February’s cyber briefings confirmed something I have been watching build for a while. The threat has not just grown. It has got smarter.
Let me explain what that means in practice, and what you should actually do about it.
The malware is adapting in real time
Researchers identified a new Android malware strain this month that uses generative AI to observe what is on the device screen and modify its own behaviour accordingly. It does not rely on fixed code that security tools can recognise and block. It watches, adjusts, and persists.
A second AI-powered malware strain was identified shortly after, confirming this is a trend, not an isolated incident.
For organisations, this changes the calculus. Traditional signature-based detection tools look for known patterns. Malware that rewrites its own behaviour to avoid those patterns requires a different approach. Behavioural monitoring matters more than ever. So does endpoint security across every device on your network.
Patching is still the most important thing you are probably not doing consistently
This month Microsoft pushed patches for 58 vulnerabilities. Six were already being exploited before the patch was released. Apple, Google Chrome, and BeyondTrust Remote Support all had critical flaws under active attack.
Every week I speak to organisations carrying unpatched systems. Sometimes it is because no one owns the process. Sometimes it is because the IT team is stretched. Sometimes it is because legacy infrastructure makes patching complicated.
None of those reasons protect you when an attacker finds the gap.
Patch management is not a technical problem. It is an operational one. Someone needs to own it, track it, and report on it. If that is not happening in your organisation, it needs to be.
Internal errors are as dangerous as external attacks
PayPal disclosed this month that a coding error, not a breach, exposed personal data for around 100 customers. An internal software change introduced the vulnerability.
I see this pattern with clients who have undergone rapid technology change without the governance to match. The attack surface is not only external. Every software update, every configuration change, every new integration is a potential point of failure. Change control and testing procedures are not bureaucracy. They are risk management.
What the government is telling you
The UK government intensified its cyber awareness messaging this month, with a clear line: every organisation, regardless of size, faces cyber risk. Parliamentary scrutiny also highlighted continued reliance on legacy systems in parts of the public sector, and the exposure that creates.
The message from both the private sector incidents and the public sector commentary is the same. Foundational controls work. Access management, patch management, endpoint security, supply chain risk. None of these are new ideas. But consistently applying them is where most organisations fall short in cyber security UK-wide. Frameworks like Cyber Essentials exist precisely to help organisations build and evidence those foundational controls.
What I do for clients
I keep clients cyber secure, current, and productive through full automation. Patching happens. Updates are managed. Monitoring is in place. They do not have to chase it.
That is not a product. It is a managed cybersecurity outcome. And it is what good technology management looks like.
If your current setup does not give you that confidence, let’s talk.
What Good Cyber Security Management Looks Like
If you are assessing your current position, these are the fundamentals. Not nice-to-haves. Basics that need to be in place and working consistently.
- Patch management is owned and scheduled. Every device, every system, on a defined cycle. Someone is accountable for it.
- Endpoint security covers every device on the network. That includes laptops, mobile devices, and any equipment connecting remotely. The network itself needs scrutiny too — poorly segmented infrastructure, including SOC and Wi-Fi 7 deployments, should be assessed as part of your security posture.
- Behavioural monitoring is running. Signature-based tools alone will not catch AI-powered malware. You need visibility into what is actually happening on your systems.
- Access is controlled and reviewed regularly. Least privilege. Multi-factor authentication. No dormant accounts with active permissions.
- Change control is in place for software and configuration updates. Every change is tested and logged before it goes into production.
- Supply chain risk is on the agenda. Third-party tools and integrations carry risk. They need the same scrutiny as your internal systems.
- Cyber Essentials or equivalent is evidenced and current. Not a one-off exercise. A live standard your organisation maintains and can demonstrate.
- Someone is reporting on security posture regularly. Leadership needs visibility. If cyber risk is not on the board agenda, it needs to be.
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