Latest cybersecurity reporting from selected sources.

Digital Extortionists Try Recruiting Insiders, Email BarragesCollective efforts to bolster cybersecurity defenses have been taking a big bite out of ransomware groups' earnings, leading groups to reach for new strategies, including social engineering, supply chain attacks, extortion services and bribing insiders, warn incident response experts.

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.

Social Engineering Moves Mirror Nation-State Groups' Tactics, Researchers SayThe Black Basta ransomware group has been refining its social engineering tactics to amass more victims despite escalating law enforcement disruptions, together with a shift to more "strategic, long-term planning" that security experts said suggests Russian state ties.

Also: Dangers of Malicious Code Embedded in ML Models; Is Ransomware in Decline?AI's influence on social engineering and election security has become a focal point at Black Hat. ISMG editors discuss how advanced technologies are making it easier to manipulate people and compromise security systems and offer key insights on machine learning vulnerabilities.