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Category: security

Over 16,000 compromised servers uncovered using Secure Shell key probing method

An international research team from the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Informatics in Saarbrücken, Germany, and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands has developed a method to detect compromised hosts at an internet scale by probing servers with public SSH keys previously observed in attacker operations.

This way, the team was able to identify more than 16,000 compromised hosts. Their findings have now been published at the USENIX Security Symposium 2025, where they were awarded a Distinguished Paper Award and the Internet Defense Prize.

Secure Shell (SSH) is one of the most common tools used to manage remotely. It provides a secure, encrypted channel between a client and a server, allowing users to log in, execute commands, and transfer files safely. SSH is widely used by system administrators and developers for maintaining and configuring remote systems.

Windows 11 KB5064081 update clears up CPU usage metrics in Task Manager

Microsoft has released the KB5064081 preview cumulative update for Windows 11 24H2, which includes thirty-six new features or changes, with many gradually rolling out. These updates include new Recall features and a new way of displaying CPU usage in Task Manager.

The KB5064081 update is part of the company’s optional non-security preview update schedule, which releases updates at the end of each month to test new fixes and features coming to the next month’s Patch Tuesday.

Unlike regular Patch Tuesday cumulative updates, monthly non-security preview updates do not include security updates and are optional.

WhatsApp patches vulnerability exploited in zero-day attacks

WhatsApp has patched a security vulnerability in its iOS and macOS messaging clients that was exploited in targeted zero-day attacks.

The company says this zero-click flaw (tracked as CVE-2025–55177) affects WhatsApp for iOS prior to version 2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS v2.25.21.78, and WhatsApp for Mac v2.25.21.78.

“Incomplete authorization of linked device synchronization messages in WhatsApp […] could have allowed an unrelated user to trigger processing of content from an arbitrary URL on a target’s device,” WhatsApp said in a Friday security advisory.

Microsoft says recent Windows update didn’t kill your SSD

Microsoft has found no link between the August 2025 KB5063878 security update and customer reports of failure and data corruption issues affecting solid-state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs).

Redmond first told BleepingComputer last week that it is aware of users reporting SSD failures after installing this month’s Windows 11 24H2 security update.

In a subsequent service alert seen by BleepingComputer, Redmond said that it was unable to reproduce the issue on up-to-date systems and began collecting user reports with additional details from those affected.

Google warns Salesloft breach impacted some Workspace accounts

Google now reports that the Salesloft Drift breach is larger than initially thought, warning that attackers also used stolen OAuth tokens to access a small number of Google Workspace email accounts in addition to stealing data from Salesforce instances.

Based on new information identified by GTIG, the scope of this compromise is not exclusive to the Salesforce integration with Salesloft Drift and impacts other integrations,’ warns Google.

We now advise all Salesloft Drift customers to treat any and all authentication tokens stored in or connected to the Drift platform as potentially compromised.

How to build larger, more reliable quantum computers, even with imperfect links between chips

While quantum computers are already being used for research in chemistry, material science, and data security, most are still too small to be useful for large-scale applications. A study led by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, now shows how “scalable” quantum architectures—systems made up of many small chips working together as one powerful unit—can be made.

Innsbruck develops new technique to improve multi-photon state generation

Quantum dots – semiconductor nanostructures that can emit single photons on demand – are considered among the most promising sources for photonic quantum computing.

However, every quantum dot is slightly different and may emit a slightly different color, according to a team at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, which has developed a technique to improve multi-photon state generation. The Innsbruck team states that, “the different forms of quantum dot means that, to produce multi-photon states we cannot use multiple quantum dots.”

Usually, researchers use a single quantum dot and multiplex the emission into different spatial and temporal modes, using a fast electro-optic modulator. But a contemporary technological challenge: faster electro-optic modulators are expensive and often require very customized engineering. To add to that, it may not be very efficient, which introduces unwanted losses in the system.

Nature Publishing: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41534-025-01083-0

Security wise: The team’s work combines years of research in quantum optics, semiconductor physics, and photonic engineering to open the door for next-generation quantum computers andunwanted losses in the system.

Communications. Here’s what you need to know. Securities IO: https://www.securities.io/passive-two-photon-quantum-dots-secure-communication

Continue reading “Innsbruck develops new technique to improve multi-photon state generation” | >

Researchers Demonstrate QuantumShield-BC Blockchain Framework

Researchers have developed QuantumShield-BC, a blockchain framework designed to resist attacks from quantum computers by integrating post-quantum cryptography (PQC) utilising algorithms such as Dilithium and SPHINCS+, quantum key distribution (QKD), and quantum Byzantine fault tolerance (Q-BFT) leveraging quantum random number generation (QRNG) for unbiased leader selection. The framework was tested on a controlled testbed with up to 100 nodes, demonstrating resistance to simulated quantum attacks and achieving fairness through QRNG-based consensus. An ablation study confirmed the contribution of each quantum component to overall security, although the QKD implementation was simulated and scalability to larger networks requires further investigation.

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