Cybersecurity News Highlights for March 16, 2026

In the week of March 16, 2026, data theft occurred in 77% of ransomware attacks, as reported in cybersecurity trends. Instagram removed end-to-end encryption from its platform, raising concerns over user privacy. The Iranian threat group Handala deployed wiper malware via Microsoft Intune, targeting organizations. A zero-day vulnerability in Cisco products was actively exploited by the group Interlock. A ransomware negotiator was accused of criminal collusion for allegedly aiding attackers. Additionally, the legality of open-source licenses was challenged by AI-generated code, while Operation Synergia III was referenced as part of ongoing cybersecurity enforcement efforts.