By Ashwani Mishra, Editor-Technology, 63SATS
Cybersecurity concerns are escalating worldwide. Zscaler’s research exposes a dangerous gap in cyber resilience, with 60% of organizations expecting an attack within a year but failing to update defenses. India’s CERT-In warns of critical Mozilla vulnerabilities, urging immediate patching. Europol alerts financial institutions to quantum threats, stressing urgent encryption upgrades. Karnataka Police investigate a hack targeting the state’s property registration portal, disrupting transactions. A Georgia hospital reports a ransomware attack, exposing 120,000 patient records.
Meanwhile, U.S. publisher Lee Enterprises battles a cyberattack, crippling news production across 70+ newspapers. The global cyber threat landscape demands swift, proactive defenses.
Cyber Resilience Gaps Exposed: IT Leaders Overestimate Security Readiness
A Zscaler report reveals a dangerous disconnect between IT leaders’ confidence and actual cyber resilience. While 94% believe their strategies are effective, only 45% think their approach is current. Alarmingly, 60% expect a cyberattack within a year, yet 40% haven’t reviewed their security measures in six months.
The survey of 1,700 IT leaders highlights weak adoption of critical defenses like threat hunting (44%), zero-trust segmentation (42%), and deception technologies (35%). While cybersecurity is recognized as a business enabler, only 56% report reduced data loss and 53% see faster incident recovery, exposing gaps in execution despite growing investments.
CERT-In Issues High-Severity Warning for Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird
India’s CERT-In has issued a high-severity alert (CIVN-2025-0016) for Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird users, warning of critical vulnerabilities that could allow remote code execution, data breaches, and denial-of-service attacks. Attackers can exploit these flaws via malicious web requests or email attachments, leading to system compromise.
These vulnerabilities pose a significant security risk and demand immediate patching. The advisory urges users to update their software to mitigate potential exploitation. With cybercriminals increasingly targeting browser and email platforms, organizations must prioritize timely updates and robust security measures to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Europol Warns Financial Sector of Quantum Cryptography Threats
Europol has raised alarms over the growing risk of quantum-driven cyber threats to the financial sector. Experts warn that “store now, decrypt later” (SNDL) attacks are already in motion—hackers are stealing encrypted financial data today, intending to decrypt it once quantum computers mature. While full-scale quantum threats may be a decade away, scientific breakthroughs could accelerate the timeline.
At the Quantum Safe Financial Forum (QSFF), Europol outlined five key recommendations, including prioritizing quantum-safe cryptography, enhancing regulatory coordination, and fostering global collaboration. The financial sector is urged to act now before quantum computing renders current encryption obsolete.
Karnataka Police Investigate Hack of Property Registration Portal
The Karnataka Police have launched an investigation into the hacking of Kaveri 2.0, the state’s digital platform for property transactions and registrations. Hackers gained unauthorized access, created fake accounts, and attempted to extract sensitive data, causing disruptions in property registrations.
A forensic probe identified 62 email accounts and corresponding IP addresses linked to the attack. The cyberattack triggered 620,000 malicious requests in just two hours, overwhelming government servers. An FIR has been filed under the IT Act, with authorities working to secure the platform. The breach underscores the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity in government digital infrastructure.
Georgia Hospital Data Breach Exposes 120,000 Patient Records
Memorial Hospital and Manor in Georgia has disclosed a ransomware attack that compromised 120,000 individuals’ sensitive data, including names, birthdates, Social Security numbers, medical records, and insurance details. The Embargo ransomware group claimed responsibility, exfiltrating 1.15 terabytes of data, now reportedly posted on the dark web.
The attack crippled hospital operations, forcing staff to resort to paper-based records. The hospital is offering one year of identity theft protection to affected individuals. While there is no confirmed misuse of stolen data, cybersecurity experts warn of long-term risks posed by exposed medical and personal records.
Lee Enterprises Battles Cybersecurity Breach, Disrupting Newspaper Operations
Lee Enterprises, a major U.S. newspaper publisher, is one week into recovering from a cybersecurity incident that disrupted its news production. The attack, which began on February 3, affected over 70 daily newspapers and 350 publications across 25 states. Some newspapers, including Virginia’s Daily Progress, could not print or publish online editions for days.
CEO Kevin Mowbray confirmed the ongoing investigation, stating that it could take weeks or longer to assess the full impact. The company is collaborating with law enforcement and implementing additional security measures to prevent future breaches, as the media industry faces growing cyber threats.
