Identity, Deepfakes, and AI-Driven Social Engineering

The NSA reshuffles its cybersecurity leadership. A new report unmasks ICE’s latest surveillance system. CISA marks a milestone by retiring ten Emergency Directives. Trend Micro patches a critical vulnerability. Grok dials back the nudes, a bit. Cambodia extradites a cybercrime kingpin to China. Ghost Tap malware intercepts payment card data. Researchers disrupt a highly sophisticated VMware ESXi hypervisor exploit. European law enforcement arrest dozens of suspects linked to the international cybercriminal group Black Axe. Our guest is Sonali Shah, CEO of Cobalt, who says 2026 is the year AI stops being a concept and becomes the central battleground of cybersecurity. After firing the experts, DOGE hangs a help wanted sign.

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CyberWire Guest

Today on our Industry Voices, we are joined by Sonali Shah, CEO of Cobalt, talking about 2026 is the year AI stops being a concept and becomes the central battleground of cybersecurity. Tune into the full conversation here.

Selected Reading

NSA cyber directorate gets new acting leadership (The Record)

Inside ICE’s Tool to Monitor Phones in Entire Neighborhoods (404 Media)

CISA Retires Ten Emergency Directives, Marking an Era in Federal Cybersecurity (CISA.gov)

Trend Micro warns of critical Apex Central RCE vulnerability (Bleeping Computer)

X pulls Grok images after UK ban threat over undress tool (The Register)

Alleged cyber scam kingpin arrested, extradited to China (The Record)

Chinese Hackers Use NFC-Enabled Android Malware to Steal Payment Information (GB Hackers)

The Great VM Escape: ESXi Exploitation in the Wild (Huntress)

Europol Leads Global Crackdown on Black Axe Cybercrime Gang, 34 Arrest (Infosecurity Magazine)

US DOGE Service is hiring following mass workforce losses across the government (Gov Exec)

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