Sydney-based real estate firm The Property Business has been hit by the Kairos ransomware group, with 164GB of data reportedly stolen. The attack highlights the growing threat to Australia's property sector, which holds sensitive client financial and personal information.
The U.S. has charged Ukrainian national Volodymyr Tymoshchuk for his role in the LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Nefilim ransomware attacks that targeted over 250 American companies and hundreds more worldwide. The State Department is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
Australia has gone all-in on quantum, betting billions on PsiQuantum’s Brisbane facility while building alliances and spin-outs from Sydney to Chicago. With defence contracts, investor momentum and Five Eyes strategy at stake, Canberra’s gamble is to lead, not follow, in the quantum race.
Cisco faces fallout from a massive data leak exposing critical files, while China accuses the U.S. of cyber espionage amid rising tech tensions. AI governance sparks debate as Europe enforces strict rules, and ASIC sues HSBC for $23M scam failures. Global cyber affairs take center stage this week.
As we wrap up an electrifying 2024, we extend our deepest gratitude to our incredible supporters of the Cyber News Centre and AI Diplomat worldwide. This year has been a rollercoaster of cyber triumphs, challenges, and breakthroughs, and your unwavering enthusiasm has fueled our mission to deliver the most compelling insights into the digital frontier. From corporate stumbles to geopolitical clashes, AI governance battles to scam crackdowns, this year’s relentless pace has kept us captivated.
As we transition to our Holiday Editions, we invite you to join us for a reflective journey through the highs and lows of this transformative year. Together, we’ll revisit the year in review, dissect the relentless supercycle of technological acceleration, and examine the global outages that tested the resilience of our interconnected systems. From the trillion-dollar hyperscalers redefining innovation to the visionary entrepreneurs steering artificial intelligence, our upcoming editorials will dive deep into the forces shaping our digital age.
Looking ahead to 2025, we stand at the dawn of a new wave of artificial intelligence and digital acceleration—a decade poised to redefine industries, societies, and how we connect. Thank you for being part of this thrilling journey, and here’s to another year of bold storytelling, cutting-edge insights, and the shared passion for cyberspace. Stay tuned, stay curious, and let’s embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead!
This week, Cisco became the latest tech giant to grapple with a data leak, as a hacker exposed 2.9 gigabytes of sensitive files on BreachForums. The files—spanning source code, certificates, and internal documentation—highlighted the precarious balance of innovation and security. While Cisco’s response was swift, emphasizing that no customer data was at risk, the incident underscores how a simple misstep can ripple into a full-blown crisis. In an era where trust is currency, even the most robust organizations are one error away from catastrophe.
The simmering cyber cold war reached new heights as China accused the U.S. of hacking its cutting-edge research centers and digital infrastructure. State-sponsored hacking allegations and retaliatory investigations have become a hallmark of global cyber diplomacy, and this week’s revelations deepen the distrust between two tech superpowers. The narrative took a sharp turn as advanced malware and breaches of electronic document systems surfaced. With both nations vying for supremacy in AI and cybertech, the stakes have never been higher—or more dangerously unpredictable.
As Europe enforces its stringent AI Act, U.S. policymakers warn of the unintended consequences of overregulation. Outgoing DHS Chief Alejandro Mayorkas sounded the alarm on the widening gulf between American and European approaches to AI oversight. While the EU champions transparency and safety, critics argue these measures could stifle innovation and compromise global security. With Donald Trump’s incoming administration promising sweeping changes to AI policy, the year closes on a precarious note for the global tech ecosystem, caught between regulation and innovation.
Down under, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) launched legal action against HSBC, accusing the bank of systemic failures that enabled $23 million in cyber scams. This case spotlights the growing global emphasis on anti-scam laws, exemplified by Singapore’s bold proposal to freeze accounts of suspected scam victims. However, privacy advocates warn of overreach. As nations grapple with balancing consumer protection and individual rights, this legal drama serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities within even the most established financial systems.
As the year winds down, the Cyber News Centre is thrilled to announce our Holiday Editions! Starting next week and running throughout January, we’ll bring you a month of special editorials and year-in-review features. Dive into a curated exploration of 2024’s defining moments in the AI race, the fierce international competition for super innovation, and the dramatic shifts in the ongoing tech wars.
Our holiday series will highlight the big news and breakthroughs in cybersecurity, global cyber affairs, and the seismic changes in government and business shaping the balance of power and policy. We’ll examine how the world has adapted to the relentless supercycle of technological advancement and take a closer look at the global outages that shook our interconnected systems. In this journey, we’ll scrutinize the trillion-dollar hyperscaler companies and the billionaire entrepreneurs wielding influence through artificial intelligence and social platforms—whose actions have shaped this year’s narrative.
Please enjoy our Holiday Editions as we reflect on an intense and transformative year. From all of us at the Cyber News Centre, thank you for joining us on this journey through cyberspace. We look forward to resuming our regular updates in February 2025, with even more riveting insights into the evolving digital frontier. Until then, happy reading and a safe, joyful holiday season!
Oracle’s $455bn cloud backlog and Google’s $106bn pipeline show AI infrastructure is driving Wall Street’s rally. Microsoft expands with in-house models, while Apple’s iPhone Air underwhelms, raising doubts over its role in an AI-first market dominated by chips, data centres and scale.
Artificial Intelligence has become the new battleground of global politics. Washington and Beijing pursue Dual-Carriage Politics, blending economic ambition, military strategy, and social values. From classrooms to trade wars, AI now shapes power, society, and the fragile balance of global order.
The global AI race is no longer confined to the US and China. Emerging hubs like Abu Dhabi, Paris, Singapore, and São Paulo are transforming the landscape with bold strategies, sovereign investments, and rapid innovation, creating a multipolar future for artificial intelligence.
Humanoid robotics in 2025 is moving from fiction to reality, with Boston Dynamics pushing technical limits and challengers like Tesla and China’s Unitree driving fierce competition. This global race is redefining industry, innovation, and the role of machines in daily life.
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