Cyber Briefing: 2026.02.26
Malicious dev repos and packages steal tokens, Codespaces flaw leaks Copilot creds, AI phishing exposed, healthcare breaches probed, China-linked ops foiled, NY sues Valve.
👉 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. Fake Next.js Job Repos Spread Malware AI
A sophisticated campaign is targeting developers by using malicious repositories disguised as authentic Next.js projects and technical job assessments to gain persistent access to systems. These attacks utilize various entry points on trusted platforms to trick users into executing JavaScript that facilitates remote command and control directly in memory.
2. Rogue StripeApi NuGet Stole API Keys
Cybersecurity researchers recently identified a malicious NuGet package named StripeApi.Net that impersonated the legitimate Stripe.net library to target financial sector developers. Although the package was quickly removed, it successfully used typosquatting, cloned branding, and inflated download counts to exfiltrate sensitive API tokens while maintaining normal application functionality.
3. Codespaces Flaw Let Copilot Leak Token
A security flaw in GitHub Codespaces nicknamed RoguePilot allowed attackers to hijack repositories by placing hidden malicious instructions within GitHub issues. Discovered by Orca Security and since patched by Microsoft, the vulnerability enabled the silent theft of privileged tokens when developers opened a codespace from a compromised issue.
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💥 Cyber Incidents
4. Claude Used To Steal Mexican Data
A hacker manipulated Anthropic PBC’s AI chatbot to conduct a sophisticated phishing campaign that bypassed traditional security filters. The incident highlights the growing vulnerability of large language models to prompt injection attacks used for malicious social engineering.
5. UFP Technologies Confirms Data Breach
UFP Technologies, a Massachusetts-based medical device manufacturer, recently filed a Form 8-K with the SEC to report a significant cyberattack on its IT systems. While the company has restored its operations and eradicated the threat, an ongoing investigation is assessing the extent of data theft and potential financial impacts.
6. QualDerm Faces Patient Data Breach Probe
Schubert Jonckheer and Kolbe LLP has launched an investigation into a significant data breach at QualDerm Partners, a dermatology network spanning 17 states. The firm is exploring potential legal claims after sensitive medical and personal information belonging to over 174,000 residents was compromised during a cyberattack in late 2025.
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📢 Cyber News
7. Windows 11 Update Boosts BitLocker and Sysmon
Microsoft has released the KB5077241 preview update for Windows 11, introducing nearly thirty enhancements such as a native network speed tester and integrated System Monitor features. This optional February 2026 rollout focuses on improving BitLocker stability and providing administrators with an early look at quality fixes ahead of the upcoming security cycle.
8. Google Foils Chinese-Linked Hackers
Google recently shut down a massive surveillance operation linked to a Chinese hacking group that infiltrated dozens of organizations across more than forty nations. By utilizing Google Sheets to mask their data theft as normal network traffic, the group, known as Gallium or UNC2814, managed to maintain a nearly ten-year presence inside various government and telecommunications systems.
9. NY Sues Valve Over Loot Box Gambling
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against Valve Corporation, alleging that the company’s use of loot boxes constitutes illegal gambling that targets minors. The legal action seeks to halt these practices in New York, citing the addictive nature of these virtual prize systems and their potential to cause long-term financial and psychological harm to young players.
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📈Cyber Stocks
Cybersecurity stocks on Thursday, 26 February 2026 remained under pressure from broader tech rotation and AI-related sell-offs, as investors weighed fears about competitive AI tools against enduring enterprise demand for security platforms and services.
Okta Inc was trading in the mid-70s dollars and declined, reflecting identity and access management stocks tracking broader tech softness.
Zscaler Inc was near ~140-150 dollars and lower, as zero-trust cloud security names saw profit-taking amid rotation pressures.
Fortinet Inc closed around ~75-80 dollars and was slightly down, aligned with broader sector trends.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. was trading near ~150-160 dollars and moved lower, with defensive firewall and threat prevention equities pressured by tech flows.
SentinelOne Inc stood near ~12-13 dollars and declined, as smaller AI-driven endpoint names suffered in the rotation.
💡 Cyber Tip
💼 Fake Next.js Job Repos Spread Malware
Attackers are targeting developers with fake Next.js job assessment repositories hosted on trusted platforms. These projects contain hidden JavaScript that executes automatically through VS Code workspace tasks or during local server startup, enabling in-memory remote command execution and persistent access.
🛠️ What You Should Do
Treat unsolicited job assessment repositories as untrusted code
Disable automatic VS Code workspace tasks from unknown projects
Review package.json scripts and dependencies before running npm install or npm run
Monitor outbound connections from development environments
Use endpoint detection tools that monitor in-memory execution
⚠️ Why This Matters
Developer machines are high-value targets. Compromised environments can lead to credential theft, cloud access abuse, and even supply chain attacks where malicious code is injected into legitimate projects.
📚 Cyber Book
Privacy is Power by Carissa Veliz
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