Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new malicious Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code) extension for Moltbot (formerly Clawdbot) on the official Extension Marketplace that claims to be a free artificial intelligence (AI) coding assistant, but stealthily drops a malicious payload…
Category: The Hacker News
Russian ELECTRUM Tied to December 2025 Cyber Attack on Polish Power Grid
The “coordinated” cyber attack targeting multiple sites across the Polish power grid has been attributed with medium confidence to a Russian state-sponsored hacking crew known as ELECTRUM. Operational technology (OT) cybersecurity company Dragos, in a new intelligence brief published Tuesday,…
Critical vm2 Node.js Flaw Allows Sandbox Escape and Arbitrary Code Execution
A critical sandbox escape vulnerability has been disclosed in the popular vm2 Node.js library that, if successfully exploited, could allow attackers to run arbitrary code on the underlying operating system. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-22709, carries a CVSS score of…
Mustang Panda Deploys Updated COOLCLIENT Backdoor in Government Cyber Attacks
Threat actors with ties to China have been observed using an updated version of a backdoor called COOLCLIENT in cyber espionage attacks in 2025 to facilitate comprehensive data theft from infected endpoints. The activity has been attributed to Mustang Panda…
From Triage to Threat Hunts: How AI Accelerates SecOps
If you work in security operations, the concept of the AI SOC agent is likely familiar. Early narratives promised total autonomy. Vendors seized on the idea of the “Autonomous SOC” and suggested a future where algorithms replaced analysts. That future…
Two High-Severity n8n Flaws Allow Authenticated Remote Code Execution
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed two new security flaws in the n8n workflow automation platform, including a crucial vulnerability that could result in remote code execution. The weaknesses, discovered by the JFrog Security Research team, are listed below – CVE-2026-1470 (CVSS…
Fake Python Spellchecker Packages on PyPI Delivered Hidden Remote Access Trojan
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered two malicious packages in the Python Package Index (PyPI) repository that masquerade as spellcheckers but contain functionality to deliver a remote access trojan (RAT). The packages, named spellcheckerpy and spellcheckpy, are no longer available for download,…
Google Warns of Active Exploitation of WinRAR Vulnerability CVE-2025-8088
Google on Tuesday revealed that multiple threat actors, including nation-state adversaries and financially motivated groups, are exploiting a now-patched critical security flaw in RARLAB WinRAR to establish initial access and deploy a diverse array of payloads. “Discovered and patched in…
Password Reuse in Disguise: An Often-Missed Risky Workaround
When security teams discuss credential-related risk, the focus typically falls on threats such as phishing, malware, or ransomware. These attack methods continue to evolve and rightly command attention. However, one of the most persistent and underestimated risks to organizational security…
Fortinet Patches CVE-2026-24858 After Active FortiOS SSO Exploitation Detected
Fortinet has begun releasing security updates to address a critical flaw impacting FortiOS that has come under active exploitation in the wild. The vulnerability, assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2026-24858 (CVSS score: 9.4), has been described as an authentication bypass related…
Experts Detect Pakistan-Linked Cyber Campaigns Aimed at Indian Government Entities
Indian government entities have been targeted in two campaigns undertaken by a threat actor that operates in Pakistan using previously undocumented tradecraft. The campaigns have been codenamed Gopher Strike and Sheet Attack by Zscaler ThreatLabz, which identified them in September…
WhatsApp Rolls Out Lockdown-Style Security Mode to Protect Targeted Users From Spyware
Meta on Tuesday announced it’s adding Strict Account Settings on WhatsApp to secure certain users against advanced cyber attacks because of who they are and what they do. The feature, similar to Lockdown Mode in Apple iOS and Advanced Protection…
ClickFix Attacks Expand Using Fake CAPTCHAs, Microsoft Scripts, and Trusted Web Services
Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details of a new campaign that combines ClickFix-style fake CAPTCHAs with a signed Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) script to distribute an information stealer called Amatera. “Instead of launching PowerShell directly, the attacker uses this script to…
CTEM in Practice: Prioritization, Validation, and Outcomes That Matter
Cybersecurity teams increasingly want to move beyond looking at threats and vulnerabilities in isolation. It’s not only about what could go wrong (vulnerabilities) or who might attack (threats), but where they intersect in your actual environment to create real, exploitable…
Microsoft Office Zero-Day (CVE-2026-21509) – Emergency Patch Issued for Active Exploitation
Microsoft on Monday issued out-of-band security patches for a high-severity Microsoft Office zero-day vulnerability exploited in attacks. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-21509, carries a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10.0. It has been described as a security feature bypass…
Indian Users Targeted in Tax Phishing Campaign Delivering Blackmoon Malware
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered an ongoing campaign that’s targeting Indian users with a multi-stage backdoor as part of a suspected cyber espionage campaign. The activity, per the eSentire Threat Response Unit (TRU), involves using phishing emails impersonating the Income Tax…
Malicious VS Code AI Extensions with 1.5 Million Installs Steal Developer Source Code
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered two malicious Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code) extensions that are advertised as artificial intelligence (AI)-powered coding assistants, but also harbor covert functionality to siphon developer data to China-based servers. The extensions, which have 1.5 million…
⚡ Weekly Recap: Firewall Flaws, AI-Built Malware, Browser Traps, Critical CVEs & More
Security failures rarely arrive loudly. They slip in through trusted tools, half-fixed problems, and habits people stop questioning. This week’s recap shows that pattern clearly. Attackers are moving faster than defenses, mixing old tricks with new paths. “Patched” no longer…
Winning Against AI-Based Attacks Requires a Combined Defensive Approach
If there’s a constant in cybersecurity, it’s that adversaries are always innovating. The rise of offensive AI is transforming attack strategies and making them harder to detect. Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, recently reported on adversaries using Large Language Models (LLMs)…
Konni Hackers Deploy AI-Generated PowerShell Backdoor Against Blockchain Developers
The North Korean threat actor known as Konni has been observed using PowerShell malware generated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to target developers and engineering teams in the blockchain sector. The phishing campaign has targeted Japan, Australia, and India, highlighting…