The Smoke Loader botnet has a creepy new payload. Ransomware gets faster. How AI has evolved in malicious directions. The Snatch ransomware gang threatens to snitch. The FSB continues to use both USBs and phishing emails as attack vectors. A ransomware attack shutters Belgian social service offices. Tim Starks from the Washington Post explains a Biden administration win in a DC court. Our guest Ben Sebree of CivicPlus describes how the public sector could combat cybercrime during cloud adoption. And the deadline for comment on US cybersecurity regulations? It’s been extended. For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news briefing: https://thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/12/161 Selected reading. Smoke Loader Drops Whiffy Recon Wi-Fi Scanning and Geolocation Malware (SecureWorks)  Time keeps on slippin’ slippin’ slippin’: The 2023 Active Adversary Report for Tech Leaders (Sophos News)  HP Wolf Security Threat Insights Report Q2 2023 | HP Wolf Security (HP Wolf Security)  Barracuda XDR Insights: How AI learns your patterns to protect you (Barracuda) Deep Instinct Study Finds Significant Increase in Cybersecurity Attacks Fueled by Generative AI (Deep Instinct)  Cyberattack on Belgian social service centers forces them to close (Record) Ukraine’s Military Hacked by Russian Backed USB Malware (Ophtek) Request for Information on Cyber Regulatory Harmonization; Request for Information: Opportunities for and Obstacles To Harmonizing Cybersecurity Regulations (Federal Register) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices