Byer-Nichols Threat Brief for November 16-30 2025

The "Byer-Nichols Threat Brief" delivers a detailed analysis of the cyber threat landscape during the second half of November 2025, highlighting trends in ransomware and emerging security risks. Ransomware dominance is held by Qilin, CL0P, and Akira, although newer groups like Sinobi and DragonForce show a rapidly increasing impact. The majority of targets are small businesses in the USA, with the manufacturing, technology, retail, and construction sectors experiencing the most frequent attacks, while Canada has notably risen as a major victim location. The analysis also identifies specific operational indicators, including several trending adversaries that merge state-aligned espionage with criminal monetization and a list of frequently exploited vulnerabilities and emerging malware like Amatera Stealer and ShadowV2. Furthermore, the report summarizes major incidents in the cyber news, such as a substantial DDoS attack on Azure and global crypto laundering convictions. This information reinforces the necessity for organizations to track how rapidly threat actors shift tactics between intelligence gathering and financial intrusion.