04-Oct-2026 MI5, Antino and Fortra N0N: Espionage and Ransomware Rising

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 clear, concise analysis of the threats shaping business risk. Today’s briefing: 1. UK-China academic links: MI5 says CGTRI, allegedly a front for China’s Ministry of State Security, funded research involving more than 100 UK-linked academics in sensitive fields. Universities are urged to review ties, with possible National Security Act consequences; Beijing denies the allegations, highlighting risks to research security and international collaboration. 2. Email-powered Antino backdoor: A new Antino variant uses email inboxes to receive commands and return stolen data, blending into routine business traffic. The technique can make espionage harder to detect and disrupt, extending attacker access. 3. N0N ransomware: Fortra reports a fast-moving campaign combining phishing, remote access, encryption and data-extortion threats. The operation underscores the business impact of disruption and the need for rapid, coordinated response. 4. AI-policy phishing: A suspected China-aligned group impersonated Anthropic and former White House AI officials to target US policy experts with credential-stealing lures. The campaign shows how trusted identities can be weaponised to access cloud accounts and sensitive information on emerging technology policy. 5. Unavailable source: The underlying article could not be retrieved, so its facts and potential impact cannot be verified without risking an inaccurate summary. Listen to Hacked dAily for the latest cybersecurity intelligence, business implications and security decisions that matter. 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.