From SecurityWeek · 18 stories
River Bank Confirms Stolen Data Deleted After Ransomware Attack
River Financial Corporation confirmed that data stolen during a June 16 ransomware attack was deleted by the threat actor. The company engaged with the hackers to ensure data deletion, likely involving a ransom payment, but has not confirmed if personal information was exfiltrated or the attack's material impact.
Balance Theory Raises $19 Million in Series A Funding for Cybersecurity Investment Platform
Balance Theory, a cybersecurity investment management startup, secured $19 million in Series A funding. This funding will expand its platform, which helps CISOs manage security spending by integrating planning, market intelligence, and execution into a single system.
Cantina Exits Stealth with $8 Million Funding for Autonomous Vulnerability Management
Cybersecurity startup Cantina has emerged from stealth mode, announcing $8 million in new funding, bringing its total raised to $16.5 million. The company offers an autonomous security platform that uses AI agents to identify, prioritize, and remediate software vulnerabilities. This development introduces another player in the evolving field of AI-driven cybersecurity solutions.
OT Security Startup Frenos Raises $1.52 Million in Seed Round Extension
Frenos, an AI-native operational technology (OT) security startup, secured an additional $1.52 million in a seed funding round extension, bringing its total raised to $6.4 million. This funding will support the expansion of its customer success team and AI research and development, and coincides with the launch of its SAIRA Co-Work AI reasoning agent.
Abstract Security Raises $25 Million to Expand Composable Security Operations Platform
Abstract Security secured $25 million in a new funding round, bringing its total funding to nearly $50 million, to advance its streaming-first security operations platform. This investment will be used to enhance in-stream detection, expand workflow capabilities, and grow its go-to-market team, impacting the development of composable security solutions.
Silent Patches Blind Defenders While Still Exposing Vulnerabilities to Attackers
Vendors who quietly fix vulnerabilities without public advisories or CVEs do not prevent attackers from discovering the flaws. This practice primarily hinders defenders, including penetration testers, vulnerability management engineers, and IT administrators, by denying them crucial information needed to assess and prioritize patches.
Analysis Identifies Four Future Cyber Threats: AI, Supply Chains, Human Element, and Nation-States
An analysis outlines four evolving cyber threats: AI-driven attacks, supply chain vulnerabilities, the human element, and nation-state activities. The report emphasizes the need for organizations to adapt their security strategies to address these increasingly sophisticated and automated risks.
Agentic AI for Cybersecurity Remediation Focuses on Eliminating Vulnerability Backlogs
The cybersecurity industry is evolving towards agentic AI to achieve "Shift Zero," aiming to eliminate vulnerability backlogs and prevent exposure at the source. This involves inverting the traditional Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) framework to prioritize automated remediation, which has historically been a manual process. Automating the final mobilization step of CTEM allows organizations to close the loop on exposure management.
Marcus Hutchins Discusses His Journey From WannaCry Hero to FBI Arrest
Marcus Hutchins, known for stopping the WannaCry ransomware in 2017, shared his perspective on his past activities and subsequent arrest by the FBI. He described his motivation as an intense desire to understand how systems work, rather than to change them.
AI Accelerates Attack Speed, But Security Fundamentals Remain Key
The advent of Frontier AI has accelerated the speed at which attackers and defenders can identify vulnerabilities and develop exploits. Despite this, established security practices like defense-in-depth, now sometimes termed "virtual patching," continue to be the most effective defense against these threats.
AI-Driven Security Requires Complete, Unfiltered Data for Effective Threat Detection
Effective AI-driven cybersecurity relies on complete, high-fidelity data, not just pre-filtered logs, to detect complex, multi-domain attacks. Current Security Operations Centers (SOCs) and SIEM systems often receive only a fraction of the original telemetry, hindering AI's ability to reconstruct attack chains and identify subtle deviations from normal behavior.
AI Supercharges Surveillance by Companies, Law Enforcement, and Criminals
The article discusses how various entities, including companies, law enforcement, criminals, and intelligence agencies, engage in surveillance for their own benefit, often impacting privacy, employment, finances, and national security. It highlights that AI is now enhancing all forms of surveillance, making regulations and public awareness crucial defenses.
AI Compliance Frameworks Lead to Ineffective Questionnaires, Not Real Failure Detection
Current AI compliance frameworks, despite their overlap, are being translated into questionnaires that fail to effectively assess real risks. These questionnaires often rely on prose-based answers rather than verifiable evidence, making it difficult to distinguish between mature programs and those with good technical writers. This approach hinders genuine compliance and risk reduction in AI systems.
Bishop Fox CEO Vinnie Liu's Early Hacking Experiences and NSA Recruitment at 17
Vinnie Liu, CEO of Bishop Fox, was recruited by the NSA at age 17 after being recommended by an Air Force contact. His early interest in computers stemmed from curiosity and learning how systems worked, rather than malicious intent.
Nico Waisman's Journey from Self-Taught Hacker to Offensive Security Professional
Nico Waisman, born in Argentina in 1982, developed his hacking skills through self-teaching and experimentation, eventually leading to a career in offensive security. He joined Immunity in 2003 as a senior security researcher, marking the start of his professional journey in the field.
Russ Kirby Discusses Career Path and Role as CISO at Ping Identity
Russ Kirby, CISO at Ping Identity, shared insights into his career progression in cybersecurity, attributing his success to a natural inclination for order and protection. He discussed his journey from general technology roles to CISO positions at Creditsafe, ForgeRock, and now Ping Identity, emphasizing how opportunities aligned with his personality and interests.
SecurityWeek and MTSI Offer Cyber Attack Methods Course at ICS Cybersecurity Conference
SecurityWeek and MTSI will host the Cyber Attack Methods (CAM) course for the second time at the 25th Anniversary Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Cybersecurity Conference in October. This hands-on training aims to teach participants how adversaries compromise cyber-physical systems by placing them in the role of an attacker within a vulnerable virtual environment.
Podcast features Edna Conway on cybersecurity, governance, AI, and supply chain resilience
A podcast episode features cybersecurity expert Edna Conway discussing governance challenges, AI advancements, and supply chain resilience. The discussion provides strategic perspectives for organizations navigating rapid technological change in cybersecurity.