Cyber Security Headlines DARPA code prize, ScarCruft adds ransomware, Columbia breach tally
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Aug 11, 2025 A $4 million prize was awarded by DARPA for innovative AI code review at DEF CON, showcasing the push for advanced cybersecurity tools. Meanwhile, North Korea's ScarCruft group is escalating their tactics by incorporating ransomware into their operations. Additionally, a major data breach at Columbia University has compromised the information of over 860,000 individuals, highlighting the ongoing risks in cybersecurity. These developments emphasize the importance of robust defenses and incident response plans in today's digital landscape.
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DARPA Pushes AI For Code Security
- DARPA ran a two-year DEF CON competition to build AI that finds and fixes software vulnerabilities.
- The program rewarded systems that could both locate bugs and generate valid patches across huge codebases.
Team Atlanta's Cross‑Institution Win
- Team Atlanta combined experts from Georgia Tech, Samsung Research, KAIST, and POSTECH.
- Their systems competed to find and patch synthetic vulnerabilities buried in 54 million lines of code.
ScarCraft Adds Ransomware To Ops
- S2W analysts report North Korea's ScarCraft now deploys a VCD ransomware variant alongside espionage.
- The group uses phishing to weaponize this ransomware against high-profile individuals and government entities.