8-minute read | 1,800 words
What to know this week
Hackers targeting US private equity firms.
Data shows that hackers have been targeting employees at private equity firms and their employees through ransom-based attacks.
Cities and counties are cutting ties with Flock Safety.
Despite its rapid rise in popularity, dozens of cities and counties are cutting ties with Flock Safety..
This week's full stories
US private equity firms targeted by hackers.
THE NEWS
On Friday, Google published new research showing how hackers are targeting employees of major US financial institutions. More specifically, the campaigns targeted employees at Blackstone, Bridgewater Associates, Apollo Global Management, Bain Capital, KKR, TPG, CME Group, Clearlake Capital, and Moody’s. Google also added that the hackers were operating under several aliases Redact, Pink, Falcon, and Helix.
According to Google’s research, these hackers were able to successfully use phone calls impersonating IT workers to target employees at these companies. Google did not identify which companies, if any, paid ransom demands.
Lee Clark, a cyberthreat intelligence production manager with the Retail and Hospitality ISAC, commented on the research, noting:
“Because the fence is now so fancy and high-tech, we just have to trick the guard into opening the door…That human element consistently is why this has exploded in the way it has.”
Austin Larsen, the principal threat analyst at Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, also noted:
“Really, it’s a money thing. They think that these firms or organizations have data sensitive enough that, if taken, they would pay to prevent it.”
THE KNOWLEDGE
When launching these hacking campaigns, Google noted that the hackers had created over seventy-two malicious subdomains tailored to each targeted firm. The attackers also used social engineering to contact employees on their personal devices, posing as IT help desk personnel and, in some cases, spoofing legitimate help desk phone numbers.
In these calls, the hackers told employees that their device needed to be updated and would then steer them towards the fake websites. Larsen noted that while these attacks were not sophisticated, they were instead “just really effective.”
The campaign appears to also have been much larger than the financial sector. Google found that the cybercriminals had built traps for over 200 companies over the past several weeks which looked to target Uber, Zillow, and Levi Strauss alongside several law firms.
Alongside Google’s analysis, Reuters also conducted its own investigation into the hacking attempts and were able to find that there were potentially multiple groups engaging in these attacks. For example, Falcon, one of the hacking groups, acknowledged being affiliated with Redact; however, stated that the group had nothing to do with Helix or Pink.
While the groups behind the campaigns may differ, their tactics demonstrate a broader challenge for organizations. Regardless of how sophisticated an organization’s cybersecurity defenses are, they can still be bypassed by exploiting employee trust. That dynamic creates a challenge that extends beyond traditional network defenses and into how organizations protect their employees.
THE IMPACT
These attacks highlight a growing problem for organizations that cybersecurity defenses can be undermined when attackers exploit the people operating them rather than the technology itself. In this case, the hackers did not deploy highly sophisticated malware. Rather, they convinced employees that they were interacting with legitimate IT personnel and used that trust to gain access to corporate devices and environments.
Additionally, these efforts demonstrate why employee security awareness can not be treated as a one-time training requirement. Attackers are increasingly using tactics that can appear legitimate, using spoofed numbers, fake websites, and impersonation of internal IT personnel. Organizations need to still prioritize training and protecting their employees as attackers continue to leverage social engineering attacks at increasingly higher volumes.
Ultimately, this research reinforces a familiar lesson in cybersecurity where the human element continues to remain as one of the most difficult security challenges. Defending against these attacks requires an organization to not only protect their networks and applications, but also acknowledge that employees remain one of the most effective pathways into their environments.
More jurisdictions continue to cut ties with Flock.
THE NEWS
Over the weekend, reports emerged that throughout July over twenty local jurisdictions ended their contracts with Flock. This was the highest number of groups dropping Flock cameras in a single month according to DeFlock, an activist group that tracks the company’s active contracts.
Josh Young, a Republican commissioner of Macon County, North Carolina, commented on the contract ending stating:
“It was a bipartisan issue within our community. We had work boots and Subarus in our parking lot and they were united in their position against the Flock Cameras.”
In response to these jurisdictions cutting ties with Flock, Courtny Terlecki, a spokesperson for Flock stated:
“So far in 2026, for every city that has chosen not to renew its agreement, approximately seven new cities have partnered with Flock.”
Terlecki also argued that local jurisdictions have the power to control collected data and that customers own their data alongside deciding who has access to it. Terlecki added:
“Flock offers a nationwide lookup and statewide sharing network that is only accessible to our local and state law enforcement partners.”
THE KNOWLEDGE
In recent months, Flock cameras have come under increasing scrutiny over privacy concerns, data-sharing practices, and how law enforcement can access and use collected information. This backlash has continued to grow after reports of several law enforcement officers being reported for misusing the software to track private citizens.
A key complaint has been the lack of accountability with who has access to the surveillance footage and how this footage is used. DeFlock, one of Flock’s most vocal opponents, has routinely raised concerns on this issue. Will Freeman, the founder of the advocacy group, stated:
“We’ve been advocating to push back at a local level, and it’s working. Until this month, few people had heard of Flock cameras. Now that people know that they were installed in their communities, they’re rightfully upset.”
Other cities have noted a lack of use. Eric Couture, a Democratic first selectman from Killingworth, Connecticut commented that the camera “didn’t help us with anything[, and that] it was a net negative.”
One of the largest cities to cancel its contract with Flock was Los Angeles (LA). After installing over 125 Flock automatic license plate reader cameras, LA suspended the system after receiving immense public backlash.
Other cities, including Verona, Wisconsin and Dayton, Ohio also elected to not renew their contracts with Flock. In some cases, city officials reportedly put bags over the cameras to prevent further recording.
While many counties are still using Flock, these systems do create notable concerns among residents. As more communities debate whether to continue using Flock, the technology could become a more prominent local policy issue ahead of the November elections.
THE IMPACT
The growing number of jurisdictions cutting ties with Flock represents a broader debate over how local governments should use surveillance technology and govern the data it collects. While Flock continues to expand its footprint, the increasing number of cancellations suggests that communities are becoming more willing to question whether the benefits of these systems outweigh their concerns related to privacy, data sharing, and accountability.
At the same time, these cancellations do not appear to represent a major threat to Flock’s growth. Currently, the company is adding more customers than it is losing. However, as these questions continue to grow, there could be broader debates over how surveillance technology is regulated and implemented into communities across the country.
With the November election cycle approaching, Flock could find itself becoming a prominent local policy issue as voters and government officials debate the role of the company in their communities. For officials, the challenge will be balancing the potential law enforcement benefits against concerns related to privacy and data governance.
This Week's Caveat Podcast: Surveillance rulings and social media scrutiny.
Ben Yelin and Ethan Cook sit down to discuss two legal matters. The first involves the potential fallouts from the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Chatrie case. As the lower courts resolve future surveillance cases, this ruling will be critical for informing these decisions. Additionally, the two discuss a recent ruling which could open social media companies up to greater scrutiny on allegedly addictive design features.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY STORIES
Meta ordered to pay $567M in child safety case.
What: A New Mexico court ordered that Meta must pay $567 million after determining it contributed to the “teen mental health crisis.”
Why: On Friday, Meta was ordered to pay $567 million after a New Mexico court found that Facebook and Instagram contributed to detrimental mental health effects for minors. The fine will be used to help fund the state’s abatement plan.
After the ruling, Judge Bryan Biedscheid wrote:
“Altough Meta is not alone in this regard, its social media platforms are a significant contributing factor to the current mental health crisis among New Mexico’s youth established by the substantial evidence in this case.”
Attorney General Raul Torrez also commented:
“For years, Meta knew its platforms were harming New Mexico’s kids, from feeding a youth mental health crisis to connecting predators with children, and it chose engagement and profit over their safety.”
Notably, the order adds to the $375 million in civil penalties the Meta was ordered to pay after a jury found the company had violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act. That law prohibits unfair, deceptive, or misleading business ventures.
AUGUST 7, 2026 | Source: The Hill
North Korean hacking group builds AI tools for cyberattacks, report says.
What: A North Korea hacking group built a large language model to help automate cyberattacks.
Why: On Monday, Genians, a South Korean cybersecurity firm, reported that it had found evidence that Kimsuky, a North Korean-linked group, had created tools to run and manage AI models. Genians suggests that Kimsuky is moving beyond using AI to create phishing lures and is now building the capacity to integrate AI into malware development, data analysis, and attack automation.
Additionally, Genians also found finance and cryptocurrency-themed decoy documents that were potentially created with AI. These documents were created to imitate legitimate investment reports and other workplace documents.
AUGUST 10, 2026 | Source: Reuters
New York boosts funding for water cybersecurity grants.
What: New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the state will distribute $9 million to fund cybersecurity initiatives tied to the state’s water infrastructure.
Why: Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the state is providing over $9 million in grants to improve cybersecurity for dozens of water systems within the state. This funding will support over 150 local projects through the Strengthening Essential Cybersecurity for Utilities and Resiliency Enhancements (SECURE) grant program.
This increased funding support comes after several states experienced a substantial cyberattack. This attack offlined numerous water systems forcing utility providers to switch to manual processes.
AUGUST 5, 2026 | Source: State Scoop