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Critical SmarterMail Vulnerability Exploited in Ransomware Attacks

Critical SmarterMail Vulnerability Exploited in Ransomware Attacks

Critical SmarterMail Vulnerability Exploited in Ransomware Attacks
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Cisco and F5 Address High-Severity Vulnerabilities with New Patches

Cisco and F5 Address High-Severity Vulnerabilities with New Patches

Cisco and F5 Address High-Severity Vulnerabilities with New Patches
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Pennsylvania Appoints Andy Ritter as Permanent State CISO Amid Cybersecurity Enhancements

Pennsylvania Appoints Andy Ritter as Permanent State CISO Amid Cybersecurity Enhancements

Pennsylvania has officially appointed Andy Ritter as the state's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), transitioning him from his interim role which he has held since October. Ritter's appointment is part of a broader initiative by the state to bolster its IT leadership, which includes several other key promotions. Prior to his interim CISO role, Ritter served as Pennsylvania's deputy CISO since January 2024, accumulating nearly nine years of experience with the state. This leadership change aligns with Governor Josh Shapiro's recent announcement of a $10 million investment in cybersecurity, aimed at addressing the evolving threat landscape, including threats driven by artificial intelligence. Alongside Ritter, Jim Sipe has been named the permanent executive deputy CIO, Sarah Kinter as the chief of staff to the CIO, and Sara Hall as the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA). These appointments follow the departures of former CIO Amaya Capellán and CTO R. Brian A...
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Pennsylvania Appoints Andy Ritter as Permanent State CISO Amid Cybersecurity Push

Pennsylvania Appoints Andy Ritter as Permanent State CISO Amid Cybersecurity Push

Andy Ritter has been appointed as the permanent State Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Pennsylvania, following his interim role since October. Ritter has been with the state for nearly nine years, having served as deputy CISO since January 2024. This appointment is part of a broader initiative to enhance cybersecurity, with the state recently receiving $10 million in new cyber funding. This funding aims to address evolving threats, including those driven by artificial intelligence. The state also made other IT leadership appointments, including Jim Sipe as executive deputy CIO, Sarah Kinter as chief of staff to the CIO, and Sara Hall as executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience.
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Chinese APT Group Hijacks Notepad++ Infrastructure in Supply Chain Attack

Chinese APT Group Hijacks Notepad++ Infrastructure in Supply Chain Attack

A Chinese state-sponsored hacking group, identified as Lotus Blossom, has been implicated in a sophisticated supply chain attack targeting the popular open-source text editor Notepad++. The attack, which spanned from June to December 2025, involved compromising the infrastructure of Notepad++'s shared hosting provider. This allowed the attackers to intercept and redirect update traffic to servers under their control, effectively distributing malware through compromised software updates. The attribution to a Chinese APT group is based on similarities to previous research and the use of a renamed Bitdefender executable to side-load malicious DLLs. The attack highlights vulnerabilities in enterprise security, particularly the exploitation of distribution points like update servers, which can provide access to numerous environments simultaneously.
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Nebraska Appoints Bryce Bailey as Interim State Cybersecurity Leader Amid Leadership Transition

Nebraska Appoints Bryce Bailey as Interim State Cybersecurity Leader Amid Leadership Transition

Nebraska has appointed Bryce Bailey as the interim Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) following the departure of former CISO Abby Eccher-Young. Bailey, who previously served as the deputy state CISO since June 2025, brings extensive experience from various public-sector cybersecurity roles, including positions at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and as a security operations center manager in Dallas. His appointment comes as Nebraska continues to enhance its cybersecurity infrastructure, notably through the Joint Security Operations Center (JSOC) established in 2024. The JSOC aims to bolster state and local government defenses and foster cross-sector collaboration. Bailey has outlined his focus on strengthening cyber resilience, fostering partnerships, and maintaining integrity in his new role. The state plans to post the permanent CISO position soon, with applications open for about 30 days.
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Springfield Technical Community College Boosts Cybersecurity Training Amid Enrollment Growth

Springfield Technical Community College Boosts Cybersecurity Training Amid Enrollment Growth

Springfield Technical Community College's Cybersecurity Center is experiencing increased enrollment, enhancing its role as a key player in cybersecurity education in Western Massachusetts. The center, partnered with CyberTrust Massachusetts, serves as a 'teaching hospital' for cyber technology, providing training to protect against cyber threats. The center offers public classes and collaborates with local colleges to improve cybersecurity skills. A public event for small-business owners is scheduled to help them understand and mitigate cyber risks.
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Federal Election Security Support Diminishes, States Seek Alternatives

Federal Election Security Support Diminishes, States Seek Alternatives

The Trump administration's second term has seen a significant reduction in federal support for state election security, prompting states to seek alternative funding and resources. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has scaled back its election security efforts, including reducing staff and funding. This has left states like Arizona and West Virginia scrambling to secure their election systems independently. Arizona, for instance, has passed a $650,000 spending package to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities following a cyberattack. Meanwhile, West Virginia is enhancing local communication and funding to bolster election security. Despite federal claims of ongoing support, state officials report a noticeable decline in federal assistance compared to previous years.
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Nullify Secures $12.5 Million in Seed Funding to Enhance AI Cybersecurity Workforce

Nullify Secures $12.5 Million in Seed Funding to Enhance AI Cybersecurity Workforce

Nullify Secures $12.5 Million in Seed Funding to Enhance AI Cybersecurity Workforce
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Liberia's Communications Ministry Unveils Digital Transformation Roadmap

Liberia's Communications Ministry Unveils Digital Transformation Roadmap

Liberia's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has announced a new five-year strategic plan titled 'Digital Liberia: Equity, Sovereignty and Innovation for a Connected Future.' The plan aims to accelerate the country's digital transformation and strengthen national control over critical technology systems. Key focus areas include enhancing cybersecurity, expanding universal connectivity, promoting digital inclusion, and advancing e-governance. The strategy aligns with Liberia's broader national priorities, such as economic growth and job creation, and is part of the country's fourth post-conflict National Development Plan.
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Phishing Campaign Targets Corporate Dropbox Credentials with Sophisticated Tactics

Phishing Campaign Targets Corporate Dropbox Credentials with Sophisticated Tactics

A new phishing campaign is targeting corporate Dropbox credentials using advanced techniques to evade detection. Researchers from Forcepoint X-Labs have identified a multi-stage attack that begins with phishing emails disguised as urgent business communications. These emails contain PDF attachments with hidden malicious links that direct users to a fake Dropbox login page. If users enter their credentials, the information is sent to a Telegram channel controlled by the attackers. This campaign highlights the increasing sophistication of phishing attacks and the ongoing threat to corporate cybersecurity.
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Critical Vulnerability in OpenClaw AI Assistant Allows Hacker Exploitation

Critical Vulnerability in OpenClaw AI Assistant Allows Hacker Exploitation

A critical vulnerability in the OpenClaw AI assistant has been discovered, allowing hackers to hijack the system by tricking users into visiting malicious websites. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2026-25253, enables attackers to obtain authentication tokens and gain operator-level access to the AI assistant. This access allows them to execute arbitrary commands and make configuration changes on the host system. The developers of OpenClaw have released a patch to address the issue, but the incident highlights the security risks associated with AI technologies.