Bypasses UEFI Secure Boot — A copycat version of the infamous Petya/NotPetya malware dubbed HybridPetya has been spotted. But no telemetry exists to suggest HybridPetya has been deployed in the wild yet. It also differs in one key respect: It can compromise the secure boot featu...

Chinese-speaking users are the target of a search engine optimization (SEO) poisoning campaign that uses fake software sites to distribute malware. "The attackers manipulated search rankings with SEO plugins and registered lookalike domains that closely mimicked legitimate software sites," Fortinet FortiGuard Labs researcher Pei Han Liao said . "By using convincing language and small character substitutions, they tricked victims into visiting spoofed pages and downloading malware." The activity, which was discovered by the cybersecurity company in August 2025, leads to the deployment of malware families like HiddenGh0st and Winos (aka ValleyRAT), both of which are variants of a remote access trojan called Gh0st RAT. It's worth noting that the use of Winos has been attributed to a cybercrime group known as Silver Fox , which is also tracked as SwimSnake, The Great Thief of Valley (or Valley Thief), UTG-Q-1000, and Void Arachne. It's believed to be acti...

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details of a new campaign that leverages ConnectWise ScreenConnect, a legitimate Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) software, to deliver a fleshless loader that drops a remote access trojan (RAT) called AsyncRAT to steal sensitive data from compromised hosts. "The attacker used ScreenConnect to gain remote access, then executed a layered VBScript and PowerShell loader that fetched and ran obfuscated components from external URLs," LevelBlue said in a report shared with The Hacker News. "These components included encoded .NET assemblies ultimately unpacking into AsyncRAT while maintaining persistence via a fake 'Skype Updater' scheduled task." In the infection chain documented by the cybersecurity company, the threat actors have been found to leverage a ScreenConnect deployment to initiate a remote session and launch a Visual Basic Script payload via hands-on-keyboard activity. "We saw trojanized ScreenC...

A new Android malware called RatOn  has evolved from a basic tool capable of conducting Near Field Communication ( NFC ) relay attacks to a sophisticated remote access trojan with Automated Transfer System ( ATS ) capabilities to conduct device fraud. "RatOn merges traditional overlay attacks with automatic money transfers and NFC relay functionality – making it a uniquely powerful threat," the Dutch mobile security company said in a report published today. The banking trojan comes fitted with account takeover functions targeting cryptocurrency wallet applications like MetaMask, Trust, Blockchain.com, and Phantom, while also capable of carrying out automated money transfers abusing George Česko, a bank application used in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, it can perform ransomware-like attacks using custom overlay pages and device locking. It's worth noting that a variant of the HOOK Android trojan was also observed incorporating ransomware-style overlay screens to d...

Cybersecurity never slows down. Every week brings new threats, new vulnerabilities, and new lessons for defenders. For security and IT teams, the challenge is not just keeping up with the news—it's knowing which risks matter most right now. That's what this digest is here for: a clear, simple briefing to help you focus where it counts. This week, one story stands out above the rest: the Salesloft–Drift breach, where attackers stole OAuth tokens and accessed Salesforce data from some of the biggest names in tech. It's a sharp reminder of how fragile integrations can become the weak link in enterprise defenses. Alongside this, we'll also walk through several high-risk CVEs under active exploitation, the latest moves by advanced threat actors, and fresh insights on making security workflows smarter, not noisier. Each section is designed to give you the essentials—enough to stay informed and prepared, without getting lost in the noise. ⚡ Threat of the Week Salesloft to Take Drift Of...

A new set of four malicious packages have been discovered in the npm package registry with capabilities to steal cryptocurrency wallet credentials from Ethereum developers. "The packages masquerade as legitimate cryptographic utilities and Flashbots MEV infrastructure while secretly exfiltrating private keys and mnemonic seeds to a Telegram bot controlled by the threat actor," Socket researcher Kush Pandya said in an analysis. The packages were uploaded to npm by a user named " flashbotts ," with the earliest library uploaded as far back as September 2023. The most recent upload took place on August 19, 2025. The packages in question, all of which are still available for download as of writing, are listed below - @flashbotts/ethers-provider-bundle (52 Downloads) flashbot-sdk-eth (467 Downloads) sdk-ethers (90 Downloads) gram-utilz (83 Downloads) The impersonation of Flashbots is not coincidental, given its role in combating the adverse effects of...

Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new malware campaign that has leveraged Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) files as part of phishing attacks impersonating the Colombian judicial system. The SVG files, according to VirusTotal , are distributed via email and designed to execute an embedded JavaScript payload, which then decodes and injects a Base64-encoded HTML phishing page masquerading as a portal for Fiscalía General de la Nación, the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia. The page then simulates an official government document download process with a fake progress bar, while it stealthily triggers the download of a ZIP archive in the background. The exact nature of the ZIP file was not disclosed. The Google-owned malware scanning service said it found 44 unique SVG files, all of which have remained undetected by antivirus engines, owing to the use of techniques like obfuscation, polymorphism, and large amounts of junk code to evade static detection methods. In all, as ...