Microsoft Warns IRS-Themed Phishing Is Driving Large-Scale RMM Abuse

Microsoft warned on March 23, 2026, that U.S. tax-season phishing campaigns are using IRS, CPA, W-2, and refund lures to steal credentials and deploy legitimate remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, including ScreenConnect, Datto, and SimpleHelp. One February 10 campaign affected more than 29,000 users across 10,000 organizations, with 95% of targets in the U.S., notably in financial services, technology, and retail. Microsoft said attackers are increasingly pairing phishing-as-a-service kits with trusted remote-access software, complicating detection, persistence tracking, and post-compromise containment for enterprise defenders.

Drones Hit Baghdad Intelligence HQ Amid Regional Escalation

A drone strike on March 21 killed one police officer at the Iraqi National Intelligence Service headquarters in Baghdad’s Mansour district, marking a direct hit on a sensitive state security site. Iraqi officials blamed “outlaw groups,” while security sources said the targeted communications building supports coordination with United States advisers. The attack followed at least three overnight drone strikes on a US diplomatic and logistics hub at Baghdad International Airport, where a fire was reported. The incident underscores rising spillover risk in Iraq as US-Israeli strikes on Iran intensify regional proxy retaliation.

Supermicro Co-Founder Arrested in $2.5B Nvidia Chip Smuggling Case

US prosecutors charged Super Micro Computer co-founder Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw and two associates with allegedly diverting $2.5 billion in Nvidia AI-chip servers to China in violation of US export controls on March 20, 2026. The indictment describes a multilayered scheme involving a Southeast Asia pass-through company, false compliance documents, repackaged shipments, and dummy servers used to mislead auditors. Liaw was arrested in California, Ting-Wei “Willy” Sun was detained pending a hearing, and Ruei-Tsang “Steven” Chang remains at large. Super Micro is cooperating and has taken personnel action.

New Perseus Malware Hijacks Android Devices via Fake Streaming Apps

ThreatFabric reported that the newly identified Perseus Android banking malware is being actively deployed through phishing sites and IPTV-themed dropper apps to enable full device takeover and financial fraud. Built on the Cerberus and Phoenix codebases, Perseus uses accessibility abuse, overlay attacks, keystroke capture, remote-control functions, and note app monitoring to extract high-value personal and financial data. Campaigns have primarily targeted Turkey, Italy, Poland, Germany, France, the UAE, and Portugal. Its anti-analysis checks and operator-controlled command set indicate a more adaptable, operationally mature mobile threat.

Climate Attribution Study Links Extreme Weather to Peru's 2023 Dengue Surge

A March 2026 study tied Peru’s 2023 dengue epidemic to climate-amplified extreme weather, offering an unusually specific attribution for a disease outbreak. Researchers found that extreme rainfall associated with Cyclone Yaku and a coastal El Niño likely drove about 60% of dengue cases in affected districts, or roughly 22,000 infections, after the storm. The outbreak was more than 10 times the regional average, and Peru had reported 381 dengue-related deaths by July 2023. The findings strengthen the case for earlier vector control, vaccination, and flood-resilient public health planning.

EU Regulators Target GDPR Transparency in 2026 Enforcement Push

On March 19, the European Data Protection Board launched its 2026 Coordinated Enforcement Framework, shifting focus from prior actions on erasure and access rights to GDPR transparency and information obligations under Articles 12, 13, and 14. Twenty-five Data Protection Authorities will assess how controllers inform individuals about personal data processing across multiple sectors, using both enforcement actions and fact-finding exercises. Findings will be consolidated in the second half of 2026 into an EDPB report, creating the basis for targeted national and EU follow-up. The initiative signals broader scrutiny of disclosure practices and compliance governance.

Middle East Disruption Threatens Cancer Drug Supply Chains

Pharmaceutical companies are rerouting critical medicine shipments as the Middle East war disrupts major air and sea corridors, increasing the risk of delays for cancer drugs and other temperature-sensitive treatments. Executives said cargo normally passing through Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha is being redirected via Jeddah, Riyadh, Oman, China, and Singapore, often with added fuel, storage, and dry ice requirements. Industry experts warned that many hospitals hold only about three months of inventory, and some suppliers have flagged potential shortages within four to six weeks if disruption persists, particularly for oncology therapies and essential packaging components.

Ecolab's $4.75B CoolIT Acquisition Targets AI Data Center Cooling Market

Ecolab announced on March 20 that it will acquire liquid-cooling specialist CoolIT Systems from KKR for approximately $4.75 billion in cash, a move that deepens its exposure to AI data center infrastructure. CoolIT is expected to generate about $550 million in sales over the next 12 months, and Ecolab said the deal should lift Global Water’s organic sales growth by 2% and total organic sales growth by 1% beginning one year after closing. The transaction, expected to close in Q3 2026, also increases leverage to about 3x EBITDA, creating integration and execution risk.

Mozambique Sovereign Spread Breaches 1,000bps as Debt Crisis Deepens

The World Bank said on March 18 it is considering “all options” to help Mozambique address unsustainable debt as the country’s sovereign spread rose above 1,000 basis points, its highest level since May 2025. A February debt sustainability analysis prepared with the IMF found public debt at 91% of GDP, with debt-servicing arrears of 1.3% of GDP by end-2025, and missed repayments to creditors, including China, India, and Saudi Arabia. The Bank is preparing $6 billion in concessional financing over five years, while recovery prospects depend partly on fiscal consolidation and delayed LNG projects.

US-Brokered DRC-Rwanda Talks Yield New De-Escalation Pledges

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda agreed after US-hosted talks on March 17–18 to take coordinated steps to reduce fighting in eastern Congo, reviving the fragile December 2025 Washington Accords. The measures include respect for sovereignty, the planned disengagement of Rwandan forces from defined areas, and time-bound Congolese operations against the FDLR militia. The initiative follows renewed battlefield pressure from M23, US sanctions on Rwanda earlier in March, and recent drone attacks that killed a French UN-linked worker and two others. Implementation risk remains high given deep mistrust and contested control of mineral-rich territory.

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