24-Aug-2026 | Cybermes, Iran-Linked Hackers and Rising OT Cyber Risks

Hacked dAily is the first AI-driven cybersecurity podcast, created by Cytadel Cyber and published daily. Built for CISOs, security leaders, and executives, each episode explains the cyber developments shaping business risk, resilience, and decision-making. 1. UK authorities attributed an attack that took a small British power generator offline for four days to Iran-linked hackers, while confirming there was no wider energy-system impact. The incident highlights growing state-backed pressure on critical infrastructure and the need for stronger resilience across essential services. 2. New analysis warns that emerging industrial communication protocols could expand the attack surface faster than security controls can mature. For factories, utilities, and other operators, inadequate protection could increase the risk of disruption, unauthorized access, safety incidents, and costly downtime. 3. Mid-market companies represented 73% of publicly disclosed ransomware and data-extortion incidents with known revenue in North America and Europe between January 2023 and June 2026. Manufacturing was hit hardest, reinforcing how limited security resources, patching gaps, and stolen credentials can expose both individual firms and wider supply chains. 4. Incident response plans may not be ready for AI-initiated access, where autonomous agents can perform actions, move through systems, and obscure whether activity is legitimate or malicious. Without stronger oversight and clear procedures, organizations could face slower containment, investigation, recovery, and accountability. 5. Cybermes 2.0.0, an open-source AI offensive security agent, claims to automate penetration testing from reconnaissance through reporting with minimal human oversight. Its arrival underscores the potential of autonomous red teaming while highlighting the need for authorization, independent validation, and careful governance. 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.