Cybersecurity incidents in 2026 have affected U.S. government data, civilian infrastructure, major companies, open source software, and identity verification services. Reported cases include alleged Social Security data exposure, attacks on energy and water systems, destructive malware, ransomware activity, software supply chain compromises, and exposed passport and driver license scans.
Social Security Data Faces Scrutiny
A year after the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, entered federal agencies, lawsuits are still examining what happened at the Social Security Administration. A whistleblower claim said DOGE uploaded a live copy of the Social Security database to an unsecured third-party server.
The database allegedly contained Social Security numbers and personal information for most living Americans. In court filings, the Social Security Administration said it does not know for sure what was stored on the server.
The agency also said DOGE signed an agreement with an outside political advocacy group under the stated purpose of finding voter fraud. Two senior House Democrats investigating DOGE’s activity said the exposure “could very well be the largest data breach in our nation’s history.”
Infrastructure Attacks Spread Across Europe And The U.S.
Cyberattacks have also targeted civilian energy and water systems in Europe. Poland’s energy grid was hit with computer-destroying malware near the end of last year, while a Swedish thermal plant and a Norwegian dam were also targeted.
Poland was targeted again this year, this time against water treatment plants. The incidents were attributed to Russia, or partly blamed on Russia, and raised concerns about harm to local communities.
In the United States, officials have warned that Iranian hackers are targeting critical infrastructure, including privately owned water utilities. These utilities remain vulnerable because many lack basic cybersecurity protections.
Companies Face Disruption And Ransom Demands
Iranian hackers were linked to a March cyberattack on medical technology company Stryker. The attackers remotely wiped tens of thousands of employee devices, disrupting operations for several days and affecting Stryker’s first-quarter earnings.
The English-speaking hacking group ShinyHunters also continued its campaigns using voice phishing. The group breached Instructure’s Canvas learning management system and stole private data belonging to more than 30 million students and staff.
After Instructure did not pay the ransom, the hackers broke in again and defaced Canvas login screens during school finals. Instructure later paid the ransom despite FBI efforts to discourage payment.
Hasbro also remained largely offline weeks after discovering hackers in its systems in late March. The company said in mid-May that the hackers were no longer in its systems and that recovery was underway.
Open Source And Identity Systems Remain Exposed
Open source developers faced repeated attacks involving tools and projects such as Aqua Security’s Trivy, Bitwarden, and Checkmarx. Hackers used backdoored software to steal passwords, credentials, and sensitive tokens from affected computers.
The FBI also disclosed a major cyber incident in April after one of its surveillance systems was compromised. Reports said the breach may have exposed phone numbers of people under federal surveillance.
Separate data exposures left passport and driver license scans accessible online through services including a hotel check-in system, money transfer app, prison payphone provider, and U.K. visa service. More than two million people’s personal documents were exposed.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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