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Monthly Cyber Threats Report - May 2026

Issue 17: May 2026

Monthly Cyber Threats Report - May 2026

Editor's note

Francisco Sanches
Francisco Sanches

Welcome to the May 2026 edition of the Cyber Threat Report. This month's articles examine a range of developments across the threat landscape, from evolving phishing techniques and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities to shifts in authentication standards.

In our first article, we analyse "BlobPhish", a sophisticated phishing campaign exploiting browser-based Blob URL APIs to harvest Microsoft 365 credentials, bypassing conventional security controls and heightening the risk of Business Email Compromise (BEC). We then examine "Copy Fail" (CVE‑2026‑31431), a high-severity Linux kernel vulnerability enabling local privilege escalation to root level, with particular implications for cloud and containerised environments. Finally, we explore the NCSC's recent endorsement of passkeys as the preferred authentication standard, considering the practical and strategic implications for organisations currently reliant on traditional two-factor authentication (2FA).

News
a computer screen with numbers and lines
BlobPhish: API tricks designed to reel in credentials

A long‑running phishing operation called “BlobPhish” has been targeting Microsoft 365 users and major financial institutions since late 2024, with activity rising sharply in early 2026, as recently highlighted by ANY.RUN.

News
hands typing on a laptop keyboard
Copy Fail: A Linux Kernel flaw enabling root access

A high‑severity security vulnerability in the Linux operating system, known as “Copy Fail” (CVE‑2026‑31431), has been publicly disclosed. The issue was identified by researchers at Theori (a US-based cybersecurity firm) and reported to the Linux kernel security team on 23 March 2026.

News
a close up of lines and dots
Passkeys: the new standard of login security

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) the UK government's technical authority published three articles on the 23 April on Passkeys and their recommendation as the new norm.

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