Weekly Cybersecurity Recap: Top Threats & Vulnerabilities
Hoplon InfoSec
09 Jan, 2026
A quick look at the weekly summary
This weekly cybersecurity summary from Hoplon Infosec talks about eight important security events that happened and were recorded in the past week. Every incident shows a different point of failure. Some are the result of bugs in the software. Others are caused by bad security design or trusting third-party tools too much.
When you put all of these events together, you can see why modern security failures rarely happen because of just one mistake. They come from a series of small weaknesses that attackers link together without anyone noticing.
People abused Google Cloud to get Microsoft 365 login information
This case shows how sneaky cloud abuse has become, even though it's not new.
Attackers used Google Cloud infrastructure to host phishing pages that looked like real Microsoft 365 login pages. Many traditional email and URL filtering tools didn't flag the links right away because the hosting environment looked safe.
As soon as victims entered their credentials, the data was sent to servers controlled by the attacker in real time.
Why this is important
This isn't a flaw in Google. It is a misuse of real infrastructure. There is no proof that Google Cloud has been hacked based on the reports that are out there. The problem is that attackers use trusted platforms as weapons.
From the defender's point of view, this changes the way they look for things. When attackers use well-known cloud providers, blocking suspicious domains isn't enough anymore.
Effects in the real world
Organizations that depend on Microsoft 365 a lot are especially at risk. One stolen admin credential can let someone access a mailbox, abuse a token, and move sideways.
Cisco ISE security hole with public proof of concept
Many businesses use Cisco Identity Services Engine in their networks. Cisco revealed and fixed a serious security hole in some ISE deployments this week.
A proof-of-concept exploit was released soon after the disclosure. According to Cisco's warnings, the flaw could let people do things they shouldn't be able to do, depending on how it is set up and who has access.
What is known and what is not
Cisco confirmed the flaw and put out fixes. At the time of writing, there is no proof that large-scale exploitation is happening. But history shows that making proof-of-concept code public greatly increases risk.
Why businesses should care
Cisco ISE is in charge of deciding who can access the network. If you don't fix any problems here, they could hurt zero-trust strategies.
900,000 people have Chrome extensions that steal ChatGPT data
This news made a lot of people in the security field raise their eyebrows.
Several Chrome extensions were found to be collecting data on how users interact with ChatGPT. Based on what we know, these extensions got to the page content and sent data to servers outside of the page.
What we know for sure
The extensions had permissions that were too broad. After an investigation, some were taken out of the Chrome Web Store. The number of 900,000 users that have been reported comes from total install counts, not confirmed victims.is
Why this ev is different
This weekly recap of cybersecurity shows that browser extensions are still a problem. Even though they can access sensitive content, people often trust them more than desktop software.
n8n vulnerability for remote code execution with authentication
Automation platforms are becoming very important parts of our infrastructure. People use n8n a lot to automate their workflows.
This week, a verified remote code execution vulnerability was found in some versions of n8n. Attackers who had valid credentials could run any code they wanted on the server.
Important background
This is not a vulnerability trequiresuire a click. You need to log in. But a lot of n8n instances are open to the internet with weak passwords.
Lesson in security
Even if flaws are authenticated, they are still dangerous. Attackers often get credentials by phishing or by using credentials from other breaches.
Explaining the macOS TCC bypass vulnerability
Apple's Transparency, Consent, and Control system is meant to keep users' information private. Researchers wrote down a way to get around TCC in certain situations.
What is confirmed: Apple admitted the problem and fixed it in security updates. The bypass does not automatically give full access to the system. Instead of allowing full compromise, it makes privacy protections weaker.
Why this is important: People who use macOS often think that the built-in protections are perfect. This event shows that their defenses are not guarantees but layers.
n8n flaw that lets you run any command you want
Another n8n vulnerability, besides the authenticated RCE issue, allowed arbitrary command execution in certain deployment situations.
Are these the same problem?
No. According to the information we have, these are separate problems that affect different parts or setups.
Risk level: High for systems that are open. Limito for well-configured internal deployments.
The Kimwolf botnet is back in action
The Kimwolf botnet is connected to DDoS attacks and the spread of malware. Reports say that activity has picked up again with new infrastructure.
What is still unk?nown Attribution is still limited. There is no proof of a link to a nation-state. The capabilities of a botnet are similar to those of people who are motivated by money.
Why it matters
Botnets like Kimwolf are often used to start bigger campaigns, like sending ransomware.
API security problems that let data leak
Data leaks related to APIs keep going up. Endpoints that aren't set up correca tly, lack of authentication, and too much data exposure are still common problemA patterntern that was seen
A lot of the organizations that were affected thought that their APIs were only for use within their own company. Attackers showed that this was not the case.
Impact on the industry: Healthcare, fintech, and SaaS platforms are still the most at risk.
This weekly cybersecurity recap has a lot of the same things in it
Pattern one: trusted platforms were used in a bad way.
Cloud services, add-ons for browsers, and tools for automating tasks. People are using trust as a weapon.
Pattern two: configuration is better than complexity.
Most incidents didn't use advanced exploits. They depended on bad defaults and patches that took too long to come out.
Pattern three: attacks that have been proven to be real are on the rise.
Attackers are more and more sure that they can get credentials from other places.
What groups should do right now
First, check the services that are open to the public.
Exposed to the internet: inventory automation tools, APIs, and admin panels.
Step two: patch faster.
Public proof-of-concept code makes it easier for attackers to get things done.
Step three: look over the rules for browser extensions.
Limit permissions. Take away tools you don't use.
Step four: Keep an eye on credential abuse.
MFA by itself isn't enough. Be on the lookout for strange access and token misuse.
People Also Ask Frequently Asked Questions
What is a weekly summary of cybersecurity?
A weekly cybersecurity recap gives a short summary of the most important security events, weaknesses, and attack patterns that have been seen in the last week.
Are browser add-ons really bad for you?
Yes, extensions can get sensitive data if they have too many permissions or if they are not carefully reviewed.
Is the cloud infrastructure not safe?
No. Most of the time, abuse is to blame, not platform flaws.
Do these threats matter to small businesses?
Final thoughts
This weekly cybersecurity recap does not talk about a threat that will happen in the future. It talks about things that are already happening quietly.
Attackers are no longer looking for strange exploits. They are taking advantage of trust, speed, and laziness. This week's events show how small gaps can add up.
These days, security isn't so much about getting new tools as it is about knowing how everything works together. If you miss one link, the whole chain will break.
That is the most important thing to learn this week.
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