Internet security

Reuters reports that an alleged Israeli spy company concentrated much of its surveillance activity on users of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, according to sources. The report suggests the firm targeted the communications of Starlink customers specifically, raising fresh questions about commercial spyware firms and their operations, and drawing attention to the security of satellite internet networks.

Reuters reports, citing officials, that Iran has drawn up detailed plans to attack undersea telecommunications cables in the Gulf if war with Israel or the United States resumes. The cables carry a large share of regional and global internet traffic, and any strike could disrupt connectivity across the Middle East and beyond, prompting concern among governments and telecom operators.

A widely viewed tech commentary claims that the internet has just gone through what it calls the most vulnerable week in its history, suggesting an exceptional cluster of security failures or exposures affecting online systems. No further specifics are given in the claim itself, and it is not clear which incidents, companies or vulnerabilities are being referenced.

Japanese internet and infrastructure company GMO has told customers to shut down and disconnect their PCs from the internet following a data breach accompanied by a ransomware threat. The unusual advice to take machines offline has drawn wide attention in security circles, with commentators noting how rare it is for a major provider to make such a request.

Iran's parliament is moving to tighten internet controls, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which says the measures come alongside uncertainty over subsidy policies and a wave of security arrests. The opposition group argues the crackdown reflects growing domestic pressure on the authorities, with online restrictions used to limit communication and organisation among citizens.

Prosecutors in Tulsa allege a suspect used the public library's internet connection more than 60 times to upload child abuse files. The case has drawn attention to how public internet access points can be exploited for criminal activity, and questions are being raised about monitoring and safeguards at library facilities as the prosecution moves forward.

Circle Internet Group stock dropped 5.6% following a USDC freeze linked to a security breach at Binance. The move put pressure on the stablecoin issuer's shares as investors weighed the fallout from the exchange incident. Traders are watching how the freeze and the breach affect confidence in USDC and Circle's exposure to Binance.

Conservative groups have filed a court brief warning that allowing major AI companies to 'recklessly crawl the internet' for training data would jeopardize the survival of news outlets and pose risks to national security. The filing argues that unchecked data harvesting by tech giants undermines publishers whose reporting underpins public information, framing the dispute as both an economic and security concern.