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Ransomware surges 600% as AI lowers cybercrime cost
Ransomware

Ransomware surges 600% as AI lowers cybercrime cost

Manufacturers, hospitals and service firms face escalating extortion threats as organised crime drives most attacks across Australasia.

By Raphael Veloso • 4 min read • Last week
Google warns of AI-powered cyberattacks in live ops
Malware

Google warns of AI-powered cyberattacks in live ops

Defenders now have minutes, not hours, as attackers use agentic AI to automate credential theft, scanning and extortion across live operations.

By Sean Mitchell • 5 min read • Last month
Ransomware attacks hit 894 as AI boosts cyber crime
Malware

Ransomware attacks hit 894 as AI boosts cyber crime

North America and Europe bore most of the 894 July ransomware incidents as NCC Group warned AI tools are accelerating attacks.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 3 min read • Fri, 28th Aug 2026
NCC Group logs record July ransomware cases as AI rises
Malware

NCC Group logs record July ransomware cases as AI rises

Industrial operators faced sustained pressure in July, as ransomware attacks hit 894 cases and AI-assisted tactics began to reshape threats.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Thu, 27th Aug 2026
AI-driven cybercrime surges at scale, Flashpoint warns
Malware

AI-driven cybercrime surges at scale, Flashpoint warns

Stolen credentials and AI-generated phishing are accelerating attacks, as Flashpoint tracked 22 million illicit discussions and 7.4 million infected hosts.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 5 min read • Fri, 14th Aug 2026
Ransomware victim numbers flat as active groups hit record
Data Protection

Ransomware victim numbers flat as active groups hit record

More groups are now driving attacks, leaving victim numbers flat even as ransomware operations reached a record 93 active crews in the quarter.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Fri, 14th Aug 2026
Many ANZ ransomware victims still pay, study finds
Malware

Many ANZ ransomware victims still pay, study finds

More than a third of ransom-paying organisations in Australia and New Zealand still failed to restore systems cleanly, a survey found.

By Mark Tarre • 3 min read • Wed, 12th Aug 2026
Zscaler flags Claude chat malware campaign on Macs
Malware

Zscaler flags Claude chat malware campaign on Macs

Mac users were lured via Google ads and shared Claude chats into installing malware that steals passwords, files and wallet data.

By Mark Tarre • 3 min read • Mon, 20th Jul 2026
Check Point sees June cyberattacks jump 17% year on year
Malware

Check Point sees June cyberattacks jump 17% year on year

Business and public sector organisations faced 2,270 attacks a week in June, as ransomware rose 33% and GenAI use exposed sensitive data.

By Mark Tarre • 5 min read • Fri, 10th Jul 2026
NCC Group flags AI fraud platform Kitana in attacks
Malware

NCC Group flags AI fraud platform Kitana in attacks

Consumers on hospitality and eCommerce sites are at risk of having passwords and payment details stolen through fake webpages run by the platform.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Sat, 27th Jun 2026
Ransomware victims spot attacks only after data theft
Malware

Ransomware victims spot attacks only after data theft

Almost half of ransomware victims discovered breaches only after data theft, underscoring how attackers are evading detection for weeks.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Fri, 26th Jun 2026
AI makes cybercrime faster, cheaper & harder to spot
Malware

AI makes cybercrime faster, cheaper & harder to spot

Existing phishing and fraud tactics are becoming faster, cheaper and harder to detect, raising the risk for large organisations, ReliaQuest said.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Thu, 25th Jun 2026

Stories from Other Regions

Extortion stories

AI boosts phishing losses in Resilience cyber claims
Disaster Recovery

AI boosts phishing losses in Resilience cyber claims

Phishing and fraud still drive most insured cyber losses, as artificial intelligence makes familiar scams more effective for clients.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Sat, 1st Aug 2026
UK manufacturing hit by 1.84 million ransomware events
Malware

UK manufacturing hit by 1.84 million ransomware events

Factory downtime risks and supply chain disruption have made UK manufacturing the country's most targeted sector for ransomware, SonicWall said.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 3 min read • Sat, 1st Aug 2026
Origin Energy probes alleged cyber incident over data
Data Protection

Origin Energy probes alleged cyber incident over data

Customers face heightened scam risks as Origin Energy investigates claims that a hacker accessed two million records and alerted regulators.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Fri, 31st Jul 2026
Which New Zealand companies are most likely to be targeted by Ransomware hackers?
Data Protection

Which New Zealand companies are most likely to be targeted by Ransomware hackers?

Mid-market firms in financial, insurance and consulting services face the highest ransomware risk, with attacks now striking faster and costing far more.

By Anthony Cooke • 4 min read • Mon, 27th Jul 2026
Ransomware victims surge to 7,551 as attacks fragment
Software-as-a-Service

Ransomware victims surge to 7,551 as attacks fragment

Ransomware attacks spread through vendor systems and AI-aided tactics, leaving 7,551 publicly disclosed victims in the latest 12-month period.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Fri, 24th Jul 2026