Cyber Briefing: 2026.01.29
Scam warnings rise after disasters as phishing spreads, RCE flaws emerge, banks and schools face attacks, grid threats surface, and platforms boost security.
👉 What’s going on in the cyber world today?
Welcome to Cyber Briefing, the newsletter that informs you about the latest cybersecurity advisories, alerts, incidents and news every weekday.
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🚨 Cyber Alerts
1. Stay Safe From Scams After Disasters
In the wake of recent natural disasters, CISA warns the public to stay vigilant against cybercriminals who exploit these tragedies through fraudulent emails, social media posts, and phishing attempts. To protect yourself, always verify disaster-related communications and donation requests through official sources like FEMA or local government authorities before clicking links or sharing personal information.
2. Indian Users Hit By Tax Phishing Blackmoon
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a multi-stage cyber espionage campaign targeting Indian users through phishing emails disguised as official income tax notices. These emails trick recipients into downloading malicious files that eventually deploy a repurposed enterprise tool for continuous monitoring and data exfiltration.
3. Grist Core Flaw Enables Remote Code Execution
A critical security vulnerability known as Cellbreak has been discovered in Grist-Core, an open-source spreadsheet-database platform that uses Pyodide for formula execution. This flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-24002, allows a malicious user to bypass the sandbox environment and execute unauthorized commands on the host system.
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💥 Cyber Incidents
4. Kontigo Stablecoin Bank Hit By Cyberattack
US neobank Kontigo recently experienced a cybersecurity breach involving an authentication flaw that resulted in the theft of over 340,000 USDT from 1,005 user accounts. The company has since blocked access to prevent further losses and is currently using funds from its recent seed round to fully reimburse all affected customers.
5. Cyberattack Disrupts Dresden Museum Systems
Germany’s Dresden State Art Collections has been targeted by a cyberattack that has disrupted its digital infrastructure and phone services. While the museums remain open and the artworks are secure, visitors must currently pay in cash as online ticketing and shop services are unavailable.
6. Inverclyde Schools Offline After Phish
Inverclyde schools and nurseries lost internet connectivity on Monday after a phishing attack compromised a senior education official’s email account. The council disabled network access as a safety measure to investigate a fraudulent message sent to parents that mimicked the branding of a local primary school.
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📢 Cyber News
7. Google Updates Android Theft Protection
Google has implemented advanced authentication protocols and recovery systems designed to deter smartphone theft and protect sensitive owner data. These updates strengthen existing security measures by focusing on proactive defense and more robust identity verification across the Android platform.
8. Russian Hackers Behind Poland Grid Wiper
Recent investigations have identified the Russia-linked hacking group Sandworm as the culprit behind a December attempt to disrupt Poland’s electrical grid using destructive data-wiping malware. While Polish authorities successfully thwarted the operation before any outages occurred, officials warned the attack could have potentially left half a million people without power.
9. WhatsApp Improves Security For At Risk Users
WhatsApp has introduced a new security feature called Strict Account Settings designed to protect high-profile individuals like journalists and public figures from sophisticated cyberattacks. This lockdown-style mode allows at-risk users to strengthen their privacy by automatically blocking media from unknown senders and silencing calls from unidentified contacts.
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📈Cyber Stocks
Overall trading ahead of Thursday, 29 January suggested modest resilience in cybersecurity equities, with larger cloud and identity security names holding ground and mid-cap names showing mixed movement.
Palo Alto Networks closed near 184.87 dollars and was steady, with persistent demand for integrated platform and cloud security solutions.
CrowdStrike closed around 477.03 dollars and was stable, supported by continued adoption of cloud-native endpoint and workload protection.
Okta closed at 91.86 dollars and held higher, with identity and access management stocks maintaining interest.
Zscaler was near 215.92 dollars and slightly softer, reflecting mild profit taking in cloud security names.
Fortinet closed around 82.11 dollars and edged up, with network security demand steady.
Check Point Software Technologies finished at 180.43 dollars and eased, as defensive tech names lagged relative to peers.
💡 Cyber Tip
🌪️ Stay Safe From Scams After Disasters
Following natural disasters, cybercriminals often exploit confusion and urgency using fake emails, social media posts, and donation requests. These scams impersonate relief agencies and emergency services to steal money, credentials, or personal information.
🛠️ What You Should Do
Verify disaster related messages through official sources like FEMA or local authorities
Avoid clicking links or opening attachments in unsolicited emails or texts
Be cautious of urgent donation requests shared on social media
Never share personal or financial details without confirmation
Use official government websites for updates and aid information
⚠️ Why This Matters
Scammers prey on fear and goodwill during crises. A single click or donation to a fake cause can lead to financial loss, identity theft, or malware infection. Verification is your strongest defense.
📚 Cyber Book
Principles of Incident Response & Disaster Recovery by Michael Whitman, Herbert Mattord
That concludes today’s briefing. You can check the top headlines here!
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