12-Aug-2026 Microsoft Patch Surge, Sandworm Job Scams and Healthcare Ransomware

Hacked dAily is the first AI-driven cybersecurity podcast, created by Cytadel Cyber and published daily. Built for CISOs, security leaders, and decision-makers, it delivers concise analysis of the threats shaping business risk. 1. Microsoft released patches for at least 398 vulnerabilities, including an actively exploited Windows zero-day and two publicly disclosed flaws. Security teams should prioritize the exploited issue while validating broader deployments to avoid operational disruption. 2. Russian-linked Sandworm is using fake recruitment campaigns to deliver a trojanized VPN client to system administrators and IT professionals. The operation shows how trusted tools, social engineering, and professional networks can provide access to corporate and critical infrastructure environments. 3. A nonprofit healthcare system serving Georgia and South Carolina remains disrupted two weeks after a cyberattack, with facilities still affected. A ransomware group also posted claims of stolen patient data, increasing regulatory, reputational, and patient-care pressures even though the claims remain unverified. 4. Researchers have linked a Falcon-branded extortion campaign to coordinated infrastructure and victim-pressure tactics rather than a conventional ransomware operation. Tracking server behavior and messaging can give defenders earlier warning and improve disruption efforts when malware evidence is limited. 5. Project CAV3RN, a modular espionage framework targeting Israel, is using DNS and legitimate cloud services to make command-and-control activity harder to detect and remove. The evolution highlights how threat actors are layering trusted infrastructure and flexible components to improve persistence and evade security controls. Hacked Daily is sponsored by Cytadel, an offensive cyber assurance company specialising in AI-powered attacks. Cytadel’s expert-led Red Team Assessments follow real attack chains across people, identity and technology to verify whether they can become AI fraud or ransomware disruption. We verify your defences before attackers do. Learn more at cytadel.co.uk.