Editorial and additional commentary by Piero Vera Executive summary Since the start of the 2026 conflict in the Middle East on February 28, 2026, Akamai has observed a 245% increase in cybercrime targeting critical businesses and institutions in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia-Pacific.  Handala, a hacktivist group that is reported to have links to Iran’s intelligence agencies, has claimed responsibility for a data-wiping attack against Stryker, a global medical technology company headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Geopolitically motivated hacktivists are using proxy services in countries like Russia and China as a source for billions of designed-for-abuse connection attempts.  Banking and financial services, ecommerce, and video games alone account for 80% of the destinations for malicious traffic.…