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#StopRansomware Advisory on Interlock Ransomware Threats and Mitigations

Luciano Ferrari

22 Dec 2025 — 2 min read

Monday, December 22, 2025

Top 5 Cybersecurity Stories You Should Know

#StopRansomware Advisory on Interlock Ransomware Threats and Mitigations — tl;dr: The CISA, FBI, and other agencies have issued a joint advisory on the Interlock ransomware, which has been actively targeting businesses and critical infrastructure in North America and Europe since September 2024. Interlock employs a double extortion model, encrypting data after exfiltration and using unique codes for ransom communication. Organizations are urged to implement robust cybersecurity measures, including DNS filtering, regular software updates, network segmentation, and multifactor authentication, to mitigate risks associated with this evolving threat. For detailed indicators of compromise and tactics, refer to the advisory.
↪ https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa25-203a
France Tests Phishing Awareness on 2.5 Million Students with Operation Cactus — tl;dr: The French government executed a large-scale phishing awareness test, dubbed Operation Cactus, targeting over 2.5 million middle and high school students. The initiative, which involved a deceptive link in students' digital workspaces that led to a phishing awareness video, resulted in 210,000 clicks—an 8% click rate, significantly lower than the typical 33% in corporate settings. Conducted after a pilot program in Yvelines, the test aimed to enhance cybersecurity awareness among youth. Schools and educators should prioritize ongoing cybersecurity education to further reduce susceptibility to phishing attacks.
↪ https://news.risky.biz/risky-bulletin-france-runs-phishing-test-on-2-5-million-students/
Cyber Threats Surge in 2025: Ransomware Attacks Up 50%, Critical Sectors Targeted — tl;dr: In 2025, global cyber threats intensified, with ransomware attacks increasing by 50% and data breaches reaching near-record levels. Key sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and professional services were heavily targeted, alongside critical infrastructure. The report revealed 5,967 ransomware incidents and 6,046 data breaches, with government and financial services being primary victims. Exploitation of vulnerabilities, particularly in enterprise software, played a significant role in these attacks. Organizations are urged to enhance their cybersecurity measures, focusing on vulnerability management and threat detection to mitigate risks associated with these escalating cyber threats.
↪ https://ciso.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/cybercrime-fraud/cybersecurity-alarm-unprecedented-rise-in-global-cyber-threats-in-2025/126072048
Washington Post Data Breach Exposes Data of 9,720 Employees via Oracle CVE-2025-61884 — tl;dr: The Washington Post has notified nearly 10,000 employees and contractors that their personal and financial information was compromised in a data breach linked to a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-61884) in Oracle E-Business Suite software. The breach occurred between July 10 and August 22, 2025, when threat actors accessed sensitive data and attempted to extort the organization. Affected individuals are encouraged to take advantage of a 12-month identity protection service offered by IDX and consider placing security freezes on their credit files to mitigate potential fraud risks.
↪ https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/washington-post-data-breach-impacts-nearly-10k-employees-contractors/
Washington Post Data Breach Tied to Zero-Day CVE-2025-61884 Exploit — tl;dr: The Washington Post confirmed a data breach affecting nearly 10,000 employees and contractors, linked to a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-61884) exploited by the Clop ransomware group. The breach, which occurred between July 10 and August 22, 2025, exposed sensitive personal and financial information, including Social Security numbers and bank details. Affected individuals are being offered 12 months of identity protection services. Organizations using Oracle E-Business Suite should prioritize patching vulnerabilities and enhancing monitoring to mitigate future risks associated with supply-chain attacks.
↪ https://freedium.cfd/https://medium.com/p/78191151931a