Gene Moody, field CTO at Action1, explained that, in this vulnerability, a browser frees an object, but later continues to use the stale reference memory location. Any attacker who can shape heap layout with controlled content can potentially replace the contents of that freed memory with data they control. Because this lives in the renderer, and is reachable through normal page content, he said, the trigger surface is almost absolute.
To be clear, ransomware isn't going anywhere, and adversaries continue to innovate. But the data shows a clear strategic pivot away from loud, destructive attacks toward techniques designed to evade detection, persist inside environments, and quietly exploit identity and trusted infrastructure. Rather than breaking in and burning systems down, today's attackers increasingly behave like Digital Parasites. They live inside the host, feed on credentials and services, and remain undetected for as long as possible.
Microsoft released NTLMv1 in the 1980s with the release of OS/2. In 1999, cryptanalyst Bruce Schneier and Mudge published research that exposed key weaknesses in the NTLMv1 underpinnings. At the 2012 Defcon 20 conference, researchers released a tool set that allowed attackers to move from untrusted network guest to admin in 60 seconds, by attacking the underlying weakness. With the 1998 release of Windows NT SP4 in 1998, Microsoft introduced NTLMv2, which fixed the weakness.
Moore accessed those systems using stolen credentials of users who were authorized to access them. Once he gained access to those victims' accounts, Moore accessed and stole their personal data and posted some online to his Instagram account: @ihackthegovernment. In the case of the Supreme Court victim, identified as GS, Moore posted their name and "current and past electronic filing records."
Cybersecurity researchers have shed light on a Chinese-speaking cybercrime group codenamed UAT-8099 that has been attributed to search engine optimization (SEO) fraud and theft of high-value credentials, configuration files, and certificate data. The attacks are designed to target Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) servers, with most of the infections reported in India, Thailand, Vietnam, Canada, and Brazil, spanning universities, tech firms, and telecom providers. The group was first discovered in April 2025. The targets are primarily mobile users, encompassing both Android and Apple iPhone devices.
The attack, a continuation of a campaign conducted in July, involves fraudulent messages asking users to verify their email address for security purposes, and claiming that accounts may be suspended due to lack of action. "This email is fake, and the link goes to pypi-mirror.org which is a domain not owned by PyPI or the PSF [Python Software Foundation]," PSF security developer-in-residence Seth Larson warns. Setting up phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA), Larson explains, helps PyPI maintainers mitigate the risks associated with phishing attacks.
The malicious package, fezbox, is disguised as a utility library and has "layers of obfuscation" including the "innovative, steganographic use" of QR codes. Steganography involves embedding secret data into a cover medium so that it goes undetected. "Steganography is the practice of hiding a secret file in plain sight, something for which QR codes are great," wrote Socket researcher Olivia Brown.
Investigators from Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) have disrupted the network behind the dangerous RaccoonO365 infostealer malware that targeted the usernames and credentials of Office 365 users after being granted a court order in the Southern District of New York. The operation saw a total of 338 websites linked to the popular malware seized and its technical infrastructure disrupted, severing RaccoonO365 users' access to their victims.
As enterprises continue to shift their operations to the browser, security teams face a growing set of cyber challenges. In fact, over 80% of security incidents now originate from web applications accessed via Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and other browsers. One particularly fast-evolving adversary, Scattered Spider, has made it their mission to wreak havoc on enterprises by specifically targeting sensitive data on these browsers.
To manipulate targets into engaging and downloading ScreenConnect, the attackers employ advanced deception techniques built around impressive impersonations and familiar business contexts, effectively creating workflows that align with end-user expectations,
Popular password manager plugins for web browsers have been found susceptible to clickjacking security vulnerabilities that could be exploited to steal account credentials, two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, and credit card details under certain conditions. The technique has been dubbed Document Object Model ( DOM)-based extension clickjacking by independent security researcher Marek Tóth, who presented the findings at the DEF CON 33 security conference earlier this month.
"The threat actor added code in the installed binaries of the fake NetExtender so that information related to VPN configuration is stolen and sent to a remote server," Ganachari said.
