Key Takeaways:
- The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has found that cyber-deception tactics can be useful in detecting and preventing cyber attacks, but require careful implementation and planning.
- Cyber-deception tools can provide valuable threat intelligence, but can also create noise and false sense of security if not properly configured.
- A malicious actor or untrained developer can easily drain an AI development budget by changing spending limits in AI IDEs or cloud platforms.
- Spanish police have arrested a 19-year-old suspected of stealing 64 million personal records from nine companies, while Polish police have arrested a trio of Ukrainian citizens suspected of being traveling hackers.
- CISA has published the top 25 most dangerous software weaknesses of 2025, with cross-site scripting (XSS) topping the list for the second year in a row.
Introduction to Cyber-Deception Tactics
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has been testing cyber-deception technology with several volunteer companies, and the results are promising. Cyber-deception tactics, such as honeypots and decoy accounts, are designed to fool attackers and provide valuable threat intelligence. The NCSC found that these tactics can be useful in detecting and preventing cyber attacks, but require careful implementation and planning. The organization warned that without a clear strategy, organizations risk deploying tools that generate noise rather than insight, and that cyber-deception tools must be properly configured to avoid creating a false sense of security.
The Importance of Proper Configuration
The NCSC emphasized the importance of proper configuration and ongoing effort to keep cyber-deception tools aligned. If these tools are not properly configured, they may fail to detect threats or lead to a false sense of security, or worse, create openings for attackers. The organization also found that most companies using deception tools prefer to keep that fact quiet, but the data suggests that the opposite ought to be the case. When attackers believe cyber-deception is in use, they are less confident in their attacks, which can impose a cost on attackers and disrupt their methods.
AI Development Budget Risks
A vendor called Ox Security recently learned the hard way that a malicious actor or untrained developer can easily drain an AI development budget by changing spending limits in AI IDEs or cloud platforms. The company reported that a new developer on its team accidentally spent their monthly budget in hours, and then discovered that they could change team spending limits to over $1M without admin approval or notification. Ox Security found that both Cursor and Bedrock lack default controls that prevent unprivileged users from modifying budget controls, and both leak API tokens that can provide unlimited access.
Cybercrime Arrests
Spanish police have arrested a 19-year-old suspected of stealing 64 million personal records from nine companies. The suspect allegedly stole national ID numbers, addresses, telephone numbers, and international bank account numbers, and sold the data online for cryptocurrency. Polish police have also arrested a trio of Ukrainian citizens suspected of being traveling hackers. The trio was found with a range of suspicious items, including a Flipper penetration testing tool, antennae, laptops, and encrypted storage media. The equipment seized from the trio could be used to interfere with national strategic IT systems or break into telecom networks.
CISA’s Top Vulnerabilities
CISA has published the top 25 most dangerous software weaknesses of 2025, with cross-site scripting (XSS) topping the list for the second year in a row. The rankings are based on the potential damage that each flaw can cause, rather than the number of CVEs assigned for the year. SQL injection came in second, followed by cross-site request forgery, missing authorization, and out-of-bounds writes. CISA is urging security professionals to prioritize detection and remediation of the weaknesses outlined in the list. The organization emphasizes the importance of addressing these vulnerabilities to prevent cyber attacks and protect against potential threats.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the NCSC’s findings on cyber-deception tactics highlight the importance of careful implementation and planning in detecting and preventing cyber attacks. The risks associated with AI development budgets and the recent cybercrime arrests emphasize the need for vigilance and proper security measures. CISA’s top vulnerabilities list provides a valuable resource for security professionals to prioritize detection and remediation of the most dangerous software weaknesses. By staying informed and taking proactive steps, organizations can protect themselves against potential threats and prevent cyber attacks.
