I have spent many years, perhaps too many, working in the world of IT and information security. I can’t complain, I have to say, it has been rewarding. And I have noticed in recent years that there has been a considerable shift in how cybersecurity is perceived within organizations, with this function gaining greater importance and relevance. The personal influence of the CISO has been improving lately, both in terms of attitude and perception.

Today, healthcare providers, insurers, and other HIPAA-covered entities are increasingly relying on websites to share information, engage with patients, and streamline operations. While websites offer numerous benefits, it’s crucial to understand the implications of online tracking technologies for the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI).

There’s an unfortunate truth about applications and access in the enterprise. Many applications are underutilized. This means patches and updates can fall down the to-do list of already-stretched IT service desks. Naturally, this increases the vulnerabilities – and opportunities for attackers. Risks are compounded when many users retain access they no longer need, especially when it’s access to the most critical and sensitive resources.

The phrase “Forging the Proverbial Bulletproof Container” carries both metaphorical and practical significance, particularly in the areas of technology and security. It reflects the idea of building robust, resilient systems that can withstand both internal and external threats. But in the current world of modern, cloud-native software development — where containers have become the backbone of application deployment — the term takes on a literal meaning as well.

In recent years, “Pig Butchering” scams have rapidly emerged as a significant global threat, primarily targeting individuals with fraudulent investment schemes. This type of scam, originally known for its roots in China, has transformed into a global phenomenon, where victims are led to believe they are making lucrative investments, often in cryptocurrency.

Another week, another extortion group data-leak site emerges. Cyjax has continued to observe the emergence of data-leak sites (DLSs) for extortion and ransomware groups. New groups FunkSec, ContFR, Argonauts, Kairos, Chort, and Termite appeared in December and November 2024 alone, bringing this year’s total up to 69. On 11 December 2024, Cyjax identified the emergence of a Tor-based DLS belonging to a new data-leak extortion group going by the name ’Bluebox’.

Cyjax’s open-source intelligence team has recently conducted an investigation into Meta’s impact on fraud and scams with regards to advertisements. The investigation consisted of extensive research and data collection from dark web sources, closed and open chats, social media platforms, marketplaces, and threat actor marketing forums.

MacOS, often regarded for its robust security measures, has increasingly become a target for sophisticated cyber threats. Among the latest examples is Banshee Stealer, a malware engineered to compromise macOS systems by extracting sensitive user information. Developed by Russian cybercriminals and offered at a premium subscription fee of $3,000 per month, this malware underscores the growing attention of threat actors toward macOS platforms.