Cyber Brief: Ransomware pressure and cloud exposure

Today’s cyber reporting highlights continued pressure across three fronts. Ransomware operators remain active heading into year end, identity abuse is accelerating as attackers bypass traditional controls and cloud misconfigurations continue to expose organisations to avoidable risk. Together, these stories reinforce the need for vigilance, discipline and preparedness during a high-risk period.

Ransomware groups increase activity ahead of year end

Security reporting today confirms a rise in ransomware activity as criminal groups seek to capitalise on reduced staffing and change freezes during the holiday period. Recent incidents show attackers prioritising speed and leverage, focusing on data theft and extortion rather than prolonged dwell time.
In several cases, initial access was achieved through compromised credentials or exposed remote access services rather than novel exploits. Once inside, attackers moved quickly to identify sensitive data and critical systems, aiming to maximise operational impact within tight timeframes.
Analysts note that year-end attacks often rely on well-understood weaknesses rather than advanced techniques. Organisations that have deferred patching, relaxed monitoring or reduced response coverage are particularly vulnerable. The trend highlights how attackers adapt their tactics to operational realities rather than technical innovation alone.

Why it matters
Ransomware risk increases when response capacity is reduced. Organisations should ensure monitoring, backup integrity and escalation routes remain robust throughout the holiday period.

Source
BleepingComputer

Identity abuse accelerates as attackers bypass traditional controls

New identity-focused threat reporting published today highlights a continued shift toward attacks that rely on abusing legitimate access rather than exploiting vulnerabilities. Attackers are increasingly using stolen credentials, session tokens and misconfigured identity permissions to access systems without triggering alerts.
Once authenticated, threat actors operate within expected user behaviour, avoiding privilege escalation and blending into normal activity. This approach extends dwell time and complicates detection, particularly in environments with limited behavioural monitoring.
The reporting emphasises that identity systems have become the primary attack surface for many organisations. Weak governance, infrequent access reviews and over-privileged accounts significantly increase exposure, especially in cloud and hybrid environments.

Why it matters
Identity abuse undermines perimeter-based security. Regular access reviews, least-privilege enforcement and monitoring for anomalous use of legitimate accounts are essential controls.

Source
Microsoft Security

Cloud misconfigurations continue to expose sensitive systems

Cloud security analysis published today highlights ongoing exposure caused by misconfigured storage, identity permissions and network controls. In multiple assessments, organisations unintentionally exposed internal services or granted excessive permissions through inherited roles and poorly understood defaults.
Attackers actively scan for these conditions, often gaining access without exploiting vulnerabilities. Once exposed resources are identified, threat actors attempt to access data, generate tokens or pivot into connected services.
The analysis shows that misconfigurations frequently persist due to unclear ownership and lack of continuous review. As cloud environments grow more complex, configuration drift becomes harder to detect without automated controls and regular validation.

Why it matters
Cloud misconfigurations offer attackers low-effort access paths. Continuous configuration review, clear ownership and automated guardrails help reduce this risk.

Source
Palo Alto Unit 42

Today’s Key Actions

1. Ensure ransomware monitoring and escalation remain active during year-end periods.
2. Review identity permissions and reduce unnecessary or inherited access.
3. Validate cloud configurations and remove unintended exposure.
4. Confirm backup integrity and recovery processes are tested.
5. Update risk registers to reflect ransomware, identity and cloud exposure trends.

Secarma Insight

Today’s stories underline a consistent theme. Attackers succeed by exploiting operational gaps, not just technical weaknesses. Strong identity governance, disciplined configuration management and maintained response readiness are critical to sustaining resilience during high-risk periods.

Get in touch with us to prioritise your next steps and strengthen your security posture.