Google MCP Tools Debut; Patch Tuesday and KEV Bugs Press Fixes

Apigee Adds Managed MCP Support for Secure APIs and Policy

🔒 Google’s Apigee now supports MCP with fully managed, remote servers, enabling organizations to expose existing APIs as agent tools without code changes or running MCP infrastructure. By creating an MCP proxy with your OpenAPI spec and a /mcp basepath, Apigee handles transcoding, protocol handling, and automatic registration in API hub. You can apply Apigee’s built-in security, identity, quota, and analytics controls to govern and monitor agent interactions. The capability is currently available in preview for a limited set of customers.

Google Adds Official MCP Support Across Key Cloud Services

🔌 Google announced fully-managed, remote support for Anthropic's Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling agents and standard MCP clients to access a unified, enterprise-ready endpoint for Google and Google Cloud services. The managed MCP servers integrate with services like Google Maps, BigQuery, GCE, and GKE to let agents perform geospatial queries, in-place analytics, and infrastructure operations. Built-in discovery, governance, IAM controls, audit logging, and Google Cloud Model Armor provide security and observability. Developers can expose and govern APIs via Apigee and the Cloud API Registry to create discoverable tools for agentic workflows.

Microsoft Ignite 2025: Building with Agentic AI and Azure

🚀 Microsoft Ignite 2025 showcased a suite of Azure and AI updates aimed at accelerating production use of agentic systems. Anthropic's Claude models are now available in Microsoft Foundry alongside OpenAI GPTs, and Azure HorizonDB adds PostgreSQL compatibility with built-in vector indexing for RAG. New Azure Copilot agents automate migration, operations, and optimization, while refreshed hardware (Blackwell Ultra GPUs, Cobalt CPUs, Azure Boost DPU) targets scalable training and secure inference.

Amazon EC2 C8gb Instances: EBS-Optimized, Graviton4

🚀 AWS has announced general availability of the new Amazon EC2 C8gb instances, EBS-optimized and powered by AWS Graviton4 processors. These sizes deliver up to 30% better compute performance than Graviton3 and offer up to 150 Gbps of EBS bandwidth and up to 200 Gbps networking. Available in US East (N. Virginia) and US West (Oregon), metal sizes are limited to N. Virginia. They support EFA on larger sizes to improve cluster latency for tightly coupled workloads. Customers can use these instances to scale high-performance file systems and throughput-focused workloads while optimizing cost.

Amazon CloudWatch SDK Adds JSON and CBOR Protocols

🚀 Amazon CloudWatch's SDK now supports both JSON and Concise Binary Object Representation (CBOR) protocols as the default communication formats. The change aims to reduce end-to-end processing latency and shrink payload sizes, lowering client CPU and memory usage. Available in all AWS Regions and for all GA SDK language variants; customers should update to the latest SDK and consult AWS developer documentation to enable the benefits.

Microsoft Patches 56 Flaws Including Active Zero-Days

🛡️ Microsoft released December 2025 patches addressing 56 Windows vulnerabilities, three rated Critical and 53 Important. The update fixes 29 privilege-escalation flaws, 18 remote code execution bugs and other defects, and includes two zero-days and one actively exploited use-after-free (CVE-2025-62221) in the Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver. Administrators are urged to prioritize the KEV-listed fix and follow vendor guidance for mitigation and monitoring.

Amazon Braket Adds Native Qiskit 2.0 Support Across Regions

⚛ Amazon Braket now supports Qiskit 2.0, enabling quantum developers to use the latest Qiskit release with Braket hardware and simulators. The release provides native implementations of Qiskit's Sampler and Estimator primitives that leverage Braket program sets for optimized batching, reducing execution time and costs versus generic wrappers. Service-side handling of parameter sweeps and observable measurements removes manual implementation burdens, while bidirectional circuit conversion permits client-side transpilation with Qiskit's compilation framework. Qiskit 2.0 support is available in all AWS Regions where Amazon Braket is offered.

Tools and Strategies to Secure Model Context Protocol

🔒 Model Context Protocol (MCP) is increasingly used to connect AI agents with enterprise data sources, but real-world incidents at SaaS vendors have exposed practical weaknesses. The article describes what MCP security solutions should provide — discovery, runtime protection, strong authentication and comprehensive logging — and surveys offerings from hyperscalers, platform providers and startups. It stresses least-privilege and Zero Trust as core defenses.

Microsoft Patches Three Zero-Days Including Kernel EoP

⚠️ Microsoft has released patches for three zero-day vulnerabilities in its December update, including an actively exploited kernel elevation-of-privilege in the Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver (CVE-2025-62221). Two additional zero-days—an RCE in PowerShell (CVE-2025-54100) and an RCE in GitHub Copilot for JetBrains (CVE-2025-64671)—were publicly disclosed but not observed in the wild. Security experts warn attackers could chain the kernel flaw with other exploits to achieve full system or domain compromise.

Palo Alto Networks Joins Google Unified Security Recommended

🤝 Google Cloud announced Palo Alto Networks has joined the Google Unified Security Recommended program, bringing validated integrations across endpoint, network, and access security to deepen interoperability and choice for customers. The integration ingests telemetry from Cortex XDR, VM‑Series NGFWs and Prisma Access into Google Security Operations to drive AI-powered analytics, threat hunting and faster investigation and response. Customers can execute automated playbook actions and procure qualified solutions via the Google Cloud Marketplace for streamlined deployment.

Critical Ivanti EPM Flaw Patched; Immediate Updates Urged

🔒 Ivanti released EPM 2024 SU4 SR1 to address a critical stored XSS vulnerability (CVE-2025-10573) that lets unauthenticated attackers hijack administrator sessions by submitting malicious device scan data to the incoming API. The update also fixes three high-severity flaws that can enable code execution with user interaction and an issue that permits unauthorized file writes. Ivanti said reports came through its responsible disclosure program and it was not aware of active exploitation at disclosure. Organizations with internet-facing or high-privilege EPM instances should apply the patch immediately and isolate management interfaces until updated.

SOAPwn: WSDL/SOAP Flaw Enables File Writes in .NET

🛡️WatchTowr Labs has disclosed SOAPwn, an "invalid cast" vulnerability in the .NET Framework that lets attackers abuse WSDL imports and dynamically generated SOAP client proxies to write files and achieve remote code execution. The issue impacts products including Barracuda Service Center RMM, Ivanti Endpoint Manager (EPM), and Umbraco 8. Barracuda addressed the flaw in Service Center RMM 2025.1.1 (CVE-2025-34392, CVSS 9.8) and Ivanti issued fixes in EPM 2024 SU4 SR1 (CVE-2025-13659, CVSS 8.8). Researchers presented the findings at Black Hat Europe after disclosures in March 2024 and July 2025.

Ukrainian Hacker Charged for Aiding Russian Hacktivists

🔒 U.S. prosecutors arraigned 33-year-old Victoria Dubranova, accusing her of supporting Russian state-linked hacktivist groups in cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, including water systems and election-related targets. Dubranova, known by aliases such as Vika and SovaSonya, was extradited this year and has pleaded not guilty to charges tied to NoName057(16) and CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn (CARR). She faces separate trials in February and April 2026 and potential sentences of up to 27 years and 5 years under the respective indictments.

Google Patches Zero-Click Gemini Enterprise Vulnerability

🔒 Google has patched a zero-click vulnerability in Gemini Enterprise and Vertex AI Search that could have allowed attackers to exfiltrate corporate data via hidden instructions embedded in shared Workspace content. Discovered by Noma Security in June 2025 and dubbed "GeminiJack," the flaw exploited Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) retrieval to execute indirect prompt injection without any user interaction. Google updated how the systems interact, separated Vertex AI Search from Gemini Enterprise, and changed retrieval and indexing workflows to mitigate the issue.

WinRAR Path Traversal CVE-2025-6218 Under Active Attack

⚠️ CISA has added WinRAR path traversal CVE-2025-6218 (CVSS 7.8) to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list after reports of active exploitation. RARLAB patched the Windows-only flaw in WinRAR 7.12 (June 2025); attackers can place files in sensitive locations such as the Startup folder or Word’s global template to achieve code execution. Multiple groups — including GOFFEE, Bitter (APT‑C‑08/Manlinghua), and Gamaredon — have used the bug in phishing campaigns; organizations should deploy 7.12 or apply mitigations like blocking malicious archives, disabling macros, and monitoring for C2 activity.

Fortinet, Ivanti, and SAP Release Emergency Patches

🔐 Fortinet, Ivanti, and SAP have released urgent patches to address high-severity authentication and code-execution flaws affecting FortiOS, FortiWeb, FortiProxy, FortiSwitchManager, Ivanti Endpoint Manager, and multiple SAP products. Fortinet's issues (CVE-2025-59718, CVE-2025-59719; CVSS 9.8) can allow FortiCloud SSO bypass via crafted SAML messages when that feature is enabled. Ivanti patched a stored XSS (CVE-2025-10573; CVSS 9.6) and additional bugs that could lead to remote code execution, while SAP's update remedies three critical flaws including a 9.9 CVSS code injection. Administrators are urged to apply vendor updates or temporarily disable affected features until systems are patched.

React2Shell Exploitation Delivers Miners and Backdoors

⚠ Huntress reports widespread exploitation of the maximum-severity React Server Components flaw CVE-2025-55182, with attackers leveraging vulnerable Next.js instances to deploy cryptocurrency miners and multiple novel Linux malware families. Observed payloads include the PeerBlight backdoor, CowTunnel reverse proxy and ZinFoq post-exploitation implant, alongside droppers that fetch XMRig, Sliver C2 and Kaiji variants. Activity since early December 2025 has targeted many sectors — notably construction and entertainment — and shows signs of automated scanning and exploitation tools that sometimes deploy Linux payloads to Windows hosts. Organizations should update react-server-dom-webpack, react-server-dom-parcel and react-server-dom-turbopack immediately and hunt for indicators of compromise.

December Patch Tuesday: Active Windows Cloud Files Zero Day

🚨 Microsoft’s December Patch Tuesday delivers 57 fixes, but an actively exploited zero-day in Windows Cloud Files Mini Filter Driver (CVE-2025-62221) requires immediate remediation. The flaw is a low-complexity use-after-free escalation-of-privilege that can enable a local foothold to become full system compromise. Security teams should prioritize this patch, enforce least-privilege controls, and enhance monitoring where rapid patching isn't possible.

Google Ads Lead to ChatGPT/Grok Guides Installing AMOS

⚠️ Security researchers warn of a macOS infostealer campaign that uses Google search ads to push users toward publicly shared ChatGPT and Grok conversations containing malicious installation instructions. According to Kaspersky and Huntress, the ClickFix attack spoofs troubleshooting guides and decodes a base64 payload into a bash script that prompts for a password, then uses it to install the AMOS infostealer with root privileges. Users are urged not to execute commands copied from online chats and to verify safety first.

Over 10,000 Docker Hub Images Expose Live Secrets Globally

🔒 A November scan by threat intelligence firm Flare found 10,456 Docker Hub images exposing credentials, including live API tokens for AI models and production systems. The leaks span about 101 organizations — from SMBs to a Fortune 500 company and a major national bank — and often stem from mistakes like committed .env files, hardcoded tokens, and Docker manifests. Flare urges immediate revocation of exposed keys, centralized secrets management, and active SDLC scanning to prevent prolonged abuse.

Pro-Russia Hacktivists Exploit OT Exposures in US Now

🚨 A joint advisory from CISA, the FBI, the NSA and partners warns of a surge in pro‑Russia hacktivist activity exploiting exposed VNC and other internet-facing OT interfaces to breach systems across US water, food production and energy sectors. Low-skilled groups such as CARR, NoName057(16), Z-Pentest and Sector16 employ port scans, brute-force password guessing and simple reconnaissance tools to capture screenshots, alter parameters, disable alarms and force costly manual recoveries.

01flip: Rust-Based Multi-Platform Ransomware Targeting APAC

🔐 Unit 42 identified 01flip, a new Rust‑based ransomware family observed in June 2025 that targets both Windows and Linux via Rust cross‑compilation. The malware enumerates writable directories, drops RECOVER-YOUR-FILE.TXT ransom notes, renames files with a .01flip extension, and encrypts victims with AES‑128‑CBC while protecting session keys with an embedded RSA‑2048 public key. Observed victims are a limited set in the Asia‑Pacific region, and an alleged data dump appeared on a dark‑web forum after at least one infection.

Exposed GitHub PATs Enable Access to Cloud Secrets

🔒 Recent research from the Wiz Customer Incident Response Team shows attackers are using exposed GitHub Personal Access Tokens (PATs) to retrieve GitHub Action Secrets and pivot into cloud environments. A read-level PAT can leverage GitHub’s API code search to locate secret references like "${{ secrets.SECRET_NAME }}" — and because those search API calls are not logged, discovery is stealthy. Once obtained, cloud provider credentials let attackers spin up resources, exfiltrate data, install malware, or persist while often evading detection. Organizations should treat PATs as privileged credentials: enforce expiration and rotation, remove cloud secrets from workflows, apply least privilege, and improve monitoring and developer training.

Spiderman phishing kit targets dozens of European banks

🕷️Spiderman is a newly observed phishing kit that replicates banking and cryptocurrency login flows to capture credentials, 2FA codes, credit card details, and wallet seed phrases. Researchers at Varonis report it targets customers across five European countries and major brands including Deutsche Bank, ING, CaixaBank, PayPal, and crypto wallets such as Ledger and Metamask. The kit’s modular control panel lets operators filter victims by country or device, intercept PhotoTAN and OTP codes in real time, export harvested data with one click, and redirect non-targeted visitors.

HSE Offers €750 to Victims of 2021 Ransomware Attack

🔒 The Health Service Executive (HSE) has offered €750 to individuals whose personal data was exposed in the May 2021 Conti ransomware attack, plus an additional €650 toward legal costs. The intrusion began with a malicious Microsoft Excel file that bypassed outdated anti‑malware defenses, forcing a full IT shutdown and widespread disruption to hospital services. A later PwC review criticised the HSE's unpatched systems and frail infrastructure, while the organisation says it has found no evidence of fraud stemming from the breach after more than four years.

ClickFix Trick Drives Rise in CastleLoader Python Loaders

🛡️ Blackpoint researchers have uncovered a campaign that leverages ClickFix social engineering to trick users into running a benign-looking command via the Windows Run dialog. That single action launches a hidden conhost.exe process which fetches a small tar archive, unpacks it into AppData and runs a windowless Python interpreter. The bundled interpreter executes compiled Python bytecode that reconstructs and decrypts CastleLoader shellcode in memory, avoiding disk-based artifacts. Observed staging uses a GoogeBot user agent and familiar /service/download/ paths, linking the activity to the CastleLoader family.

DroidLock Android Malware Locks Devices, Demands Ransom

🔒 Zimperium researchers uncovered a new Android malware family called DroidLock that locks victims’ screens, steals messages and call data, and can remotely control devices via VNC. The threat targets Spanish-speaking users and is distributed through malicious websites that impersonate legitimate apps and deliver a dropper which installs a secondary payload. The payload requests Device Admin and Accessibility privileges to perform actions such as wiping devices, changing lock credentials, recording audio, starting the camera, and placing overlays that capture lock patterns. Operators serve a ransom WebView directing victims to contact a Proton email and threaten permanent file destruction within 24 hours if unpaid.

HTTPS Certificate Industry Phases Out Weak Domain Checks

🔒 The Chrome Root Program and the CA/Browser Forum have adopted new requirements (Ballots SC-080, SC-090, and SC-091) to phase out 11 legacy Domain Control Validation methods. These deprecated checks — including email, fax, SMS, postal mail, phone-based contacts, and reverse lookup methods — are being retired to reduce the risk of fraudulent certificate issuance. The policies update the TLS Baseline Requirements and encourage stronger, automated, cryptographically verifiable methods such as ACME, with full security value realized by March 2028 while operators transition.

Malicious Blender 3D Model Files Spread Infostealer

⚠️ Researchers observed threat actors distributing the StealC V2 infostealer hidden inside free .blend files on marketplaces like CGTrader. When Blender’s Auto Run Python Scripts setting is enabled, opening these models executes embedded Python that fetches a loader via Cloudflare Workers and runs a PowerShell chain to deploy payloads. The campaign exfiltrated browser and wallet data and abused a UAC bypass. Disable autorun and restrict unvetted tools.

Gartner Urges Enterprises to Block AI Browsers Now

⚠️ Gartner analysts Dennis Xu, Evgeny Mirolyubov and John Watts strongly recommend that enterprises block AI browsers for the foreseeable future, citing both known vulnerabilities and additional risks inherent to an immature technology. They warn of irreversible, non‑auditable data loss when browsers send active web content, tab data and browsing history to cloud services, and of prompt‑injection attacks that can cause fraudulent actions. Concrete flaws—such as unencrypted OAuth tokens in ChatGPT Atlas and the Comet 'CometJacking' issue—underscore that traditional controls are insufficient; Gartner advises blocking installs with existing network and endpoint controls, restricting pilots to small, low‑risk groups, and updating AI policies.

2026 NDAA: Cybersecurity Changes for DoD Mobile and AI

🛡️ The compromise 2026 NDAA directs large new cybersecurity mandates for the Department of Defense, including contract requirements to harden mobile phones used by senior officials and enhanced AI/ML security and procurement standards. It sets timelines (90–180 days) for mobile protections and AI policies, ties requirements to industry frameworks such as NIST SP 800 and CMMC, and envisions workforce training and sandbox environments. The law also funds roughly $15.1 billion in cyber activities and adds provisions on spyware, biologics data risks, and industrial base harmonization.

Microsoft Teams adds alerts for suspicious external traffic

🔔 Microsoft is introducing an External Domains Anomalies Report for Microsoft Teams to analyze messaging trends and surface suspicious interactions with external domains. The tool will flag sharp spikes in activity, communications with new domains, and abnormal engagement patterns to give administrators early visibility into potential data-sharing or security risks. Microsoft plans a worldwide rollout to standard multi-tenant web environments in February 2026, though licensing implications remain unspecified. The change complements other Teams protections such as malicious-link warnings, false-positive reporting, meeting screen-capture blocking, and desktop performance improvements.

Saved Searches Now Available in Google GTI and VirusTotal

🔍 The new Saved Searches feature is now live in Google Threat Intelligence (GTI) and VirusTotal, enabling analysts to store complex queries for reuse. Users can save multi-clause, tuned searches and share them with colleagues across their organization to preserve investigative logic and ensure consistency. The release includes public campaign searches from the #monthofgoogletisearch to help teams get started quickly.

CrowdStrike Achieves Perfect Results in 2025 MITRE

🔒 The CrowdStrike Falcon platform achieved 100% detection, 100% protection, and zero false positives in the 2025 MITRE ATT&CK® Enterprise Evaluations, which for the first time assessed cross-domain tactics across endpoint, identity, and cloud. Falcon delivered technique- and sub‑technique-level detail and real-time cloud prevention. The outcome highlights AI-native prevention with unified telemetry and automated response across domains.

Transparent Email Security: New Microsoft Benchmarking

📊 Microsoft published its second email security benchmarking report comparing environments protected solely by Microsoft Defender to deployments using a Secure Email Gateway (SEG) in front of Defender and Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES) layered after Defender. The updated methodology corrects for journaling and connector reinjection and now includes Defender's zero‑hour auto purge post‑delivery detections to avoid misattribution. Results show layering reduces marketing and bulk mail (avg 9.4%), while incremental gains for spam and malicious filtering remain modest. Post‑delivery remediation remains critical: Defender's zero‑hour auto purge removed 45% of malicious mail reaching inboxes on average, and ICES vendors accounted for an average 55% post‑delivery catch.

Amazon EC2 X8g Instances Now in Asia Pacific (Sydney)

🚀 Amazon EC2 X8g instances are now available in the Asia Pacific (Sydney) region, powered by AWS Graviton4 processors and offering up to 60% better performance compared to Graviton2-based X2gd instances. X8g sizes provide up to 3 TiB memory and increased memory per vCPU, plus up to 50 Gbps networking and 40 Gbps EBS bandwidth. They target memory‑intensive workloads such as EDA, in‑memory and relational databases, real‑time analytics, and large containerized applications.

Amazon ElastiCache Serverless Adds Same-Slot WATCH Support

🔒 Amazon ElastiCache Serverless now supports the WATCH command for same-slot transactions, allowing applications to make transactions conditional on watched keys remaining unchanged. If applications attempt to watch keys that are not in the same hash slot they receive a CROSSSLOT error; developers can use hash tags to force co-location. Transactions will be aborted when ElastiCache Serverless cannot guarantee the state of watched keys. WATCH support is available now in all regions where ElastiCache Serverless is offered at no additional cost; use your preferred client library to begin creating transactions.

Behind the Breaches: Case Studies of Modern Threat Actors

🔍 This analysis examines leaked communications and recent incidents to reveal how modern threat actors organize, adapt and blur the lines between criminal, contractor and researcher roles. Leaked BlackBasta chats show internal discord, leadership opacity, technical debt and disputes over revenue and workload. The EncryptHub case highlights a solo operator who both conducted malware and credited vulnerability disclosures to Microsoft, illustrating the growing hybridization of actor identities. Finally, BlackLock’s open recruitment for "traffers" demonstrates how the ransomware supply chain is becoming commoditized and industrialized.

November 2025: Ransomware and GenAI Drive Cyber Attacks

🛡️ In November 2025, organizations faced an average of 2,003 cyber-attacks per week, a 3% rise from October and 4% above November 2024. Check Point Research attributes the increase to a surge in ransomware, broader attack surfaces and growing exposure from internal use of generative AI tools. The education sector was hit hardest, averaging 4,656 attacks per organization per week. These trends elevate operational, data and recovery risks across industries.

Tens of Millions Download Vulnerable Log4j (Log4Shell)

🛡️ Sonatype reports that 13% of Log4j downloads in 2025 — roughly 40 million of 300 million Maven Central downloads analyzed — remain vulnerable to the CVSS 10.0 Log4Shell flaw first disclosed four years ago. The vendor describes this as corrosive risk, where fixes exist but unsafe versions continue to spread because consumers don’t upgrade or transitive dependencies reintroduce bad releases. Sonatype highlights noisy SCA alerts, set-and-forget dependencies and poor selection criteria as root causes. It urges using SCA and artifact repositories to map exposure, automating upgrade PRs, enforcing repository guardrails and adopting new metrics to reduce unnecessary risk.

Building a security-first culture for agentic AI enterprises

🔒 Microsoft argues that as organizations adopt agentic AI, security must be a strategic priority that enables growth, trust, and continued innovation. The post identifies risks such as oversharing, data leakage, compliance gaps, and agent sprawl, and recommends three pillars: prepare for AI and agent integration, strengthen organization-wide skilling, and foster a security-first culture. It points to resources like Microsoft’s AI adoption model, Microsoft Learn, and the AI Skills Navigator to help operationalize these steps.

When Quantum Computing Meets AI: The Next Cyber Battleground

🧠 The convergence of AI and quantum computing is poised to redefine computing, cybersecurity and geopolitical power. Quantum machine learning can accelerate model training and enable real-time simulation by exploiting qubits' parallelism, while quantum key distribution promises communication that is far more resistant to interception. At the same time, this synergy raises risks: quantum-capable adversaries could undermine current cryptography and enable advanced cyberattacks.

FBI Alerts on AI-Assisted Fake Kidnapping Video Scams

⚠️ The FBI is warning of AI-assisted fake kidnapping scams that use fabricated images, video, and audio to extort victims. Criminal actors typically send texts claiming a loved one has been abducted and follow with multimedia that appears genuine but often contains subtle inaccuracies. Examples include missing tattoos, incorrect body proportions, and other mismatches, and attackers may use time-limited messages to pressure victims. Observers note the technique is currently of uncertain effectiveness but likely to be automated and scaled as AI tools improve.

AWS Support Center Console Now Supports Screen Sharing

🖥️ AWS has added built-in screen sharing to the AWS Support Center Console, enabling customers to request a virtual meeting from an active chat or call and join via a meeting bridge link. During the session, users can share their screen while retaining seamless access to case details. The feature keeps troubleshooting workflows consolidated within the console and aims to streamline diagnostics and communication between customers and support engineers.

Designing an Internet Teens Want: Access Over Bans

🧑‍💻 A Google‑commissioned study by youth specialists Livity centers the voices of over 7,000 European teenagers to show how adolescents want technology designed with people in mind. Teens report widespread, routine use of AI for learning and creativity and ask for clear, age‑appropriate guidance rather than blanket bans. The report recommends default-on safety and privacy controls, curriculum-level AI and media literacy, clearer reporting and labeling, and parental support programs.

Customizing AWS WAF Anti-DDoS AMR Responses for L7

🛡️This post explains how to customize AWS WAF Anti-DDoS AMR responses to Layer 7 DDoS events using labels and additional rules. It summarizes the AMR’s baseline‑and‑anomaly approach, default mitigations (a mix of Block and JavaScript Challenge), and the importance of excluding non‑challengeable paths. Three practical examples show geo‑based blocking, tightened rate limits, and adaptive capacity‑aware defenses, with JSON/IaC configuration guidance.

Amazon ECS on Fargate Adds Custom Container Stop Signals

🛑 Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) on AWS Fargate now honors container-defined stop signals for Linux tasks by reading the OCI image STOPSIGNAL instruction and sending that signal when a task is stopped. Previously Fargate always sent SIGTERM followed by SIGKILL after the configured timeout, but containers that rely on SIGQUIT, SIGINT, or other signals can now receive their intended shutdown signal. If no STOPSIGNAL is present, ECS continues to default to SIGTERM. Support for container-defined stop signals is available in all AWS Regions and the ECS Developer Guide provides implementation details.

Google Named Leader in IDC Hyperscaler Marketplaces 2025

🚀 Google is recognized as a Leader in the 2025 IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Hyperscaler Marketplaces. The assessment highlights Google Cloud Marketplace for its integrated portfolio of SaaS, AI agents, foundational models, datasets, and services validated for enterprise readiness. The platform emphasizes AI innovation with a dedicated AI agent category, deep integration with Vertex AI and deployment via Gemini Enterprise. It also offers partner validation, enterprise governance tools, AI-driven discovery, flexible private offer buying, and global transaction support.

Webinar: Exploiting Cloud Misconfigurations in AWS, AI & K8s

🔒 The Cortex Cloud team at Palo Alto Networks is hosting a technical webinar that dissects three recent cloud investigations and demonstrates practical defenses. Speakers will reveal the mechanics of AWS identity misconfigurations, techniques attackers use to hide malicious artifacts by mimicking AI model naming, and how overprivileged Kubernetes entities are abused. The session emphasizes Code-to-Cloud detection, runtime intelligence, and audit-log analysis to close visibility gaps; register to attend the live deep dive.

Polymorphic AI Malware: Hype vs. Practical Reality Today

🧠 Polymorphic AI malware is more hype than breakthrough: attackers are experimenting with LLMs, but practical advantages over traditional polymorphic techniques remain limited. AI mainly accelerates tasks—debugging, translating samples, generating boilerplate, and crafting convincing phishing lures—reducing the skill barrier and increasing campaign tempo. Many AI-assisted variants are unstable or detectable in practice; defenders should focus on behavioral detection, identity protections, and response automation rather than fearing instant, reliable self‑rewriting malware.

PCIe IDE Flaws in PCIe 5.0+ Allow Faulty Data Handling

⚠️ The PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) disclosed three vulnerabilities in the PCIe Integrity and Data Encryption (IDE) ECN that affect PCIe Base Specification Revision 5.0 and later, potentially allowing reordering, completion timeout redirection, and delayed posted redirection of encrypted PCIe traffic. The issues, tracked as CVE-2025-9612, CVE-2025-9613, and CVE-2025-9614, could permit information disclosure, privilege escalation, or denial of service if an attacker gains local or low-level access. Intel and AMD products are listed as affected; vendors should provide firmware updates and users must apply patches and follow PCIe 6.0 Erratum #1 guidance.

Secure SDLC Practices Are Critical for Manufacturers

🔒 Manufacturers must prioritize a secure software development life cycle (SSDLC) to protect production and supply chains from costly cyberattacks. High-profile incidents, including the Jaguar Land Rover shutdown, show how credential compromise and malicious components can cascade through suppliers and halt operations. The piece outlines SSDLC building blocks — security by design, secure coding, dependency management with SBOMs, hardened release pipelines, and vulnerability management — and recommends requiring verifiable evidence such as IEC 62443-4-1 certification and continuous maturity assessments from vendors.

How Staff+ Security Engineers Can Force-Multiply Impact

🔧 Staff+ security engineers should move from being individual problem-solvers to force multipliers by enabling others, automating enforcement, and shaping security strategy. The article recommends practical mechanisms—policy-as-code, paved paths, mentorship trees—and disciplined delegation to scale impact. It urges embedding security via shift-left practices, reusable reference architectures, and cautious AI-assisted tooling. During incidents, act as an orchestrator, set inflection points, and bridge teams with leadership to preserve strategic influence.

Build Your B2B Personal Brand via Foundry Expert Network

💡 The Foundry expert network now lets IT and business leaders build a visible B2B personal brand across German-language platforms such as CSO Deutschland, Computerwoche, and CIO.de. Contributors can publish technical or opinion pieces after topic coordination and may reach audiences beyond the German-speaking region. Apply to join to share perspectives on vendors, digital sovereignty, and management or security practices.