Rapid7 Quarterly Threat Landscape Report: Zero-clicks, geopolitical tensions, and some wins for law enforcement

The first quarter of 2026 reinforced that attackers are moving faster, operating with greater coordination, and exploiting weaknesses before most organizations can respond effectively. From escalating geopolitical tensions to increasingly aggressive ransomware operations, the latest quarterly...

We Are At War

Rising geopolitical tensions are reflected or in some cases preceded by cyber operations, while technology itself has become politicized. Let’s admit it: we are in the middle of it. Introduction: One tech power to rule them all is a thing of the past The relative safety, peace and prosperity that...

Countering Current Geopolitical Cyber Threats With Qualys

Summary In response to the latest public sector threat intelligence on Iranian-linked threat activity, Qualys has released new intelligence capabilities within Qualys Vulnerability Management, Detection & Response VMDR to help organizations immediately assess their exposure. These updates extend...

Fortify Your Network Security from Emerging Geopolitical Cyberthreats

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K000160327: Protect your network from geopolitical uncertainty with F5

Security Advisory Description While there are many cyber-threats creating a constant need for cybersecurity efforts, history teaches us that geopolitical conflicts often generate increased cyber activity. In recent years the world has seen conflicts in Ukraine, Yemen, Iran, and elsewhere generate...

From the Shadows to the Headlines: A Decade of State-Sponsored Cyber Leaks

From the Shadows to the Headlines: A Decade of State-Sponsored Cyber Leaks By Ryan Slaney and Emma DeCarli · January 20, 2026 Executive summary The December 2, 2025, publication of a massive leak revealing the inner workings of the IRGC-linked Department 40 a.k.a. APT35, Charming Kitten, and Fres...

Predicting 2026

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. It's become traditional at this time of year to make predictions about cybersecurity for the coming year. Obviously, no one has a crystal ball to predict the future, and if they did, they would be quietly making a fortune rather than...

Adios 2025, you won’t be missed

Welcome to this week's edition of the Threat Source newsletter. For us in America, we're in the holiday doldrums and things slow and/or shut down until the new year. At Cisco, we shut down the last week of the year to reset and recharge, and I've grown to be quite fond of it. I've worked plenty o...

Key Emerging Cybersecurity Threats and Challenges for 2025 and Beyond

The global threat landscape is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. Organizations are facing dizzying levels of complexity, driven by rapid technological innovation, the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, and the expected disruptive effects of quantum computing. At the same...

Phantom Taurus: New China-Linked Hacker Group Hits Governments With Stealth Malware

Government and telecommunications organizations across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia have emerged as the target of a previously undocumented China-aligned nation-state actor dubbed Phantom Taurus over the past two-and-a-half years. "Phantom Taurus' main focus areas include ministries of forei...

A Global Analysis of Cyber Threats to the Energy Sector: "Currents of Conflict" from a Geopolitical Perspective

The escalating frequency and sophistication of cyber threats increased the need for their comprehensive understanding. This paper explores the intersection of geopolitical dynamics, cyber threat intelligence analysis, and advanced detection technologies, with a focus on the energy domain. We...

Geopolitical Aggression Trigger Digital Sabotage on Critical Infrastructure

Running short on time but still want to stay in the know? Well, we’ve got you covered! We’ve condensed all the key takeaways into a handy audio summary. Our AI-driven podcasts are fit for on the go. The modern battlefield isn't just on the ground; it's online, and the digital front continues to...

Patchwork Targets Turkish Defense Firms with Spear-Phishing Using Malicious LNK Files

The threat actor known as Patchwork has been attributed to a new spear-phishing campaign targeting Turkish defense contractors with the goal of gathering strategic intelligence. "The campaign employs a five-stage execution chain delivered via malicious LNK files disguised as conference invitation...

Understanding Iranian Capabilities and Hacktivist Activities

Understanding Iranian Capabilities and Hacktivist Activities By John Fokker · June 23, 2025 As geopolitical tensions flare again in the Middle East, cyber operations are increasingly becoming an extension of physical conflict. State-aligned threat actors, patriotic hackers, and ideologically...

Iran's State TV Hijacked Mid-Broadcast Amid Geopolitical Tensions; $90M Stolen in Crypto Heist

Iran's state-owned TV broadcaster was hacked Wednesday night to interrupt regular programming and air videos calling for street protests against the Iranian government, according to multiple reports. It's currently not known who is behind the attack, although Iran pointed fingers at Israel, per...

Desert Dexter Targets 900 Victims Using Facebook Ads and Telegram Malware Links

The Middle East and North Africa have become the target of a new campaign that delivers a modified version of a known malware called AsyncRAT since September 2024. "The campaign, which leverages social media to distribute malware, is tied to the region's current geopolitical climate," Positive...

Gcore DDoS Radar Reveals 56% YoY Increase in DDoS Attacks

Gcore's latest DDoS Radar report analyzes attack data from Q3–Q4 2024, revealing a 56% YoY rise in the total number of DDoS attacks with the largest attack peaking at a record 2 Tbps. The financial services sector saw the most dramatic increase, with a 117% rise in attacks, while gaming remained...

Threat predictions for industrial enterprises 2025

Key global cyberthreat landscape development drivers Hunt for innovations Innovations are changing our lives. Today, the world is on the threshold of another technical revolution. Access to new technologies is a ticket to the future, a guarantee of economic prosperity and political sovereignty...

Blurring the Lines: How Nation-States and Organized Cybercriminals Are Becoming Alike

Blurring the Lines: How Nation-States and Organized Cybercriminals Are Becoming Alike By Tomer Shloman · January 7, 2025 The distinction between nation-state actors and organized cybercriminals is becoming increasingly blurred in our rapidly evolving cyber landscape. Historically, these groups ha...

Hacktivist Groups: The Shadowy Links to Nation-State Agendas

Hacktivist Groups: The Shadowy Links to Nation-State Agendas By Ernesto Fernández Provecho · December 16, 2024 Introduction Hacktivism, the intersection of hacking and activism, has emerged as a potent force in the digital age. It involves using technology to achieve social or political goals,...