Category: What’s New in Technology

The Silent Threat: How Simple Misconfigurations Are Fueling 2025 Worst Cyberattacks

Simple Misconfigurations Are Fueling 2025 Worst CyberattacksAs organizations invest heavily in next-gen firewalls, AI detection, and threat intelligence, grave cyberattacks have been reported as a result of overlooked misconfigurations. According to the latest statistics, about 23 percent of cloud security incidents are directly connected to misconfigurations. These missteps create easy entry points for cybercriminals that may lead to data breaches, ransomware demands, and financial loss.

What are Misconfigurations?

Misconfigurations are overlooked errors in system setups that create vulnerabilities without the need for hackers to apply advanced hacking techniques. These silent threats are human-driven oversights when configuring software, hardware, or cloud services. Good examples include improperly set permissions in cloud storage, insecure API keys left in code repositories, inadequate security monitoring, and unsecured access points like IoT devices with default passwords.

These issues arise from human error, which accounts for 82 percent of misconfigurations. This is also compounded by today’s cloud era, where businesses depend on cloud platforms, software as a service stacks (SaaS), and AI-driven infrastructure. Many organizations now use multiple providers, and this makes configurations challenging. Rushed deployment also adds to the misconfiguration problem, especially when a thorough audit is not conducted. Unlike malware or phishing scams, misconfigurations remain undetected until exploited.

2025’s Worst Cyberattacks Fueled by Misconfigurations

This year alone, there has been a surge in incidents related to misconfiguration, which is alarming. There were more than 9.5 million cyberattacks in the first half of the year. A good example is the Coinbase breach of May 2025, in which data from more than 70,000 customer records was stolen. This breach is attributed to insider threats exploiting misconfigured permissions.

Recently, cybersecurity researchers revealed a botnet campaign that exploited misconfigured DNS sender policy framework (SPF) records across 20,000 domains and compromised more than 13,000 MikroTik routers. This enabled large-scale spam and spoofing attacks.

In many regions, misconfigured VPN gateways and remote access tools have also contributed to ransomware campaigns. This is through attackers bypassing perimeter defenses by exploiting a misconfigured VPN portal.

IoT weaknesses have also seen entire networks of smart devices compromised, simply because administrators did not change the default login credentials. The entry points ranged from security cameras to industrial sensors, allowing attackers to access more sensitive corporate systems.

Why Organizations Keep Making the Same Mistakes

  • Talent shortage – Many IT teams are stretched and lack sufficient experts to catch every misstep.
  • False confidence in automation – While automated tools are a great help, they are not foolproof. Overreliance on these tools and having a set-and-forget mindset can leave room for security breaches.
  • Velocity over security – This happens when rapid delivery of product features overshadows the slower discipline of security reviews.
  • Siloed responsibility – In many organizations, security is delegated to a separate team instead of being embedded across different units like the development, operations, and business units.
  • Awareness gap – Many teams underestimate how a single overlooked setting, like an open test environment, can escalate into a full-scale breach.

Prevention Strategies and Best Practices

Fortunately, misconfigurations are one of the preventable causes of security breaches. Preventing misconfigurations requires proactive measures that include:

  • Continuous auditing and testing – It is crucial to ensure regular audits and testing of automated tools for configuration management to detect and reduce the window of exposure.
  • Adopt zero-trust models – No device or user should be trusted by default; grant only minimum access where required.
  • Strengthen access controls – Always change default device credentials, partition networks, and enforce MFA across all accounts.
  • Automated detection tools – Use cloud security posture management, compliance-as-code, and drift detection to catch misconfigurations in real time.
  • Cross-functional training and culture – Employee training is vital, as human error accounts for 82 percent of incidents. Security literacy should extend to both technical and non-technical teams.
  • Follow industry guidelines – Align with recognized security frameworks (NIST, ISO, CIS) and CISA’s published guidance on the Top Ten Cybersecurity Misconfigurations. For example, avoid using default configurations, enforce patch management, and properly segment networks.
  • Incident response readiness – Have a well-drilled response playbook to ensure minor disruption in case the defenses fail.

Conclusion

Simple misconfiguration remains a silent enabler of devastating cyberattacks through avoidable errors. Business owners must prioritize configuration hygiene to build resilient digital infrastructures and protect against future threats.

It is a clear lesson that cybersecurity doesn’t always depend on battling sophisticated hackers but rather ensuring they don’t get an easy way in.

6506148 B2 Patent: Nervous System Manipulation – Is it Real or Just Paranoia?

Imagine someone manipulating how you feel. Of course, no one wants that. But how about being manipulated unknowingly? This is exactly what is happening to your nervous system every time you switch on your TV or computer.

Well, at least according to the 6506148 B2 Patent.

The patent named “Nervous System Manipulation By Electromagnetic Fields From Monitors” was filed in 2001 and published in 2003. The patent was filed by one Hendricus G. Loss (perceived to be a fictitious person as no information about who he really is can be traced).

Is it Worth Any Attention?

We already know that the content displayed on TVs or even on the internet is created in such a way as to influence decisions, such as when making a purchase or standing behind certain beliefs.

The mind control subject has been a topic of discussion for a long time. Although initially considered a conspiracy theory, its reality has been observed in the content displayed by mainstream media.

But how about manipulation through the nervous system?

Science teaches us that the work of the nervous system is to carry messages throughout the body and control your senses. The nervous system, according to neuroscientists, is controlled by the brain.

Now, the brain is said to be a complex bioelectrical organ that produces electric fields.

That’s why it’s believed that you can rewire your brain through techniques such as listening to binaural beats. Scientists also claim to control brain functions with a technique that uses powerful electromagnetic radiation. This technique, known as Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), can jam or excite particular brain circuits.

Think of how you are not allowed to use cell phones in some areas of a hospital or in an airplane (where some only allow use in airplane mode). This is so that the electromagnetic transmission of the phone does not interfere with critical electrical devices.

So if a brain is a bioelectrical organ, is there a possibility of manipulating it?

How it Happens, According to 6506148 B2 Patent

Here is a short excerpt from the patent abstract:

“Physiological effects have been observed in a human subject in response to stimulation of the skin with weak electromagnetic fields that are pulsed with certain frequencies near ½ Hz or 2.4 Hz, such as to excite a sensory resonance. Many computer monitors and TV tubes, when displaying pulsed images, emit pulsed electromagnetic fields of sufficient amplitudes to cause such excitation.

It is, therefore, possible to manipulate the nervous system of a subject by pulsing images displayed on a nearby computer monitor or TV set. For the latter, the image pulsing may be embedded in the program material, or it may be overlaid by modulating a video stream, either as an RF signal or as a video signal. The image displayed on a computer monitor may be pulsed effectively by a simple computer program. For certain monitors, pulsed electromagnetic fields capable of exciting sensory resonances in nearby subjects may be generated even as the displayed images are pulsed with subliminal intensity.”

The US Patent 6506148 B2 is a confirmation of the possibility to manipulate the nervous system. The patent includes 14 claims including how video can be used to manipulate the nervous system.

Is it just a conspiracy theory?

Well, it’s not easy to tell. But we can’t ignore the concerns raised in regards to electromagnetic fields (EMF). The EMF issue has raised so much concern that in May 2015, 190 scientists from 39 nations submitted an Appeal to the United Nations requesting the World Health Organization (WHO) adopt more EMF exposure protective guidelines.

Such concerns are an indication that the patent should not be ignored. It also goes to show that apart from your electronic devices recording, monitoring and watching everything you are doing, they can also influence living organisms’ feelings, perceptions, thoughts and behavior.

Switch off that Screen

Well, this is practically not possible. The dependence on these electronic devices is so high that we are practically immobilized if they were to be turned off. Electronics have become part of human attachment.

The age of the Internet of Things (IoT) doesn’t make it any better. Now that we are surrounded by electromagnetic emitting devices, the patent serves as an alert to the public of the possibility of what could happen if these technologies were used unethically.

Unfortunately, the technology is here to stay. The only option is to minimize the exposure from your EMF emitting devices. Therefore it’s not a bad idea to try something different: read a book, go hiking, take a walk or simply switch off that screen when you can.