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UK Cybersecurity Chief Warns Of Escalating Threats In Cyberspace

• Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
• Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Britain’s cyber security chief has raised alarms over a significant rise in hostile cyber activity across the UK, with incidents escalating by 16% in 2024 compared to the previous year, as reported on Tuesday by Reuters .

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

• Ransomware is the most immediate threat to critical sectors like energy and healthcare.
• The NCSC issued 542 cyber incident notifications, over double the number from 2023.
• Hackers may exploit AI to create more advanced and damaging cyberattacks.

Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), highlighted the growing frequency, sophistication, and intensity of cyber threats.

“Actors are increasingly using our technology dependence against us, seeking to cause maximum disruption and destruction,” Horne is expected to say in a speech later today, according to a government agency statement, reported on Reuters.

The NCSC’s incident management team handled 430 cyber incidents in 2024, up from 371 in 2023, reported Reuters.

Of these, 347 cases involved data exfiltration, where sensitive data was covertly stolen from devices, while 20 involved ransomware attacks. These attacks typically encrypt victims’ data and demand payment for its release, reported Reuters.

The NCSC also issued 542 bespoke notifications to organisations, alerting them to cyber incidents and offering mitigation advice—more than double the 258 notifications provided last year, reported Reuters.

Reuters reported that in its annual review, published alongside the statement, the NCSC identified ransomware as the most immediate and disruptive threat to critical sectors such as energy, water, transport, healthcare, and telecommunications.

The report also warned of the potential for hackers to exploit artificial intelligence to design more sophisticated cyberattacks, according to Reuters.

Horne emphasized the severity of the evolving threat landscape, urging vigilance against both state-led and criminal cyber activities.

“We believe the severity of the risk facing the UK is being widely underestimated […] There is no room for complacency about the severity of state-led threats or the volume of the threat posed by cyber criminals,” he said according to Reuters.

The NCSC, part of the UK’s GCHQ intelligence agency, continues to work with organisations to bolster cybersecurity measures and mitigate risks amid the rapidly changing digital threat environment.

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Akira v2 Ransomware: Rust’s Versatility Fuels Rising Cybercrime Trends

• Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
• Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Earlier this year, hackers behind the Akira ransomware tested a new version of their malicious software called “Akira v2.” Written in Rust.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

• Rust’s complex structure makes analyzing Akira ransomware challenging for researchers.
• Akira v2 relies on pre-written libraries, aiding researchers in understanding its code.
• Rust’s popularity is rising among cybercriminals due to flexibility and cross-platform capabilities.

Rust is a modern and powerful programming language, this version was designed to attack ESXi servers—specialized systems used in virtualized computing.

Security researchers from Check Point (CP) took a deep dive into how Akira v2 works. They found that Rust, known for producing fast and secure software, also makes it harder for cybersecurity experts to figure out what’s going on in the code.

This is because Rust’s design, combined with how it’s compiled, creates complex and confusing programs for researchers trying to understand and stop the malware.

Despite the challenges, researchers were able to piece together how Akira v2 operates. The software has different parts that handle tasks like scanning for files to encrypt and executing the encryption process.

The hackers used pre-written Rust code libraries to build parts of the ransomware, which helped researchers find clues about its structure, according to CP.

One big takeaway of CP is that Rust is becoming a popular tool for cybercriminals. It’s flexible, works on multiple systems, and has many ready-to-use features. While this makes Rust attractive for legitimate software developers, it’s also being used for more harmful purposes.

For cybersecurity experts, Rust adds a new layer of difficulty. Unlike older programming languages, Rust compiles code in a way that mixes functions together, making it tricky to follow the malware’s trail.

Experts are calling for better tools to analyze Rust programs and uncover how they work.Akira v2 shows how hackers are constantly evolving, using new technologies to stay ahead.

While the cybersecurity community is working hard to keep up, this case highlights the need for innovative solutions to deal with modern malware threats.