11-Feb-2025 Cyber Crime Crackdowns, Lee Enterprises Breach, and Paris AI Showdown

Welcome to Hacked dAily, the FIRST AI-Driven Cybersecurity Podcast presented by Cytadel Cyber. Strap in for today’s round-up of cyber shenanigans and digital drama. Our first story unfolds like a cyber-thriller as authorities shut down 8Base ransomware, catching four of its key players—who can now teach their fellow inmates the fine art of digital monopoly in the slammer. Next up, if you've ever thought your VPN was an unnoticeable fortress, think again! A brute-force attack with 2.8 million IP addresses would make even the cast of a reality show dizzy. Note to hackers: perhaps use that energy to invent something less nefarious, like unbreakable digital cookies? Meanwhile, newspaper titan Lee Enterprises was thrown into the chaotic realm of cybercrime. It seems ink and paper can't escape the cyber clutches, forcing journalists to ask, "How did this happen?" faster than headline news breaks. In a small Alabama town, cybercriminals take on roles reminiscent of 90s action villains, hacking the local government for ransom. Citizens are now considering carrier pigeons for secure communication, proving old-school sometimes isn't so bad. Lastly, Paris hosts a dramatic AI summit where Trump’s sci-fi-inspired AI vision met with skepticism, while China's DeepSeek initiative left attendees wondering if the next Blade Runner script is already in progress. Join us tomorrow for more cyber tales!This episode is sponsored by Cytadel Cyber. Specialist in Ransomware Readiness Assessments, Threat Intel-Led Red Teaming, AI DeepFakes, AI Voice Cloning and AI Vishing Simulations. Cyatdel helps you test your cyber resilience against the threats of today, keeping your data secure. Checkout cytadel.co.uk for more information.