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Cybercriminals Claim Hack of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
Taylor Hawes
February 20, 2026
⚡ Weekend Threat Brief
Cybercriminals Claim Hack of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
Cybercriminals have publicly claimed responsibility for a cyberattack against the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. According to reporting by Comparitech, the incident involved unauthorized access to tribal networks and may have exposed sensitive data. Details remain limited, but the group’s public statements suggest data exfiltration, potentially including personal and administrative information. Tribal entities often face resource constraints that can hinder robust cybersecurity defenses, making them attractive targets for ransomware and extortion groups. This incident highlights ongoing threats to Indigenous organizations and underscores the need for improved defensive measures, incident response planning, and federal support for tribal cybersecurity capacity. As investigations proceed, stakeholders should monitor official communications for confirmed impact assessments and mitigation guidance..
Takeaway:
Tribal organizations remain at risk from targeted cyberattacks due to resource gaps.
Public claims of responsibility do not always equate to confirmed data exposure.
Incident response planning and external support networks are critical for recovery readiness.
🎯 Tactical Playbook
DOJ Charges Individuals in FedRAMP Fraud Case
The U.S. Department of Justice brought criminal charges against individuals involved in alleged Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) fraud, according to a compliance alert from Hogan Lovells. The charges stem from accusations that defendants misrepresented information in obtaining authorizations for cloud services used by government agencies. Government contractors must now reassess internal controls to ensure accurate documentation, truthful submissions, and robust oversight of FedRAMP processes. Misrepresentation in security assessments can lead to severe legal consequences, including criminal liability. Contractors should implement stricter review protocols, employee training on compliance requirements, and regular internal audits to prevent inadvertent errors or intentional misconduct. This action signals heightened enforcement focus on cybersecurity certification integrity within federal programs.
Key Takeaway:
Federal contractors can face criminal liability for falsified compliance documentation.
Accurate, verifiable security evidence is essential for FedRAMP authorization.
Internal audits and employee training reduce risk of compliance violations.
🛡️ Research Watch
NIST Centers Focus on AI and Cybersecurity for Manufacturing
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced focused research efforts on the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity within manufacturing environments. As manufacturers adopt AI for predictive maintenance, quality assurance, and process automation, new risk vectors emerge that could affect operational continuity and data integrity. NIST centers will explore standards and frameworks that help secure AI-enabled systems, including threat modeling, resilience measures, and validation protocols. The initiative reflects broader recognition that AI’s benefits must be supported by security safeguards to prevent exploitation. Manufacturers, technology vendors, and compliance teams should participate in standards development and pilot programs to align emerging best practices with real-world operations.
🧩 Tool Tip of the Week
Get More from NinjaOne
If you use NinjaOne for systems and endpoint management, leverage its scripting policies to automate routine maintenance tasks. For example, you can create a policy that runs custom scripts for patching, log cleanup, or configuration enforcement and schedule it across devices on a regular cadence. This helps standardize environment hygiene without manual intervention.
When designing scripts:
Test in a small group before wide deployment to avoid unintended consequences.
Use clear naming and documentation so other admins understand purpose and function.
Couple scripted tasks with alerts to catch failures early.
🗣️ Community Signal
Something pretty interesting happened over the last couple of years, in that, there's a ransomware crew, one of the biggest organizations, criminal organizations that we know about named Conti had some, internal turmoil and ultimately, dismantled. But upon their demise, one of their members leaked, a lot of internal documents on Twitter. So for the first time, research organizations like NSA and and the UK intelligence services were able to comb through those documents and see who are the bad guys. Christian Hyatt
🗳️ Your Take - The Results
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Until Monday’s edition - Let’s keep that zero-day count at zero!