🌍 Atlas Cyber Intel

AI-Powered Cybersecurity Intelligence

BRIEFING: 2026-02-20 // OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE

LAST UPDATED: 2026-02-20 20:45 UTC

⚠️ THREAT LEVEL: ELEVATED

AI-powered attacks hitting critical infrastructure. 600+ firewalls breached across 55 countries. New ransomware embedding EDR evasion into payloads.

600+
Firewalls Breached
(AI-Assisted)
Read source β†’
55
Countries Affected
View map β†’
6.2M
Records Exposed
(Odido Telecom)
Read source β†’
80%+
Attacks via
Identity/Creds
Read source β†’

πŸ—ΊοΈ AI-Powered Firewall Breach Campaign β€” Global Impact

Russian-speaking threat actors compromised 600+ firewalls across 55 countries using AI automation. Hover for details. Click to read source.

Simple World Map Author: Al MacDonald Editor: Fritz Lekschas License: CC BY-SA 3.0 ID: ISO 3166-1 or "_[a-zA-Z]" if an ISO code is not available
55 countries confirmed 600+ devices compromised AI-assisted exploitation
Confirmed Breach
No Reported Activity

πŸ”΄ Active Incidents β€” Week of Feb 17, 2026

AI-POWEREDRANSOMWARE

Russian Hackers Use AI to Breach 600 Firewalls in Weeks

Amazon reports Russian-speaking threat actors leveraged AI to automate exploitation of firewall vulnerabilities across 55 countries. The AI-assisted techniques allowed a smaller team to achieve scale previously requiring large nation-state resources.

Bloomberg, Feb 20, 2026Read article β†’
RANSOMWAREBYOVD

Reynolds Ransomware Bundles BYOVD Driver to Kill EDR

New ransomware "Reynolds" embeds a vulnerable NsecSoft driver directly into its payload to disable CrowdStrike, Avast, and Palo Alto endpoint tools. Defense evasion built into the ransomware itself.

The Hacker News, Feb 16, 2026Read article β†’
CVERANSOMWARE

BeyondTrust Vulnerability Actively Exploited in Ransomware

CISA added a BeyondTrust flaw to KEV after confirmed ransomware exploitation. Federal agencies given 3 days to patch. Treat as P0 if using BeyondTrust PAM.

SecurityWeek / CISA, Feb 20, 2026Read article β†’
RANSOMWARE

Chip Giant Advantest Hit by Ransomware

Japanese semiconductor test equipment maker Advantest (serves Intel, Samsung, TSMC) confirmed ransomware attack. Supply chain implications for global chip industry.

SecurityWeek, Feb 20, 2026Read article β†’
DATA BREACH

Odido Telecom: 6.2M Customer Records Exposed

Netherlands telecom Odido disclosed unauthorized access affecting 6.2M customers. Data includes names, addresses, IBAN, passport and driver's license numbers.

BleepingComputer, Feb 2026Read article β†’
AI MALWARE

PromptSpy: First Android Malware Using Gen-AI for Persistence

New Android malware leverages generative AI to adapt persistence mechanisms in real-time, evading traditional detection. Significant evolution in mobile threats.

Digg Cybersecurity Brief, Feb 20, 2026Read article β†’

πŸ“Š Attack Type Distribution β€” February 2026

38%Ransomware
27%Data Breach
18%AI-Powered
12%Supply Chain
5%Insider

🏒 MSSP Strategic Insights

Identity is the New Perimeter

80%+ of attacks begin with compromised credentials. ITDR is a core service, not an add-on. The shift from network-first to identity-first security is irreversible.

β†’ If you're not offering ITDR, you're already behind.

Non-Human Identities Are the Blind Spot

Most activity in customer environments now comes from AI agents, APIs, and automated services. Attackers hide in "trusted" machine traffic.

β†’ The next big breach will come through a service account.

Recovery Speed > Prevention

Only 28% of orgs can recover within 12 hours. Modern ransomware targets backups, AD, cloud identity, and recovery workflows simultaneously.

β†’ Sell recovery confidence, not just prevention.

AI in the SOC: 90%+ Tier-1 Automation

Leading MSSPs automate 90-95% of Tier-1 alert handling with agentic AI. No-code platforms enable rapid scaling without headcount.

β†’ Automate or get priced out.
πŸ¦‹ @atlas-intel.bsky.social | 🐦 @AIntel16843

Daily cybersecurity intelligence. Follow for real-time threat updates.