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An Iranian state hacking group is using custom malware to compromise IoT and OT infrastructure in Israel and the United States. An attack wave from Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated "CyberAv3ngers" swept up fuel management systems made by U.S.-based firm Gilbarco Veeder-Root.

IT Outage, Downtime Procedures Affecting Services at California Healthcare Provider
Cybercriminals claim they stole 17 million patient records from a southern California regional healthcare provider that is still struggling with IT and phone systems outages that have been disrupting patient care since the organization was hit by a ransomware attack on Dec. 1.

Also: How Leading Cybersecurity Firms Are Gearing Up for 2025
In the latest weekly update, ISMG editors discussed the shooting death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO and its wider implications for AI-driven decision-making, market strategies for the top cybersecurity companies in 2025, and how these strategies reflect industry trends.

Around 30,000 German IoT Devices Infected From Backdoored Android Applications
The German federal information security agency disrupted a botnet that infected thousands of backdoored digital picture frames and media players made with knockoff Android operating systems shipped from China. The agency identified at least 30,000 infected devices.

DOJ Indicts North Korean IT Workers for Using Remote Jobs to Steal Sensitive Info
U.S. federal prosecutors indicted 14 North Koreans for a long-running IT scam generating $88 million by exploiting remote work with U.S. firms, a scheme prosecutors say is tied to DPRK-controlled companies that fund weapons programs through stolen identities, data theft and extortion.

Secret Blizzard Used Third-Party Amadey Bots to Hack Ukrainian Military Devices
A Russian state-backed hacker group used third-party data-stealing bots and possibly a backdoor used by another Russia-based threat group to infiltrate and spy on devices used by frontline Ukrainian military units, according to a report from the Microsoft threat intelligence team.

Also: Australia Fines Kraken AU$8 Million Over Breaches
This week, scammers targeted crypto workers with fake meeting apps, Australia fined Kraken crypto exchange operator Bit Trade, a Los Angeles federal court ordered five individuals to pay $5 million, Polish police detained a Russian former exchange operator and FTX debtors clawed back more cash.

Checkmarx's Sandeep Johri Details Malicious Code, AI Risks in Application Security
As software complexities grow, supply chain security is now essential to application security, according to Sandeep Johri, Checkmarx CEO. Johri discusses the challenges of malicious code, adversarial AI and the market's call for consolidated security platforms.

AG Says HealthAlliance Tried But Failed to Fix Zero-Day Flaw That Led to Exploit
New York State has levied a $550,000 fine against a healthcare group that tried - but failed - to patch a critical zero-day vulnerability in a Citrix NetScaler appliance used for telemedicine. Hackers exploited the flaw, stealing 196 gigabytes of data in an incident affecting 242,000 people.

Cybersecurity Experts Push for Clearer Mission, Expanded Authority, More Resources
Cybersecurity experts are urging a revamp of the Office of the National Cyber Director. The Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law says the office needs a clearer mission, more resources and the authority to lead cybersecurity policy for other government agencies to bolster U.S. cyber defenses.

Possible Long-Term Attack by Unknown Hackers Thwarted
Hackers exploiting flaws in Cleo Communications software instances had intimate knowledge of their internals and deployed a previously unknown family of malware, security researchers from Huntress said Thursday. Cleo published a patch Wednesday evening.

Tech and Training Ideas to Help Cyber Professionals Advance Their Skills
If you're a cybersecurity professional trying to come up with ideas for your holiday wish list (or maybe you’re a loved one trying to pick out the perfect gift), look no further! Here are some top picks that will thrill any cybersecurity practitioner.

Evidence Mounts for Chinese Hacking 'Quartermaster'
A probable Chinese nation-state threat actor compromised Visual Studio Code and Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure to target Western technology firms for espionage, security firms Tinexta Cyber and SentinelLabs said. The companies call the campaign "Operation Digital Eye."

Inmediata Health Group Has Paid $2.7M in Fines, Civil Claims for 2019 HIPAA Breach
A breach that exposed the personal information of nearly 1.6 million patients of a Puerto Rico-based clearinghouse has led to a $250,000 financial settlement with federal regulations for multiple HIPAA violations. The 2019 leak has cost Inmediata Health $2.7 million in fines and civil settlements.

LexisNexis Combines AI-Driven Document Authentication With Its Fraud Solutions
To counter AI-driven fraud, LexisNexis acquired IDVerse, a London-based startup focused on document authentication and regulatory compliance. This acquisition aims to seamlessly integrate advanced tools into LexisNexis' fraud and identity platforms, enhancing global operations.

Attackers Target Managed File Transfer Software Vulnerabilities
File transfer software made by Cleo Communications is under active attack and a patch meant to stymie hackers doesn't fix the flaw, say security researchers from Huntress. Hackers exploit an arbitrary file-write vulnerability along with a feature that automatically executes files.

deviceTRUST, Strong Network Acquisitions Improve Zero Trust, Developer Protections
Citrix enhances its security for hybrid work by acquiring deviceTRUST and Strong Network. Purchasing these European startups boosts protection for VDI, DaaS and cloud development, empowering organizations to enforce zero trust principles and reduce risks across their hybrid environments.

Report: Financial Orgs Shift to Multi-Cloud to Address Cyberthreats and Regulation
Financial institutions are increasingly adopting multi-cloud strategies to mitigate rising cyber risks and comply with complex regulations, according to a new report. Although the move enhances flexibility and disaster recovery, challenges remain, from implementation costs to a growing skills gap.

Druva CTO Stephen Manley on AI's Role in Modern Data Security
Historically, IT and security teams have operated in silos, creating gaps in knowledge and response. Gen AI bridges this gap through natural language interfaces, enabling better communication and understanding between departments, said Druva CTO Stephen Manley.

Publicly Traded Firm Discloses 'Material' Incident to US Federal Regulators
Fried dough lovers beware: doughnut juggernaut Krispy Kreme told U.S. federal regulators Wednesday it will have ongoing operational difficulties due to a cybersecurity incident. Shops are open and consumers can place orders in person. Online ordering in some parts of the United States is down.