Welcome to this week’s edition of The Keys To Cyber Digest by MSC Security! We’re here to arm you with knowledge, protect what matters, and sprinkle in a little humor along the way. Because while cybersecurity is serious business, staying safe online can still be a little fun.

This Week’s Highlights

Trusted Partner Highlight - Dr. Crystal Bray, PhD

Getting Started Thursd-Ai returns this week with a critical focus: Ai & Cybersecurity.

Following up on this week's Loop Effect Newsletter, I'll be speaking with a tech-forward cybersecurity expert to discuss how Ai is transforming both threats and protections in the security landscape. Whether you're concerned about personal security or managing enterprise-level systems, this conversation will provide practical insights you can implement immediately.

Join us this Thursday as we explore:
- How AI is changing the security threat landscape
- Practical security measures for the AI era
- Career opportunities in AI-driven security
- Expert insights from the frontlines of cybersecurity

Ransomware Extortion Drops to $813.5M in 2024, Down from $1.25B in 2023

Ransomware attacks netted cybercrime groups a total of $813.5 million in 2024, a decline from $1.25 billion in 2023.

The total amount extorted during the first half of 2024 stood at $459.8 million, blockchain intelligence firm Chainalysis said, adding payment activity slumped after July 2024 by about 3.94%.

"The number of ransomware events increased into H2, but on-chain payments declined, suggesting that more victims were targeted, but fewer paid," the company said.

Adding to the challenges is an increasingly fragmented ransomware ecosystem, which, in the wake of the collapse of LockBit and BlackCat, has led to the emergence of a lot of newcomers that have eschewed big game hunting in favor of small- to mid-size entities that, in turn, translate to more modest ransom demands.

DeepSeek Phishing Sites Pursue User Data, Crypto Wallets

More than two weeks after China's DeepSeek garnered worldwide attention with its low-cost AI model, threat actors have been busy capitalizing on the news by setting up phishing sites impersonating the company.

The fraudulent sites aim to deceive users into downloading malicious software or providing credentials and other sensitive information. Researchers at Israel-based Memcyco spotted at least 16 such sites actively impersonating DeepSeek earlier this week and believe the activity represents a coordinated attack campaign among threat actors.

Apple iOS 18.3.1 - What’s In Apple’s Mystery New iPhone Update?

The iOS 18.3.1 update could be Apple’s way of releasing some important security fixes, especially if the flaws have already been used in attacks. Apple’s iOS 18.3 already included a hefty list of 29 fixes, including one for an already exploited issue in CoreMedia tracked as CVE-2025-24085 that could see a malicious application able to elevate privileges.

Meanwhile, a Mac and iPad issue patched at the same time has recently gained traction, so look up those updates now and apply them if you haven’t already on your devices.

Stay Connected & Take Action!

Click the link below to stay connected to everything we are doing at MSC Security!

We’re on a mission to make cybersecurity understandable, approachable, and even a bit entertaining. Every click and every decision can make a difference. Thanks for trusting MSC Security to help keep your digital life safe.

Talk soon,

The MSC Security Team

PS: “You’re only one bad password away from inviting hackers to the party. Make your password strong enough to crash their plans.”