Cybersecurity Headlines

OpenCode breach exposes users' AI keys
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/opencode-hack-exposes-api-keys-amid-ai-distillation-attacks/
One hacker puts AI agents to work on 1,200 sites
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/how-one-hacker-used-ai-agents-few-thousand-dollars-break-into-scores-sites-2026-10-19/
Rank Math PRO updates deliver a persistent backdoor
https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/popular-wordpress-seo-plugin-rank-math.html
Nikkei discloses its third breach in a month
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/nikkei-discloses-third-data-breach-in-a-month-18m-records-exposed/
Microsoft adds controls for rogue AI agents
https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-unveils-tools-to-monitor-and-corral-rogue-ai-agents/
ClickFix attackers borrow Siemens' signature
https://www.securityweek.com/siemens-software-center-vulnerability-exploited-in-clickfix-malware-attacks/
Pegasus targets Serbian government critics before elections
https://therecord.media/serbia-spyware-pegasus-elections
Bullhorn takes staffing platform offline after attack
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/bullhorn-takes-staffing-platform-offline-to-contain-cyberattack/
Get the show notes here: https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-october-20-2026/
Huge thanks to our episode sponsor, ThreatLocker

An attacker uses AI to create a payload your security tools have never seen. Detection now has to recognize it before the payload can act. ThreatLocker approaches the problem earlier by controlling whether that code is permitted to run at all. Explore a deny by default approach for your organization at threatlocker.com/ciso.

Cybersecurity jobs report reveals mixed bag
https://www.securityweek.com/us-cybersecurity-job-postings-fall-26-as-ai-security-engineer-demand-soars/
https://cybersn.com/resources/reports/cybersecurity-jobs-report
ConnectWise Suspends cloud backup after supply chain attack
https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/connectwise-suspends-cloud-backup-after.html
Drupal patches critical RCE flaws, warns of exploits
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/drupal-patches-critical-rce-flaws-warns-exploits-may-emerge-soon/
Chinese espionage attackers suspected of BeyondTrust zero-day
https://therecord.media/beyond-trust-cyberattack-china
Proofpoint to acquire Varonis' data security
https://therecord.media/proofpoint-varonis-cybersecurity-acquisition
Burger King Japan data breach exposes 11 million customer records
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/burger-king-japan-data-breach-exposes-11-million-customer-records/
BAE Systems cyberattack disrupts US federal court operations
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/bae-systems-cyberattack-disrupts-us-federal-court-operations/
CikaBika Bot RAT abuses Discord
https://www.securityweek.com/cikabika-bot-rat-uses-discord-for-cc/ 
Get the show notes here: https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-october-19-2026/
Huge thanks to our episode sponsor, ThreatLocker

AI is helping attackers research targets, create malicious code, and adapt faster. But the fundamentals have not changed. Code still needs to execute, applications still need access, and attackers still need privileges. Today's tip: control those actions instead of trying to predict every threat. Learn more from ThreatLocker at threatlocker.com/ciso.

See the full stories at cisoseries.com
This week's Department of Know is hosted by Rich Stroffolino, with guests Dennis Pickett, vp and CISO, RTI International, and David Cross, CISO, Atlassian.
Missed the live show? Check it out on YouTube.
The Department of Know is live every Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET. Join us each week by registering for the open discussion at CISOSeries.com.
Huge thanks to our sponsor, Guardsquare
Mobile security incidents are no longer the exception—they are the norm. Last year, seventy-two percent of companies suffered a mobile app security incident. As the primary gateway to your APIs and data, your mobile app requires more than just basic encryption; it needs a multi-layered security strategy. Protect your brand and your bottom line with layered mobile app protection. Learn more at Guardsquare.com.

CenterPoint Energy reveals data breach numbers
https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/102658-1m-impacted-by-centerpoint-energy-data-breach
Zero-Click Candiru spyware infections at Al Jazeera tracked to targeted online ads
https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/citizen-lab-traces-zero-click-candiru.html
UK Legal Aid Agency Hack Scope Widens After Forensic Review
https://www.securityweek.com/uk-legal-aid-agency-hack-scope-widens-after-forensic-review/
Bank of America needed 1,000 contractors to patch bugs found by Mythos
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/10/15/bank-of-america-had-to-bring-in-1000-contractors-to-patch-all-the-bugs-mythos-identified/5303275
Microsoft takes down 3 major China-based phishing platforms
https://therecord.media/microsoft-takes-down-3-major-chinese-phishing-platforms
Windows Server 2022 reaches end of mainstream support
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-windows-server-2022-reached-end-of-mainstream-support/
Senators press for AI safety and security
https://cyberscoop.com/congress-presses-trump-administration-ai-safety-cybersecurity/
French supermarket refrigeration attack widens
https://www.securityweek.com/supermarket-refrigeration-attack-widens-to-copeland-dixell-controllers/
Get the show notes here: https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-october-16-2026/
Huge thanks to our episode sponsor, Guardsquare

Attackers are treating your mobile app like an open book. Sixty-three percent of security leaders recently detected app tampering, cloning, or unauthorized modifications. When your code runs in an untrusted environment, you need runtime self-protection and code hardening to keep attackers out. Address tampering before it starts. Learn more at Guardsquare.com.

FBI shuts down North Korean laptop farms
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/fbi-raids-dprk-it-worker-laptop-farms-in-texas-us-nationals-arrested/
Meta's stolen credentials open GitHub repositories
https://www.securityweek.com/meta-says-hackers-took-code-personal-data-of-1500-in-github-breach/
Cisco email gateways face active attacks
https://thehackernews.com/2026/10/cisco-warns-of-active-attacks.html
Ledger tells Asian sellers to stop sales
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ledger-asks-sellers-across-asia-to-halt-sales-after-supply-chain-attack/
CISA urges Ivanti VPN updates
https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/102655-newly-exploited-vulnerability-in-ivanti-connect-secure
Microsoft's patch count breaks the annual record
https://cyberscoop.com/microsoft-patch-tuesday-october-2026/
Six days, three Chrome bugs, one sandbox escape
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/10/14/security-researchers-spent-6-days-doing-their-chromework-built-1b-user-exploit/5303134
Windows gets its Always On VPN back
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-fixes-vpn-issues-caused-by-september-windows-updates/
Get the show notes here: https://cisoseries.com/cybersecurity-news-october-15-2026/
Huge thanks to our episode sponsor, Guardsquare

AI is speeding up development, but at what cost? While ninety-six percent of teams now use AI tools, eighty-one percent report that AI-generated code has introduced new vulnerabilities into their mobile apps. In a world with automated threats, you need multi-layered, polymorphic security to stay ahead of the curve. Learn more at Guardsquare.com.