DryRun Security Introduces the DeepScan Agent for Rapid, Full-Codebase Security

Posted in Commentary with tags on February 3, 2026 by itnerd

 DryRun Security, the industry’s first AI-native, code security intelligence company, today announced the DeepScan Agent, a new AI-powered capability that delivers full-repository application security reviews in a few hours. The DeepScan Agent provides developers and security teams with senior-level security expertise across entire repositories, without the cost and operational drag of traditional assessments.

AI-enabled software teams ship more code than ever and security struggles to keep pace. Full repository security reviews are typically infrequent, expensive, and slow, often requiring outside consultants or pulling senior engineers off roadmap work. At the same time, traditional static application security testing (SAST) tools generate thousands of alerts that teams must manually triage, which are often inaccurate, leaving real risks either unfound or buried in noise.

Human-grade security reviews, at machine speed

The DryRun Security DeepScan Agent analyzes entire repositories in hours, building a deep understanding of workflows, data relationships, identity, dependencies, and trust boundaries across the application.

This full-repo context allows the DeepScan Agent to surface issues that require application-level reasoning, including:

  • Authorization and authentication flaws
  • Complex IDORs and multi-tenant isolation failures
  • Business logic vulnerabilities
  • Secrets exposure buried in large codebases
  • Server-side request forgery (SSRF) and internal trust-boundary bypasses

Rather than producing volumes of low-value findings, the DeepScan Agent delivers a focused set of issues ranked by risk, with clear explanations and remediation guidance engineers can act on immediately.

Beyond traditional SAST pattern-based scanning

The DryRun Security DeepScan Agent is intent-first, reasoning about what the code does, how it can fail, and the real-world exploitability of those failures.

This enables security teams to move from scanning artifacts to true code security intelligence, translating raw code signals into actionable, contextual insight across the entire application.

Strengthening security across the development lifecycle

The DeepScan Agent is designed to run whenever teams need fast, full-repository confidence: before major releases, after large refactors, during acquisitions, or when leadership asks, “Are we exposed?”

The application context DeepScan builds also strengthens DryRun Security’s pull request analysis agent, allowing risk to be evaluated based across the whole application.

Availability

The DeepScan Agent is available today to DryRun Security customers and trial users.

To see the DeepScan Agent in action, request a demo.

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Guest Post – Cybersecurity experts warn: Run Moltbook only in secure, isolated environments

Posted in Commentary on February 3, 2026 by itnerd

By Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of product at NordPass

Moltbook, an AI-exclusive social media platform launched just days ago and dubbed the “Reddit for AI agents,” has exploded in popularity online. Within its first week, Moltbook attracted over 1.5 million registered AI agents and more than a million human spectators watching the agents interact with each other, sparking countless posts across human social networks.

The project originated with OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent created by Peter Steinberger that runs locally on a user’s machine. The software allows bots to use a computer and internet services just as a human would. Building on this, entrepreneur Matt Schlicht developed his own OpenClaw agent, named Clawd Clawderberg, and tasked it with coding, moderating, and managing the entire Moltbook platform. Now most moltbots on the platform run on OpenClaw.

Cybersecurity professionals warn that this setup is terribly insecure and creates massive security vulnerabilities. However, most agree that it’s impossible to suppress public curiosity and discourage experimentation. Instead, they are calling for caution and offering some safety tips.

Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of product at the cybersecurity company NordPass, comments:

“Moltbook and OpenClaw have attracted tech-savvy tinkerers with unprecedented opportunities for experimentation because these tools have virtually no built-in security restrictions but have broad access to users’ computers, apps, and accounts. For example, you can connect to your OpenClaw bot through a messaging app to interact with it while you’re away. It can remember your conversations, read and write files on your computer, browse the web, build applications, and even consult other bots on Moltbook for advice on how to do it best.

“While it’s exciting and curious to see what an AI agent can do without any security guardrails, this level of access is also extremely insecure. Therefore, please run Moltbook and your personal bots only in secure, isolated environments.

“Do not give your AI agents access to your real accounts. Instead, create disposable alternatives for them to use. Do not let them use your main browser, especially if you store passwords on it. You should also be cautious with enabling autofill because it creates the risk of the agent having permanent remote access to your credentials. If you want an agent to build something autonomously and anticipate it may need to purchase software or rent server space, link it to a disposable payment card.

“Avoid running Moltbook or OpenClaw agents on your personal or work computers. These AI agents are unpredictable and highly vulnerable to prompt injection attacks. This means if your agent processes an email, document, or webpage containing a hidden malicious instruction, it will likely execute that command in addition to its original task. For example, it could be instructed to send all the credentials, personal data, and payment card information it has access to directly to an attacker.

“The risk isn’t limited to hackers with malicious intent. AI agents could leak users’ data unintentionally. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Cybersecurity researchers have already identified critical flaws in Moltbook, including an unsecured database that could allow unauthorized users to take control of any AI agent on the site.

“It would not be surprising if threat actors, trolls, and scammers have already found their way onto Moltbook and launched bots tasked with conning other AI agents into cryptocurrency schemes or luring them into hidden prompt injections.

“That’s why it is best to buy a separate, dedicated machine and use disposable accounts for any experimentation. It is also advisable to use encryption and a private mesh network as well as to try to harden your bot against prompt injections.”

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Hisense Wins 58 awards at CES 2026

Posted in Commentary with tags on February 3, 2026 by itnerd

Hisense was recognized with a total of 58 industry awards at CES 2026, highlighting its continued leadership across display technologies and smart home appliances.

Hisense’s performance at CES 2026 was further underscored by four CES Innovation Awards, demonstrating both the depth and diversity of its innovation portfolio. Among the winners, the 163 MX RGBY Micro-LED television received the CES 2026 Innovation Award – Best Innovation. In addition, 116UXS RGB Mini-LED TV and Laser Projector XR10 were named CES 2026 Innovation Award Honourees, further validating Hisense’s leadership across both advanced display technologies and smart home solutions.

Flagship Display Innovations Set New Benchmarks

In displays, Hisense showcased its latest breakthroughs led by the global debut of the 116UXS RGB Mini-LED TV, the first product powered by the new RGB Mini-LED evo platform. Representing a system-level evolution in large-screen display technology, RGB Mini-LED evo enhances colour performance and viewing comfort through a newly expanded light spectrum.

As the flagship highlight of Hisense’s CES lineup, 116UXS received widespread recognition from leading global technology and lifestyle media, earning multiple Best of CES, Best TV of CES, Editors’ Picks and Standout honours from leading global technology and lifestyle media, including Android Headlines, CNET, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, T3 and others. The product was also recognized as a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honouree, further affirming its technological significance.

Alongside 116UXS, the 163 MX also received extensive Best of CES recognition from multiple international media outlets, further reinforcing Hisense’s leadership in ultra-large and premium display technologies.

In addition, Hisense’s UR9 RGB Mini-LED TV earned multiple Best of CES and Editors’ Picks honours from professional AV and technology media, strengthening Hisense’s RGB Mini-LED TV portfolio beyond its flagship offerings.

Hisense further expanded its large-screen ecosystem with the global debut of the Laser Projector XR10, which received multiple Best of CES, Editors’ Picks and CES Innovation Award Honouree recognitions from professional AV and technology media. Together, RGB Mini-LED TVs and TriChroma Laser projectors demonstrate Hisense’s comprehensive large-screen display strategy, spanning premium living-room viewing and dedicated home cinema environments.

Smart Home and White Goods Innovation Drive Global Momentum

Beyond displays, several white goods — including PureFit refrigerators and wine cabinets, Slide In Smart Induction Range and dehumidifier products — were recognized with Best of CES and TWICE Picks 2026 awards from industry and trade publications, reflecting Hisense’s growing strength across kitchen and laundry ecosystems.

Reinforcing its long-term growth momentum, Hisense recently received authoritative recognition from Euromonitor International. According to Euromonitor International (Consumer Appliances 2026 Edition), Hisense Group achieved the fastest growth rate among the global TOP 10 home laundry appliance companies from 2021 to 2025, validating its accelerating global competitiveness in the white goods sector.

Looking ahead, Hisense remains committed to advancing display and home appliance technologies through continuous system-level innovation, delivering smarter, more immersive and more human-centric experiences to consumers worldwide.

For more information, please visit hisense-canada.com. 

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Levelplay Releases Combat Liquid HUD and Combat Liquid SE All-in-One Coolers

Posted in Commentary with tags on February 3, 2026 by itnerd

Levelplay has announced the launch of its latest all-in-one (AIO) CPU cooling solutions, the Combat Liquid HUD and Combat Liquid SE, expanding the Combat Liquid family with performance-driven cooling and real-time system visibility. Designed for gamers and PC enthusiasts who demand immediate access to live CPU data, the Combat Liquid 360 HUD features an integrated digital display on the pump cap that presents critical system information at a glance, while delivering high-efficiency thermal performance for modern high-core processors.

More Than Just a Display

The Combat Liquid 360 HUD is more than a high-performance CPU cooler — it’s a real-time command center for your system. At the heart of the cooler is a 2.6″ circular digital display, transforming the pump cap into a mission-ready HUD that delivers live system intelligence at a glance. The display provides real-time readouts including CPU temperature, usage rate, power draw, and clock speeds, allowing users to monitor performance instantly without relying on on-screen software overlays. Simply update the driver from https://levelplaytech.com/drivers-manuals/ and unlock full access to the HUD’s real-time system monitoring features.

Combat Liquid SE Series

Building on Combat’s core cooling architecture, the Combat Liquid 240 SE and 360 SE models offer the same proven pump and radiator performance in a streamlined design, delivering reliable thermal headroom with a clean, minimalist aesthetic. Together, the Combat Liquid HUD and SE series provide scalable cooling solutions for a wide range of PC builds, from performance-focused gaming systems to high-end content creation rigs.

Precision Cooling, Simplified

Both the Combat Liquid HUD and Combat Liquid SE coolers feature a rigid all-in-one fan design that integrates three 120mm cooling fans into a single unified frame. Pre-installed from the factory, this design minimizes cable clutter, simplifies installation, and ensures maximum airflow is directed precisely where it matters most, through the radiator. Paired with synchronized ARGB lighting, the integrated fan assembly delivers consistent cooling performance while keeping your build clean, organized, and visually striking.

Designed for modern platforms, the Combat Liquid HUD and SE series support the latest processors, including Intel® LGA 1700 and LGA 1851 CPUs, as well as AMD® AM4 and AM5 sockets. Each cooler ships with all required mounting hardware for straightforward installation, allowing users to get up and running quickly. Whether you choose the data-driven Combat Liquid HUD or the streamlined Combat Liquid SE, both solutions deliver reliable thermal performance, reduced noise, and a refined build experience for high-performance PC systems.

To learn more about Combat Liquid HUD & Combat Liquid SE coolers, please visit: http://levelplaytech.com

Pricing

HUD 360mm Black: $99.99

HUD 360mm White: $99.99

SE 360mm Black: $79.99

SE 360mm White: $79.99

SE 240mm Black: $69.99

SE 240mm White: $69.99

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Mobility Fintech GoCab Raises $45M to Scale Electric Mobility and Financial Inclusion Across Africa

Posted in Commentary with tags on February 3, 2026 by itnerd

Founded in 2024, GoCab was created to address a fundamental challenge across Africa: limited access to ethical financing and vehicle ownership for gig-economy workers. By combining mobility, technology, and inclusive finance, the company enables drivers and delivery couriers to generate stable income while progressively gaining ownership of their vehicles. By 2025, GoCab had taken a leading position in several African markets, supporting thousands of drivers and contributing to cleaner, more sustainable urban mobility systems.

GoCab was founded by Azamat Sultan and Hendrick Ketchemen, from the investment banking industry with deep expertise in structured finance and emerging markets. The company was built with a clear ambition: transform capital into a powerful tool for social mobility, financial inclusion, and long-term economic empowerment. Today, GoCab employs over 120 people across five countries, representing 18 nationalities.

The company has successfully closed a $45 million financing round, comprising $15 million in equity and $30 million in debt. The equity round was co-led by E3 Capital and JANNGO Capital, with participation from KawiSafi Ventures and Cur8 Capital. In parallel, GoCab has secured more than $30 million in debt commitments from Cur8 Capital and others as part of a broader $60 million Shariah-compliant debt facility currently under structuring.

This funding will allow GoCab to scale operations in its core African markets, expand into new high-growth cities across and outside the continent, significantly increase the share of electric vehicles within its fleet, and deploy AI-driven solutions for credit scoring, fleet optimisation, and risk management. Across five markets, GoCab now generates over $17 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) after just 18 months of operations and is on target to reach $50 million by end of 2026 and $100m in 2027.

Investors highlighted GoCab’s positioning at the intersection of financial inclusion, climate-smart mobility, and the future of work. 

Africa is home to a rapidly growing gig workforce, yet millions of workers remain excluded from traditional financial systems. GoCab directly addresses this challenge by providing access to vehicles, structured ownership pathways, and predictable income opportunities. Electric mobility is a core pillar of the company’s strategy: by expanding its EV fleet, GoCab aims to reduce emissions, lower operating costs for drivers, and support African cities in building cleaner, more resilient transport ecosystems. With over 400 million gig workers globally, many of them based in Africa, GoCab positions itself at the intersection of financial inclusion, electric mobility, and technology-driven impact.

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Colorado Health Clinic Warns Patients of Data That Was Leaked in 2024….. WTF?

Posted in Commentary with tags on February 2, 2026 by itnerd

Comparitech is reporting that a Colorado healthcare clinic Alpine Ear, Nose & Throat began the notification of 65K+ people of a data breach from November 2024. Data exposed includes SSNs, credit card numbers, health insurance info, names, and more. 

Commenting on this news is Rebecca Moody, Head of Data Research at Comparitech: 

“It is always concerning when it takes an organization a long time to issue data breach notifications. And when the breach involves incredibly sensitive data, as it does in this case, the delay can have significant consequences. While AENT did post a notice on its website in January 2025, only those patients who visited the website would have seen it. Equally, as the investigation was still underway, the type of data involved wasn’t included, meaning some patients may not have paid the notification much attention. Therefore, many patients’ personal data may have been compromised for over a year without them knowing/without them taking the necessary measures. 

AENT is now offering those affected access to free credit monitoring services. Although this is a bit of a case of “shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted,” it is still crucial that anyone who is impacted in this event takes AENT up on this offer. This will allow them to check to see if their data has been compromised, and, if not, take necessary steps toward safeguarding it going forward.”

Another healthcare breach. Oh joy. But this is one that happened almost 2 years ago. This is a total #EpicFail on the part of Alpine Ear, Nose & Throat. Clearly these guys were not taking this seriously if it took them this long to do what is right and notify patients in a timely manner.

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AI Productivity Gains Collide with Economic and Geopolitical Volatility, Forcing a Strategic Reset for Technology Leaders, Reveal Survey Finds

Posted in Commentary on February 2, 2026 by itnerd

AI continues to deliver measurable productivity and performance gains across organizations, but global economic uncertainty and geopolitical risk are reshaping technology investment, hiring, and innovation strategies for 2026, according to the annual Reveal Top Software Development Challenges Survey from Infragistics, released today. The study surveyed 250 senior technology leaders in December 2025, including C-suite executives, CIOs, CTOs, VPs, IT managers, and directors responsible for software development and business intelligence at mid-market and enterprise organizations across industries.

The findings reveal a technology landscape defined by tension: strong momentum from AI-driven productivity improvements on one side, and growing constraints from talent shortages, budget pressure, and global instability on the other. While most organizations reported positive outcomes in 2025, many are entering 2026 with a more cautious, execution-focused mindset.

Talent and AI Complexity Top the List of Business Challenges

Recruiting and retaining skilled technology talent has emerged as the single biggest business challenge for 2026, cited by 50% of respondents. This increase highlights a gap between the pace of AI adoption and the availability of experienced professionals who can implement, govern, and scale these technologies effectively.

AI itself remains a double-edged sword. While it is a critical driver of productivity, 42% of respondents cited incorporating AI as a major business challenge, reflecting the growing complexity of moving from experimentation to full-scale deployment. Additional business challenges include increasing employee productivity (54%), economic cutbacks (35%), limited resources (31%), and the inability to make data-driven decisions (12%). Together, these pressures are making it harder for organizations to execute long-term technology roadmaps.

Despite these constraints, growth remains evident. In 2025, 53% of organizations reported productivity gains, 47% took on new projects, and 46% increased adoption of new technologies. These results build on strong momentum from 2024, when a majority of companies reported revenue growth, increased headcount, and rising demand. Heading into 2026, however, execution capacity—not demand—is emerging as the primary limiter of growth.

Productivity Gains Face Economic Reality

Technology-driven initiatives were the primary drivers of productivity gains in 2025. Two-thirds (66%) of respondents credited AI adoption, while similar percentages pointed to embedded analytics (62%), automation of repetitive tasks (62%), and investments in skills development (63%) as the engines behind rising productivity. The data confirms a clear shift: productivity is increasingly achieved through smarter systems, not longer hours.

Yet these gains are under threat. One-quarter of organizations plan to cut spending in 2026 due to a weakening economy. Inflation (60%), rising costs (58%), economic instability (53%), tariffs (50%), and higher interest rates (40%) are among the top pressures influencing planning decisions. This creates a growing disconnect between the technologies that drive performance and the budget constraints that may limit further investment.

Economic and Geopolitical Pressures Drive a Strategic Reset

More than half of technology leaders report delaying launches or expansions (54%), while 43% are reducing innovation budgets and 35% are changing development team locations. Only 17% say global conditions have had no impact on their plans.

These findings point to a broad shift in strategy across the industry. Organizations are shifting from aggressive growth strategies toward defensive optimization—prioritizing resilience, cost control, and risk management. As a result, even successful AI and analytics initiatives must now clearly demonstrate business value to survive in tighter budget environments. Companies are pushing AI investments that deliver measurable efficiency gains, cost reduction, or near-term revenue impact.

AI Integration Becomes the Top Software Development Challenge

In 2026, the biggest software development challenge is no longer whether to use AI, but how to integrate it safely and effectively. Nearly six in ten respondents (57%) cite AI integration into the development process as their top challenge, up from 44% in 2025. Security threats (49%) and data privacy and regulatory compliance (48%) closely follow, underscoring the increasing risk and governance complexity associated with AI-driven systems.

Operational challenges persist as well. Managing cloud applications and heavy workloads (29%) and maintaining legacy software (27%) reflect the realities of hybrid environments where innovation must coexist with aging infrastructure. Compared with 2025, the data shows a clear shift from exploratory AI concerns, such as AI-generated code quality, to full lifecycle integration, security, and compliance pressures.

AI-Centered Expansion Plans Signal Measured Optimism

Despite economic uncertainty, organizations are not retreating from growth entirely. Instead, they are pursuing more targeted expansion strategies anchored in AI. More than three-quarters of respondents (77%) plan to increase their use of AI in 2026, reinforcing its central role in productivity and competitiveness.

Notably, revenue ambitions have doubled year over year: 46% plan to increase revenue in 2026, compared with 23% in 2025. Plans to adopt new applications (40%), expand into new markets (35%), and develop new applications (34%) indicate a shift from internal optimization toward outward, commercially focused growth. AI investments are increasingly expected to deliver tangible, measurable business outcomes rather than experimental gains.

Embedded Analytics and BI Move from Insight to Action

Embedded analytics and business intelligence continue to gain momentum. Today, 76% of organizations use embedded analytics internally, and 84% expect their BI focus to increase in 2026. The emphasis is shifting from visualization to action: organizations cite better decision-making, faster trend identification, productivity gains, and automated analysis as top priorities.

Most companies now embed analytics directly into applications rather than relying on standalone BI tools. While 42% still build in-house, a majority (54%) turn to vendors to accelerate delivery, reduce costs, and avoid overburdening already stretched teams.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 Reveal survey underscores a defining reality for technology leaders: AI, analytics, and embedded BI are no longer optional—they are essential to competitive performance. However, success in 2026 will depend on execution. Organizations that can navigate talent shortages, security risks, and economic pressure while focusing investment on high-impact AI initiatives will be best positioned to sustain productivity, drive growth, and adapt in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

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If You Use Notepad ++, You Should Download The Latest Version ASAP

Posted in Commentary with tags , on February 2, 2026 by itnerd

I am a big user of Notepad ++ as I find it to be the best way to go through logs. Especially big ones. Thus I will be downloading the latest version of the app as soon as I get home for this reason:

Following the security disclosure published in the v8.8.9 announcement https://notepad-plus-plus.org/news/v889-released/ the investigation has continued in collaboration with external experts and with the full involvement of my (now former) shared hosting provider.

According to the analysis provided by the security experts, the attack involved infrastructure-level compromise that allowed malicious actors to intercept and redirect update traffic destined for notepad-plus-plus.org. The exact technical mechanism remains under investigation, though the compromise occured at the hosting provider level rather than through vulnerabilities in Notepad++ code itself. Traffic from certain targeted users was selectively redirected to attacker-controlled served malicious update manifests.

And:

I recommend downloading v8.9.1 (which includes the relevant security enhancement) and running the installer to update your Notepad++ manually.

I have to admit that I completely missed this. That’s bad on me. The only good news is that I run Notepad ++ inside of a Windows 11 virtual machine on my Mac. So since it is largely isolated, I don’t believe that either yours truly or my customers were at risk. But for everybody who runs Notepad ++, update ASAP to keep yourself safe.

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Ricoh acquires leading Canadian workplace technology and collaboration integrator ET Group

Posted in Commentary with tags on February 2, 2026 by itnerd

Ricoh today announced the acquisition of ET Group, a leading Canadian workplace technology and collaboration integrator. This strategic acquisition by Ricoh Canada Inc. accelerates Ricoh’s expansion into high‑growth digital services, strengthens its position as a leading provider of end‑to‑end workplace experience solutions in Canada, and reinforces its global strategy to support an evolving workplace environment.

By integrating ET Group’s audiovisual (AV) engineering expertise and long‑standing reputation for designing, delivering and supporting enterprise-wide collaboration environments — particularly within government and other highly regulated sectors — Ricoh further enhances its ability to provide scalable, technology‑driven workplace solutions across Canada.

Advancing Ricoh’s Digital Services Strategy

This strategic investment expands Ricoh’s digital workplace capabilities with:

  • Enterprise grade AV design, integration, and support
  • Hybrid meeting and collaboration solutions
  • Managed digital workplace services
  • Workplace experience and on-site staffing services

The acquisition formalizes and expands the existing partnership between Ricoh and ET Group, which will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Ricoh Canada.

Building a Stronger Service Network for Public‑ and Private‑Sector Organizations

ET Group brings a highly skilled team of AV engineers, designers, project managers, and support specialists trusted by major corporations, government agencies, and judicial systems. Its expertise in secure, resilient environments complements Ricoh’s footprint with Canada’s large enterprises and public institutions.

Customers will benefit from a more comprehensive service ecosystem that now integrates:

  • Audiovisual and collaboration technologies
  • Office and workplace experience services
  • Mailroom automation
  • Managed print, scan, and fleet services
  • On‑site staffing and managed services

This combined portfolio enables organizations to design, connect, and manage the workplace as a unified, intelligent environment.

Ricoh continues to make investments globally to deliver enhanced meeting experiences and hybrid work solutions for organizations worldwide, including the acquisitions of Presentation Products, Inc. (PPI) and Cenero (United States); DataVision, Pure AV, and AVC (EMEA); and Videocorp and Go2neXt (Latin America).

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Panera Bread Pwned… Sigh

Posted in Commentary with tags on February 2, 2026 by itnerd

It appears that Panera Bread has had a data breach. Initial reports have said that 14 million people have been affected. Which is bad. Especially given that they had a data leak in 2018. Well, news has surfaced that the Panera Bread data breach has affected 5.1 million accounts, not 14 million customers as previously reported.

Ensar Seker, CISO at SOCRadar:

“The distinction matters, but it doesn’t materially reduce the risk. Accounts are what attackers monetize, credentials, contact data, and reuse potential, not abstract “customers.” From a defender’s perspective, 5.1 million compromised accounts still represents a massive downstream risk for credential stuffing, phishing, and identity-based attacks well beyond Panera itself.


This incident reinforces a clear trend: attackers are no longer “breaking in,” they’re logging in. Vishing-driven SSO compromise bypasses many traditional security controls because authentication flows are trusted by design. If identity becomes the new perimeter, then SSO misconfiguration, MFA fatigue, and help-desk social engineering are now tier-one attack vectors.

What’s notable here is scale and repeatability. Targeting identity providers allows attackers to industrialize access across hundreds of organizations with similar playbooks. This isn’t about Panera specifically, it’s about systemic weaknesses in identity assurance, employee verification, and SSO recovery workflows.

Companies need to treat identity telemetry with the same rigor as endpoint or network signals. That means stricter SSO enrollment controls, hardened help-desk verification, phishing-resistant MFA, and continuous monitoring for anomalous authentication behavior, especially for admin and customer-facing identity systems.”

Paul Bischoff, Consumer Privacy Advocate at Comparitech: 

“It’s reasonable to ask whether ShinyHunters or Panera Bread is lying about how many people were compromised in this attack. I would defer to Panera. ShinyHunters estimated the number of customers in the database based on the total number of records, but it didn’t account for duplicates and other outliers. According to breach disclosure laws, Panera Bread combed through the data and found contact information to notify every person affected. Therefore, Panera’s investigation is much more thorough and it’s legally obligated to tell the truth.”

Chris Hauk, Consumer Privacy Champion at Pixel Privacy:

“As always in breaches like this, Panera needs to be upfront with their customers and employees as to how bad the breach is and what the company is doing to protect their data and to guard against future attacks such as this. Employees and customers both should take advantage of any free credit and identity monitoring services that Panera will surely offer.

Unfortunately, this breach exposes the flaws in single sign-on (SSO) services such as those offered by Google, Microsoft, and others. Such services are susceptible to social engineered phishing schemes that trick employees and customers into entering their SSO credentials into fake company portal sites. Once that information is harvested, any site or service that uses those credentials could likely be accessed.”

While a lower number is good. It doesn’t change the fact that Panera got pwned. Whether this is one or one million people who got affected, pwnage is bad. The universe has to get to a place where pwnage isn’t a thing so that nobody has to worry about being affected.

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