Latest Internet & Cybersecurity News

đź“…December 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM
AI-powered attacks, major cloud outages, critical zero-days, supply-chain malware, and large law-enforcement takedowns dominate global Internet & cybersecurity headlines.
1

AI-created ransomware and deepfake-enabled fraud surge

Security analysts report a sharp rise in AI-generated ransomware and deepfake-enabled vishing and impersonation attacks, with AI enabling rapid malware development and highly convincing voice/video frauds in 2025Source 2Source 3. Experts warn prompt-injection and AI system exploitation are emerging, enabling attackers to bypass protections and scale social-engineering campaignsSource 3Source 2.

2

Massive AWS outage disrupts gaming and online services — possible cyber implications

A widespread Amazon Web Services outage on December 24–25 affected major gaming and online platforms including Epic Games Store and Steam, prompting speculation about connectivity failures or coordinated malicious activitySource 2. Observers noted this is the third major AWS disruption in 2025, underscoring cloud centralization risks for critical internet servicesSource 2.

3

New supply-chain malware 'PyStoreRAT' targets developer environments

Threat intelligence reports describe PyStoreRAT as a supply-chain RAT that infiltrates developer toolchains and CI/CD, enabling long-term persistence by abusing trusted platforms like GitHubSource 1. Analysts warn DevSecOps teams to secure repositories and CI pipelines to prevent similar long-lived intrusionsSource 1.

4

Record DDoS campaign from 'Aisuru' botnet targets infrastructure

Security researchers observed the Aisuru botnet launching unusually large distributed-denial-of-service attacks, striking critical infrastructure and financial services with high volumetric trafficSource 1. The campaign highlights the industrialization of DDoS-as-a-service and growing botnet scale in late 2025Source 1.

5

Critical Net-SNMP vulnerability CVE-2025-68615 disclosed

A critical buffer overflow in Net-SNMP's snmptrapd (CVE-2025-68615) allows unauthenticated remote crash or potential code execution via malicious SNMP trap packets, prompting urgent patching guidanceSource 2. Network operators and IoT vendors were urged to apply mitigations immediately after public disclosure on December 25Source 2.

6

Cisco Secure Email Gateway zero-day CVE-2025-20393 under active exploitation

Security teams warned of an actively exploited critical zero-day in Cisco Secure Email Gateway and Web Manager (CVE-2025-20393) enabling unauthenticated remote code execution against email appliancesSource 2. Incident responders advised isolating affected appliances and applying vendor mitigations as they became availableSource 2.

7

Top CVEs and exploitation trends of 2025 emphasize AI abuse and credential attacks

Year-end vulnerability analyses list the most impactful CVEs of 2025 and show trends: AI-assisted exploitation, credential compromise, and widespread targeting of internet-facing appliancesSource 5. Reports highlight that attackers increasingly chain CVEs with social engineering and compromised accounts for large-scale intrusionsSource 5Source 3.

8

Polymarket users report wallet drains after third-party login issues

Decentralized prediction market Polymarket faced user reports of drained USDC balances tied to Google-based logins and third-party SDK interactions; investigations pointed to potential third-party or credential-based compromisesSource 4. Polymarket indicated limited scope but urged users to review OAuth logins and enable stronger wallet protectionsSource 4.

9

INTERPOL-led operation arrests 574 across Africa in cybercrime sweep

Law enforcement coordinated international operations that resulted in hundreds of arrests tied to cybercrime networks across Africa, demonstrating sustained global pressure on criminal infrastructuresSource 7. Authorities described dismantling affiliates involved in ransomware and fraud, showing law enforcement gains against transnational groupsSource 7.

10

Scams and holiday-targeted attacks spike during year-end period

Security advisories emphasize holiday scams—fake delivery notices, charity scams, and gift-card social-engineering—that exploit reduced staffing and distraction in late December, advising patching, backup verification, and tightened remote access before holidaysSource 6Source 9. Researchers note attackers exploit the seasonal window to maximize success ratesSource 6Source 9.

11

Maritime and critical-operations sectors face targeted cyber threats

Sector bulletins show increased targeting of maritime and transportation systems with industry-specific advisories on vulnerabilities and incident response, urging fleet operators to harden OT and ICS environmentsSource 11. Analysts highlight supply-chain and credential-focused intrusions risking operational disruptions at sea and portsSource 11.

12

Predictions for 2026: AI will be both weapon and shield in cyber conflict

Industry forecasts predict AI will dominate 2026 as attackers weaponize generative models for phishing, malware, and deepfakes while defenders adopt AI for detection and response, with prompt-injection and identity-centric attacks flagged as critical risksSource 3. Analysts recommend Zero Trust and continuous identity verification as core mitigationsSource 3.