================================================================ INFOSECFOLLOW -- security, markets, business, pittsburgh Monday, July 13, 2026 - 12:05 PM EDT ================================================================ Western allies moved in concert against Russia with the first joint EU-UK cyber sanctions and a shared critical-infrastructure router warning, as AI agents surfaced as both weapon and target in fresh attacks. CONTENTS: Emerging Trends and Key Updates | Security | Business and Politics | Pittsburgh | Sports | Reading | Markets EMERGING TRENDS AND KEY UPDATES ---------------------------------------------------------------- * [TREND] Attackers now aim prompt injection at autonomous AI agents, with MemGhost quietly rewriting a memory-equipped assistant's stored facts about its user through a single crafted email. see: MemGhost Plants False Memories in AI Agents * [TREND] Western allies pressed Moscow as the FSB's Center 16 drew blame for sabotaging Poland's power grid while UK prosecutors charged five over the Russian Coms spoofing platform. see: Russia's FSB Blamed for Poland Grid Sabotage; UK Charges Five Over Russian Coms Spoofing Platform * [TREND] Credential threats converged as the rented Forg365 kit hunted Microsoft 365 session tokens and a CISA contractor left AWS GovCloud keys in a public GitHub repository. see: Forg365 and Evilginx Kits Hunt Microsoft 365 Accounts; CISA Contractor Leaks Credentials on GitHub * [UPDATE (new)] New breach disclosures hit shoppers and patients as Lidl warned of a service-provider theft while WorldLeaks claimed 720 GB from a healthcare testing firm. see: Lidl and Centers Laboratory Breaches Expose Customers and Patients * [UPDATE (updated)] The U.S. sharply escalated with Iran, reinstating a naval blockade and a 20% passage fee for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. see: U.S. Reinstates Iran Blockade at Hormuz * [UPDATE (new)] Around Pittsburgh, crews began demolishing the Parkway East bridge deck during its 25-day closure as the rebuilt Homewood Pool reopened ahead of returning heat. see: Parkway East Bridge Demolition Underway; Homewood Pool Reopens After Overhaul SECURITY ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. RUSSIA'S FSB BLAMED FOR POLAND GRID SABOTAGE Nation-State Activity · [apt, nation-state, policy] Latest developments: The Record reported July 12, 2026 that the allies pinned the FSB's signals-intelligence arm, Center 16, on attempted sabotage of Poland's energy sector and water-treatment facilities, and on July 13 CISA joined agencies from eight other countries in a warning that Russian state hackers are breaching critical infrastructure through vulnerable, poorly configured routers. The European Union and United Kingdom on July 13, 2026 imposed their first joint cyber sanctions, 24 UK designations and 13 EU measures against Russian GRU officers and entities accused of spying and sabotage across Europe; operators should harden and patch internet-facing routers. - The Record: https://therecord.media/russia-blamed-for-poland-grid-cyberattack-in-joint-uk-eu-sanctions-package - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-and-allies-share-defense-tips-against-russian-hackers-targeting-critical-infrastructure/ - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/eu-and-uk-hit-russia-with-first-joint-cyber-sanctions-package/ - Help Net Security: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/07/13/eu-uk-russia-cyber-activity-sanctions/ 2. LIDL AND CENTERS LABORATORY BREACHES EXPOSE CUSTOMERS AND PATIENTS Data Breaches · [breach, extortion, healthcare] Latest developments: Lidl told shoppers in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands on July 13, 2026 that attackers stole their personal data through a service-provider breach, while the WorldLeaks extortion group claimed 720 GB from healthcare testing firm Centers Laboratory, exposing 540,000 individuals. The two disclosures span retail and healthcare; affected shoppers and patients should watch for targeted phishing and identity fraud. - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/lidl-discloses-online-shop-breach-after-service-provider-hack/ - SecurityWeek: https://www.securityweek.com/centers-laboratory-data-breach-affects-540000-individuals/ 3. MEMGHOST PLANTS FALSE MEMORIES IN AI AGENTS AI Security · [ai, prompt-injection] Latest developments: The Hacker News detailed MemGhost on July 13, 2026, an attack in which one email tricks a memory-equipped AI assistant into saving a false fact about its user, hides the change, and steers later answers, as Ars Technica reported defenders now use context bombing prompt injection to make hacking agents shut themselves down before they cause harm. Memory-enabled AI assistants with inbox access hand attackers a persistent, invisible foothold; both attackers and defenders now weaponize prompt injection against autonomous agents. - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/07/new-memghost-attack-plants-persistent.html - Ars Technica Security: https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/07/now-defenders-are-embracing-the-prompt-injection-too/ 4. FORG365 AND EVILGINX KITS HUNT MICROSOFT 365 ACCOUNTS Ransomware and Cybercrime · [phishing, phaas, microsoft365] Latest developments: The Hacker News on July 13, 2026 profiled Forg365, a $400-a-month phishing-as-a-service operation sold on Telegram that blends device-code phishing, adversary-in-the-middle session theft, antibot evasion, and AI-written lures, the same day French firm Lexfo unspooled three linked Evilginx phishing operations after an operator left a Python web server exposed with directory listing switched on. Both toolkits target Microsoft 365 credentials and live sessions; defenders should enforce phishing-resistant authentication and hunt for stolen session-token reuse. - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/07/forg365-phaas-targets-microsoft-365.html - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/07/misconfigured-server-reveals-three.html 5. CISA CONTRACTOR LEAKS CREDENTIALS ON GITHUB Data Breaches · [breach, credentials, cloud] Latest developments: Krebs on Security reported July 13, 2026 that CISA issued a postmortem after a contractor published dozens of internal CISA credentials, including AWS GovCloud keys, in a public GitHub repository, where they sat for nearly six months until KrebsOnSecurity notified the agency. The exposed keys risked access to CISA's cloud environment; experts say the agency's slow initial response holds lessons on secret scanning and incident readiness that every security team should absorb. - Krebs on Security: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/07/lessons-learned-from-cisas-recent-github-leak/ 6. UK CHARGES FIVE OVER RUSSIAN COMS SPOOFING PLATFORM Ransomware and Cybercrime · [fraud, arrest] Latest developments: UK authorities charged five people on July 13, 2026 following a National Crime Agency investigation into Russian Coms, a caller-ID spoofing platform criminals used to place more than 1.8 million scam calls. Russian Coms let fraudsters mask their numbers to impersonate banks and officials; the charges mark a major strike against the spoofing-as-a-service market. - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/uk-charges-suspects-linked-to-russian-coms-call-spoofing-platform/ BUSINESS AND POLITICS ---------------------------------------------------------------- * U.S. Reinstates Iran Blockade at Hormuz Latest developments: President Trump said Monday, July 13, the United States is reinstating a naval blockade of Iran and will charge ships a 20% fee for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a fresh escalation after U.S. forces struck new Iranian targets and Tehran rejected the demand to reopen the waterway. Trump declared Washington the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and said it will bill vessels for security as fighting with Iran intensifies; oil futures climbed, gold fell 2.5%, Treasury yields rose, and Wall Street tech stocks sold off in a broad risk-off move, while Dubai announced plans for a new east-coast port to bypass the strait. - WSJ World News: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-s-strikes-new-targets-after-iran-rejects-demand-to-open-hormuz-b1f167d0 - FT World: https://www.ft.com/content/b1ab6ab2-b893-4605-b2b1-571ba9f46bd1 - WSJ Markets: https://www.wsj.com/finance/commodities-futures/oil-prices-rise-after-u-s-and-iran-exchange-new-rounds-of-attacks-1a00c574?mod=rss_markets_main PITTSBURGH ---------------------------------------------------------------- Weather: This Afternoon: Sunny, high 89F. Tonight: Mostly Clear, low 68F. Tuesday: Sunny, high 94F. Business: * Walmart Seeks Bloomfield Delivery Depot Latest developments: Walmart's development team presented plans for a last-mile e-commerce delivery depot to the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment, drawing organized neighborhood opposition. Walmart wants to build a last-mile delivery depot in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood and made its case before the city Zoning Board of Adjustment, where residents pushed back, setting up what could be an uphill approval fight. - WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/walmart-makes-case-bloomfield-e-commerce-depot-against-neighborhood-opposition/2YVRFOKPRZGCHJF6RYIISDBXG4/ * Pittsburgh Ranks High for Single Women Buyers Latest developments: The Post-Gazette reported Pittsburgh stands among the nation's top markets for single women buying homes. A Post-Gazette analysis found Pittsburgh's relatively affordable housing makes it one of the country's leading markets for single female homebuyers, a group reshaping demand in the region's development market. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: https://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2026/07/13/pittsburgh-single-female-homeowners/stories/202607120046 Around town: * Parkway East Bridge Demolition Underway Latest developments: Crews began tearing down the old Commercial Street Bridge deck and PennDOT held its first project update as the 25-day Parkway East (I-376) closure entered its first full workweek. PennDOT closed the Parkway East (I-376) for 25 days to replace the Commercial Street Bridge, forcing roughly 100,000 daily drivers onto detours; crews are demolishing the old deck before sliding the new span into place, and drivers can track conditions through the state's 511PA tool. - WTAE: https://www.wtae.com/article/376-bridge-closure-parkway-east-commercial-street-bridge-deck/71917604 - Pittsburgh Magazine: https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/parkway-east-closure-511-traffic-help/ * Homewood Pool Reopens After Overhaul Latest developments: On July 10, City of Pittsburgh officials and Homewood residents opened the brand-new Homewood Pool, the centerpiece of a $22.87 million park transformation, just ahead of the returning heat. Pittsburgh reopened the rebuilt Homewood Pool as part of a $22.87 million overhaul of Homewood Park, giving the neighborhood a place to cool off as another heat dome pushes into Western Pennsylvania this week. - Pittsburgh Magazine: https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/homewood-pool-reopens-2026/ * Pittsburgh Researchers Fight Grant-Review Changes Latest developments: Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University publicly criticized proposed federal changes to how research grants get reviewed. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon warned that the federal government's proposed overhaul of grant-review procedures threatens the flow of research funding that anchors the region's universities and hospitals. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: https://www.post-gazette.com/business/healthcare-business/2026/07/13/pittsburgh-carnegie-mellon-researchers-federal-grants/stories/202607130018 Events: * Bloop Vintage-Tech Museum in Penn Hills Latest developments: The Post-Gazette profiled Bloop, a growing grassroots museum of vintage technology in Penn Hills. Bloop, a grassroots museum in Penn Hills, collects and displays vintage computers and consumer technology, giving Pittsburgh-area visitors a hands-on look at obsolete gadgets. - Post-Gazette Arts & Entertainment: https://www.post-gazette.com/business/tech-news/2026/07/13/bloop-penn-hills-grassroots-museum-vintage-technology/stories/202607120088 SPORTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Pirates (50-47) Sun Jul 12 · Brewers 5 · Pirates 14 · Final Skenes wins 2nd straight start after 9-game winless slide, Pirates rout Brewers 14-5 with 10-run 4th https://plaintextsports.com/mlb/2026-07-12/mil-pit Up Next · Pirates @ Guardians · Fri Jul 17, 7:10 PM https://plaintextsports.com/mlb/2026-07-17/pit-cle Around the Teams: * Steelers Weigh Fautanu, Frazier, Wilson Extensions Latest developments: A Post-Gazette video asked whether tackle Troy Fautanu, center Zach Frazier, and linebacker Payton Wilson have played well enough to warrant contract extensions as camp nears. The Steelers face looming decisions on three of their recent draftees—offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, center Zach Frazier, and linebacker Payton Wilson—and a Post-Gazette video weighed whether each has earned an extension before the 2026 season. - Post-Gazette Steelers: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/07/13/nfl-news-rumors-troy-fautanu-zach-frazier-payton-wilson/stories/202607130024 * Pirates' Revamped Offense Fuels Optimism Latest developments: Heading out of the All-Star break, Pirates writers describe a clubhouse eager for the second half behind an overhauled lineup that has already topped last year's home run total. The Post-Gazette and TribLive report the Pirates' revamped offense—featuring Ryan O'Hearn, Brandon Lowe, and young slugger Esmerlyn Valdez—has energized the clubhouse, with the team resolving not to fade from the National League Central and wild-card chase. - Post-Gazette Pirates: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2026/07/13/mlb-brewers-offense-kelly-allstar-skenes-ohearn-lowe-esmerlyn/stories/202607130004 Team USA: * USWNT to Host Spain Twice in October Latest developments: U.S. Soccer announced Monday, July 13, that the U.S. women's national team will host world No. 1 and reigning World Cup champion Spain in two friendlies in October. The United States women's national team will play a pair of October friendlies at home against Spain, the top-ranked side and defending World Cup winner, a marquee test as the program builds toward its next cycle. - ESPN Soccer: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49349807/uswnt-host-world-no-1-spain-two-friendlies-october * ESPN Projects USMNT's 2030 Roster Latest developments: Days after the United States' 2026 World Cup exit, ESPN projected 30 players who could represent the USMNT at the 2030 World Cup. With the U.S. men's team out of its home World Cup, ESPN looked ahead to the 2030 tournament and named 30 players who could form the next American squad, turning the page on the round-of-16 loss to Belgium. - ESPN Soccer: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49344843/projecting-usmnt-2030-world-cup-roster-30-players-rep-us-four-years READING ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Cal Newport -- Why Reading Matters Responding to Rose Horowitch's Atlantic piece 'The End of Reading is Here,' Newport argues that sustained, deep reading builds cognitive capacities that skimming and screens cannot replace. https://calnewport.com/why-reading-matters/ * Stratechery -- Apple Sues OpenAI, Apple's Real Problem Ben Thompson reads Apple's trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI—which centers on a single guilty employee—as the company lashing out rather than confronting its deeper strategic weakness in artificial intelligence. https://stratechery.com/2026/apple-sues-openai-apples-real-problem/ * Ed Zitron -- Premium: The Hater's Guide To The Memory Crisis Zitron delivers a skeptical, detailed dissection of the memory-chip shortage and the mania around it, arguing the frenzy is overblown. https://www.wheresyoured.at/premium-the-haters-guide-to-the-memory-crisis/ MARKETS (weekly average, change vs prior week) ---------------------------------------------------------------- S&P 500 7,528.60 ▲ +1.0% Dow 52,690.77 ▲ +0.7% Nasdaq 26,059.80 ▲ +0.8% WTI crude 71.20 ▲ +2.7% EUR/USD 1.1428 ▲ +0.2% GBP/USD 1.3382 ▲ +0.9% USD/JPY 162.16 ▲ +0.1% ================================================================ Generated 2026-07-13 12:05 EDT. Sources: 24 security feeds; 9 Pittsburgh feeds; 4 Pittsburgh arts and events feeds; 6 Pittsburgh sports beat and podcast feeds; 4 Team USA feeds; the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, and the Financial Times; and Ed Zitron, Stratechery, Cal Newport. Markets from Yahoo Finance, weather from the NWS, scores from ESPN. Summaries are AI-generated from the linked reporting; verify at the sources. ================================================================