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What’s New in Cybersecurity This Week: Projects, Videos, Articles & Podcasts I’m Following – 9/29/25
Welcome to my weekly cybersecurity roundup! Here, I share updates on the projects I’m currently working on, along with the most insightful cybersecurity videos I watched, articles I found valuable, and podcasts I tuned into this week.

Featured Analysis

Featured article analysis: US Auto Insurance Platform ClaimPix Leaked 10.7TB of Records Online

This colossal data exposure involving ClaimPix, an auto insurance claims platform, serves as a stark warning about the pervasive dangers of basic security failures in the digital age. The discovery of an unsecured, unencrypted database containing a staggering 10.7 terabytes and 5.1 million files highlights critical shortcomings in data governance and cloud configuration management. For a platform entrusted with managing sensitive insurance and vehicle information, leaving such a massive repository of customer PII and operational data publicly accessible due to a lack of a simple password is a fundamental breach of trust and duty. This incident underscores that even with advanced security threats dominating the news, the simplest oversight—like misconfiguring storage access—can lead to catastrophic consequences.

The contents of the leak reveal the severe implications for data privacy and corporate legal exposure. Beyond standard PII like names and addresses, the exposure of vehicle records (VINs, license plates) and, most critically, approximately 16,000 Power of Attorney documents elevates the risk far beyond mere inconvenience. This combination of personal identity details and legal authorization is a potent toolkit for sophisticated criminals, enabling everything from identity theft and financial fraud to the highly specialized crime of vehicle cloning. The severity of this specific data mix places ClaimPix under immense scrutiny for compliance violations and potential long-term harm to the affected customers, demanding a comprehensive and transparent response regarding the full duration of exposure and the root cause.

While ClaimPix’s swift action to secure the database upon receiving the responsible disclosure is commendable, the lingering questions concerning the entity responsible for the database—whether ClaimPix directly or a third-party vendor—are paramount for risk analysis. This ambiguity is a key point for every business professional, emphasizing the critical need for rigorous vendor risk management and clear data ownership protocols. The incident provides an urgent case study for organizations to stress-test their security architectures, focusing on mandatory encryption, multi-factor access controls, and regular audits of cloud storage configurations. Ultimately, the ClaimPix leak is a powerful reminder that proactive, fundamental security hygiene is the bedrock of corporate responsibility and essential for maintaining customer trust in a data-driven ecosystem.

Projects
- TryHackMe – Firewall Fundamentals – Complete
- TryHackMe – IDS Fundamentals – In Progress
Articles
- Ransomware gang sought BBC reporter’s help in hacking media giant – Threat actors claiming to represent the Medusa ransomware gang tempted a BBC correspondent to become an insider threat by offering a significant amount of money.
- Japan’s largest brewer suspends operations due to cyberattack – Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd (Asahi), the brewer of Japan’s top-selling beer, has disclosed a cyberattack that disrupted several of its operations.
- UK convicts “Bitcoin Queen” in world’s largest cryptocurrency seizure – The Metropolitan Police has secured a conviction in what is believed to be the world’s largest cryptocurrency seizure, valued at more than £5.5 billion ($7.3 billion).
- Google Ads Used to Spread Trojan Disguised as TradingView Premium – Bitdefender warns that the TradingView Premium ad scam now targets Google ads and YouTube, hijacking verified channels to spread spyware.
- Dutch teens arrested for trying to spy on Europol for Russia – Two Dutch teenage boys aged 17, reportedly used hacking devices to spy for Russia, have been arrested by the Politie on Monday.
- US Auto Insurance Platform ClaimPix Leaked 10.7TB of Records Online – Cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler discovered a massive 10.7TB ClaimPix leak exposing 5.1M customer files, vehicle data, and Power of Attorney documents. Read the full details.
- Medusa Ransomware Claims Comcast Data Breach, Demands $1.2M – Medusa ransomware group claims 834 GB data theft from Comcast, demanding $1.2M ransom while sharing screenshots and file listings.
- Nearly 50,000 Cisco firewalls vulnerable to actively exploited flaws – Roughly 50,000 Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) appliances exposed on the public web are vulnerable to two vulnerabilities actively leveraged by hackers.
- Allianz Life says July data breach impacts 1.5 million people – Allianz Life has completed the investigation into the cyberattack it suffered in July and determined that nearly 1.5 million individuals are impacted.
- That annoying SMS phish you just got may have come from a box like this – Scammers have been abusing unsecured cellular routers used in industrial settings to blast SMS-based phishing messages in campaigns that have been ongoing since 2023, researchers said.
Podcasts
October 6, 2025
What’s New in Cybersecurity This Week: Projects, Videos, Articles & Podcasts I’m Following – 8/4/25
Welcome to my weekly cybersecurity roundup! Here, I share updates on the projects I’m currently working on, along with the most insightful cybersecurity videos I watched, articles I found valuable, and podcasts I tuned into this week.

Featured Analysis

Featured article analysis: Hacker extradited to US for stealing $3.3 million from taxpayers

The article details the successful extradition of Nigerian national Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu from France to the U.S., where he faces charges related to a sophisticated hacking and fraud scheme. The core of his alleged criminal activity involved spearphishing attacks targeting U.S. tax preparation businesses. By gaining unauthorized access to these businesses’ computer systems, Amachukwu and his co-conspirators were able to steal the personal data of thousands of American citizens. This stolen information was then used to file fraudulent tax returns and Small Business Administration (SBA) loan applications, resulting in over $3.3 million in confirmed losses to the U.S. government. The extradition underscores the international cooperation necessary to combat cybercrime and demonstrates a commitment by law enforcement to pursue and prosecute individuals who exploit digital vulnerabilities for financial gain, regardless of their physical location.

Beyond the tax and loan fraud, the article highlights Amachukwu’s alleged involvement in a separate, parallel scam. This second scheme involved a fake investment opportunity where victims were convinced to invest millions in non-existent standby letters of credit. This dual-pronged criminal activity paints a picture of a perpetrator who engaged in multiple forms of financial deception, exploiting both technological vulnerabilities and human trust. The indictment against Amachukwu reflects the seriousness of his alleged crimes, with charges including conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The potential penalties, including a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft and up to 20 years for each wire fraud count, illustrate the severe legal consequences for such offenses.

The extradition and subsequent court appearance of Amachukwu serve as a significant development in the case, moving it from international pursuit to domestic prosecution. The fact that he was apprehended and extradited from France, where he was presumably located after the alleged crimes took place, showcases the global reach of U.S. law enforcement and its ability to work with international partners to bring suspects to justice. While a trial date has yet to be scheduled, the article makes it clear that the U.S. government is not only seeking a conviction but also the forfeiture of all proceeds from his criminal activities. This aggressive legal approach aims to both punish the perpetrator and recover the stolen funds, providing a comprehensive response to the financial and personal damage caused by his fraudulent schemes.

Projects
- TryHackMe – JavaScript Essentials – In Progress
Whitepapers
- CrowdStrike 2025 Threat Hunting Report
Articles
- CL-STA-0969 Installs Covert Malware in Telecom Networks During 10-Month Espionage Campaign – Telecommunications organizations in Southeast Asia have been targeted by a state-sponsored threat actor known as CL-STA-0969 to facilitate remote control over compromised networks.
- Python-powered malware snags hundreds of credit cards, 200K passwords, and 4M cookies – PXA Stealer pilfers data from nearly 40 browsers, including Chrome
- North Korea sent me abroad to be a secret IT worker. My wages funded the regime – Jin-su says over the years he used hundreds of fake IDs to apply for remote IT work with Western companies. It was part of a vast undercover scheme to raise funds for North Korea.
- Cisco Says User Data Stolen in CRM Hack – Cisco has disclosed a data breach affecting Cisco.com user accounts, including names, email address, and phone numbers.
- What the Coinbase Breach Says About Insider Risk – The lesson from the breach is not just about what went wrong — but what could have gone right.
- PBS confirms data breach after employee info leaked on Discord servers – PBS has suffered a data breach exposing the corporate contact information of its employees and those of its affiliates, BleepingComputer has learned.
- Hacker extradited to US for stealing $3.3 million from taxpayers – Nigerian national Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu has been extradited from France to the U.S. to face charges of hacking, fraud, and identity theft for suspected spearphishing attacks on U.S. tax preparation businesses.
- Hacker used a voice phishing attack to steal Cisco customers’ personal information – A cybercriminal tricked a Cisco representative into granting them access to steal the personal information of Cisco.com users, the company said on Tuesday.
- Air France and KLM disclose data breaches impacting customers – Air France and KLM announced on Wednesday that attackers had breached a customer service platform and stolen the data of an undisclosed number of customers.
- Hacker extradited to US for stealing $3.3 million from taxpayers – Nigerian national Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu has been extradited from France to the U.S. to face charges of hacking, fraud, and identity theft for suspected spearphishing attacks on U.S. tax preparation businesses.
Podcasts
- Smashing Security – 428: Red flags, leaked chats, and a final farewell
- The 404 Media Podcast – How AI is being used by hackers and criminals
August 11, 2025
What’s New in Cybersecurity This Week: Projects, Videos, Articles & Podcasts I’m Following – 5/26/25
Welcome to my weekly cybersecurity roundup! Here, I share updates on the projects I’m currently working on, along with the most insightful cybersecurity videos I watched, articles I found valuable, and podcasts I tuned into this week.

Featured Analysis

Featured article analysis: Suspected InfoStealer Malware Data Breach Exposed 184 Million Logins and Passwords

This article details a significant data breach involving a publicly exposed database containing an astonishing 184 million unique logins and passwords, totaling 47.42 GB of unencrypted credential data. The researcher who discovered the breach found a wide array of sensitive information, including emails, usernames, passwords, and associated URLs for numerous online services, financial institutions, healthcare platforms, and government portals across various countries. The lack of password protection or encryption on the database dramatically increased the potential for malicious actors to access and exploit this highly sensitive information, posing substantial risks to individuals whose credentials were exposed. The researcher responsibly disclosed the finding to the hosting provider, which subsequently restricted public access to the database.

The analysis of the exposed data strongly suggests that it was harvested by infostealer malware, a type of malicious software designed to extract sensitive information from infected systems, particularly credentials stored in browsers and applications. While the exact method of data collection remains unknown, the article outlines common tactics used by cybercriminals to deploy such malware, including phishing emails, malicious websites, and compromised software. The potential consequences of this type of data exposure are severe, ranging from credential stuffing attacks and account takeovers to corporate espionage and targeted phishing campaigns. The sheer volume and variety of compromised accounts, including those associated with financial and governmental institutions, underscore the gravity of the situation and the potential for widespread harm.

In response to this alarming discovery, the article provides crucial recommendations for users to enhance their online security. These include the fundamental practices of regularly changing passwords, using unique and complex passwords for each account, and enabling two-factor authentication wherever possible. Additionally, the article advises users to check if their credentials have been exposed in known breaches, monitor their accounts for suspicious activity, and consider the use of password managers with caution. The researcher emphasizes the importance of proactive measures and responsible data handling, particularly concerning sensitive information stored in email accounts. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threats posed by infostealer malware and the critical need for individuals and organizations to prioritize robust cybersecurity practices.

Projects
- TryHackMe – Public Key Cryptography Basics – Complete
- TryHackMe – Hashing Basics – In Progress
Videos

Articles
- Adidas confirms criminals stole data from customer service provider – Hackers take personal data bytes from the brand with three stripes
- Dutch Intelligence Agencies Say Russian Hackers Stole Police Data in Cyberattack – The agencies said that the group, which they called Laundry Bear, is actively trying to steal sensitive data from EU and NATO countries and is “extremely likely Russian state supported.”
- Iranian pleads guilty to RobbinHood ransomware attacks, faces 30 years – An Iranian national has pleaded guilty to participating in the Robbinhood ransomware operation, which was used to breach the networks, steal data, and encrypt devices of U.S. cities and organizations in an attempt to extort millions of dollars over a five-year span.
- Russian IT pro sentenced to 14 years forced labor for sharing medical data with Ukraine – The latest in a long line of techies to face Putin’s wrath
- Botnet hacks 9,000+ ASUS routers to add persistent SSH backdoor – Over 9,000 ASUS routers are compromised by a novel botnet dubbed “AyySSHush” that was also observed targeting SOHO routers from Cisco, D-Link, and Linksys.
- 184,162,718 Passwords And Logins Leaked — Apple, Facebook, Snapchat
- Threat actors abuse Google Apps Script in evasive phishing attacks – Threat actors are abusing the ‘Google Apps Script’ development platform to host phishing pages that appear legitimate and steal login credentials.
- Pakistanis Urged To Immediately Change All Passwords After Massive Global Data Breach – Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (NCERT) has issued a critical warning urging citizens to change their passwords following a massive global data breach exposing 184 million unique account credentials.
June 2, 2025