Author: HackWatchit

Zero Day Quest returns: Microsoft ups the stakes with $5M bug bounty Pierluigi Paganini August 05, 2025 Microsoft offers up to $5M for Zero Day Quest 2026 bug hacking contest; top researchers join live hacking event after fall 2025 submissions. Microsoft is bringing back its live hacking contest, Zero Day Quest, in spring 2026, and this time, it’s offering up to $5 million in rewards. The competition will spotlight researchers who uncover serious security flaws in cloud and AI systems. This is the second time the event is being held. In the first one, Microsoft gave out $1.6 million for finding…

In brief Coinbase has launched a new feature for developers. It will allow builders to include crypto wallets into their apps. The exchange said the feature will be well-suited to stablecoin-related apps. Crypto exchange Coinbase has debuted a feature for developers so they can easily build self-custodial wallets into their apps. Dubbed the Embedded Wallets software, Coinbase said the product, now in beta, would be useful for “the next generation of games, payments, DeFi, and social apps.” CDP Embedded Wallets are now live in beta. 🚀 Take full control of the wallet experience in your app, without having to manage backend…

Executive Summary Unit 42 observed notable overlaps between Microsoft’s reporting on ToolShell activity (an exploit chain affecting SharePoint vulnerabilities) and activity that we have been separately tracking. The activity, which we track as CL-CRI-1040, caught our attention by deploying a tool set that we call Project AK47, which includes a backdoor, ransomware and loaders. Microsoft’s report named a suspected China-based threat actor, Storm-2603. Based on our analysis of host- and network-based artifacts, we assess with high confidence that Storm-2603 is related to the activity cluster that we track as CL-CRI-1040. We initially noted this in our threat brief covering exploitation…

Forescout Technologies, Inc. today released its 2025H1 Threat Review, an analysis of more than 23,000 vulnerabilities and 885 threat actors across 159 countries worldwide during the first half of 2025. Among the key findings: ransomware attacks are averaging 20 incidents per day, zero-day exploits increased 46 percent, and attackers increasingly targeting non-traditional equipment, such as edge devices, IP cameras and BSD servers. These footholds are often used for lateral movement across IT, OT, and IoT environments, allowing threat actors to pivot deeper into networks and compromise critical systems.   “We’re seeing attackers gain initial access through overlooked IoT devices or…

Philadelphia, PA, United States, August 5th, 2025, CyberNewsWire Security Risk Advisors (SRA), a leading cybersecurity consulting firm, today announced the launch of SCALR AI, a customizable platform designed to enable non-technical people to build and integrate agentive AI capabilities directly into their operations. SCALR AI is being showcased at Black Hat USA 2025, taking place August 6-9, 2025. SCALR AI addresses the growing need for cybersecurity teams to adopt AI solutions that are both flexible and secure. Unlike typical AI SaaS offerings, SCALR AI empowers organizations to host and manage the AI models they prefer, including hundreds of large language…

As crypto-backed lending gathers momentum among institutions and everyday users, cybersecurity shadows every new transaction. Billions in digital assets now pledged on these platforms mean that even a single security breach could send shockwaves through the entire blockchain economy. In early 2024, decentralised finance lending pools held about $80 billion, DeFiLlama reports. Within that, crypto-backed loans let users tap liquidity without selling coins, while lenders bundle BTC collateral to secure the deal. Such utility, however, paints these platforms with a target larger than ever as hackers refine their craft. This article charts the cybersecurity scene for Bitcoin loan services, spotlighting typical attack…

A set of firmware vulnerabilities affecting 100+ Dell laptop models widely used in government settings and by the cybersecurity industry could allow attackers to achieve persistent access even across Windows reinstalls, Cisco Talos researchers have discovered. About the vulnerabilities Most of the flaws reside in the firmware for ControlVault3 and ControlVault3+, which are hardware security components that store passwords, biometric templates, and security codes. The lists includes: Two out-of-bounds vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-24311, CVE-2025-25050) An arbitrary free (CVE-2025-25215) flaw A stack-overflow bug (CVE-2025-24922) An unsafe-deserialization flaw (CVE-2025-24919) According to the researchers, the vulnerabilities can be exploited in so-called ReVault attacks by: Attackers…

Modern transportation systems are deeply connected and digitally complex, yet when they’re working well, they’re nearly invisible. They manage signal timing, power ramp meters and respond to real-time changes in traffic and weather. Most travelers never notice them, but these systems play a quiet, constant role in keeping roads safe and cities moving. As these systems become more integrated and intelligent, they also take on new responsibilities and new risks. What were once isolated roadside devices now act as part of a connected digital ecosystem. That shift brings operational advantages but also raises the stakes for how those systems are…

FLANQ, a German-based maritime defence solutions provider, and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the development and deployment of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) for maritime security and defence missions across the Mediterranean.  The cooperation will focus on enhancing operational readiness in contested waters through advanced autonomous technologies. The partners will explore joint solutions that leverage FLANQ’s autonomous surface platforms and CMMI’s maritime research expertise to deliver next-generation mission capabilities in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) protection, environmental monitoring, and precision strike.  At…