================================================================ INFOSECFOLLOW -- security, markets, business, pittsburgh Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - 1:36 PM EDT ================================================================ A sustained denial-of-service flood has knocked Norway's shared government digital services offline, the day's most disruptive incident, as fresh flaws surface in the tooling that wires AI agents into local machines. CONTENTS: Emerging Trends and Key Updates | Security | Business and Politics | Pittsburgh | Sports | Reading | Markets EMERGING TRENDS AND KEY UPDATES ---------------------------------------------------------------- * [TREND] Researchers keep finding holes wiring AI models into local machines, as NemoClaw hijacks the Ollama backend behind NVIDIA agents and a Marimo notebook runs attacker commands on open. see: NVIDIA NemoClaw and Marimo Flaws Expose AI Agent Tooling * [UPDATE (new)] A sustained denial-of-service flood has dragged Norway's shared government platform offline since Monday, showing volumetric attacks still knock entire public sectors down for days. see: Massive DDoS Cripples Norway's Government Services * [UPDATE (new)] Meta began letting over a billion WhatsApp users register multiple passkeys, signaling an industry push toward phishing-resistant sign-ins as attackers lean harder on account recovery. see: WhatsApp Adds Multiple Passkeys and Stronger 2SV * [TREND] Attackers pushed toward physical and edge devices as police ran stings over smashed Flock license-plate cameras and Kaspersky tied the first car head-unit malware to BadBox. see: Felony Charges and Sting Operations Target Flock Camera Critics; First Car Head-Unit Malware Feeds the BadBox Botnet * [TREND] In Reading, Zitron's manifesto and Newport both argue the AI industry's shaky economics and inflated hype justify sustained skepticism over runaway-capability narratives. see: The AI Hater's Manifesto; Has AI Gone Rogue? SECURITY ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. WHATSAPP ADDS MULTIPLE PASSKEYS AND STRONGER 2SV Identity and Access Management · [passkeys, authentication] Latest developments: Meta began rolling out support for multiple passkeys on a single WhatsApp account, letting users who carry both iOS and Android devices sign in with the phishing-resistant method, and it strengthened two-step verification and now shows the country of callers from non-contacts on Android. More than a billion people already log into WhatsApp with a passkey, and the update lets one account hold several. The changes aim to blunt phishing and account-takeover attempts. - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/whatsapp-adds-multiple-passkeys-for.html - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/whatsapp-adds-stronger-two-step-verification-multiple-passkeys/ - SecurityWeek: https://www.securityweek.com/whatsapp-adds-multiple-passkeys-and-stronger-2sv-in-account-security-update/ 2. MASSIVE DDOS CRIPPLES NORWAY'S GOVERNMENT SERVICES Ransomware and Cybercrime · [ddos, government] Latest developments: A distributed denial-of-service flood has hammered Norway's shared government infrastructure since Monday, August 24, 2026, and the Norwegian Digitalisation Agency says it is working with its IT partner to stabilize systems as some services gradually return. The attack disrupted the digital services Norway's public sector depends on, and no group has claimed responsibility. Agencies await full restoration while the Digitalisation Agency coordinates recovery. - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/massive-ddos-attack-disrupts-norways-government-digital-services/ - The Record: https://therecord.media/norway-cyberattack-ddos-government 3. NVIDIA NEMOCLAW AND MARIMO FLAWS EXPOSE AI AGENT TOOLING AI Security · [ai, vulnerability, mcp] Latest developments: Oasis Security disclosed NemoClaw, which lets an attacker-controlled webpage seize the local Ollama instance behind NVIDIA's AI agents and implant hidden instructions in the model, and VulnCheck detailed a Marimo notebook flaw that runs an attacker's Model Context Protocol command as a local subprocess when a user opens the notebook in edit mode. Both flaws turn the plumbing that connects large language models to a developer's machine into an entry point; Oasis reported NemoClaw to NVIDIA's product security team, and Marimo patched its notebook software. Developers running local AI agents should update. - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/a-malicious-webpage-could-poison-your.html - The Hacker News: https://thehackernews.com/2026/08/marimo-notebook-flaw-could-run-mcp.html 4. FELONY CHARGES AND STING OPERATIONS TARGET FLOCK CAMERA CRITICS Policy and Regulation · [surveillance, privacy, policy] Latest developments: Police have begun running sting operations to catch people who destroy Flock license-plate cameras, charging one man with three felonies for smashing a 3D-printed decoy, while San Diego protester Anthony Ralphs keeps speaking against Flock at city council meetings, an effort that drew global attention when he appeared in a Darth Vader mask. The automated license-plate readers Flock builds have spread across US cities and drawn a growing backlash. Prosecutors now press felony charges against critics who deface the cameras. - 404 Media: https://www.404media.co/man-charged-with-3-felonies-for-breaking-3d-printed-decoy-flock-camera/ - 404 Media: https://www.404media.co/darth-vader-flock-san-diego-city-council-interview/ 5. FIRST CAR HEAD-UNIT MALWARE FEEDS THE BADBOX BOTNET Ransomware and Cybercrime · [botnet, malware, android] Latest developments: Kaspersky researchers linked the first malware built specifically for car head units to the BadBox botnet, which has already ensnared millions of devices, and found the implant riding DoFun-built firmware to enroll units in a proxy network and run ad fraud. The malware spreads through a legitimate device-update app baked into aftermarket Android head units and turns infected cars into botnet nodes. Owners of affected units face hijacked traffic and fraudulent ad activity. - SecurityWeek: https://www.securityweek.com/first-malware-built-specifically-for-car-head-units-fuels-botnet/ 6. HOSPITAL OPERATOR NUTEX HEALTH LOSES DATA TO ATTACKERS Data Breaches · [breach, healthcare] Latest developments: Hospital operator Nutex Health said an unauthorized third party broke into its servers and exfiltrated information, and the company has opened an investigation. Nutex Health, which runs hospitals and healthcare services, has not yet detailed how many patients or which records the theft touched. Affected individuals await notification. - BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hospital-operator-nutex-health-says-data-stolen-in-cyberattack/ BUSINESS AND POLITICS ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Canada Hits Back With $20 Billion Tariff Package Latest developments: Canada published its full retaliation list August 25—about $20 billion of U.S. goods facing 15% to 50% duties starting September 8—as President Trump threatened a 50% tariff on Canadian autos and mused on social media about renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America." Prime Minister Mark Carney's government answered President Trump's escalating levies with dollar-for-dollar countertariffs on U.S. steel, fish, dairy, appliances, motorcycles, and farm equipment, deepening a trade war between the two longtime allies that has slid into public insults and recrimination. - Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/7ced71c2-03b8-4569-a68d-14624a7e83f2?syn-25a6b1a6=1 - Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/canada-targets-u-s-metals-foods-motorcycles-in-retaliatory-tariff-package-f677222b?mod=rss_worldnews PITTSBURGH ---------------------------------------------------------------- Weather: This Afternoon: Mostly Sunny, high 78F. Tonight: Mostly Cloudy then Areas Of Fog, low 60F. Wednesday: Areas Of Fog then Mostly Sunny, high 83F. Business: * Shapiro Data-Center Rules Take Shape Latest developments: PublicSource detailed August 25 how Governor Josh Shapiro's order works—it stops short of a moratorium while forcing developers to meet strict standards and giving Pennsylvania municipalities leverage to block projects. Governor Josh Shapiro's executive order hands Pennsylvania municipalities new authority over data-center construction, requiring power-hungry developers to clear tougher siting and resource standards as the projects proliferate across the state. - PublicSource: https://www.publicsource.org/data-centers-josh-shapiro-pennsylvania-regulation/ * Pittsburgh Breaks Ground on Carrick Flood Project Latest developments: Pittsburgh Water and the city of Pittsburgh broke ground August 25 on the $6.8 million Stewart Avenue Stormwater Improvement Project. The Stewart Avenue Stormwater Improvement Project aims to curb chronic flooding along Stewart Avenue in the Carrick and Overbrook neighborhoods of Pittsburgh's South Hills. - WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pittsburgh-water-city-break-ground-68m-project-reduce-flooding-carrick-overbrook/NL4D2OZGZRDTXHLFXBQZOYYXLU/ Around town: * Bat Reports Triple in Allegheny County Latest developments: TribLive reported August 25 that bat-related calls have more than tripled as late-summer swarming season opens, with one pest-control company logging more than 50 bat inspections in August alone. Allegheny County infectious-disease epidemiology officials link the surge to bats seeking winter roosts inside homes; because bats can carry rabies, bites and intrusions carry a public-health risk. - TribLive: https://triblive.com/news/health-now/bat-reports-triple-in-allegheny-county-as-late-summer-swarming-season-begins/ * North Hills Rolls Out Bus-Tracking App Latest developments: The North Hills School District launched the StopFinder app as students returned August 25, letting parents follow their children's buses in real time. The North Hills School District north of Pittsburgh emailed activation links to parents over the past month so families can track school buses live through StopFinder as the school year opens. - WPXI: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/north-hills-parents-excited-by-new-app-that-lets-them-track-school-buses-real-time/LEERN6HU5RE2ZBZSRFFOILE2IE/ * Mount Washington Church Faces Demolition Latest developments: A city spokeswoman told NewsWorks Lab that crews could begin razing the former Grandview United Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, August 26. The fire-gutted former Grandview United Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh's Mount Washington neighborhood will come down this week as demolition crews move in. - TribLive: https://triblive.com/local/fire-gutted-mount-washington-church-could-be-demolished-this-week/ SPORTS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Around the Teams: * Roethlisberger Talks Jets Preseason on Footbahlin Latest developments: Ben Roethlisberger's Footbahlin podcast released episode 136 on August 25, working through the Steelers' second preseason game against the New York Jets while the frustration was still fresh. On Footbahlin, Ben Roethlisberger cautioned that a preseason box score can make everything look broken, walking through the good and bad from the Jets game and urging perspective on the young Steelers roster. - Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2062616/episodes/19699821-big-ben-talks-preseason-reality-check-the-good-and-the-bad-from-week-2-vs-the-jets-ep-136.mp3 * Graham's Aggressive Defense Under the Microscope Latest developments: The Post-Gazette's Carter's Critiques used film from Friday's opening drive August 25 to show the blitz-heavy, disguised schemes coordinator Patrick Graham is installing, including a Nick Herbig pressure package. Post-Gazette writers detailed how new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham deployed disguised blitzes and pressure on the Steelers' opening series against the Jets, offering an early look at the aggression he wants from the unit. - Post-Gazette Steelers: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2026/08/25/patrick-graham-film-queen-herbig-blitz-defense/stories/202608240028 * Beazley Fields Pirates Rumor and Prospect Questions Latest developments: In his August 25 chat, Post-Gazette writer Colin Beazley took reader questions on ace Paul Skenes, general manager Ben Cherington's direction, and top prospect Konnor Griffin. Post-Gazette Pirates writer Colin Beazley addressed trade rumors, Paul Skenes's future, Ben Cherington's roster building, and the rise of prospect Konnor Griffin as Pittsburgh plays out a disappointing season. - Post-Gazette Pirates: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2026/08/25/mlb-rumors-paul-skenes-ben-cherington-konnor-griffin/stories/202608250035 READING ---------------------------------------------------------------- * Ed Zitron -- The AI Hater's Manifesto Zitron lays out a full-throated case against the artificial-intelligence industry, arguing its economics, hype, and social costs justify sustained skepticism rather than deference. https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-ai-haters-manifesto/ * Stratechery -- Netflix to Sell Streaming Services?, Streamers as Aggregators, Revisiting Roku Ben Thompson argues Netflix reselling rival streaming services is a smart move toward becoming an aggregator, even as it marks a retreat from the company's original ambition to stand alone. https://stratechery.com/2026/netflix-to-sell-streaming-services-streamers-as-aggregators-revisiting-roku/ * Cal Newport -- Has AI Gone Rogue? Newport contends the real AI story of the summer is the shaky financial position of the labs chasing record IPOs, cutting against breathless narratives about runaway machine capability. https://calnewport.com/has-ai-gone-rogue/ MARKETS (weekly average, change vs prior week) ---------------------------------------------------------------- S&P 500 7,673.63 ▼ -1.1% Dow 53,251.97 ▼ -0.9% Nasdaq 26,169.72 ▼ -1.8% WTI crude 86.13 ▲ +3.9% EUR/USD 1.1641 ▲ +0.8% GBP/USD 1.3597 ▲ +0.6% USD/JPY 158.99 ▼ -0.2% ================================================================ Generated 2026-08-25 13:36 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. ================================================================