Weekly Cybersecurity Digest [August, Week 4]
Posted on August 26, 2025
Dear Valued Clients,
Welcome to this week’s cybersecurity digest, curated by Make Sense to keep you informed about the latest developments in information security across Europe. This edition spotlights two high-impact consumer breaches—Orange Belgium (SIM/PUK data) and Auchan loyalty accounts—plus a Dutch cancer-screening lab incident under regulator review. We also flag urgent patching for Citrix/Git KEV items and the UK ICO’s DUAA consultations with GDPR/NIS2 implications. Scroll for practical actions on SIM-swap defenses, SaaS hygiene, and developer/MDM hardening—plus this week’s Cyber IQ quiz.
✅ Top Stories of the Week
i. Orange Belgium Breach Exposes SIM/PUK Data; Researcher Files Complaint
Orange Belgium disclosed a breach affecting about 850,000 customers after attackers accessed data including SIM and PUK codes, prompting SIM-swap concerns. Authorities were notified, and customers received phishing and security guidance. Security researcher Inti De Ceukelaire filed a complaint with the Belgian DPA calling for greater transparency. [Check the details via Inti De Ceukelaire’s publication]
ii. Auchan Retail Confirms Data Breach Exposing Loyalty Account Details
French retailer Auchan disclosed a cyberattack that exposed data tied to “several hundred thousand” loyalty accounts. Notices cite exposed names, titles, postal & email addresses, phone numbers, and loyalty card numbers. Auchan says no bank data, passwords, or PINs were impacted and has notified CNIL. Phishing risk for affected customers remains high—advise resets and heightened monitoring. This marks the second major retail breach affecting Belgian and French organisations in recent weeks. [Read more via CyberNews]
iii. Netherlands Probes Cancer-Screening Lab Breach Affecting 485,000 Women
The Dutch Health & Youth Care Inspectorate opened an investigation after hackers stole data tied to ~485,000 participants in the national cervical-cancer screening program. Authorities are reviewing the Rijswijk lab’s security and notification timeline; letters have gone out warning of potential misuse and fraud. [Read more via NL Times]
✅ Industry Trends & Insights
Untangling Cybersecurity Stacks: Cut Sprawl, Reduce Risk
Breaches persist despite record security spend, with 88% of firms hit in 12 months and 43% suffering multiple, per Logicalis 2025. Overgrown stacks, unused features, and complex patching create blind spots. Fixes: start with asset inventories, consolidate tools, outsource monitoring/patching, automate routine work, and tie purchases to outcomes—amid rising compliance pressure (e.g., EU AI Act). [Read more via TechRadar]
Europe’s Ransomware Surge Exceeds US Rates
Analysts report that ransomware incident volumes in Europe have outstripped those in the US. SME organisations remain especially exposed due to weaker endpoint defences, spotlighting the need for EU-wide frameworks such as cyber-insurance and detection-as-a-service offerings. [Read more via DarkReading]
Good AI vs Bad AI: The 2025 Enterprise Security Playbook
Enterprises face a 2025 showdown between “Good AI” and attacker-driven “Bad AI”. Defenders lean on predictive detection, AI-enhanced Zero Trust, self-healing networks, blockchain-anchored data integrity, and shared threat intelligence. With cybercrime costs projected at $10.5 trillion, leaders must move from reactive tools to proactive, ethical AI programs, skills, and continuous refinement to stay resilient. [Read more via TechRadar]
✅ Regulatory & Policy Updates
UK ICO Opens Consultations on New UK Data (Use & Access) Act Guidance
On August 21, the ICO launched consultations to refine guidance following the UK DUAA 2025 — including a new lawful basis (“recognised legitimate interest”) and internal complaints-handling obligations. EU/EEA groups operating in the UK should assess interplay with GDPR/NIS2 programs. [Read more on Hunton Andrews Kurth]
CISA Adds Citrix Session Recording & Git Flaws to KEV — Immediate Patching Urged
On August 25, CISA added two Citrix Session Recording vulnerabilities and one Git client flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation. While a U.S. advisory, the affected software is widely used by EU enterprises and MSPs, so defenders should prioritize updates and mitigations. [ Read the details on CISA]
✅ Cyber IQ Challenge + Proactive Security Hacks
Quick Quiz: In the Orange Belgium breach, which data point most increases SIM-swap risk?
A) Tariff plan B) PUK code C) Billing address D) Device model
(Answer revealed below!)
Smart Security Moves of the Week
-
Block SIM-swap vectors: Add high-friction re-verification for SIM changes; monitor for SIM-change + MFA reset sequences.
-
Patch fast: Prioritize Apple CVE-2025-43300 and newly added Citrix/Git KEV items; verify MDM and developer endpoints.
-
Retail data hygiene: After Auchan, re-check loyalty-data retention/minimization and vendor access scopes; rehearse breach comms.
✅ Quiz Answer: B) PUK code. Compromised PUKs can accelerate SIM-swap or SIM unlock attempts if combined with social-engineering.
✅ Conclusion
Key takeaways of the week: telecom identifiers and retail loyalty data remain ripe for account takeover, healthcare records are valuable targets, and adjacent developer/recording tools widen exposure. Prioritise KEV patches, add friction to SIM changes, and audit vendor access on loyalty/support platforms. Map DUAA guidance to your GDPR/NIS2 controls and run a tabletop on SIM-swap or loyalty abuse paths. Make Sense can help turn these signals into auditable controls, exercises, and staff training.
Stay secure,
The Make Sense SRL Team & CyberTania
