Cyber Risks Brief - August 20, 2026
This brief covers threat actors exploiting remote access vulnerabilities from hidden back to access cameras of military drones to the disruption of critical infrastructure across continents. We also tackle how North Korea exploits remote work; and urgent security updates for consumer technology.
APAC and Philippines
Analysis on UK Navy Drones Camera Sent Data Back to China
The Telegraph had disclosed an incident during a routine cyber vulnerability test where a United Kingdom’s (UK) Royal Navy maritime drones were found to have sent data back to a device in China. The UK’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) had stated that it severed the internet connection of the drones in order to contain the issue, the ministry also stated that while external connections were found, no evidence that a sensitive data breach occurred.
Moreover, the drones in question are the recently acquired fleet of K3 Scout surveillance drones which were originally procured back in March 2026. The authorities attributed the vulnerability to a Chinese-made component within the cameras of the drones. The component allegedly sent an automated network ping, called a “squark”, back to an IP address in China. The authorities did not specifically detail what had been sent, but depending on the system, a squark can theoretically transmit either telemetry or location information.
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