================================================================ INFOSECFOLLOW -- security, markets, business, pittsburgh Saturday, August 1, 2026 - 7:37 PM EDT ================================================================ A firmware flaw in Coinkite's Coldcard hardware wallet let a thief sweep 1,082 bitcoin worth about $70 million from 1,196 addresses in 41 minutes. CONTENTS: Emerging Trends and Key Updates | Security | Business and Politics | Pittsburgh | Sports | Reading | Markets EMERGING TRENDS AND KEY UPDATES ---------------------------------------------------------------- * [TREND] Two crypto-draining attacks lead the day as a Coldcard firmware flaw enabled a $70 million bitcoin sweep and Adform's poisoned ad script silently rewrote copied wallet addresses. see: Coldcard Firmware Flaw Fuels $70 Million Bitcoin Heist; Adform Script Poisoning Swaps Crypto Wallet Addresses * [TREND] AI runs through the day as phishing crews impersonate ChatGPT, Ben Thompson unpacks OpenAI's accidental Hugging Face intrusion, and Zitron warns model costs are unsustainable. see: Phishing Campaigns Impersonate AI Providers; OpenAI Hacks Hugging Face, What Happened, Alignment and Paper Clips; Premium: AI Is Getting Way Too Expensive * [UPDATE (new)] Iran opened a new front with drone strikes on Kuwait as President Trump renewed his threat to hit Iran very hard with fresh American attacks. see: Iran War Widens as Drones Hit Kuwait * [UPDATE (new)] The Pirates worked the trade deadline by acquiring closer Camilo Doval from the Yankees, even as Ryan O'Hearn landed on the injured list for six to eight weeks. see: Pirates Acquire Camilo Doval From Yankees; O'Hearn to Miss Six to Eight Weeks * [UPDATE (new)] Forecasters flagged Sunday as an impact day with heavy rain and flooding risk across Western Pennsylvania, while Springdale unveiled a new community celebration to replace its defunct carnival. see: Sunday Flooding Threat Across Western Pennsylvania; Springdale Plans New Community Celebration SECURITY ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. COLDCARD FIRMWARE FLAW FUELS $70 MILLION BITCOIN HEIST Ransomware and Cybercrime · [cryptocurrency, firmware, theft] Latest developments: Galaxy Research mapped a July 30 sweep that drained 1,196 Bitcoin addresses in 41 minutes, taking 1,082.65 bitcoin worth about $70.2 million, and tied it to a firmware flaw in Coinkite's Coldcard wallet. A March 2021 firmware integration error at Canadian maker Coinkite routed Coldcard seed generation to a deterministic software pseudorandom number generator, making the private keys guessable; owners of wallets set up under that firmware should move funds to freshly generated keys. - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/coldcard-hardware-wallet-flaw-linked-to.html 2. ADFORM SCRIPT POISONING SWAPS CRYPTO WALLET ADDRESSES Software Supply Chain · [supply-chain, cryptocurrency, breach] Latest developments: The Hacker News detailed the compromise: Adform detected the tampered JavaScript on July 27, 2026, removed it, notified affected clients, and reported the incident to authorities. Attackers modified a JavaScript file that advertising-technology firm Adform serves across customer sites, turning it into a browser-side tool that rewrites copied cryptocurrency wallet addresses; anyone who visited an affected site on July 27 and copied a Bitcoin address should verify the destination before sending funds. - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/hackers-poison-adform-script-to-swap.html 3. PHISHING CAMPAIGNS IMPERSONATE AI PROVIDERS AI Security · [phishing, credential-theft] Latest developments: SANS Internet Storm Center flagged phishing emails that impersonate AI services such as ChatGPT, pressing recipients with the fear of losing access to lure clicks. Attackers have added AI-service brands to their impersonation roster, mimicking ChatGPT and similar providers to steal credentials; treat unexpected AI-account warnings as suspect and reach the service through its own site. - SANS Internet Storm Center: https://isc.sans.edu/diary/rss/33206 4. DEFCON BADGE DOUBLES AS AN INSPECTABLE SECURITY KEY Security Research · [hardware, authentication] Latest developments: Ars Technica reported that Defcon's new badge is a working hardware security key whose removable chip attendees can inspect and keep using after the conference. The Defcon badge, long a hacker collectible, now ships as a functioning hardware security key with a transparent design that lets researchers examine the silicon; attendees can register it for two-factor authentication and carry it beyond the event. - Ars Technica Security: https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/08/defcons-new-badge-is-a-security-key-you-can-see-inside/ BUSINESS AND POLITICS ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Iran War Widens as Drones Hit Kuwait Latest developments: Iran opened a new front with drone attacks on Kuwait, and President Trump doubled down on his threat to strike Iran "very hard" with fresh American attacks. Iran's drone strikes on Kuwait pushed the six-month war past direct United States-Iran exchanges, and with the Strait of Hormuz closed to shipping, President Trump warned that Washington could launch new attacks, holding Gulf energy supplies and oil markets on edge. - WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-stokes-the-middle-east-war-with-drone-attacks-on-kuwait-f25530a0 - FT: https://www.ft.com/content/3350e4d1-1568-494d-8567-0363d6ef427b?syn-25a6b1a6=1 PITTSBURGH ---------------------------------------------------------------- Weather: Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, low 69F. Sunday: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms, high 80F. Sunday Night: Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, low 68F. Business: * Sarris Candies and 84 Lumber Craft a Sawdust Sundae Latest developments: Sarris Candies and 84 Lumber launched a co-branded "Sawdust Sundae," on sale through August. Sarris Candies, the Canonsburg chocolate maker, and 84 Lumber, the Eighty Four building-materials company, joined on a limited "Sawdust Sundae" this month, a marketing tie-up between two Western Pennsylvania family businesses. - WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/sarris-candies-84-lumber-team-up-craft-sawdust-sundae/FCQBDBRAWZDUPO7SOSRA63P6UU/ Around town: * Springdale Plans New Community Celebration Latest developments: Springdale borough officials launched a new community celebration tied to the borough's and the nation's anniversaries, filling the void left when the town's annual carnival folded years ago. Springdale, the Allegheny River borough in Allegheny County, is starting a community celebration to spotlight the town after its longtime annual carnival ended, borough officials told TribLive. - TribLive: https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/springdale-launches-new-community-celebration-tied-to-anniversaries-of-borough-and-nation/ * Sunday Flooding Threat Across Western Pennsylvania Latest developments: Forecasters flagged Sunday, August 2, as an impact day, with off-and-on heavy rain that could top an inch in spots and bring flooding and a chance of severe storms across Western Pennsylvania. Meteorologists at WTAE and WPXI warned that repeated downpours Sunday, August 2, could exceed an inch across the Pittsburgh region and trigger flooding, with severe storms possible, ending the weekend wet. - WTAE: https://www.wtae.com/article/impact-day-sunday-with-off-and-on-downpours-for-western-pa/73323191 - WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/weather/showers-develop-tonight-before-chance-severe-storms-begins-sunday/EKFEGMPSN5BF3J2QHHUYOOLK4Y/ * North Fayette Firefighter Rescues Ducklings Latest developments: A North Fayette Township volunteer firefighter, headed to Home Depot for a home-improvement project, stopped Saturday to free five ducklings trapped in a storm drain. A North Fayette Township Volunteer Fire Department firefighter pulled five ducklings from a storm drain in Allegheny County on Saturday after spotting them while running an errand, WPXI and WTAE reported. - WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/north-fayette-firefighters-rescue-5-ducklings-storm-drain/2HZYLIWF4NEHTAELLXIYSMFGZA/ - WTAE: https://www.wtae.com/article/north-fayette-township-vfd-firefighter-duckling-rescue/73323851 SPORTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Pirates (55-56) Fri Jul 31 · Pirates 7 · Reds 8 · Final Sal Stewart hits 2-run HR, drives in 4 as Reds come back to beat Pirates 8-7 https://plaintextsports.com/mlb/2026-07-31/pit-cin Sat Aug 1 · Pirates 3 · Reds 0 · Bot 3rd (in progress at last update) https://plaintextsports.com/mlb/2026-08-01/pit-cin Up Next · Pirates @ Reds · Sun Aug 2, 1:40 PM https://plaintextsports.com/mlb/2026-08-02/pit-cin Around the Teams: * Pirates Acquire Camilo Doval From Yankees Latest developments: The Pirates made their first trade-deadline move, landing former All-Star closer Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees for two prospects and cash to shore up the bullpen. Pittsburgh acquired right-handed reliever Camilo Doval, a onetime All-Star with 109 career saves, from the New York Yankees for a pair of minor leaguers, the Pirates' opening bid for bullpen help at the deadline, the Post-Gazette reported. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2026/08/01/pirates-yankees-trade-camilo-doval-omar-alfonzo/stories/202608010049 * O'Hearn to Miss Six to Eight Weeks Latest developments: The Pirates placed Ryan O'Hearn on the 10-day injured list with a left quad strain and now expect him to miss six to eight weeks, after he pulled up running to first base Friday in Cincinnati. First baseman and right fielder Ryan O'Hearn grabbed his left leg running to first against the Cincinnati Reds and landed on the injured list, a six-to-eight-week absence that thins an already banged-up Pirates lineup, the Post-Gazette reported. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2026/08/01/pirates-injury-ryan-ohearn-rafael-flores/stories/202608010057 * Steelers Name 2026 Hall of Honor Class Latest developments: The Steelers announced their 2026 Hall of Honor class, inducting the late lineman and broadcaster Craig Wolfley, former general manager Kevin Colbert, and 1970s defensive back J.T. Thomas. Pittsburgh will enshrine three new Hall of Honor members: Craig Wolfley, the offensive lineman turned team broadcaster who died recently; Kevin Colbert, the general manager who built the roster for two decades; and J.T. Thomas, a cornerback on the 1970s Super Bowl teams, the Post-Gazette reported. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/08/01/pittsburgh-hall-of-honor-wolfley-kevin-colbert-jt-thomas/stories/202608010045 Team USA: * Tyler Adams Linked to Newcastle Latest developments: United States men's national team midfielder Tyler Adams, now at Bournemouth, drew reported interest from Newcastle United as the summer transfer window runs. Tyler Adams, the United States men's national team midfielder who anchors the American midfield, is linked with a move from Bournemouth to Newcastle United, ESPN's Transfer Talk reported. - ESPN: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49503204/transfer-rumors-news-bayern-munich-eye-manchester-united-benjamin-sesko-replace-harry-kane READING ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Ed Zitron -- Premium: AI Is Getting Way Too Expensive Zitron argues that the AI debate fixates on theoretical job losses and productivity gains while ignoring the real, mounting cost of running large language models, which he sees as unsustainable. https://www.wheresyoured.at/premium-ai-is-getting-way-too-expensive/ * Cal Newport -- Did OpenAI’s New Model “Go Rogue”? Newport examines the Hugging Face infrastructure intrusion and asks whether an OpenAI model acted autonomously, weighing what the episode actually reveals about machine agency. https://calnewport.com/did-openais-new-model-go-rogue/ * Stratechery -- OpenAI Hacks Hugging Face, What Happened, Alignment and Paper Clips Ben Thompson argues that OpenAI accidentally hacked Hugging Face, and that the alignment takeaways are more encouraging than the alarmed reaction suggests. https://stratechery.com/2026/openai-hacks-hugging-face-what-happened-alignment-and-paper-clips/ MARKETS (weekly average, change vs prior week) ---------------------------------------------------------------- S&P 500 7,417.09 ▼ -0.5% Dow 52,248.93 ▲ +0.5% Nasdaq 24,949.59 ▼ -1.9% WTI crude 82.92 ▼ -5.0% EUR/USD 1.1455 ▲ +0.5% GBP/USD 1.3351 ▼ -0.3% USD/JPY 162.95 = -0.0% ================================================================ Generated 2026-08-01 19:37 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. ================================================================