Organised Crime stories

Global ransomware attacks jump 50% to 7,874 in 2025, with industrial firms bearing the brunt as criminal groups reshuffle their tactics.

Scammers hijack Israel-Iran war headlines for classic advance-fee email cons, security researchers warn, urging users not to respond.

Global ransomware attacks fell 17% in January, but NCC warns evolving tactics, AI and messaging apps mean risk is not receding.

INTERPOL's Africa cybercrime blitz nets 651 arrests, seizes 2,341 devices and recovers USD $4.3m after scams linked to USD $45m losses.

Dark web 'fraud superstores' expand slick services but LexisNexis research finds AI liveness and deepfake checks still foil many scams.

NCC flags fourth straight monthly rise in ransomware attacks and growing efforts by major gangs to recruit insiders and cyber staff.

Ransomware gangs are stepping up efforts to recruit insiders, warns NCC Group, as December 2025 attacks jump 13% to 784 globally.

Ransomware gangs shrank in number but hit more victims in late 2025, with leak-site postings soaring despite fewer active groups.

Rob Demain warns that cyber campaigns on critical infrastructure are demanding behaviour-led defence over compliance.

Fortinet will use Davos to push cross-sector incentives for cyber intel sharing, accountability and deterrence in a booming crime ecosystem.

iProov and HYPR partner to embed biometric liveness checks into workforce onboarding, tackling deepfake and synthetic identity fraud.

Dark web vendors sell UK ID packs for about USD $30, helping criminals bypass biometric checks at banks and fintechs, AMLTRIX warns.

Banks are set to embed AI deep into payment systems by 2026, slashing costs as fraud surges and pressure mounts on platforms and regulators.

Linxens has launched Hint, a hidden sensor for e-passports and ID cards that alerts border checks to deliberate chip tampering and fraud.

Music tech boss Con Raso predicts AI, anti-fraud tools and fan-powered models will reshape streaming, gaming and DSP catalogues by 2026.

HP warns of rising AI-driven cyber threats by 2026, including increased cookie theft and attacks on device and identity security in organisations.

KnowBe4 predicts agentic AI, quantum computing, and cybercrime evolution will reshape global cybersecurity and workforce practices in 2026.

Research links Asian iGaming firm BBIN and Vault Viper to extensive cyber-enabled fraud and organised crime across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Global scam attempts have surged 65% over the past year, with smishing rising tenfold as banks worldwide battle increasing fraud risks.

Cloudflare blocked 108.9 billion cyberattacks in a year, a 241% rise, targeting journalists and human rights groups via Project Galileo's global defence initiative.