Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

A streaming box should not need a threat model. Neither should a username field, a demo repo, a reset flow, or a browser permission prompt. That is the irritating part this week: the risky pieces were ordinary

Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new malware artifact generated using DeepSeek that constructed a novel attack path combining "unrealistic browser-malware concepts with a real browser capability" to turn it into a working ransomware technique that runs entirely inside the browser on both Windows and Android devices

A new malware strain dubbed Slopoly, likely created using generative AI tools, allowed a threat actor to remain on a compromised server for more than a week and steal data in an Interlock ransomware attack. [...]

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details of a suspected artificial intelligence (AI)-generated malware codenamed Slopoly put to use by a financially motivated threat actor named Hive0163

Bitcoin Joining Fee for Affiliates and No Proven Victims Cited by ResearchersNewcomer ransomware group 0APT is being branded a "likely scam operation," not least after a list of over 200 supposed victims turned out to be bogus, if not entirely AI-generated - never mind a 1 bitcoin joining fee for would-be affiliates and outdated crypto-locking malware.

How to avoid your business being felled by an AI-powered ransomware attack that costs less than a laptop. Passwork KNP Logistics Group, a British transport company from Northamptonshire that’s been around longer than the mass-produced lightbulb, collapsed after a devastating security breach that left more than 700 employees jobless. The 158-year-old firm fell victim to a ransomware attack.…

Anthropic's Claude Code large language model has been abused by threat actors who used it in data extortion campaigns and to develop ransomware packages. [...]

Oh, look, a use case for OpenAI's gpt-oss-20b model ESET malware researchers Anton Cherepanov and Peter Strycek have discovered what they describe as the "first known AI-powered ransomware," which they named PromptLock. …

Malicious Prompts Hidden in Data can Trigger Executable PayloadsHackers can transform artificial intelligence-powered summarization tools into unwitting delivery agents for ransomware instructions through hidden code and prompt manipulation, security researchers warn. The method is an evolution of ClickFix, a social engineering tactic.

Also: CISA's Leadership Crisis; Why AI's Confident Errors Demand Urgent OversightIn this week's update, four editors with ISMG discussed Anubis ransomware's puzzling shift to data wiping malware, the leadership vacuum and budget uncertainty at CISA and growing concerns about how artificial intelligence tools are making confident mistakes that demand human oversight.

Take care when downloading AI freebies, researcher tells The Register Criminals are using installers for fake AI software to distribute ransomware and other destructive malware.…

Fake installers for popular artificial intelligence (AI) tools like OpenAI ChatGPT and InVideo AI are being used as lures to propagate various threats, such as the CyberLock and Lucky_Gh0$t ransomware families, and a new malware dubbed Numero

Threat actors linked to lesser-known ransomware and malware projects now use AI tools as lures to infect unsuspecting victims with malicious payloads. [...]

DeepSeek Comes Very Close to Producing a Keylogger and RansomwareSecurity researchers used the Chinese DeepSeek-R1 artificial intelligence reasoning model to come close to developing ransomware variants and keyloggers with evasion capabilities. The model needs prompt engineering and its output requires code editing.

Researchers at Check Point said FunkSec operators appear to use AI for malware development

Also: VPN Vulnerabilities Attract Hackers, Hackers Use Swiss Mail to Send MalwareThis week, Russia suspected in Balctic Sea cable sabotage, VPNs draw ransomware attackers and Swiss snail mail malware. An AI training company reported a cybertheft of $250,000 and a U.S. space firm reported a breach. Microsoft said it will pay $$$ for AI vulnerabilities and a MFA success story.

The threat actor who claimed the recent Disney hack previously targeted AI-centric games and applications with commodity malware and ransomware

That means Brit spies want the ability to do exactly that, huh? The idea that AI could generate super-potent and undetectable malware has been bandied about for years – and also already debunked. However, an article published today by the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) suggests there is a "realistic possibility" that by 2025, the most sophisticated attackers’ tools will improve markedly thanks to AI models informed by data describing successful cyber-hits.…

WormGPT, a private new chatbot service advertised as a way to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help write malicious software without all the pesky prohibitions on such activity enforced by ChatGPT and Google Bard, has started adding restrictions on how the service can be used. Faced with customers trying to use WormGPT to create ransomware and phishing scams, the 23-year-old Portuguese programmer who created the project now says his service is slowly morphing into “a more controlled environment.” The large language models (LLMs) made by ChatGPT parent OpenAI or Google or Microsoft all have various safety measures designed to prevent people from abusing them for nefarious purposes — such as creating malware or hate speech. In contrast, WormGPT has promoted itself as a new LLM that was created specifically for cybercrime activities.

Discover stories about threat actors’ latest tactics, techniques, and procedures from Cybersixgill’s threat experts each month. Each story brings you details on emerging underground threats, the threat actors involved, and how you can take action to mitigate risks. Learn about the top vulnerabilities and review the latest ransomware and malware trends from the deep and dark web