Global Cyber Pulse | 27 January 2025

January 27, 2025 | Cybersecurity
By Ashwani Mishra, Editor-Technology, 63SATS

Cyberattacks dominate global headlines, highlighting vulnerabilities across industries. India faces double the global average of weekly cyberattacks, with healthcare and government sectors hit hardest. In the UK, TalkTalk investigates a supplier breach leaking sensitive customer data. Poland’s Big Cheese Studio fell victim to ransomware, with hackers demanding $24,887 in cryptocurrency. Singapore-based Phemex lost $69M in a sophisticated crypto heist.

In the U.S., PowerSchool’s breach exposed data of 300,000 educators, prompting urgent security measures. Lastly, Meta’s Llama AI framework revealed a critical flaw enabling code execution. These incidents stress the growing complexity of cyber threats and the urgent need for resilience.

India Faces Cyber Onslaught: Weekly Attacks Double Global Average

Indian organizations are battling an alarming rise in cyberattacks, averaging 3,291 incidents per week over six months—nearly twice the global average of 1,847. Check Point Software highlights healthcare as the hardest-hit sector, with over 8,600 weekly attacks in 2024, followed by education and government sectors.

A shocking May 2024 breach exposed 500 GB of biometric data during election season, raising questions about India’s critical infrastructure resilience. Cybercriminals are leveraging fake videos, misinformation, and outdated systems to wreak havoc. VP Maya Horowitz of Check Point emphasizes building resilience as threats grow increasingly complex and persistent.

TalkTalk Probes Supplier Breach, Customer Data on Sale

UK telecom company TalkTalk is investigating a data breach after a hacker claimed to sell customer information on a forum. The leaked data includes names, emails, IP addresses, and phone numbers.

However, TalkTalk contests the scale, stating they do not have 18.9 million customers as claimed. Early analysis suggests the breach originated from a third-party SaaS platform, Ascendon. TalkTalk assures no financial data was stored on the compromised system but continues to monitor for unauthorized activity to protect its subscribers.

Polish Gaming Studio Hacked: Code and Employee Data Held Hostage

Big Cheese Studio, a Polish game developer, suffered a cyberattack that compromised its systems and employee data. Hackers demand a ransom of 100,000 zlotys ($24,887) in cryptocurrency, threatening to release game codes and personal data.

The attack, detected early Friday, caused the company’s website to remain offline for hours. Social media users reported the breach, while the studio implements additional security measures and prepares a public statement.

Crypto Heist: Phemex Loses $69M in Sophisticated Cyberattack

Singapore-based crypto platform Phemex suffered a $69 million loss in a suspected cyberattack, forcing the company to halt operations temporarily.

Blockchain security firms identified suspicious transactions of ETH, Bitcoin, and Binance Coin leaving Phemex. CEO Federico Variola assured users of manual withdrawal reviews and pledged a snapshot of balances for user rewards. The attack showcases how advanced threat actors continue to exploit vulnerabilities in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

PowerSchool Data Breach: 300,000 Educators Impacted

A cyberattack on PowerSchool’s Student Information System (SIS) has exposed sensitive data, including Social Security Numbers of over 300,000 U.S. educators. Davidson County Schools confirmed immediate action to mitigate risks, with third-party experts assisting investigations.

Superintendent Dr. Greggory Slate reassured the community of ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity protocols. The breach highlights the vulnerability of educational platforms and the urgent need for robust data protection measures.

Critical Flaw in Meta’s Llama AI Framework Exposes Systems

A high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2024-50050) in Meta’s Llama AI framework allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the Llama-Stack inference server. Researchers at Oligo Security discovered the flaw in deserialization of untrusted data, assigning it a critical severity rating of 9.3.

The vulnerability affects API interfaces used for AI development, underscoring the need for heightened supply chain security in AI tools. Organizations must prioritize patches to prevent exploitation.