A new threat is quietly targeting internet users worldwide, and it’s nothing like traditional phishing attacks. Grey websites are deceptive online platforms designed to manipulate users into voluntarily handing over money and personal information. Unlike classic phishing that directly steals login credentials, grey websites use persuasion, fake legitimacy, and hidden terms to exploit trust.

Recent research from Kaspersky reveals that these fraudulent platforms are driving substantial financial losses and large-scale data harvesting across all global regions.

“Suspicious websites don’t look harmful at first glance,” explains Anna Larkina, web content and privacy analysis expert at Kaspersky. “They exploit trust, urgency, and familiarity, and a single click could be all it takes to lose money or expose sensitive data.”

How grey websites work

Gray websites succeed by impersonating legitimate services. They often pose as:

• E-commerce platforms selling counterfeit or non-existent goods
• Financial tools including fake crypto exchanges and trading platforms
• AI services and image-processing tools targeting tech-savvy users
• Subscription services offering cheap trials that hide costly recurring charges
• Security solutions such as browser extensions that actually harvest your data

The sophistication lies in their presentation. These sites use polished interfaces, fabricated licences, and professional branding to appear trustworthy, making them significantly harder to detect than traditional phishing attempts.

What these websites can do

Grey websites drain your bank account through fraudulent transactions, hidden subscriptions, and fake investment schemes promising unrealistic returns. Users often discover they’ve lost money only when attempting to withdraw funds or cancel services.

Browser extensions disguised as privacy tools actually track your every move. Fake financial platforms capture sensitive personal and financial information. Intermediary service scams (legal, real estate) collect data under false pretenses.

The personal data harvested by gray websites becomes currency for further exploitation, leading to identity theft, targeted phishing, and unauthorised account access.

Malicious browser extensions inject advertisements, intercept traffic, steal cookies, and monitor browsing behavior, compromising your entire online security.

Grey websites by region

Europe: Threat actors heavily exploit privacy concerns with fake security tools and browser extensions disguised as solutions.

Africa: Financial scams dominate, with fraudulent trading platforms and fake brokers preventing withdrawals while charging fake fees.

Middle East and North Africa: Scammers mimic communication tools, betting services, and financial platforms, combining financial fraud with technical data theft.

How to protect yourself

1. Check domain age – Newly registered domains are a major red flag
2. Verify legitimacy – Look for active social presence, consistent branding, and verifiable contact details
3. Scrutinise offers – Deals that seem too good to be true usually are
4. Avoid browser extensions – Only install from official sources; unknown extensions are common delivery mechanisms
5. Use secure payment methods – Choose options with buyer protection; avoid crypto or wire transfers for unfamiliar services
6. Read the fine print – Subscription terms often hide automatic charges
7. Use security software – Reliable solutions can detect grey website scams across Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS

Grey websites represent a growing threat that exploits human psychology as much as technology. Their convincing appearance and behavioral manipulation tactics make them dangerous for everyone, from casual browsers to experienced internet users.

By staying vigilant and implementing protective measures, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to these sophisticated scams.

Read: Beyond compliance: Why cybersecurity transparency has become a boardroom priority

DXC Technology said on Thursday it has formed a multi-year global alliance with Anthropic to embed artificial intelligence into mission-critical enterprise systems used by banks, airlines, insurers, manufacturers and government agencies.

Under the agreement, DXC becomes a Global Premier partner in Anthropic’s Claude Partner Network and will build new AI offerings tailored to specific industries, the companies said.

At the centre of the partnership is the deployment of Anthropic’s Claude models within DXC OASIS, DXC’s AI-native orchestration platform for managed services. DXC said OASIS is already live with more than 50 customers and has used Claude to accelerate software delivery significantly, with the AI generating the majority of code prior to human review.

DXC said the collaboration will also establish a workforce of forward-deployed engineers and builders certified in Claude, embedded directly within customer environments to support deployment of agentic AI systems.

The engineers will be trained through Anthropic’s partner programmes and DXC’s own certification track, the companies said.

DXC chief executive Raul Fernandez said the partnership marks a turning point for the company as it scales AI capabilities into core enterprise systems. Anthropic chief commercial officer Paul Smith said the collaboration builds on DXC’s internal use of Claude under production-grade security conditions before extending it to customers.

The companies said DXC had already used Claude internally to build and operate OASIS, its orchestration platform, which now serves as the foundation for agentic workflows across its managed services business.

The alliance is structured around DXC’s AI strategy, which the company describes as connecting technology, people and processes for enterprise transformation.

Initial focus areas include insurance, cybersecurity, application modernisation and application services. In insurance, DXC plans to use Claude to deploy agentic systems aligned with client operating models. In cybersecurity, the companies said AI-driven tools will be embedded in security operations centres to strengthen threat detection and response. In modernisation, Claude will be used to analyse and refactor legacy codebases at scale.

DXC said the partnership reflects its “customer zero” approach, where technologies are tested internally before being deployed to clients.

DXC did not disclose financial terms of the agreement.

Read: Anthropic launches Opus 4.8 alongside $65bn funding haul

The UAE has categorically denied media reports alleging that funds were transferred from the country to Iran, including claims involving as much as $3bn.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said reports published by certain international media outlets alleging the transfer of funds from the UAE to the Islamic Republic of Iran were “entirely false and unfounded”.

The ministry specifically rejected allegations concerning the release or movement of frozen Iranian assets through the UAE.

“The allegations are entirely false and unfounded,” the ministry said, stressing that no frozen Iranian funds have been released, transferred or facilitated through the UAE.

“The Ministry also called on media outlets to exercise accuracy, rely on official sources, and refrain from publishing or circulating unverified information and unfounded allegations,” the statement added.

The UAE has maintained that its financial system operates in line with international regulations and compliance standards, while continuing to support regional stability and diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions across the Middle East.

SpaceX shares jumped 19 per cent in their Nasdaq debut on Friday, sending the company’s value past $2tn to make it the sixth-biggest US company by value and turning Elon Musk into the world’s first trillionaire.

Investors jumped at the chance to get a piece of Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, satellites and AI after the record-setting $75bn IPO. More than 510 million shares worth about $84bn changed hands, even though SpaceX is currently unprofitable and generated only a fraction of the revenue brought in by similarly valued tech giants.

The launch was smoother than many observers expected, with trading kicking off late on Friday morning without the hiccups that had marred Facebook’s debut in 2012. SpaceX shares ended the day at $160.95 a share to bring its value to $2.1 trillion. The gain pushed SpaceX‘s market value past Broadcom, with Amazon next in line at $2.6tn.

The trade capped off a lead-up fraught with anxiety over the Nasdaq exchange’s ability to handle the launch, particularly after a recent swoon in technology shares raised concerns about stratospheric gains in AI-linked names. Mega-listings from AI heavyweights Anthropic and OpenAI are waiting in the wings.

Investors across the spectrum, from large institutions to retail fans of Musk, ended the day euphoric.

“For many investors, SpaceX is the closest thing to investing in the railroads during the Industrial Revolution and they are willing to pay the Elon Musk premium for that opportunity,” said Seth Hickle, chief investment officer at Mindset Wealth Management in Indianapolis.

Analysts and portfolio managers said investors should brace for volatility, particularly early in SpaceX‘s life as a public company, due to its small relative float and high valuation. SpaceX‘s $18.7bn in revenue gives the company a price-to-revenue ratio of roughly 112, far above other megacap stocks.

“The question remains is, what happens in a couple of weeks from now. Right now, people want to bid the stock higher because it’s a winner at this point. Whether it stays that way, that remains to be seen,” said Todd Schoenberger, chief investment officer at Crosscheck Management in Washington, D.C.

Retail investors received about 20 per cent of the allocation, far more than the typical IPO, with some even celebrating an allocation of one share.

SpaceX executives, including President Gwynne Shotwell and Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen, celebrated at the Nasdaq market site in New York’s Times Square after ringing the opening bell on Friday. Musk held a separate event for employees in Texas.

‘Almost surreal’

The IPO is a culmination of Musk’s long-held ambitions in space and technology, and has stood out for rewriting Wall Street’s IPO playbook and drawing legions of retail investors into the market.

“Elon deserves an extreme premium because of his track record and his vision for calling technology trends early,” said Shaun Maguire, a Sequoia Capital partner who has led the firm’s $2bn investment in SpaceX. Sequoia Capital’s investment is worth over $20bn at the IPO price, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

At $75bn, the IPO’s proceeds were more than double those of Saudi Aramco’s record-setting 2019 IPO.

SpaceX‘s valuation could rise further should underwriters exercise their right to sell additional shares, a decision typically made within 30 days after the offering.

“Seeing the company that I joined when it was just some sketches on paper become this valuable is almost surreal,” said Tom Mueller, a founding SpaceX employee who spent 18 years at the company and a shareholder, who is now CEO of Impulse Space, a spacecraft startup.

An estimated 4,000 current or former SpaceX employees will become millionaires based on the value of their SpaceX shares, according to Hill.com.

Although SpaceX‘s lack of profitability makes it ineligible to join the S&P 500, its expected fast-track inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 will soon make it a major holding for passive funds and ETFs that track the index, creating a fresh source of demand for its shares.

It will take about a month before SpaceX gets added to that index under Nasdaq’s new fast-entry rules, as opposed to a typical wait of as much as a year.

Some analysts expect SpaceX‘s debut to trigger a reshuffling of investor portfolios, creating selling pressure on other technology heavyweights as funds rotate into the stock. On Friday, shares of other space firms and satellite companies declined sharply, with Planet Labs down 9 per cent and EchoStar SATS.O down 11 per cent.

SpaceX said its market opportunity spans $28.5tn, a figure it called the largest in human history. With its leading position in space – the firm says its operation is responsible for more than four-fifths of the mass launched into orbit over the past three years – and revenues from Starlink, some investors said it has a strong foundation upon which to build.

Some analysts have already issued positive ratings on the company, but Morningstar analysts this month said it is more fairly valued at around $780 billion, and CFRA on Friday started coverage with a sell rating.

“This is not a name you’re buying based on fundamentals. For me, the analogy is Amazon. This was a company that changed the way we live,” said Nancy Tengler, CEO and CIO of Laffer Tengler Investments.

The world has become less peaceful for the 12th consecutive year, with armed conflicts, rising military expenditure and geopolitical fragmentation driving a further deterioration in global stability, according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI) 2026 report released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP).

The report found that the average level of global peacefulness declined by 0.7 per cent over the past year, marking the 15th deterioration in the last 18 years. Of the 163 countries and territories assessed, 99 recorded a decline in peacefulness while only 62 improved. There are now 119 countries that are less peaceful than they were when the index was first published in 2008.

The findings come against a backdrop of escalating global conflict. According to the report, there are now more active state-based conflicts than at any point since the end of the Second World War, while the number of countries involved in external conflicts has risen from 59 in 2008 to 103 today. Internationalised intrastate conflicts have increased by more than 175 per cent since 2010.
Conflict deaths remain near historic highs. Although fatalities declined from their 2023 peak, more than 181,000 people were killed in violent conflicts during 2025, making it the second-deadliest year since the index was established. Sudan and Ukraine were identified as the principal contributors to the increase.

Middle East remains least peaceful region

The Middle East and North Africa retained its position as the least peaceful region globally, while Western and Central Europe remained the most peaceful. Seven of the world’s eight regions recorded deteriorations in peacefulness during the year, with only Eastern Europe and Central Asia showing an improvement.

Within the Gulf region, Qatar ranked as the most peaceful country, placing 31st globally. Kuwait ranked 49th, Oman 60th, Saudi Arabia 95th, Bahrain 108th and the United Arab Emirates 73rd.

The report noted that Kuwait and Oman recorded deteriorations linked to the regional fallout from the Israel-Iran conflict, which disrupted Gulf airspace and shipping routes. The wider regional decline was also influenced by the Gaza conflict, tensions involving Hezbollah, and attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes.

Military spending reaches record levels

Global military expenditure continued its upward trajectory, rising for the 10th consecutive year. The report estimates that military spending reached approximately $2.9 trillion in 2025, with 97 countries increasing defence expenditure as a share of gross domestic product. Military spending now accounts for the largest component of the economic cost of violence worldwide.

The broader economic impact of violence reached $21.8 trillion in purchasing power parity terms during 2025, equivalent to 10.5 per cent of global gross domestic product or $2,657 per person. The figure represents a 3.2 per cent increase compared to the previous year, largely driven by higher military expenditure.

IEP estimates that the economic impact of the Iran war could reduce global GDP by approximately 0.6 per cent in its first year. However, the report suggests that successful diplomacy preventing further escalation could generate around $2.2tr in economic benefits globally.

UAE highlighted as emerging middle power

The report identifies a major shift in the global geopolitical landscape, describing the current era as one of “Great Fragmentation”. It argues that traditional powers are losing relative influence while a growing group of middle powers is becoming increasingly significant.

Among the countries highlighted are the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye and Mexico. According to the report, these rising middle powers are helping to reshape the international order amid declining influence from several major European economies.

The number of middle-power nations has nearly doubled since 1991, while geopolitical risks now exceed levels seen during the Cold War, driven by rising military spending, weakening multilateral institutions, increasing trade restrictions and intensifying competition between major and emerging powers.

Artificial intelligence emerges as new security challenge

The report also devotes significant attention to the growing role of artificial intelligence in warfare.

According to the findings, recorded drone strike events increased 115-fold between 2018 and 2025, while 565 armed groups carried out at least one drone attack during the period. AI-enabled targeting systems have reduced decision-making timelines from around one day in the 1990s to as little as five seconds in modern conflicts.

The institute warned that military AI capabilities are advancing faster than the governance frameworks designed to regulate them, increasing concerns around autonomous weapons systems and the erosion of meaningful human oversight in lethal decision-making.

The report concludes that without sustained investment in the institutions, structures and attitudes that underpin what it calls “Positive Peace”, global peacefulness is likely to continue declining over the coming decade.