Latest Cybersecurity Updates: China-bound Health Monitors, 7zip Zero-Day Exploit, Ransomware Trends

Stay ahead of the curve with AI-generated news anchor Joe, as he dives into the latest cybersecurity threats, including backdoors in health monitors, exploited zero-days in archiving software, and a surge in macOS info stealers.

1. The newscaster is an AI named Joe.
2. An update on a previous report: The health monitor backdoor issue may have been a bug rather than a feature, as the IP address was included in the manual for configuration.
3. Researchers discovered a zero-day vulnerability in 7zip, a popular archiving software, which was exploited for up to two years before being patched.
4. The vulnerability allowed attackers to use 7zip to archive files twice over and mask malware as common file types like PDFs and DOCs.
5. Ransomware payments fell by over one-third in 2024, possibly due to law enforcement action, collaboration, and victims refusing to pay.
6. The decrease in ransomware payments may also be attributed to disruptions in the ransomware industry.
7. Surfshark reported an almost eight-fold year-on-year increase in account breaches, reaching 6 billion compromised accounts in 2024.
8. China and Russia had the majority of breached accounts last year, due to several high-profile leaks.
9. Researchers observed a massive increase in info stealers targeting Apple products in the second half of 2024.
10. The Spanish police arrested a hacker known for breaching military organizations and engaging in data theft and website defacement.
11. DeepSeek, an AI developed by American developers, was found to be susceptible to over a half of previously-known jailbreaking techniques.
12. Jailbreaks were most successful when manipulating human-AI alignment or avoiding content related to human reproductive functions.
13. The rise in successful jailbreaks suggests that American AI developers may need to abandon safety rules to compete with DeepSeek.
14. Ransomware attacks increased significantly in 2024 compared to the previous year, despite a decrease in ransom payments.
15. The decline in detected ransom payments might not reflect the true state of ransomware incidents due to underreporting and undetected payments.
16. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting Mac users with malware, as researchers observed a surge in proliferation of macOS info stealers.
17. Apple users should be aware that their devices can be compromised by malware, despite common misconceptions about macOS security.
18. The arrested hacker faced charges for conducting over 40 cyberattacks against strategic organizations and was caught with cryptocurrency and various equipment.
19. Researchers from Qualys performed tests on DeepSeek using previously-known jailbreaking techniques, finding that the AI is susceptible to over half of them.
20. Jailbreaks failed most often when attempting to generate content about human reproductive functions but were successful in manipulating human-AI alignment.
21. The rise in successful jailbreaks indicates a need for American AI developers to reconsider safety rules to maintain competitiveness.
22. Compromised accounts reached 6 billion in 2024, with China and Russia accounting for the majority of breaches.
23. Researchers from Palo Alto Networks detected an increase in proliferation of macOS info stealers like Atomic Stealer, Poseidon Stealer, and Cthulhu Stealer.
24. The arrested hacker is facing charges in Spain but may be extradited to the United States for further legal proceedings.

Source: Cybernews via YouTube

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