Washington Post confirms data breach in Oracle hack attack

According to TechCrunch, The Washington Post confirmed it was affected by hacking campaigns tied to Oracle’s corporate software apps, specifically the Oracle E-Business Suite platform. The ransomware gang Clop began targeting companies in late September by exploiting multiple vulnerabilities in Oracle’s business software, which companies use for HR files and sensitive operations data. Google reported last month that the exploits allowed hackers to steal customer business data and employee records from more than 100 companies. Corporate executives started receiving extortion messages from email addresses associated with Clop, claiming they had stolen large amounts of sensitive internal data. Anti-ransomware firm Halcyon said hackers demanded one executive pay $50 million in ransom. On Thursday, Clop claimed on its website that it hacked The Washington Post, using language that typically indicates the victim hasn’t paid.

Oracle’s questionable response

Here’s the thing that really bothers me about this situation. When TechCrunch reached out to Oracle spokesperson Michael Egbert, he just referred them to existing advisories and didn’t answer any questions. Basically, Oracle’s playing the “we already told you about this” card while major organizations continue getting compromised. They published those security updates and an alert about CVE-2025-61884, but clearly that wasn’t enough. And we’re talking about business-critical software here – the kind that handles everything from payroll to sensitive corporate data. When companies rely on enterprise software providers, they expect better security than this.

The widening circle of victims

This isn’t just about The Washington Post. We’re seeing a pattern emerge where multiple major organizations are confirming they’ve been hit. Harvard University has acknowledged a “limited number” of people were affected by data theft linked to these Oracle hacks. American Airlines subsidiary Envoy also confirmed it experienced Oracle data theft. The Clop gang has been publicly boasting about their Washington Post hack as a pressure tactic. And honestly, that’s becoming their signature move – when victims don’t pay up, they go public with the stolen data. Harvard’s situation and the Envoy breach show this is far from isolated. We’re probably looking at just the tip of the iceberg here.

The uncomfortable truth about corporate security

So what does this tell us? That even major, well-resourced organizations using enterprise software from giants like Oracle can get completely owned. The hackers aren’t just going after small businesses – they’re targeting the big players who presumably have decent security budgets. And they’re hitting them through their business applications, the very software that’s supposed to help run their operations securely. It makes you wonder – if organizations like The Washington Post and Harvard can’t protect their Oracle installations, what chance do smaller companies have? This is exactly why companies need to seriously evaluate their enterprise software security posture, especially when it involves critical business operations.

Iran-Linked MuddyWater Group Exploits Hijacked Emails in Glo - Global Phishing Campaign Leverages Compromised Email Accounts

Iran-Linked MuddyWater Group Exploits Hijacked Emails in Global Cyber Espionage Push

A sophisticated phishing operation attributed to Iranian threat actor MuddyWater has compromised email accounts to distribute malware globally. The campaign uses malicious Word documents to deploy backdoors and credential stealers against high-value targets.

Global Phishing Campaign Leverages Compromised Email Accounts

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a sophisticated global phishing campaign that leverages compromised email accounts to distribute malware, according to reports from threat intelligence firm Group-IB. The espionage operation, attributed with high confidence to the Iran-linked threat actor known as MuddyWater, has targeted international organizations across multiple regions in what analysts suggest is an intelligence-gathering initiative.

US Government Nears Historic Ban on TP-Link Routers

The US government is moving closer to banning TP-Link routers over concerns about Chinese ties. This could impact millions of American consumers and reshape the home networking market.

Suspected Chinese Cyber Espionage Group Targets European Telecom Infrastructure

Security analysts have identified what appears to be a sophisticated cyberespionage operation against a European telecommunications provider. The suspected Chinese-linked Salt Typhoon group exploited Citrix vulnerabilities to deploy backdoors and maintain stealthy network access according to recent findings.

European Telecommunications Provider Targeted in Sophisticated Cyberattack

Security researchers at Darktrace have identified what they assess to be a cyberespionage operation against a European telecommunications firm, with evidence pointing to the China-linked threat actor known as Salt Typhoon. According to their report, the intrusion occurred in early July 2025 and involved the exploitation of vulnerable Citrix NetScaler Gateway appliances to gain initial network access.