Posts by Spartech Software

Siemens recently notified its customers about a significant issue affecting the integration between Microsoft Defender Antivirus (MDAV) and its industrial process control systems, specifically Simatic PCS 7 and PCS Neo products. The core problem identified is that Microsoft Defender Antivirus currently lacks an “alert only” functionality in its configuration settings.

A China-linked advanced persistent threat (APT) group has built a large-scale Operational Relay Box (ORB) network named LapDogs, comprising over 1,000 compromised devices globally. This infrastructure supports covert cyber-espionage operations targeting entities in the United States and Southeast Asia, with a focus on sectors like real estate, IT, networking, and media.

Researchers have developed an innovative method to encode and store messages within ice by manipulating trapped air bubbles during the freezing process. Inspired by natural air bubbles preserved in glaciers, this technique uses controlled freezing rates to create distinct patterns of egg-shaped or needle-shaped bubbles, which correspond to characters in binary or Morse code. The approach offers a low-energy, covert solution for information storage in extreme cold environments like polar regions, where conventional methods face challenges.

A recent cybersecurity campaign exploits misconfigured Docker APIs to deploy cryptocurrency miners while using the Tor network for anonymity. Attackers target exposed Docker instances to gain unauthorized access, then leverage container environments to mine digital currencies covertly. This method particularly threatens cloud-reliant sectors like technology, finance, and healthcare.

Reports have confirmed that Iranian cyber operatives are actively hacking into internet-connected security cameras across Israel to gather real-time intelligence. This tactic has become particularly prominent amid recent military escalations, with Iranian hackers leveraging compromised cameras to assess missile strike impacts, monitor troop movements, and identify sensitive locations—even as Israel enforces a strict media blackout on such information.

Episource, a healthcare technology firm providing medical coding and risk adjustment services to health plans and providers, disclosed a data breach affecting over 5.4 million individuals, with official filings to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) listing 5,418,866 people impacted. The breach occurred between January 27 and February 6, 2025, when cybercriminals accessed and copied sensitive data from Episource’s systems.