Report finds China and Russia may be coordinating ‘grey zone’ tactics against vulnerable western infrastructure

China and Russia are stepping up sabotage operations targeting undersea cables and the UK is unprepared to meet the mounting threat, according to new analysis.

A report by the China Strategic Risks Institute (CSRI) analysed 12 incidents where national authorities had investigated alleged undersea cable sabotage between January 2021 and April 2025. Of the 10 cases in which a suspect vessel was identified, eight were directly linked to China or Russia through flag-state registration or company ownership.

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Citizen Lab says it found ‘digital fingerprints’ of military-grade spyware that Italy has already admitted using against activists

The hacking mystery roiling the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s rightwing government is deepening after researchers said they found new evidence that two more journalists were targeted using the same military-grade spyware that Italy has admitted to using against activists.

A parliamentary committee overseeing intelligence confirmed earlier this month that Italy used mercenary spyware made by Israel-based Paragon Solutions against two Italian activists.

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University spokesperson says Genevieve Bell’s account had ‘liked’ posts she had never seen before about Julie Bishop and Gaza

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The Australian National University (ANU) has contacted authorities about a possible hacking incident after its vice-chancellor’s account liked a number of “highly offensive” LinkedIn posts about Gaza and Julie Bishop.

One of the posts liked by Genevieve Bell’s account was an inflammatory post about Gaza, while another made negative comments about Bishop, the ANU chancellor and a former foreign minister.

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Arrest warrants issued for ringleaders after investigation by police in Europe and North America

European and North American cybercrime investigators say they have dismantled the heart of a malware operation directed by Russian criminals after a global operation involving British, Canadian, Danish, Dutch, French, German and US police.

International arrest warrants have been issued for 20 suspects, most of them living in Russia, by European investigators while indictments were unsealed in the US against 16 individuals.

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How to prove your identity after your account gets hacked and how to improve security for the future

• Phone lost or stolen? Practical steps to restore peace of mind
• UK passport lost or stolen? Here are the steps you need to take

Your Facebook or Instagram account can be your link to friends, a profile for your work or a key to other services, so losing access can be very worrying. Here’s what to do if the worst happens.

If you have access to the phone number or email account associated with your Facebook or Instagram account, try to reset your password by clicking on the “Forgot password?” link on the main Facebook or Instagram login screen. Follow the instructions in the email or text message you receive.

If you no longer have access to the email account linked to your Facebook account, use a device with which you have previously logged into Facebook and go to facebook.com/login/identify. Enter any email address or phone number you might have associated with your account, or find your username which is the string of characters after Facebook.com/ on your page. Click on “No longer have access to these?”, “Forgotten account?” or “Recover” and follow the instructions to prove your identity and reset your password.

If your account was hacked, visit facebook.com/hacked or instagram.com/hacked/ on a device you have previously used to log in and follow the instructions. Visit the help with a hacked account page for Facebook or Instagram.

Change the password to something strong, long and unique, such as a combination of random words or a memorable lyric or quote. Avoid simple or guessable combinations. Use a password manager to help you remember it and other important details.

Turn on two-step verification in the “password and security” section of the Accounts Centre. Use an authentication app or security key for this, not SMS codes. Save your recovery codes somewhere safe in case you lose access to your two-step authentication method.

Turn on “unrecognised login” alerts in the “password and security” section of the Accounts Centre, which will alert you to any suspicious login activity.

Remove any suspicious “friends” from your account – these could be fake accounts or scammers.

If you are eligible, turn on “advanced protection for Facebook” in the “password and security” section of the Accounts Centre.

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British defence firms have reportedly warned staff not to connect their phones to Chinese-made EVs

Mobile phones and desktop computers are longstanding targets for cyber spies – but how vulnerable are electric cars?

On Monday the i newspaper claimed that British defence firms working for the UK government have warned staff against connecting or pairing their phones with Chinese-made electric cars, due to fears that Beijing could extract sensitive data from the devices.

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Regulator prohibits leasing of ‘global titles’ phone numbers by mobile operators after industry efforts to tackle problem were ineffective

The UK communications regulator is banning mobile operators from leasing numbers that can be used by criminals to intercept and divert calls and messages, including security codes sent by banks to customers.

Ofcom said it would stop the leasing of “global titles”, special types of phone numbers which are used by mobile networks to support services to make sure messages and calls reach the intended recipient.

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Join a loyalty scheme and you often get a reward or discount on your special day – but it may have strings attached

Celebrating your birthday isn’t just about getting presents and cards from family and friends. Signing up to loyalty schemes and newsletters can give you access to a host of freebies, deals and discounts from retailers to mark the big day.

With my birthday on the horizon I decided to look at what was on offer, and see which gifts came with some small print.

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Gathering data used to be a fringe pursuit of Silicon Valley nerds. Now we’re all at it, recording everything from menstrual cycles and mobility to toothbrushing and time spent in daylight. Is this just narcissism redesigned for the big tech age?

I first heard about my friend Adam’s curious new habit in a busy pub. He said he’d been doing it for over a year, but had never spoken to anyone about it before. He had a furtive look around, then took out his phone and showed me the product of his burning obsession: a spreadsheet.

This was not a record of his annual tax return or numbers he was crunching for work (Adam is a data scientist). Instead, it was a spreadsheet recording the minutiae of his life, with dozens of columns tracking every element of his daily routine. It all started, he told me, because of a recurring argument with his boyfriend. His partner didn’t think they spent enough time together, but Adam thought that they did. There was only one way to settle this, he decided: cold, hard data. So he began keeping a note of the days they saw each other and the days they didn’t.

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Users will now be more vulnerable to data breaches from bad actors, Apple says, after Home Office order

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Apple has taken the unprecedented step of removing its strongest data security tool from customers in the UK, after the government demanded “backdoor” access to user data.

UK users will no longer have access to the advanced data protection (ADP) tool, which uses end-to-end encryption to allow only account holders to view items such as photos or documents they have stored online in the iCloud storage service.

UK users will now be more vulnerable to data breaches from bad actors, and other threats to customer privacy, Apple said. It will also mean that all data is accessible by Apple, which can share it with law enforcement if they have a warrant.

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