IT Security Newsletter

IT Security Newsletter - 7/23/2026

Written by Cadre | Thu, Jul 23, 2026

US Warns of Iranian Hackers Targeting Siemens, Schneider, and Rockwell ICS Devices

The US government has updated a recent cybersecurity advisory describing Iran-linked attacks on critical infrastructure organizations, warning that hackers have been targeting industrial control systems (ICS) made by Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Rockwell Automation. The advisory said Iranian hackers had been conducting disruptive attacks targeting operational technology (OT) devices at organizations in the government services and facilities, energy, and water and wastewater sectors. READ MORE...

South Korea discloses data breach impacting diplomats worldwide

South Korea disclosed that hackers breached the National Diplomatic Academy's online education system for ten months and stole personal information belonging to current and former employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), including overseas diplomats. The incident occurred in April 2025 after an unknown threat actor exploited a vulnerability in the Academy's server. It impacts at least 6,000 individuals, 350 of them being current government attachés dispatched abroad. READ MORE...

Upbound Group Says Data Breach Led to $13 Million in Fraudulent Contract Losses

Texas-based consumer finance company Upbound Group, Inc. says recent cybersecurity incidents led to a data breach that resulted in millions of dollars in fraudulent contract losses. Upbound offers lease-to-own and flexible payment solutions through brands like Rent-A-Center, Acima, and Brigit. In a filing with the SEC, the company said non-sensitive customer information and other documents were recently obtained by hackers. READ MORE...

Oracle drops 1,449 security patches like it's the new normal

It's a bad day to be an Oracle admin: Big Red has just released 1,449 security patches ready to be applied. The patches were released as part of the company's quarterly security fixes, and the record number may partly reflect Oracle's internal push to harness AI for vulnerability detection, which it announced in April. Oracle also manages a huge product portfolio, and the patches span numerous products, so the total shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. READ MORE...

Malware is targeting AI tools in software development environments

Malware targeting AI coding assistants and software developers' automated workflows is spreading into more environments with more capabilities, placing defenders at a growing disadvantage. A malware strain dubbed Sandworm_Mode, first discovered by Socket in February, represents a growing threat to software development. According to a CrowdStrike report, the self-propagating worm can spread through code repositories with minimal detection, raising alarms about software supply chains. READ MORE...

Attackers exploit critical Check Point flaw to take over firewall management (CVE-2026-16232)

Attackers are exploiting a critical authentication bypass vulnerability (CVE-2026-16232) that affects Check Point Security Management and Multi-Domain Security Management, the management servers that push policy to Check Point security gateways (i.e., firewalls). "An unauthenticated attacker can obtain an application login token and use it to login via SmartConsole with full admin privileges and apply changes to the security policy and security configuration," the company said. READ MORE...

Millions of cars could be tracked and unlocked by a hidden security flaw

A car alarm vendor's coding mistake has left millions of vehicles vulnerable to theft and location tracking. Thanks to the way dealers sell car alarms, many affected drivers don't even know they have one installed. The device is the KARR Security System, a Bluetooth-enabled aftermarket alarm built by Acrisure Protection Group. It's installed by dealers, primarily at Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Ford, and Jeep dealerships in Southern California. READ MORE...

WhatsApp Web chats exposed by Adobe's Acrobat extension flaw

HermeticReader is the name given to a recently disclosed vulnerability in the Adobe Acrobat PDF extension for Chrome, tracked as CVE-2026-48294. Researchers discovered the issue in early June 2026 and reported it to Adobe, which patched the flaw over a single weekend. They found that a single visit to a malicious website could turn Adobe's Acrobat Chrome browser extension into a silent spy on your WhatsApp Web conversations. READ MORE...

Flaws in Passkey Implementation Show Old Attacks Still Work

Attackers can exploit flaws in Microsoft's passkey systems in ways surprisingly similar to old password attacks, but that doesn't mean it's time to give up on passkeys. There's been a lot of attention on passkeys in recent years. They're considered phishing-resistant, and their use of private keys means they are largely unaffected by data breaches where identity information and credentials are stolen. READ MORE...

  • ...in 1903, Ford Motor Company sells its very first automobile.
  • ...in 1961, actor Woody Harrelson ("Cheers", "The Messenger") is born in Midland, TX.
  • ...in 1962, the communications satellite Telstar relays the first publicly transmitted, live trans-Atlantic television program. featuring Walter Cronkite.
  • ...in 1976, chess player Judit Polgar, who became a Grandmaster at age 15 and was the game's #1 rated woman player for over 25 years, is born in Budapest, Hungary.