Microsoft has disclosed a now-patched security flaw in Windows Admin Center that could allow an attacker to escalate their privileges. Windows Admin Center is a locally deployed, browser-based management tool set that lets users manage their Windows Clients, Servers, and Clusters without the need for connecting to the cloud. The high-severity vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-26119, … Read More “Microsoft Patches CVE-2026-26119 Privilege Escalation in Windows Admin Center – The Hacker News” »
An international cybercrime operation against online scams has led to 651 arrests and recovered more than $4.3 million as part of an effort led by law enforcement agencies from 16 African countries. The initiative, codenamed Operation Red Card 2.0, took place between December 8, 2025 and January 30, 2026, according to INTERPOL. It targeted infrastructure … Read More “INTERPOL Operation Red Card 2.0 Arrests 651 in African Cybercrime Crackdown – The Hacker News” »
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered what they say is the first Android malware that abuses Gemini, Google’s generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, as part of its execution flow and achieves persistence. The malware has been codenamed PromptSpy by ESET. The malware is equipped to capture lockscreen data, block uninstallation efforts, gather device information, take screenshots, – … Read More “PromptSpy Android Malware Abuses Gemini AI to Automate Recent-Apps Persistence – The Hacker News” »
ONCD official says Trump administration aims to bolster AI use for defense without increasing risk – CyberScoop
The Trump administration wants to boost the use of artificial intelligence for security in a way that doesn’t increase the number of targets for adversaries to attack, a top official with the Office of the National Cyber Director said Thursday. The administration will “promote the rapid implementation of AI enabled cyber defensive tools to detect, … Read More “ONCD official says Trump administration aims to bolster AI use for defense without increasing risk – CyberScoop” »
A Department of Health and Human Services official said Thursday that HHS is devoting a lot of attention to the security of third-party service providers after the 2024 Change Healthcare cyberattack. That attack, which is widely regarded as the biggest ever in the sector — including by HHS’s Charlee Hess, who spoke Thursday at CyberTalks … Read More “HHS burrows into identifying risks to health sector from third-party vendors – CyberScoop” »
A top FBI cyber official said Salt Typhoon, the Chinese cyber espionage group behind the widespread compromise of U.S. telecommunications infrastructure in 2024, continues to pose a broad threat to both America’s private and public sectors. Michael Machtinger, deputy assistant director for cyber intelligence at the FBI, touted improved partnerships between the telecommunications industry and … Read More ” FBI: Threats from Salt Typhoon are ‘still very much ongoing’ – CyberScoop” »
New Remcos RAT variant enhances real-time surveillance and evasion techniques to compromise Windows – Read More –
AI Under Control: Link11 Launches AI Management Dashboard for Clean Traffic – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 19th February 2026, CyberNewswire – Read More – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
China-Linked Hackers Use Dell RecoverPoint Flaw to Drop GrimBolt Malware – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
Dell warns of a critical security hole in its RecoverPoint software exploited by hackers. Learn how to protect your data from the CVE-2026-22769 vulnerability and the new GrimBolt malware. – Read More – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
Fraud campaign exploiting Indonesia’s Coretax resulted in $1.5m to $2m in losses via malicious apps – Read More –
ThreatsDay Bulletin: OpenSSL RCE, Foxit 0-Days, Copilot Leak, AI Password Flaws & 20+ Stories – The Hacker News
The cyber threat space doesn’t pause, and this week makes that clear. New risks, new tactics, and new security gaps are showing up across platforms, tools, and industries — often all at the same time. Some developments are headline-level. Others sit in the background but carry long-term impact. Together, they shape how defenders need to … Read More “ThreatsDay Bulletin: OpenSSL RCE, Foxit 0-Days, Copilot Leak, AI Password Flaws & 20+ Stories – The Hacker News” »
Forescout paper reveals ICS advisories hit a record 508 in 2025 – Read More –
We’ve all seen this before: a developer deploys a new cloud workload and grants overly broad permissions just to keep the sprint moving. An engineer generates a “temporary” API key for testing and forgets to revoke it. In the past, these were minor operational risks, debts you’d eventually pay down during a slower cycle. In … Read More “From Exposure to Exploitation: How AI Collapses Your Response Window – The Hacker News” »
A new cybercriminal toolkit uses proxies to mimic popular online services and represents a “significant escalation in phishing infrastructure,” warn researchers at Abnormal – Read More –
Infostealer Found Stealing OpenClaw AI Identity and Memory Files – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
Researchers at Hudson Rock have identified a live infection where an infostealer exfiltrated a victim’s OpenClaw configuration. The discovery highlights a shift in malware behaviour toward harvesting personal AI identity files. – Read More – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
The Caracas operation suggests cyber was part of the plan – just not the whole operation – CyberScoop
The dominant narrative has framed the Jan. 3 Caracas power outage during the mission to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro as a “precision cyberattack.” But publicly available information points to a more complicated picture: videos, photographs, and accounts published from Caracas show significant physical damage to at least three Venezuelan substations. Experts who reviewed that … Read More “The Caracas operation suggests cyber was part of the plan – just not the whole operation – CyberScoop” »
Four serious new vulnerabilities affect Microsoft Visual Studio Code, Cursor and Windsurf extensions, three of which remain unpatched – Read More –
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details of a new Android trojan called Massiv that’s designed to facilitate device takeover (DTO) attacks for financial theft. The malware, according to ThreatFabric, masquerades as seemingly harmless IPTV apps to deceive victims, indicating that the activity is primarily singling out users looking for the online TV applications. “This new threat, … Read More “Fake IPTV Apps Spread Massiv Android Malware Targeting Mobile Banking Users – The Hacker News” »
Endor Labs has published details of six new vulnerabilities in popular AI assistant OpenClaw – Read More –
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details of a new campaign dubbed CRESCENTHARVEST, likely targeting supporters of Iran’s ongoing protests to conduct information theft and long-term espionage. The Acronis Threat Research Unit (TRU) said it observed the activity after January 9, with the attacks designed to deliver a malicious payload that serves as a remote access trojan … Read More “CRESCENTHARVEST Campaign Targets Iran Protest Supporters With RAT Malware – The Hacker News” »
A vulnerability has been discovered in Google Chrome which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Successful exploitation of the vulnerability could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged on user. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create … Read More “A Vulnerability in Google Chrome Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution – Cyber Security Advisories – MS-ISAC” »
A vulnerability has been discovered in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines is an enterprise-grade solution for VMware Virtual Machines (VMs) enabling local, remote, and concurrent local and remote replication with continuous cyber resilience for on premises recovery to any point-in time (PiT). Successful … Read More “A Vulnerability in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution – Cyber Security Advisories – MS-ISAC” »
Since the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) regime in India is already shifting towards enforcement and not interpretation, organizations are coming… The post Choosing and Implementing a DPDP Tech Stack: Consent, Logs, and Governance appeared first on JISA Softech Pvt Ltd. – Read More – JISA Softech Pvt Ltd
A 37-year-old Nigerian man was sentenced to eight years in prison for participating in a five-year cybercrime spree to steal money from the U.S. government through fraudulent tax returns, the Justice Department said Wednesday. Matthew Abiodun Akande was living in Mexico when he and at least four co-conspirators broke into the networks of tax preparation … Read More “Nigerian man sentenced to 8 years in prison for running phony tax refund scheme – CyberScoop” »
Could America turn off Europe’s internet? That’s one of the questions that Graham and special guest James Ball will be exploring as they discuss tech sovereignty. Could Gmail, cloud services, and critical infrastructure really become geopolitical leverage? And is anyone actually building a Plan B? Plus we explore if Meta is quietly plotting to turn … Read More “Smashing Security podcast #455: Face off: Meta’s Glasses and America’s internet kill switch – GRAHAM CLULEY” »
Firebase Misconfiguration Exposes 300M Messages From Chat & Ask AI Users – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
A technical mistake in the popular Chat & Ask AI app has left 300 million private messages from 25 million users exposed online. Discover what happened and how you can protect your personal data when using AI chatbots. – Read More – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
Citizen Lab Finds Cellebrite Tool Used on Kenyan Activist’s Phone in Police Custody – The Hacker News
New research from the Citizen Lab has found signs that Kenyan authorities used a commercial forensic extraction tool manufactured by Israeli company Cellebrite to break into a prominent dissident’s phone, making it the latest case of abuse of the technology targeting civil society. The interdisciplinary research unit at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of … Read More “Citizen Lab Finds Cellebrite Tool Used on Kenyan Activist’s Phone in Police Custody – The Hacker News” »
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed a critical security flaw in the Grandstream GXP1600 series of VoIP phones that could allow an attacker to seize control of susceptible devices. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-2329, carries a CVSS score of 9.3 out of a maximum of 10.0. It has been described as a case of unauthenticated stack-based buffer … Read More “Grandstream GXP1600 VoIP Phones Exposed to Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution – The Hacker News” »
Cryptojacking campaign used pirated software to deploy a persistent XMRig miner with stealth tactics – Read More –
Stone, parchment or laser-written glass? Scientists find new way to preserve data – Data and computer security | The Guardian
Hard disks and magnetic tape have a limited lifespan, but glass storage developed by Microsoft could last millennia Some cultures used stone, others used parchment. Some even, for a time, used floppy disks. Now scientists have come up with a new way to keep archived data safe that, they say, could endure for millennia: laser-writing … Read More “Stone, parchment or laser-written glass? Scientists find new way to preserve data – Data and computer security | The Guardian” »
A former federal official who tested and certified voting machines used in Fulton County, Georgia for the 2020 presidential election told a court that the federal government misrepresented key facts and omitted exculpatory public evidence while seeking a warrant in last month’s law enforcement raid. The raid, carried out by the FBI and overseen by … Read More “Fulton County lawsuit claims feds used ‘gross mischaracterizations’ to justify raid – CyberScoop” »
AIs like Grok and Microsoft Copilot can be exploited as covert C2 channels for malware communication – Read More –
Cybersecurity Tech Predictions for 2026: Operating in a World of Permanent Instability – The Hacker News
In 2025, navigating the digital seas still felt like a matter of direction. Organizations charted routes, watched the horizon, and adjusted course to reach safe harbors of resilience, trust, and compliance. In 2026, the seas are no longer calm between storms. Cybersecurity now unfolds in a state of continuous atmospheric instability: AI-driven threats that adapt in … Read More “Cybersecurity Tech Predictions for 2026: Operating in a World of Permanent Instability – The Hacker News” »
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed multiple security vulnerabilities in four popular Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code) extensions that, if successfully exploited, could allow threat actors to steal local files and execute code remotely. The extensions, which have been collectively installed more than 125 million times, are Live Server, Code Runner, Markdown Preview Enhanced, and – … Read More “Critical Flaws Found in Four VS Code Extensions with Over 125 Million Installs – The Hacker News” »
Security, IT, and engineering teams today are under relentless pressure to accelerate outcomes, cut operational drag, and unlock the full potential of AI and automation. But simply investing in tools isn’t enough. 88% of AI proofs-of-concept never make it to production, even though 70% of workers cite freeing time for high-value work as the primary … Read More “3 Ways to Start Your Intelligent Workflow Program – The Hacker News” »
A maximum severity security vulnerability in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines has been exploited as a zero-day by a suspected China-nexus threat cluster dubbed UNC6201 since mid-2024, according to a new report from Google Mandiant and Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG). The activity involves the exploitation of CVE-2026-22769 (CVSS score: 10.0), a case of hard-coded … Read More “Dell RecoverPoint for VMs Zero-Day CVE-2026-22769 Exploited Since Mid-2024 – The Hacker News” »
Dutch police arrest man for “hacking” after accidentally sending him confidential files – GRAHAM CLULEY
Police in The Netherlands say they have arrested a 40-year-old man on suspicion of hacking… after police officers accidentally sent him a link granting him access to their own confidential documents Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog. – Read More – GRAHAM CLULEY
Searchlight Cyber reports a 30% annual increase in ransomware victim numbers in 2025 – Read More –
Mandiant reveals campaign featuring exploit of a CVSS 10.0 CVE in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines – Read More –
Notepad++ has released a security fix to plug gaps that were exploited by an advanced threat actor from China to hijack the software update mechanism to selectively deliver malware to targets of interest. The version 8.9.2 update incorporates what maintainer Don Ho calls a “double lock” design that aims to make the update process “robust … Read More “Notepad++ Fixes Hijacked Update Mechanism Used to Deliver Targeted Malware – The Hacker News” »
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Tuesday added four security flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, citing evidence of active exploitation in the wild. The list of vulnerabilities is as follows – CVE-2026-2441 (CVSS score: 8.8) – A use-after-free vulnerability in Google Chrome that could allow a remote attacker to … Read More “CISA Flags Four Security Flaws Under Active Exploitation in Latest KEV Update – The Hacker News” »
Researchers uncovered more worrying details about a long-running cyber espionage campaign suspected to be backed by the Chinese government, exemplifying how such attacks often go undetected until they’ve already caused significant damage. Google Threat Intelligence Group and Mandiant said the Chinese threat group UNC6201 has been exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in Dell RecoverPoint for Virtual … Read More “Chinese hackers exploited a Dell zero-day for 18 months before anyone noticed – CyberScoop” »
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed that artificial intelligence (AI) assistants that support web browsing or URL fetching capabilities can be turned into stealthy command-and-control (C2) relays, a technique that could allow attackers to blend into legitimate enterprise communications and evade detection. The attack method, which has been demonstrated against Microsoft Copilot and xAI Grok – Read … Read More “Researchers Show Copilot and Grok Can Be Abused as Malware C2 Proxies – The Hacker News” »
Polish officials arrested a 47-year-old man accused of participating in ransomware attacks as an affiliate for the Phobos ransomware group, the country’s Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime said Tuesday. Authorities did not name the man who was arrested during a raid on his apartment in the Małopolskie province, but said he faces up to five … Read More “Polish authorities arrest alleged Phobos ransomware affiliate – CyberScoop” »
CredShields Contributes to OWASP’s 2026 Smart Contract Security Priorities – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
SINGAPORE, Singapore, 17th February 2026, CyberNewswire – Read More – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
Mate Security Introduces the Security Context Graph, an Approach to Smarter SOCs – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
New York, USA, 17th February 2026, CyberNewswire – Read More – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
A new Android backdoor that’s embedded deep into the device firmware can silently harvest data and remotely control its behavior, according to new findings from Kaspersky. The Russian cybersecurity vendor said it discovered the backdoor, dubbed Keenadu, in the firmware of devices associated with various brands, including Alldocube, with the compromise occurring during the firmware … Read More “Keenadu Firmware Backdoor Infects Android Tablets via Signed OTA Updates – The Hacker News” »
Palo Alto Networks announced Tuesday its plans to buy security startup Koi, a deal aimed at addressing the security risks emerging as organizations rapidly adopt agentic AI. Terms were not disclosed, but Israeli business outlet Globes reported that Palo Alto will pay approximately $400 million. The deal is another among a trend of larger cybersecurity … Read More “Palo Alto Networks’ Koi acquisition is all about keeping AI agents in check – CyberScoop” »
Android 17 Beta introduces privacy, security updates and a new Canary channel for improved development – Read More –
Cybersecurity Excellence Awards Reveal Nomination Shift from AI Hype to Governance Execution – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More
Washington DC, USA, 17th February 2026, CyberNewswire – Read More – Hackread – Cybersecurity News, Data Breaches, AI and More




