News – Help Net Security

Veteran security engineer Niels Provos is working on a new technical approach designed to stop autonomous AI agents from taking actions you haven’t specifically authorized. His open-source software solution, called IronCurtain, aims to neutralize the risk of an LLM-powered agent “going rogue” – whether through prompt injection or the agent gradually deviating from the user’s original intent over the course of a long session. How does IronCurtain work? In the last few months, there have … More → The post IronCurtain: An open-source, safeguard layer for autonomous AI assistants appeared first on Help Net Security.

Meta is stepping up the fight against scams on its platforms by filing multiple lawsuits targeting companies and individuals in Brazil, China, and Vietnam who used deceptive tactics to run scam ads. The company said it has taken technical enforcement actions in these cases, including suspending payment methods used in the scams, disabling accounts linked to those operations, and blocking domains associated with scam sites. Meta shared this information with industry partners so other platforms … More → The post Meta tightens grip on scam advertisers appeared first on Help Net Security.

Law enforcement agencies across 28 countries have spent the past year building cases against a loosely organized collective known as The Com, a decentralized network of mostly teenagers and young adults linked to high-profile ransomware attacks, financial extortion, and the coercion of vulnerable children. Europol announced the first operational results of Project Compass, reporting 30 arrests and the full or partial identification of 179 perpetrators since the initiative launched in January 2025. Investigators have also … More → The post Europol goes after The Com’s ransomware and extortion networks appeared first on Help Net Security.

Google’s second beta of Android 17 continues updates to platform behavior and introduces new APIs focused on protecting sensitive data. Protecting contact and local network data A new system-level Contacts Picker gives apps temporary access only to the contact information a user selects. It limits contact data exposure and works across both personal and work profiles on the device. Contacts Picker (Source: Google) The update also introduces the EyeDropper API, which lets apps select a … More → The post Android 17 second beta expands privacy controls for contacts, SMS and local networks appeared first on Help Net Security.

Microsoft is adding two new Windows 365 Cloud PC devices, the ASUS NUC 16 for Windows 365 and the Dell Pro Desktop for Windows 365, expanding hardware options for its cloud-based desktop service. Both devices are scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2026, with distribution varying by region and model. The two devices join Windows 365 Link, Microsoft’s first Cloud PC device, which launched in April 2025. Details for both products remain limited. … More → The post Microsoft taps ASUS and Dell for the Windows 365 Cloud PC strategy appeared first on Help Net Security.

Intrusions continue to center on credential access and timed execution outside standard business hours. The Sophos Active Adversary Report 2026 analyzes 661 incident response and managed detection and response cases handled between November 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025, spanning organizations in 70 countries. The dataset examines how attackers gain access, how quickly they reach key systems, and when ransomware and data theft occur. Identity-related root causes as a proportion of all cases covered in … More → The post Ransomware activity peaks outside business hours appeared first on Help Net Security.

Apple confirmed that the iPhone and iPad have been approved for use with classified information in NATO restricted environments. The devices will no longer require special software or settings to handle NATO restricted-level information. “This achievement recognizes that Apple has transformed how security is traditionally delivered. Prior to iPhone, secure devices were only available to sophisticated government and enterprise organizations after a massive investment in bespoke security solutions,” stated Ivan Krstić, Apple’s VP of Security … More → The post NATO greenlights iPhone and iPad for classified information handling appeared first on Help Net Security.

Smart glasses with built-in cameras are showing up in more public spaces, and a growing number of people want a way to know when one is nearby. An Android app called Nearby Glasses, developed by Yves Jeanrenaud, attempts to fill that gap by scanning Bluetooth Low Energy traffic for manufacturer identifiers associated with known smart glasses makers. The project cites several reported incidents that motivated its development, including documented cases of Meta Ray-Ban glasses being … More → The post Android app uses Bluetooth signals to detect nearby smart glasses appeared first on Help Net Security.

In this Help Net Security interview, Fred Kwong, VP, CISO at DeVry University, outlines how the university balances academic openness with cyber risk. He describes how systems for students are separated from back end operations to limit exposure. Kwong also discusses how student data has changed over the past decade. Data is now centralized in learning management systems, which improves reporting but raises the stakes if a breach occurs. The interview also covers hybrid learning, … More → The post DeVry University’s CISO on higher education cybersecurity risk appeared first on Help Net Security.

Personal liability is becoming a routine part of the CISO job. In Splunk’s 2026 CISO Report, titled From Risk to Resilience in the AI Era, 78% of CISOs said they are concerned about their own liability for security incidents, up from 56% last year. The role carries personal exposure alongside operational accountability, and that shift is influencing how security leaders approach risk, documentation, and board communication. The mandate continues to grow. Nearly all respondents said … More → The post The CISO role keeps getting heavier appeared first on Help Net Security.