Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Malware-as-a-Service Operations Favors Russian-Speaking CustomersAn emerging remote access Trojan targeting Android devices in Spanish-speaking nations is propagating fraudulent advertisements as an initial access point on Meta-owned applications.

Also, Russian Signal Phishing, Iran-Linked Malware, Breaches in Spain and FranceThis week, Tycoon 2FA, Trio-Tech, messaging app spying and a ransomware broker sentenced. Iran-linked hackers. Mazda disclosed a breach. Oracle patched a flaw. North Korean actors weaponized VS Code, a Spanish port ransomware attack, a French teacher data breach and a healthcare firm victim surge.

Signs Point to Long-Active 'Sandworm' Military Intelligence Hackers at WorkRussian cyberattacks in late December 2025 that attempted to disrupt Poland's power grid have been attributed to "Sandworm," the codename for an advanced persistent threat group tied to a Moscow military intelligence unit that repeatedly uses wiper malware, including in these attacks.

Nation-State Teams Tied to Grain Sector Targeting, Plus More Joined-Up OperationsRussia's nation-state hacking groups have returned to pummeling Ukrainian targets with destructive, wiper malware, including in apparent attempts to disrupt its economically valuable grain sector, alongside the repeat targeting of allied European nations, researchers report.

3 'Young IT Specialists' Arrested After Malware Tied to Government Agency InfectionRussian police have arrested "three young IT specialists" in Moscow, charging them with developing and selling the notorious Meduza information-stealing malware, and members of their group using the infostealer to breach a Russian government institution in May and exfiltrate data.

Russian Intel Hackers Flexible in Face of DetectionRussia-linked threat group COLDRIVER rapidly replaced its exposed malware with a stealthier PowerShell variant, using fake CAPTCHA prompts and cryptographic key-splitting to evade detection and escalate surveillance on NGOs, dissidents and policy experts, according to new research.

First-Ever Malware Tie-Up Spotted Between FSB's Turla and Gamaredon Hacking GroupsTwo long-running advanced persistent threat groups tied to Russia's Federal Security Service, the FSB, called Turla and Gamaredon, appear for the first time to be running a joint cyberespionage operation using their separate malware arsenals, designed to hit high-value targets in Ukraine.

Russian Intelligence Tied to SSL Stripping Attacks Designed for EavesdroppingRussian intelligence since 2024 has been using their country's internet service providers to run adversary-in-the-middle attacks designed to infect diplomats inside the country's borders with intelligence-gathering malware, Microsoft warns.

Aeroflot Hit With Wiper Malware, Claim Pro-Ukrainian Hackers From BelarusRussia's largest airline, Aeroflot, canceled dozens of flights on Monday and delayed more due to an IT disruption. Two pro-Ukrainian hacking groups from Belarus claimed to have wiped stolen extensive customer data before wiping 7,000 physical and virtual servers used by the airline.

Phishing Emails Disguise Malware as Contract FilesA Russian cybersecurity company is warning that hackers are targeting Russia's industrial sector using a previously undocumented spyware, reeling them in with contract-themed emails lures. Kaspersky dubbed the spyware "Batavia." but doesn't attribute the campaign to a threat actor.

Russian Speaking Hackers FIN6 Flip Job Fraud ScriptFinancially-motivated hackers tracked as FIN6 have flipped the script on job fraud, impersonating job seekers to phish recruiters and deploy stealthy malware through fake resumes hosted on trusted cloud platforms. The group engages recruiters on LinkedIn and Indeed with realistic resumes.

Malicious Accounts Linked to Malware, Influence OperationsOpenAI is using its artificial intelligence models to detect and counter abuse and has banned accounts associated with malicious state-linked operations. Hackers aligned with Russia, China, North Korea and Iran have used OpenAI's tools for malware development and social media manipulation.

DanaBot Used to Steal and to SpyA top figure in the Russian cybercrime gang behind DanaBot infected his own computer with the malware, allowing an FBI agent to search an image of his system, U.S. federal prosecutors disclosed Thursday in indictments and an announced disruption of the malware's infrastructure.

Also: Signal Blocks Recall, Europe Sanctions Stark IndustriesThis week, Qakbot leader indicted, Signal blocked Recall and a judge said Trump illegally removed watchdogs. Ivanti and Palo Alto hacks linked, Stark Industries sanctioned, Marks and Spencer's hack costs 300M pounds. Pro-Ukraine hackers hit a Russian clinic and an outbreak of PureRAT in Russia.

User Panels and Command and Control Domains SeizedLaw enforcement and Microsoft struck a blow against malware used to steal login credentials and financial data, seizing the central command structure and thousands of online domains used to control the Lumma Stealer. Lumma first appeared on Russian-language speaking cybercriminal forums in 2022.

Malware Targets Western Officials, NGOs and JournalistsRussian cyber espionage hackers are using a new malware strain dubbed "Lostkeys" in a targeted espionage campaign aimed at Western officials, NGOs and journalists. Google researchers attribute Lostkeys to the threat group Coldriver, an operational unit within the Federal Security Service.

Spear-Phishing Campaign Used RomCom Malware VariantA phishing campaign wielding malware previously associated with Russian-speaking hackers targeted the U.K. Ministry of Defense in late 2024. It is unclear if the campaign is tied to a data leak of 600 armed personnel, civil servants, and defense contractors reported late last year.

Goffee Targets Russian Entities With USB-Based PowerShell MalwareA threat actor that focuses on Russian targets is spreading a new PowerShell implant that includes modules for stealing files from thumb drives and propagating itself through a USB worm. Its targets include critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, telecommunications and government.

Espionage and Cybercrime Campaign Tied to 7-Zip Mark-of-the-Web Bypass HitsRussian hackers targeting Ukrainian government agencies and businesses - including a major automotive manufacturer - have been targeting a zero-day vulnerability in the open source and widely used 7-Zip archive utility, to infect systems with credential-stealing SmokeLoader malware.

Also: German Prosecutors Charge Three Alleged Russian SaboteursThis week, MetLife denied a RansomHub cyberattack claim, RI Health System cyberattack update, npm package deployed Quasar RAT, Germany charges three with espionage for Russia, North Korea’s contagious interview campaign deployed new malware.