Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Criminals Exploit the Death of Pope Francis to Launch Scams

Scammers are exploiting the death of Pope Francis to launch social engineering attacks, according to researchers at Check Point. The researchers note that threat actors often take advantage of high-profile tragedies and crises to exploit victims’ emotions. “They typically begin with disinformation campaigns on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, uploading fake images generated by AI,” the researchers write.

What Is Device Code Phishing?

Ever since Microsoft’s initial announcement on February 13, 2025, about a Russian nation-state phishing campaign using "device code phishing," many people have been wondering what it is. This post will tell you what device code phishing is and how to defend against it. Here are some other related reports involving the recently reported device code phishing attacks.

Social Engineering Campaign Abuses Zoom to Install Malware

A social engineering campaign is abusing Zoom's remote control feature to take control of victims’ computers and install malware, according to researchers at security firm Trail of Bits. The operation targeted Trail of Bits’ CEO, who recognized it as malicious and didn’t fall for the attack. The researchers have attributed the campaign to the ELUSIVE COMET threat actor.

How Organizational Culture Shapes Cyber Defenses

Recently, I received an email at work from a company with whom I've had previous interactions. The email lacked context and contained an attachment, immediately raising suspicion. I reported it to our infosec team using the Phish Alert Button (PAB). A short while later, our team confirmed it was indeed a malicious email. Subsequently, the sender organization informed us that they had been compromised, and phishing emails had been distributed from their account.

Half of Organizations Lack Protection Against Email Spoofing

A new report from Valimail has found that 50% of organizations lack effective protection against email spoofing. Specifically, many organizations have lenient DMARC policies that don’t actually prevent spoofing. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that helps prevent attackers from spoofing organizations that have the protocol in place.

Breaking the Stigma: 90% of Employees Agree that Phishing Simulations Improve their Security Awareness

According to our independent survey of individuals across the UK, USA, Netherlands, France, Denmark, Sweden, the DACH region, and Africa who use a laptop as part of their work, 90.1% find simulated phishing tests relevant. What’s more, 90.7% agreed that these simulations improve their awareness of real phishing attacks.

Warning: Ransomware Remains a Top Threat for SMBs

A new report from Sophos found that ransomware attacks accounted for over 90% of incident response cases involving medium-sized businesses in 2024, as well as 70% of cases involving small businesses. “While the overall number of incidents in 2024 was slightly down—in part because of better defenses and the disruption of some major ransomware-as-a-service operators—ransomware-related crime is not fading away,” Sophos says.

Threat Actors Are Increasingly Abusing AI Tools to Help With Scams

Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI tools to assist in malicious activities, according to Microsoft’s latest Cyber Signals report. “AI has started to lower the technical bar for fraud and cybercrime actors looking for their own productivity tools, making it easier and cheaper to generate believable content for cyberattacks at an increasingly rapid rate,” the report says.

Broken Cyber Windows Theory

Have you ever walked down a street with broken windows, burnt out cars, graffiti and felt a bit uneasy? There's a reason for that, and it's not just about aesthetics. The Broken Windows Theory, introduced by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in 1982, suggests that visible signs of crime and antisocial behavior encourage further crime and disorder. But what does this have to do with cybersecurity? More than you might think.

Powering Down Vulnerability: Securing the Energy Sector's Supply Chain

The energy sector stands as a critical pillar of our society. From the electricity powering our homes to the fuel driving our industries, reliable energy is essential. However, the very interconnectedness that makes the energy sector so vital also exposes it to significant vulnerabilities, particularly within its supply chain. The Interconnected Web of Energy The energy sector is a complex web of systems, stretching far beyond power plants and wind farms.