Cyber Security Headlines AWS outage, NSA hacking accusations, High risk WhatsApp automation
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Oct 21, 2025 A major AWS outage caused by a DNS failure left global platforms in the lurch. Meanwhile, China has leveled accusations against the NSA for allegedly hacking its National Time Service using advanced tools. In a troubling trend, researchers discovered over 130 malicious WhatsApp automation extensions targeting users in Brazil. The threats don’t stop there—CISA has reported active exploitation of a Windows SMB vulnerability, exposing unpatched servers. It's a wild world out there in cybersecurity!
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DNS Failure Triggered Wide AWS Outage
- A DNS failure in AWS's U.S. East-1 region disrupted dozens of global platforms and at least 28 AWS services.
- AWS engineers identified and mitigated the DNS issue, but users still felt lingering effects into the workday.
Time Center Target Amplifies Risk
- China accused the U.S. NSA of hacking its National Time Service Center using messaging vulnerabilities and many specialized cyber tools from 2022–2024.
- The center's role in distributing official time means attacks there could affect communications, finance, power, and transport systems.
Chrome Extensions Abused For WhatsApp Spam
- Researchers found 131 rebranded Chrome extensions that inject scripts into WhatsApp Web to automate mass messaging and bypass anti-spam, with over 20,000 active users.
- The campaign targeted Brazilian users and had been active for at least nine months with ongoing updates.