The second week of 2026 continues to fetch new cybersecurity issues that affect national security, public stability, business operations, and technology governance. Developments this week ranged from senior intelligence leadership appointments and nationwide internet shutdowns to data breaches, new cybercrime services, and regulatory pressure on generative AI platforms.
Across regions and sectors, the incidents reflect how cyber risks now extend beyond technical environments into policy decisions, civil rights, financial systems, and public trust. Governments, enterprises, and technology providers faced challenges tied to resilience, accountability, and threat escalation, reinforcing cybersecurity’s role as a strategic issue rather than a purely operational one.
The Cyber Express Weekly Roundup
X Tightens Grok AI Restrictions
X (previously Twitter) introduced new restrictions on its AI chatbot Grok to prevent the creation of nonconsensual sexualized images, including content that may constitute child sexual abuse material. Measures include blocking sexualized image edits of real people, limiting image generation to paid users, and applying geoblocking where such content is illegal. The changes follow widespread abuse reports and ongoing investigations by U.S. and European authorities. Read more…
NSA Appoints Timothy Kosiba as Deputy Director
The National Security Agency announced the appointment of Timothy Kosiba as its 21st Deputy Director, making him the agency’s senior civilian official responsible for strategy execution, policy, and operational priorities. Kosiba brings more than 30 years of experience across the U.S. intelligence community, including senior roles at the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command, overseas liaison assignments, and leadership of major operational units. Read more…
Iran Enters Fourth Day of Nationwide Internet Blackout
Iran entered a fourth day of a nationwide internet blackout amid widespread unrest linked to the collapse of the rial, now trading at 1.4 million to the U.S. dollar. Authorities reduced national connectivity to approximately 1%, cutting off communications for more than 80 million people. Reports indicate thousands have been detained and hundreds killed since protests began, drawing international concern over censorship, human rights, and crisis communications. Read more…
Dr. Amit Chaubey Warns of Expanding “Business Blast Radius”
In an interview with The Cyber Express, Dr. Amit Chaubey said cyber incidents in 2026 are creating a broader “business blast radius,” extending beyond IT into national resilience, legal exposure, operational continuity, and public trust. He identified failures in external dependencies, such as cloud services, identity systems, connectivity, and key suppliers, as the primary drivers of large-scale disruption, warning that many organizations remain unprepared for sustained degraded operations. Read more…
Endesa Data Breach Affects Energía XXI Customers
Spanish energy provider Endesa disclosed a data breach involving unauthorized access to its commercial platform, impacting customers of its regulated operator Energía XXI. Exposed data includes identification details, contact information, national identity numbers, contract data, and possible payment information such as IBANs. Endesa stated that account passwords were not compromised and reported no evidence of data misuse as investigations continue. Read more…
New Android Banking Malware deVixor Identified
Cyble researchers identified a new Android banking malware called deVixor, a remote access trojan combining credential theft, device surveillance, and ransomware functionality. Active since October, the malware targets Iranian users through phishing sites distributing malicious APKs and is operated as a service-based criminal platform using Telegram and Firebase infrastructure. Researchers noted the malware’s scalability and long-term operational design. Read more…
Microsoft Disrupts RedVDS Cybercrime Platform
Microsoft announced the takedown of RedVDS, a cybercrime-as-a-service platform costing $24 per month that provided criminals with disposable virtual machines for fraud operations. In coordination with international law enforcement, Microsoft seized infrastructure linked to an estimated $40 million in reported U.S. fraud losses, with victims across healthcare, real estate, nonprofit, and other sectors. The action marks Microsoft’s 35th civil case against cybercrime infrastructure. Read more…
Weekly Roundup Takeaway
This week’s events highlight how cybersecurity in 2026 directly affects governance, economic stability, civil rights, and technology accountability. From intelligence leadership changes and state-imposed internet shutdowns to advanced malware, large-scale fraud platforms, and AI safety enforcement, cyber risks now demand coordinated action across policy, regulation, and operations rather than technical controls alone.