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Data is the lifeblood of productivity, and protecting sensitive data is more critical than ever. With cyber threats evolving rapidly and data privacy regulations tightening, organizations must stay vigilant and proactive to safeguard their most valuable assets. But how do you build an effective data protection framework? In this article, we'll explore data protection best practices from meeting compliance requirements to streamlining day-to-day operations. Whether you're securing a small business or a large enterprise, these top strategies will help you build a strong defense against breaches and keep your sensitive data safe. 1. Define your data goals When tackling any data protection project, the first step is always to understand the outcome you want. First, understand what data you need to protect. Identify your crown jewel data, and where you THINK it lives. (It's probably more distributed than you expect, but this is a key step to help you define your protection ...

In an era where digital transformation drives business across sectors, cybersecurity has transcended its traditional operational role to become a cornerstone of corporate strategy and risk management. This evolution demands a shift in how cybersecurity leaders—particularly Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs)—articulate the value and urgency of cybersecurity investments to their boards.  The Strategic Importance of Cybersecurity Cybersecurity is no longer a backroom IT concern but a pivotal agenda item in boardroom discussions. The surge in cyber threats, coupled with their capacity to disrupt business operations, erode customer trust, and incur significant financial losses, underscores the strategic value of robust cybersecurity measures. Moreover, as companies increasingly integrate digital technologies into their core operations, the significance of cybersecurity in safeguarding corporate assets and reputation continues to rise. The Current State of Cybersecurity in C...

More than six years after the Spectre security flaw impacting modern CPU processors came to light, new research has found that the latest AMD and Intel processors are still susceptible to speculative execution attacks. The attack, disclosed by ETH Zürich researchers Johannes Wikner and Kaveh Razavi, aims to undermine the Indirect Branch Predictor Barrier ( IBPB ) on x86 chips, a crucial mitigation against speculative execution attacks. Speculative execution refers to a performance optimization feature wherein modern CPUs execute certain instructions out-of-order by predicting the branch a program will take beforehand, thus speeding up the task if the speculatively used value was correct. If it results in a misprediction, the instructions, called transient, are declared invalid and squashed, before the processor can resume execution with the correct value. While the execution results of transient instructions are not committed to the architectural program state, it's still ...

Security researchers have discovered a new class of security vulnerabilities that impacts all major operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD, allowing attackers to bypass protection mechanisms introduced to defend against DMA attacks. Known for years, Direct memory access (DMA)-based attacks let an attacker compromise a targeted computer in a matter of seconds by plugging-in a malicious hot plug device—such as an external network card, mouse, keyboard, printer, storage, and graphics card—into Thunderbolt 3 port or the latest USB-C port . The DMA-based attacks are possible because Thunderbolt port allows connected peripherals to bypass operating system security policies and directly read/write system memory that contains sensitive information including your passwords, banking logins, private files, and browser activity. That means, simply plugging in an infected device, created using tools like Interception , can manipulate the contents o...

Threat actors are likely exploiting a new vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver to upload JSP web shells with the goal of facilitating unauthorized file uploads and code execution.  "The exploitation is likely tied to either a previously disclosed vulnerability like CVE-2017-9844 or an unreported remote file inclusion (RFI) issue," ReliaQuest said in a report published this week. The cybersecurity company said the possibility of a zero-day stems from the fact that several of the impacted systems were already running the latest patches. The flaw is assessed to be rooted in the "/developmentserver/metadatauploader" endpoint in the NetWeaver environment, enabling unknown threat actors to upload malicious JSP-based web shells in the "servlet_jsp/irj/root/" path for persistent remote access and deliver additional payloads. Put differently, the lightweight JSP web shell is configured to upload unauthorized files, enable entrenched control over the infected host...

A hacking group known for its attacks in the Middle East, at least since 2017, has recently been found impersonating legitimate messaging apps such as Telegram and Threema to infect Android devices with a new, previously undocumented malware. "Compared to the versions documented in 2017, Android/SpyC23.A has extended spying functionality, including reading notifications from messaging apps, call recording and screen recording, and new stealth features, such as dismissing notifications from built-in Android security apps," cybersecurity firm ESET  said  in a Wednesday analysis. First detailed by Qihoo 360 in 2017 under the moniker  Two-tailed Scorpion (aka APT-C-23 or Desert Falcon), the mobile malware has been deemed "surveillanceware" for its abilities to spy on the devices of targeted individuals, exfiltrating call logs, contacts, location, messages, photos, and other sensitive documents in the process. In 2018, Symantec discovered a  newer variant  of t...

The advanced persistent threat (APT) actor known as SideWinder has been accused of deploying a backdoor in attacks directed against Pakistan government organizations as part of a campaign that commenced in late November 2022. "In this campaign, the SideWinder advanced persistent threat (APT) group used a server-based polymorphism technique to deliver the next stage payload," the BlackBerry Research and Intelligence Team  said  in a technical report published Monday. Another campaign discovered by the Canadian cybersecurity company in early March 2023 shows that Turkey has also landed in the crosshairs of the threat actor's collection priorities. SideWinder  has been on the radar since at least 2012 and it's primarily known to target various Southeast Asian entities located across Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Suspected to be an Indian state-sponsored group, SideWinder is also tracked under the monikers APT-C-17, APT-Q-39, Ha...

Cybercriminals will stop at nothing to exploit every chance to prey on internet users. Even the disastrous spread of SARS-COV-II (the virus), which causes COVID-19 (the disease), is becoming an opportunity for them to likewise spread malware or launch cyber attacks. Reason Labs recently released a threat analysis report detailing a new attack that takes advantage of internet users' increased craving for information about the novel coronavirus that is wreaking havoc worldwide. The malware attack specifically aims to target those who are looking for cartographic presentations of the spread of COVID-19 on the Internet, and trickes them to download and run a malicious application that, on its front-end, shows a map loaded from a legit online source but in the background compromises the computer. New Threat With An Old Malware Component The latest threat, designed to steal information from unwitting victims, was first spotted by MalwareHunterTeam last week and has now be...

Behind every security alert is a bigger story. Sometimes it's a system being tested. Sometimes it's trust being lost in quiet ways—through delays, odd behavior, or subtle gaps in control. This week, we're looking beyond the surface to spot what really matters. Whether it's poor design, hidden access, or silent misuse, knowing where to look can make all the difference. If you're responsible for protecting systems, data, or people—these updates aren't optional. They're essential. These stories reveal how attackers think—and where we're still leaving doors open. ⚡ Threat of the Week Google Releases Patches for Actively Exploited Chrome 0-Day — Google has released Google Chrome versions 137.0.7151.68/.69 for Windows and macOS, and version 137.0.7151.68 for Linux to address a high-severity out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability in the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine that it said has been exploited in the wild. Google credited Clement Lecigne and Benoît Sevens of Google T...

From sophisticated nation-state campaigns to stealthy malware lurking in unexpected places, this week's cybersecurity landscape is a reminder that attackers are always evolving. Advanced threat groups are exploiting outdated hardware, abusing legitimate tools for financial fraud, and finding new ways to bypass security defenses. Meanwhile, supply chain threats are on the rise, with open-source repositories becoming a playground for credential theft and hidden backdoors. But it's not all bad news—law enforcement is tightening its grip on cybercriminal networks, with key ransomware figures facing extradition and the security community making strides in uncovering and dismantling active threats. Ethical hackers continue to expose critical flaws, and new decryptors offer a fighting chance against ransomware operators. In this week's recap, we dive into the latest attack techniques, emerging vulnerabilities, and defensive strategies to keep you ahead of the curve. Stay informed, stay sec...

Every week, someone somewhere slips up—and threat actors slip in. A misconfigured setting, an overlooked vulnerability, or a too-convenient cloud tool becomes the perfect entry point. But what happens when the hunters become the hunted? Or when old malware resurfaces with new tricks? Step behind the curtain with us this week as we explore breaches born from routine oversights—and the unexpected cracks they reveal in systems we trust. ⚡ Threat of the Week Google Patches Actively Exploited Chrome 0-Day — Google has addressed a high-severity security flaw in its Chrome browser for Windows that has been exploited by unknown actors as part of a sophisticated attack aimed at Russian entities. The flaw, CVE-2025-2783 (CVSS score: 8.3), is said to have been combined with another exploit to break out of the browser's sandbox and achieve remote code execution. The attacks involved distributing specially crafted links via phishing emails that, when clicked and launched using Chrome, trig...

A threat actor with affiliations to the cyber warfare division of Hamas has been linked to an "elaborate campaign" targeting high-profile Israeli individuals employed in sensitive defense, law enforcement, and emergency services organizations. "The campaign operators use sophisticated social engineering techniques, ultimately aimed to deliver previously undocumented backdoors for Windows and Android devices," cybersecurity company Cybereason  said  in a Wednesday report. "The goal behind the attack was to extract sensitive information from the victims' devices for espionage purposes." The monthslong intrusions, codenamed " Operation Bearded Barbie ," have been attributed to an Arabic-speaking and politically-motivated group called Arid Viper, which operates out of the Middle East and is also known by the monikers APT-C-23 and Desert Falcon. Most recently, the threat actor was  held responsible  for attacks aimed at Palestinian activists...

A cybersecurity researcher today uncovers a set of 7 new unpatchable hardware vulnerabilities that affect all desktops and laptops sold in the past 9 years with Thunderbolt, or Thunderbolt-compatible USB-C ports. Collectively dubbed 'ThunderSpy,' the vulnerabilities can be exploited in 9 realistic evil-maid attack scenarios, primarily to steal data or read/write all of the system memory of a locked or sleeping computer—even when drives are protected with full disk encryption. In a nutshell, if you think someone with a few minutes of physical access to your computer—regardless of the location—can cause any form of significant harm to you, you're at risk for an evil maid attack. According to Björn Ruytenberg of the Eindhoven University of Technology, the ThunderSpy attack "may require opening a target laptop's case with a screwdriver, [but] it leaves no trace of intrusion and can be pulled off in just a few minutes." In other words, the flaw is not li...