Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Threat Actor Silently Forwarded Sensitive Emails Matching Strategic TopicsGoogle says Chinese espionage group UNC6508 compromised REDCap environments at North American research institutions, deployed custom malware, stole credentials and covertly forwarded strategically relevant emails through abused compliance rules to support long-term intelligence collection.

Researchers Say PromptSpy Automates Persistence on Infected DevicesA newly discovered Android malware strain, "PromptSpy," is using Google's Gemini generative artificial intelligence model to automate part of its persistence mechanism, marking what researchers describe as the second known case of AI-driven mobile malware.

China, Iran, North Korea Hackers Exploit Gemini Across Attack Life CycleState-backed hackers weaponized Google's artificial intelligence model Gemini to accelerate cyberattacks, using the productivity tool as an offensive asset for reconnaissance, social engineering and malware development. Google said it has disabled accounts and strengthened defenses.

Zero-Click Vulnerability Let Attackers Weaponize Enterprise AI AssistantGoogle patched a vulnerability in Gemini Enterprise that allowed attackers to steal corporate data through a shared document, calendar invitation or email without any user action or security alerts. No malware was executed, no credentials were phished and no data left through approved channels.

3-Year Espionage Campaign Targeted Taiwanese FirmsChinese nation-state group APT24 targeted multiple Taiwanese companies as part of an espionage operation that went undetected for three years. The hacking group continually updated its malware infrastructure and tactics, enabling it to stay under the radar, Google Cloud said.

Hacking Group Deploys Raft of Custom Malware VariantsAn Iranian state hacking group with a history of targeting aerospace, aviation and defense industries across the Middle East has improved its tooling with multiple custom malware variants, warned Google. The group, tracked as UNC1549, is suspected of ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Google Details How Attackers Could Use LLMs to Mutate ScriptsMalware authors are experimenting with a new breed of artificial intelligence-driven attacks, with code that could potentially rewrite itself as it runs. Large language models are allowing hackers to generate, modify and execute commands on demand, instead of relying on static payloads

State, Criminal Hackers Use Blockchain Technique to Evade TakedownsGoogle's Threat Intelligence Group found hacking groups like North Korea's UNC5342 and criminal group UNC5142 using a public blockchain technique called EtherHiding to distribute malware. The method makes attacks tougher to trace, block or dismantle.

Mandiant Says Malware Spread Through Fake AI Video Ads Seen by MillionsOnline scammers are converting excitement over generative artificial intelligence into fraudulent sites that infect victims with malware, says threat intel firm Google Mandiant in a report exposing a year-long campaign to distribute infostealers and backdoors.

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.

Also: Gootloader Malware, GCHQ Intern Pleads Guilty, Check Point Breach UpdateThis week, a "Fast Flux" warning, Gootloader malware, an GCHQ intern pleaded guilty to stealing top secret data and Check Point undercuts hacking claim. Also, Google rolled out end-to-end encryption for some Gmail users, Apple backported patches and Dutch prosecutors cut internet access.

Juniper Networks Urges Immediate Updating and Malware Scans to Block AttackersHackers have been infecting outdated Juniper MX routers with backdoor malware as part of an apparent cyberespionage campaign that traces to a Chinese-affiliated hacking team tracked as UNC 3886, warned Google's Mandiant incident response group.

Developers Listed as Public Contact Points Targeted in Phishing CampaignA supply chain attack that subverted legitimate Google Chrome browser extensions to inject data-stealing malware is more widespread than security researchers first suspected. So far researchers have identified 36 subverted extensions collectively used by 2.6 million people.

Anti-Mobilization Messaging Lead to Malware-Pushing 'Civil Defense' SitePotential Ukrainian military recruits are being targeted by a "hybrid espionage and information operation" - likely Russian - involving Telegram anti-mobilization messaging and a "Civil Defense" website designed to distribute Windows and Android malware, warns Google's Threat Intelligence Group.

Also: Payment Card Theft Trends, Internet Archive UpdateThis week, bulk data transfers to China, credit card theft, the Internet Archive still recovering and the Change Healthcare tally is now 100M. Ukraine fought phishers, civil society against the UN cybercrime treaty, TA866 and virtual hard drives spread malware. Google verified Sir Isaac Newton.

Android Poses as NordVPN, Google Chrome in EuropeA new version of the Octo Android malware is spreading across Europe, posing as legitimate apps such as NordVPN and Google Chrome. The latest iteration includes advanced anti-detection mechanisms and a domain generation algorithm for command-and-control communication.

Kimsuky, or a Related Group, Deploys XenoRAT VariantA North Korean hacking team hastily pivoted from using publicly available cloud computing storage to its own infrastructure after security researchers unmasked a malware campaign. The group shifted from using cloud service including Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox to systems under its control.

Also: Okta Alert on Credential Stuffing; Data Breaches in SpainThis week, Google AI search provided wrong answers, Internet Archive suffered DDos attack, Okta warned of credential stuffing, Canada shut down two tech firms, attackers delivered malware with Stack Overflow, Telefónica is probing breach, Iberdrola was breached and RansomHub said it hit Christie's.

'Coldriver' Has Been Sending Backdoors Embedded in PDFs Since November 2022A Russian domestic intelligence agency hacking group known for long-lasting logon credential phishing campaigns against Western targets is now deploying malware embedded into PDFs, say security researchers from Google. "Coldriver" is using a family of backdoors Google dubs Spica.