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Hack Defender
Trends
- 1
Companies are strengthening cyber defences as artificial intelligence transforms hacking on both sides of the battle. AI tools are being used by attackers to automate and speed up intrusions, while security teams deploy the same technology to detect and block threats faster. The result is an escalating cat-and-mouse dynamic in which defences and attacks constantly adapt to each other.
- 2Zelenskyy confirms Ukraine hacked back after Russian cyberattack▼WATCH: Zelenskyy confirms Ukraine hacked back after Russia's cyberattack of its emergency alert system
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine carried out a retaliatory cyberattack against Russia, in response to a Russian hack of Ukraine's emergency alert system. The statement confirms that Kyiv is actively conducting offensive cyber operations against Moscow, not only defending its own infrastructure. The exchange marks a further escalation in the cyber dimension of the war between the two countries.
- 3
ABC News is examining whether a surge in AI-driven cyberattacks amounts to a 'code red' for cybersecurity, and how individuals and organisations should prepare. The piece outlines the risks of hackers using artificial intelligence and steps for defending against a possible wave of AI-powered hacking.
- 4APT29 watering hole attacks now target mobile devices▼New. Sekoia: Poisoned Source: APT29 watering holes target mobile devices with n-day exploits https://www. sekoia.com/blo
French cybersecurity firm Sekoia.io published new research titled Poisoned Source describing how APT29, a hacking group widely linked to Russian intelligence, compromised websites with watering hole attacks aimed at mobile devices using recently patched (n-day) exploits. The findings, also covered by The Hacker News, indicate the group is broadening its tradecraft beyond desktop targets, prompting discussion among security researchers.
- 5Startup founder shuts down company over AI hacking fears●In the Age of AI Hacks, I Shut Down My Startup. It's Just Not Worth It.
A startup founder says they have shut down their company, arguing that in the current age of AI-powered hacking the risks of running a small business outweigh the rewards. The account warns that new artificial intelligence tools have made cyberattacks cheaper, faster and easier to launch, leaving small startups unable to defend themselves.
- 6Google says attackers now weaponize AI pentesting frameworks●Attackers turn AI pentesting frameworks like ARTEX into tools for automated intrusions Google says several threat groups
Google reports that several threat groups, including suspected China-linked operators and extortion crews, are repurposing open-source AI pentesting frameworks such as ARTEX and PentAGI to automate large parts of real intrusions. Security teams are sounding the alarm that tools built for defensive testing are being turned into offensive weapons, accelerating and scaling attacks that previously required skilled human operators.
- 7'Anyone can be a super-hacker now': world faces cybersecurity reckoning▼‘Anyone can be a super-hacker now’: The world faces a cybersecurity reckoning
A Washington Post report argues that hacking capabilities once reserved for elite state-sponsored groups are now broadly accessible, meaning almost anyone can become a 'super-hacker'. The piece warns that governments, companies and individuals are heading toward a reckoning as attacks grow cheaper, faster and harder to defend against, exposing weaknesses across critical infrastructure and digital services worldwide.
- 8North Korean hackers turning to post-quantum encryption, experts warn▼Security experts warn North Korean hackers aren't just using AI in their new campaigns, but also 'post-quantum' encryption
Security experts say North Korean hacking groups are adopting post-quantum encryption alongside artificial intelligence in their newest cyber campaigns. The use of encryption designed to resist future quantum computers could make intercepted stolen data far harder for investigators to decrypt, raising concerns among defenders tracking the regime's cyber operations.
- 9DHS appointees reportedly sought secret hacking of voting machine●“A few months into…Trump’s 2nd term, political appointees at the Dept of Homeland Security made an unusual request of it
Months into Donald Trump's second term, political appointees at the Department of Homeland Security made an unusual request of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: secretly acquire a voting machine and hack it. The reported plan has drawn attention because CISA is the agency tasked with defending US election infrastructure, not probing it from within, raising questions about political motives and election security.
- 10BSides Edmonton thanks sponsor Hack Defender, eyes tenth year●Thank you Hack Defender for sponsoring BSides Edmonton 2026. It was a great event thanks to your support. We’re excited
The BSides Edmonton organisers thanked Hack Defender for sponsoring their 2026 cybersecurity conference, saying the event was a success thanks to that support. They announced plans for the 2027 edition, which will mark the conference's tenth year, and opened a call for sponsors to secure spots for next year's event.
- 11Cybersecurity experts turn to AI to secure election infrastructure▼Cybersecurity experts are using AI to help secure election infrastructure
Cybersecurity experts are deploying artificial intelligence to help protect election infrastructure, according to reporting by NPR. The story highlights growing interest in AI tools to detect threats and defend voting systems ahead of elections, as officials and security researchers look for ways to counter hacking, misinformation, and interference targeting electoral processes.
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City Journal has published a piece on how to prepare for cyberattacks powered by artificial intelligence, addressing the growing risk that AI tools are being used to scale and sharpen hacking, phishing and disinformation campaigns. The discussion focuses on what governments, companies and individuals should do to defend against these AI-driven threats.
- 13GMO Internet hit by hack as CEO calls for cyber defense●GMO Internet hacked, CEO urges Japan to launch active cyber defense
Japanese internet company GMO Internet has been hacked, and its chief executive is using the incident to urge Japan to adopt an active cyber defense posture. The call adds to an ongoing debate in Japan about whether the government should be allowed to take offensive measures against foreign cyber attackers rather than only defending networks.