CyberWire Daily

Could an AI kill switch create more problems than it solves? A critical Rails flaw is under active attack. Malicious browser extensions steal cryptocurrency. Fire Ant targets trusted network infrastructure. Claude Code gets tricked into running attacker-controlled code. MyChart phishing scams spread malware. Two alleged sextortionists face U.S. charges. A former DIA insider walks into an FBI sting. Monday business briefing. Our guest is Tim Starks from CyberScoop discussing a controversial retail security bill. Getting local with Nigerian scammers.

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CyberWire Guest

Today we are joined by Tim Starks from CyberScoop as he is discussing a controversial retail security bill.

Selected Reading

The AI Kill Switch Act is repeating the Clipper Chip’s mistakes (CyberScoop)

Critical Ruby on Rails Vulnerability in Attackers' Crosshairs (SecurityWeek)

Chrome Web Store extensions caught stealing crypto, browser data (Bleeping Computer)

China-linked Fire Ant Hides Inside Trusted Infrastructure (SecurityAffairs)

Researcher shows how Claude Code can be tricked simply by asking it to summarize a website (The Register)

Fake MyChart emails can show alarming test results, trick patients into installing malware (WMAR)

Nigerians extradited to US for sextortion, deaths of two teens (Bleeping Computer)

US government snitch-finder pleads guilty to leaking state secrets to foreign spies (The Register)

AI safety and security company Alice raises $140 million. (N2K Pro Business Briefing)

How Cyber Sleuths Tracked a Nigerian Scammer to His Doorstep (404 media)

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In this episode, Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner from N2K Cyberwire get back together to discuss the evolution of advanced persistent threats (APTs), threat actor landscape, attribution changes, and the future of cyber espionage over the past decade. Join Dave and Maria as they explore how geopolitical factors, organizational professionalism, and emerging technologies like AI are shaping cybersecurity threats.

Together, they talk about:

The shift in attribution practices over the last 10 years.

The role of nation states and organized crime in cyber threats.

The impact of AI and emerging technologies on cyber warfare.

The challenges of naming and shaming threat groups.

The professionalization and organizational evolution of APT groups.

Today we are joined by Crystal Morin, Senior Cybersecurity Strategist, and Michael Clark, Senior Director of Threat Research, at Sysdig, sharing their work on "LLMjacking evolved: Attackers are using stolen AI compute to build offensive agentic tools." The Sysdig Threat Research Team observed an attacker abusing an exposed, unauthenticated Ollama server as the “brain” for an automated offensive security tool.

The AI-powered framework can fingerprint services, identify vulnerabilities, craft exploits, extract credentials, and orchestrate attacks toward command execution, with researchers capturing the tool while it was still under active development. The activity highlights how LLMjacking is evolving from simply stealing AI compute for profit into using stolen model capacity to build increasingly autonomous offensive capabilities.

The research and executive brief can be found here:

LLMjacking evolved: Attackers are using stolen AI compute to build offensive agentic tools

A judge rules the Trump administration illegally labeled Anthropic a national security risk. The White House moves to keep foreign technology out of U.S. power systems. OpenAI rallies a global cyber defense push as its own AI agents exploit a Linux vulnerability. Researchers uncover a new speculative-execution attack and hidden implants in Chinese-made routers. A fake voicemail campaign slips past email defenses. PaperCut faces an exploited zero-day. And ServiceNow patches three maximum-severity flaws in its AI Platform. Maria Varmazis and I look back at a decade of emerging threat actors and APTs. NSA sends out a covert save-the-date.

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CyberWire Guest

Today, as we continue celebrating the CyberWire Daily’s 10th anniversary, Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner look back at a decade of emerging threat actors and APTs. Enjoyed the conversation? Be sure to tune in Sunday for a special edition featuring the full discussion.

Selected Reading

Trump Administration’s Blacklisting of Anthropic Was Illegal, Judge Rules (The New York Times)

White House bans foreign-made equipment for power generation over cyber backdoor concerns (The Record)

Tech, Cybersecurity Giants Unite Behind OpenAI-Led Cyber Defense Pledge (SecurityWeek)

A call for collective action on cyber defense (OpenAI)

New type of attack can slip past the defenses in your computer’s processor (MIT News)

Fake Voicemail SVG Attachments Fuel Large-Scale Phishing Campaign (Infosecurity Magazine)

OpenAI Agents Exploited Linux Kernel Flaw on Company’s Own Systems (SecurityWeek)

Hundreds of AI agents went rogue in OpenAI’s Hugging Face hack (POLITICO)

PaperCut Releases Emergency Patch for Exploited Zero-Day (SecurityWeek)

ServiceNow warns of three max severity security vulnerabilities (Bleeping Computer)

Chinese Implants in the Supply Chain (VulnCheck)

Exclusive: NSA to host a hacker reunion in bid to rebuild secretive unit (The Record)

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N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry’s most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com.

The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc.

Meta settles. Australian police arrest two alleged TeamPCP members. The White House moves to shore up water utility cybersecurity. ATF reports a major cyber incident. The Navy tells sailors to lock down social media. The FBI warns of a prolific Chinese hacking operation. Bill Gates sounds the alarm on AI. A purported think tank tries to influence chatbot answers. And attackers focus less on individual vulnerabilities and more on the vendors behind them. Our guest is Tim Springston, Principal Product Manager at Semperis, on achieving hybrid identity resilience in the age of agentic AI. Meta pumps the brakes on going AI native.

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CyberWire Guest

On today’s industry voices segment, we are joined by Tim Springston, Principal Product Manager at Semperis, discussing how to achieve hybrid identity resilience in the age of agentic AI. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out the full interview here.

Selected Reading

Meta agrees to pay $18 billion to settle US lawsuits over children's social media addiction (Reuters)

Two Alleged ‘TeamPCP’ Hackers Arrested in Australia (Krebs on Security)

White House to unveil program to protect water systems against hackers (POLITICO)

DOJ firearms agency says hackers breached system containing investigation targets (The Record)

US Navy tells sailors and their families: scrub your social media, enemies are watching (Bitdefender)

Chinese Hacker Group QTFY Uses Custom-Built Platforms to Target US Infrastructure, FBI Warns (Infosecurity Magazine)

Bill Gates diagnoses problems with AI, but an expert questions his prescription (ABC News)

Fake US thinktank set up and funded by Israel sought to game AI for propaganda (The Guardian)

SentinelOne and Tenable Find Cyber Attackers Routinely Target Edge-Device Vendor Ecosystems Rather Than Individual Vulnerabilities (SentinelOne)

AI agents meant to replace Meta workers made “large-scale, disruptive actions” (Ars Technica)

Share your feedback.

What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.

Want to hear your company in the show?

N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry’s most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com.

The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc.