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Also: the Recent Ransomware Surge, Crypto Reserve Controversy
In this week's update, four ISMG editors discussed the recent surge in ransomware attacks, implications of the U.S. military's pause on cyber operations against Russia and President Trump's bold but controversial plan to create a national cryptocurrency reserve.

Artificial intelligence-based tools are among the most promising advancing technologies for healthcare sector organizations to help to address cybersecurity resource shortages, said Chris Tyberg, CISO of medical device and consumer health product manufacturer Abbott.

The use of artificial intelligence is not only reshaping healthcare delivery in the sector but also healthcare cybersecurity within organizations, said Anahi Santiago, CISO of ChristianaCare, the largest healthcare delivery organization in the state of Delaware.

Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, a money laundering destination for Russian and North Korean hackers, is no more after international law enforcement seized its servers. Prosecutors in the United States indicted the exchange's two principals in federal court.

No, But It Will Shift Their Focus to More Strategic and Creative Roles
Artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity workflows, automating tasks and enhancing efficiency. But does that mean security professionals are at risk of being replaced? Not quite. AI is redefining roles, rather than eliminating them, to focus more on strategic thinking and problem-solving.

Legacy apps and medical devices continue to pose persistent and considerable risk to healthcare IT environments, and many organizations are still unaware of their prevalence in their settings, said Keith Fricke, partner and principal consultant at tw-Security, who discusses mitigation steps to take.

State privacy laws, such as Washington State's My Health My Data Act, could throw a curve ball in the use of certain consumer information for artificial intelligence and machine learning endeavors, said regulatory attorney Adam Greene of the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine.

Also: BianLian Ransomware Hackers Aren't Really Mailing You
This week, the U.S. sanctioned the Nemesis admin, Poco RAT spotted in Latin America, Apple challenged a British order to weaken encryption and the FBI warned against scam letters purportedly from BianLian. Also, a Nigerian tax scammer extradited to the U.S., a new botnet and a Webex vulnerability.

Trump's Former Cybersecurity Coordinator Says DOGE Firings Threaten Cybersecurity
Mass firings of federal probationary civil servants instigated by the Department of Government Efficiency will "destroy a pipeline of top talent," said Rob Joyce, a long-time National Security Agency official.

Armis' Purchase of Otorio Enhances On-Prem Security, Active Querying and Compliance
Armis' acquisition of Otorio for $120 million strengthens its on-premises operational technology security capabilities. The deal expands Armis' ability to serve air-gapped and compliance-driven industries while integrating secure remote access and active querying into its security platform.

Probe Into Microsoft's $13 Billion OpenAI Investment Launched in 2023
The U.K. antitrust regulator won't open an investigation into a partnership between computing giant Microsoft and artificial intelligence company OpenAI. U.K. Competition Market Authority concludes that there is no "relevant merger situation."

Provisional Agreement Tied to Ransomware Attack Affecting 2.2 Million Customers
American pharmacy chain giant Rite Aid reached a $6.8 million agreement to settle a data breach class action lawsuit, which includes a pledge to improve its cybersecurity practices. The breach involved a ransomware group stealing data pertaining to 2.2 million customers.

Also: Bybit Hackers Launder Stolen Ether
This week, Trump announced a crypto strategic reserve; Bybit hackers laundered stolen Ether; Iris Ramaya Au, ex-girlfriend of crypto fraudster, pleaded guilty to a tax charge; CoinDCX will manage crypto seized by India's enforcement directorate.

Off-Brand Android Devices Come Infected With a Trojan
A botnet infected more than 1 million off-brand Android devices manufactured in China, which reached consumers with a backdoor already installed. Scammers used the devices for programmatic ad fraud, click fraud and converting the devices into a residential proxy.

Weigh the Options for Open-Source and Vendor-Backed Solutions and Try Them Out
Open-source tools can be powerful, flexible and budget-friendly, but they are not always the right choice. Understanding their strengths, weaknesses and best use cases will help you decide when to use them and when to consider a commercial alternative.

Quantum computing could bring the next technology "revolution" in healthcare, but organizations will face critical cybersecurity issues when quantum becomes a reality, said attorney Lee Kim, senior principal of cybersecurity and privacy at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

So far, medical devices affected in ransomware attacks have mostly been a casualty of IT networks being taken offline. But the potential nightmare scenario is a targeted device attack in which cybercriminals threaten to kill patients, said Dr. Eric Liederman, CEO of consulting firm CyberSolutionsMD.

Microsoft Sees Cyberespionage Group Lifting API Keys and Credentials for Customers
A prolific cyberespionage group tied to Beijing appears to have increased its targeting of widely used IT tools and service providers. Microsoft said the group's tactics now include stealing API keys and credentials from providers to gain access to providers' downstream customers' infrastructure.