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Google on Wednesday said it discovered an unknown threat actor using an experimental Visual Basic Script (VB Script) malware dubbed PROMPTFLUX that interacts with its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) model API to write its own source code for improved obfuscation and evasion. "PROMPTFLUX is written in VBScript and interacts with Gemini's API to request specific VBScript obfuscation and evasion techniques to facilitate 'just-in-time' self-modification, likely to evade static signature-based detection," Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) said in a report shared with The Hacker News. The novel feature is part of its "Thinking Robot" component, which periodically queries the large language model (LLM), Gemini 1.5 Flash or later in this case, to obtain new code so as to sidestep detection. This, in turn, is accomplished by using a hard-coded API key to send the query to the Gemini API endpoint. The prompt sent to the model is both highly specif...

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed a new set of vulnerabilities impacting OpenAI's ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that could be exploited by an attacker to steal personal information from users' memories and chat histories without their knowledge. The seven vulnerabilities and attack techniques, according to Tenable, were found in OpenAI's GPT-4o and GPT-5 models. OpenAI has since addressed some of them .  These issues expose the AI system to indirect prompt injection attacks , allowing an attacker to manipulate the expected behavior of a large language model (LLM) and trick it into performing unintended or malicious actions, security researchers Moshe Bernstein and Liv Matan said in a report shared with The Hacker News. The identified shortcomings are listed below - Indirect prompt injection vulnerability via trusted sites in Browsing Context, which involves asking ChatGPT to summarize the contents of web pages with malicious instructions added...

Raise your hand if you've heard the myth, "Android isn't secure." Android phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy, unlock new ways of working. But, as an IT admin, you may worry about the security—after all, work data is critical. However, outdated concerns can hold your business back from unlocking its full potential. The truth is, with work happening everywhere, every device connected to your network is a potential security breach point. As threats evolve, so must the tools to defend against them. Allow me to introduce Samsung Knox— a built-in security platform that combines hardware and software protections on Samsung Galaxy devices. It's loaded with features and is designed to safeguard data, provide IT teams with deeper control, and offer a flexible foundation for enterprise needs. Let's take a look at some myths about open source and how Samsung can get you on the right path to success. Myth 1: "Isn't Android more prone to malware and attacks?" Common concerns around sideloadi...

A never-before-seen threat activity cluster codenamed UNK_SmudgedSerpent has been attributed as behind a set of cyber attacks targeting academics and foreign policy experts between June and August 2025, coinciding with heightened geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel. "UNK_SmudgedSerpent leveraged domestic political lures, including societal change in Iran and investigation into the militarization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)," Proofpoint security researcher Saher Naumaan said in a new report shared with The Hacker News. The enterprise security company said the campaign shares tactical similarities with that of prior attacks mounted by Iranian cyber espionage groups like TA455 (aka Smoke Sandstorm or UNC1549), TA453  (aka Charming Kitten or Mint Sandstorm), and TA450 (aka Mango Sandstorm or MuddyWater). The email messages bear all hallmarks of a classic Charming Kitten attack, with the threat actors reeling in prospective targets by engagin...

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday imposed sanctions against eight individuals and two entities within North Korea's global financial network for laundering money for various illicit schemes , including cybercrime and information technology (IT) worker fraud . "North Korean state-sponsored hackers steal and launder money to fund the regime's nuclear weapons program," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. "By generating revenue for Pyongyang's weapons development, these actors directly threaten U.S. and global security. The Treasury will continue to pursue the facilitators and enablers behind these schemes to cut off the DPRK's illicit revenue streams." The names of sanctioned individuals and entities are listed below - Jang Kuk Chol (Jang) and Ho Jong Son , who are said to have helped manage funds, including $5.3 million in cryptocurrency, on behalf of First Credit Bank (aka Cheil ...

Behind every alert is an analyst; tired eyes scanning dashboards, long nights spent on false positives, and the constant fear of missing something big. It's no surprise that many SOCs face burnout before they face their next breach. But this doesn't have to be the norm. The path out isn't through working harder, but through working smarter, together. Here are three practical steps every SOC can take to prevent burnout and build a healthier, more resilient team. Step 1: Reduce Alert Overload with Real-Time Context SOC burnout often starts with alert fatigue. Analysts waste hours dissecting incomplete data because traditional systems provide only fragments of the story. By giving teams the full behavioral context behind alerts, leaders can help them prioritize faster and act with confidence. Leading SOCs are already turning to advanced solutions like ANY.RUN's interactive sandbox to cut through the noise. Instead of static logs, they see the full attack chain unfold in real time, fr...

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Tuesday added two security flaws impacting Gladinet and Control Web Panel (CWP) to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities ( KEV ) catalog, citing evidence of active exploitation in the wild. The vulnerabilities in question are listed below - CVE-2025-11371 (CVSS score: 7.5) - A vulnerability in files or directories accessible to external parties in Gladinet CentreStack and Triofox that could result in unintended disclosure of system files. CVE-2025-48703 (CVSS score: 9.0) - An operating system command injection vulnerability in Control Web Panel (formerly CentOS Web Panel) that results in unauthenticated remote code execution via shell metacharacters in the t_total parameter in a filemanager changePerm request. The development comes weeks after cybersecurity company Huntress said it detected active exploitation attempts targeting CVE-2025-11371, with unknown threat actors leveraging the flaw to run reconnaissan...

The nascent collective that combines three prominent cybercrime groups, Scattered Spider, LAPSUS$, and ShinyHunters, has created no less than 16 Telegram channels since August 8, 2025. "Since its debut, the group's Telegram channels have been removed and recreated at least 16 times under varying iterations of the original name – a recurring cycle reflecting platform moderation and the operators' determination to sustain this specific type of public presence despite disruption," Trustwave SpiderLabs, a LevelBlue company, said in a report shared with The Hacker News. Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters (SLH) emerged in early August, launching data extortion attacks against organizations, including those using Salesforce in recent months. Chief among its offerings is an extortion-as-a-service (EaaS) that other affiliates can join to demand a payment from targets in exchange for using the "brand" and notoriety of the consolidated entity. All three groups are assesse...

Nine people have been arrested in connection with a coordinated law enforcement operation that targeted a cryptocurrency money laundering network that defrauded victims of €600 million (~$688 million). According to a statement released by Eurojust today, the action took place between October 27 and 29 across Cyprus, Spain, and Germany, with the suspects arrested on charges of involvement in money laundering from fraudulent activities. In addition to the arrests of the individuals from their homes, authorities conducted searches that led to the seizure of €800,000 ($918,000) in bank accounts, €415,000 ($476,000) in cryptocurrencies, and €300,000 ($344,000) in cash. Participating nations in the "synchronized" effort alongside Eurojust were agencies from France, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, and Spain. "The members of the network created dozens of fake cryptocurrency investment platforms that looked like legitimate websites and promised high returns," Eurojust said . ...

Details have emerged about a now-patched critical security flaw in the popular " @react-native-community/cli " npm package that could be potentially exploited to run malicious operating system (OS) commands under certain conditions. "The vulnerability allows remote unauthenticated attackers to easily trigger arbitrary OS command execution on the machine running react-native-community/cli's development server, posing a significant risk to developers," JFrog Senior Security Researcher Or Peles said in a report shared with The Hacker News. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-11953, carries a CVSS score of 9.8 out of a maximum of 10.0, indicating critical severity. It also affects the "@react-native-community/cli-server-api" package versions 4.8.0 through 20.0.0-alpha.2, and has been patched in version 20.0.0 released early last month. The command-line tools package , which is maintained by Meta, enables developers to build React Native mobile ...

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details of four security flaws in Microsoft Teams that could have exposed users to serious impersonation and social engineering attacks. The vulnerabilities "allowed attackers to manipulate conversations, impersonate colleagues, and exploit notifications," Check Point said in a report shared with The Hacker News. Following responsible disclosure in March 2024, some of the issues were addressed by Microsoft in August 2024 under the CVE identifier CVE-2024-38197, with subsequent patches rolled out in September 2024 and October 2025. In a nutshell, these shortcomings make it possible to alter message content without leaving the "Edited" label and sender identity and modify incoming notifications to change the apparent sender of the message, thereby allowing an attacker to trick victims into opening malicious messages by making them appear as if they are coming from a trusted source, including high-profile C-suite executives...

Ransomware is malicious software designed to block access to a computer system or encrypt data until a ransom is paid. This cyberattack is one of the most prevalent and damaging threats in the digital landscape, affecting individuals, businesses, and critical infrastructure worldwide. A ransomware attack typically begins when the malware infiltrates a system through various vectors such as phishing emails, malicious downloads, or exploiting software vulnerabilities. Once activated, the malware encrypts files using strong cryptographic algorithms, rendering them inaccessible to the legitimate owner. The attackers then demand payment, usually in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, in exchange for the decryption key. Modern ransomware variants have evolved beyond simple file encryption. Some employ double extortion tactics, where attackers encrypt data, exfiltrate sensitive information, and threaten to publish it publicly if the ransom is not paid. This puts pressure on victims, particularly...