IT Security Newsletter

IT Security Newsletter - 12/17/2025

Written by Cadre | Wed, Dec 17, 2025

Russia Hits Critical Orgs Via Misconfigured Edge Devices

Russian threat actors are conducting a multiyear campaign targeting critical organizations around the world. Though that in itself is nothing new, the way they're conducting those attacks is changing. Amazon Threat Intelligence yesterday published a blog post detailing a multiyear threat campaign by Russian nation-state actors targeting North American, European, and Middle Eastern critical infrastructure, with notable focus in the energy sector. READ MORE...

Browser extensions with 8 million users collect extended AI conversations

Browser extensions with more than 8 million installs are harvesting complete and extended conversations from users' AI conversations and selling them for marketing purposes, according to data collected from the Google and Microsoft pages hosting them. Security firm Koi discovered the eight extensions, which as of late Tuesday night remained available in both Google's and Microsoft's extension stores. READ MORE...

Cellik Android malware builds malicious versions from Google Play apps

A new Android malware-as-a-service (MaaS) named Cellik is being advertised on underground cybercrime forums offering a robust set of capabilities that include the option to embed it in any app available on the Google Play Store. Specifically, attackers can select apps from Android's official app store and create trojanized versions that appear trustworthy and keep the real app's interface and functionality. READ MORE...

Schneier on Security: Deliberate Internet Shutdowns

For two days in September, Afghanistan had no internet. No satellite failed, no cable was cut. This was a deliberate outage, mandated by the Taliban government. It followed a more localized shutdown two weeks prior, reportedly instituted "to prevent immoral activities." No additional explanation was given. The timing couldn't have been worse: communities still reeling from a major earthquake lost emergency communications, flights were grounded, and banking was interrupted. READ MORE...

Why a 17-Year-Old Built an AI Model to Expose Deepfake Maps

When a deepfake targeted him personally, Vaishnav Anand panicked. But when everything settled down, he turned that panic into purpose. The California high-school junior was inspired by the incident to ask a different question than most: If people already doubt celebrity videos and viral images, what about the satellite maps that governments and corporations quietly trust every day? If these could be altered to create distortions, that could have serious effects, he pondered. READ MORE...

Critical React2Shell flaw exploited in ransomware attacks

A ransomware gang exploited the critical React2Shell vulnerability (CVE-2025-55182) to gain initial access to corporate networks and deployed the file-encrypting malware less than a minute later. React2Shell is an insecure deserialization issue in the React Server Components (RSC) 'Flight' protocol used by the React library and the Next.js framework. It can be exploited remotely without authentication to execute JavaScript code in the server's context. READ MORE...

  • ...in 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air airplane.
  • ...in 1936, Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) is born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  • ...in 1969, the US Air Force ends Project Blue Book, officially closing its study of UFOs but giving rise to endless theories about alien life in the decades to follow.
  • ...in 1989, the very first episode of "The Simpsons" airs as a Christmas special.