From ransomware affecting global manufacturing to exposed AI-built apps and growing scrutiny around advanced cybersecurity models, May’s cybersecurity stories point to a theme of cyber risk being increasingly tied to scale, speed and visibility. Attackers continue to target critical systems and data, but the wider landscape is also being shaped by AI adoption, supply chain reliance and rising expectations around resilience.
Keep reading for more in this month’s Cybersecurity Roundup.
Electronics manufacturer Foxconn confirmed that some of its North American factories suffered a cyberattack in May, after ransomware group Nitrogen claimed to have stolen 8TB of data from the company.
The group said they had stolen data that included schematics and project details linked to major customers, including Apple, Dell, Google and Nvidia. Foxconn said that the affected factories were resuming normal production. The full extent of the incident had not yet been confirmed.
This incident highlights the risks facing large suppliers that sit at the centre of major technology ecosystems. When organisations hold valuable operational data, intellectual property and customer-linked information, an attack quickly becomes a wider supply chain concern.
The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security has asked Instructure executives to testify following cyberattacks linked to the Canvas learning platform – a platform used by a huge amount of schools, colleges and universities.
The ShinyHunters extortion group claimed responsibility for the attack and alleged that data linked to millions of students, teachers and staff had been stolen. Reports also mentioned disruption for some schools during final exams, which raised concerns around both data exposure and operational impact.
Education platforms hold large volumes of personal data and play a central role in day-to-day learning. When systems like this are affected, the impact is bigger than data protection. The overall impact disrupts lessons, exams, communication as well as access to essential resources.
Security researchers from RedAccess found more than 5,000 publicly accessible apps built using platforms such as Lovable, Replit, Base44 and Netlify with little to no authentication. Some exposed apps reportedly included medical information, financial data, corporate documents and customer conversation logs.
This issue shows how quickly AI-assisted development can create risk when governance and security controls are not in control. Tools that make it easier to build and publish apps can also make it easier for sensitive data to be exposed, especially when users lack technical or cybersecurity experience.
The UK government has published its latest Cyber Security Sectoral Analysis, showing that the UK cybersecurity sector generated £14.7bn in annual revenue and contributed £9.1bn in Gross Value Added to the economy.
The report also found that the sector now includes 2,603 firms and employs nearly 70,000 people. Firms offering cybersecurity products and services for AI also saw strong growth, reflecting the rising demand for security expertise around AI-enabled threats.
This growth reflects the increasing importance of cybersecurity across the UK economy and reinforces the need for organisations to move from reactive security decisions to more long-term resilience planning.
Anthropic is reportedly preparing to brief the Financial Stability Board on cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified by its Claude Mythos model. The company has not released the model publicly, citing concerns that its capabilities could be misused if placed in the wrong hands.
The Guardian reported that Mythos has raised interest among regulators and financial institutions because of its ability to identify previously unknown flaws in IT systems. The wider debate focuses on how advanced AI tools could support defenders, while also increasing the capabilities available to threat actors.
Governments, regulators and financial bodies are paying closer attention to AI-enabled cyber risk, particularly where new tools could accelerate vulnerability discovery or increase pressure on already complex systems.
For partners and their clients, supply chain risk should be considered as part of wider cyber resilience planning. As the Foxconn incident shows, attacks on large suppliers can create concern across an entire ecosystem.
The Canvas incident highlights how widely used platforms can become high-value targets because of the volume of data they hold, and the reliance placed on them by users.
AI-assisted coding and advanced cybersecurity models show two sides of the same issue. AI can improve productivity and threat detection, but without strong governance, it can also increase exposure and create new routes for misuse.
As governments and regulators respond to AI-enabled threats and operational disruption, organisations will face growing pressure to demonstrate stronger cyber hygiene, better visibility and more consistent controls.
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