Security researchers discovered sophisticated spyware called "Landfall" that secretly targeted Samsung Galaxy users across Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Morocco from mid-2024 through April 2025. The malware exploited a critical zero-day vulnerability in Samsung's image processing library, delivered through weaponized image files sent via WhatsApp.

Landfall could record conversations, track locations, capture photos, and steal contacts from high-end Galaxy devices like the S22, S23, and S24 series. Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 team found the spyware had advanced detection evasion capabilities and linked it to commercial-grade surveillance operations similar to NSO Group's Pegasus.

Samsung patched the vulnerability after researchers privately reported it, but the campaign highlights how commercial spyware vendors increasingly target mobile platforms for government surveillance.

Source: Dark Reading

The Congressional Budget Office fell victim to a cybersecurity breach, with suspected foreign attackers potentially accessing communications between lawmakers and agency researchers. CBO spokesperson Caitlin Emma confirmed the incident Thursday, saying the agency quickly contained it and added new security measures.

The nonpartisan office, established in 1974 to provide budget analysis to Congress, employs 275 staff members and recently requested $76 million for fiscal 2026 - with nearly half the budget increase earmarked for cybersecurity improvements. Officials believe they caught the intrusion early, and the investigation continues while normal operations proceed.

Source: CyberScoop

Cybersecurity researchers have discovered LeakyInjector and LeakyStealer, a dangerous malware pair that specifically targets cryptocurrency wallets and browser information on Windows computers.

The attack starts with LeakyInjector quietly installing LeakyStealer into the explorer.exe process using advanced injection techniques that bypass security software. LeakyStealer then hunts for popular crypto wallets including Electrum, Exodus, MetaMask, and Coinbase Wallet, while also stealing browser history from Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi.

Both malware components use valid digital certificates to appear legitimate and employ a "polymorphic engine" that modifies memory to evade detection. The malware establishes persistence by disguising itself as "MicrosoftEdgeUpdateCore.exe" and survives system restarts.

Users should update security software, avoid untrusted downloads, and consider hardware wallets for crypto storage.

Source: Cybersecurity News

SonicWall confirmed a state-sponsored attacker breached its customer portal and stole firewall configuration files from every customer using the company's cloud backup service. CEO Bob VanKirk said the attack was contained to the backup system, but security experts warn the stolen files contain sensitive data like encrypted credentials and firewall rules.

The company initially downplayed the breach's scope, claiming it affected less than 5% of customers before walking back that assessment. Critical details remain unclear, including the exact number of impacted customers and how long attackers had access. SonicWall detected suspicious activity in September but hasn't disclosed which nation was responsible.

Source: CyberScoop

The Chinese APT group Bronze Butler exploited a critical zero-day vulnerability in Lanscope, an endpoint management platform used by 25% of listed Japanese companies and 33% of the country's financial institutions. The flaw (CVE-2025-61932) scored 9.8/10 severity and allowed hackers complete system access through missing security checks.

Sophos researchers discovered Bronze Butler had been exploiting this vulnerability since mid-2025, months before its October disclosure. The attackers deployed their Gokcpdoor backdoor and stole sensitive data from multiple organizations.

Motex has released a patch, and only 50-160 on-premises servers were exposed online. CISA added the vulnerability to its Known Exploited list, while Japanese authorities confirmed domestic victims since April 2025.

Source: Dark Reading

Marks and Spencer's Easter cyber attack has cost the retailer £136 million in direct response and recovery expenses, nearly eliminating its statutory profit for the first half of the year. Profits plummeted from £391.9m to just £3.4m as ransomware hackers infiltrated systems through a third-party contractor, knocking online shopping offline until June.

The attack devastated sales, with fashion and beauty dropping 16.4% and international sales down 11.6%. Click and collect services weren't restored until August. M&S expects to claim back £100m through insurance and anticipates profits will recover to last year's levels in the second half. Despite the setback, food sales remained strong with three consecutive years of monthly growth.

Source: Sky News

Iranian government hackers launched targeted phishing attacks against prominent US think tanks between June and August 2025, impersonating influential policy experts like Brookings Institution's Suzanne Maloney. The mysterious group, dubbed "UNK_SmudgedSerpent" by Proofpoint researchers, sent fake collaboration emails to 20 think tank members, later directing victims to credential-stealing Microsoft 365 login pages disguised as OnlyOffice or Teams links.

What makes this campaign unusual is how it blends tactics from multiple known Iranian hacking groups. The phishing approach mirrors Charming Kitten's methods, while the infrastructure resembles TA455's setup, and it's the only Iranian group besides MuddyWater known to use remote monitoring software. This hybrid approach suggests possible reorganization, collaboration, or resource-sharing between Iran's cyber units.

Source: Dark Reading

Cybercriminals are targeting transportation companies with sophisticated cargo theft schemes that cause over $30 billion in annual losses. The attacks begin with fake load postings on broker marketplaces, then hackers send malicious emails containing remote access tools to carriers who respond.

Once inside company systems, attackers deploy tools like ScreenConnect and LogMeIn to take control of scheduling and dispatch systems. They book loads under the victim's name, then divert valuable shipments to their own operatives for resale online or overseas.

Proofpoint researchers believe organized crime groups are behind these operations, which have targeted companies across the US, Brazil, Germany, India, and other hotspots since January 2025.

Source: Security Week

Security researchers discovered a sophisticated Android banking Trojan called "BankBot-YNRK" targeting users in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The malware disguises itself as Indonesia's official digital ID app, tricking users into installing it from outside Google Play Store.

Once installed, the Trojan mutes all device alerts—calls, notifications, messages—to avoid detection while stealing cryptocurrency wallet data, banking credentials, and personal information. It specifically targets devices running Android 13 and earlier, exploiting accessibility features to gain complete remote control.

The malware takes real-time screenshots of banking and crypto wallet apps to map their interfaces, then automates fraudulent transactions. It targets Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Solana wallets, extracting seed phrases and private keys without user knowledge.

Source: Dark Reading

A suspected Chinese state-sponsored group called CL-STA-1009 is targeting business process outsourcing (BPO) companies with sophisticated malware called Airstalk, according to Palo Alto Networks. BPO firms make attractive targets because they handle critical systems for multiple clients simultaneously, giving attackers a gateway to numerous organizations.

The Airstalk malware comes in PowerShell and .NET variants that abuse AirWatch mobile device management APIs to communicate covertly with command servers. The malware steals browser data from Chrome, Edge, and Island Browser, takes screenshots, and harvests cookies and browsing history. Both versions use likely stolen certificates and altered timestamps to avoid detection within corporate networks.

Source: Security Week