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How to spot and stop everyday cyberattacks
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How to spot and stop everyday cyberattacks

From smart but insecure door locks to Nvidia’s deepfake keynote, there are currently numerous forms of attack that are extremely dangerous.The following 9 attacks stand out in particular and could also pose a threat in a similar form in 2026.1. Malware in open source is on the riseIn 2024, the computer world narrowly escaped disaster: Over several years, attackers had been working to build a backdoor into the Linux operating system. A vulnerability in this system affects almost all users, as almost every internet server runs on Linux.The attackers were on the verge of gaining undetected access to a large proportion of these servers. They had infiltrated the open source project XZ, which produces a compression tool, by posing as employees. They achieved this through social engineering and a great deal of patience.The attack on the open-source software presumably began in 2021 and continued until early 2024. By that time, the backdoor had penetrated pre-release versions of Debian and other Linux systems. It was then only months away from being distributed to most internet servers worldwide.The backdoor was not discovered by an antivirus specialist, but by Andres Freund, a Microsoft employee. Freund is a developer and works on the open-source database PostgreSQL on Linux.He noticed that logging in via SSH (Secure Shell) took a little longer with the new pre-release version of Debian. Instead of the usual quarter of a second, the login took three-quarters of a second. Other developers might not have noticed this difference or might have ignored it. However, Freund became suspicious and searched for the cause. Four days later, he had found the backdoor and warned the public. Security researchers then assigned the XZ backdoor a CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) score of 10, the highest possible value.SSH is used to connect a PC to a Linux server. Keys are exchanged for security purposes. In 2024, a backdoor that could be exploited via SSH almost found its way into Linux servers.FoundryThe attack on XZ is special for several reasons. On the one hand, there is the duration. The attacker took years to become a member of an open source project, gain the trust of the project manager, and integrate his code.The malicious code and the entire attack chain are also noteworthy. It includes XZ Utils, Systemd, and SSH.The same backdoor only opens for the attacker, who must send a secret key. All other SSH users are denied access to the backdoor. Finally, the discovery of the malicious code is also extraordinary — just in time and thanks to a single attentive developer.It is alarming that this extraordinary attack on an open-source project is not an isolated case. Although the other attacks are less spectacular, they are all the more numerous. This is possible because open-source software is based on openness: The code is accessible, customizable, and verifiable by anyone. Although there are security mechanisms in place, it is still relatively easy to provide infected packages, which are then used by developers.The security vulnerability in XZ Utils has been given a score of 10, which is the highest possible value. This shows that the vulnerability can be easily exploited and cause significant damage.FoundryAntivirus manufacturer Kaspersky also draws attention to this. According to an analysis, cybercriminals hid a total of 14,000 malicious packages in open-source projects in 2024. This represents an increase of 50 percent compared to the previous year.The experts at the cybersecurity provider examined 42 million versions of open-source projects for vulnerabilities. We do not yet have any figures for 2025. However, we do not expect a significant decline.Danger: The risk to end users is more indirect. Most attacks are aimed at stealing data from companies. Accordingly, it is mainly enterprise software that is affected. However, data theft from companies ultimately also affects customers.Protection: For developers who integrate open source into their projects, as well as for companies that work with open source, security provider Kaspersky offers an information feed on problematic code.The feed reports the following types of threats: packages with vulnerabilities, packages with malicious code, packages with riskware such as crypto miners, hacking tools, etc., compromised packages containing political slogans.Access to the feed can be requested at kaspersky.com/open-source-feed. Software companies can also access tools from security experts such as Xygeni Security. The company specializes in protecting the software supply chain. End users must rely on their installed virus protection. See our article on the best antivirus programs.2. Unsubscribe button steals dataEvery newsletter must contain an unsubscribe button that allows you to unsubscribe.Danger: Not every unsubscribe link is harmless. One in 650 of these buttons does not lead to the desired unsubscribe page, but to a phishing website that wants to steal data or spread malware. This is reported by the security company DNS Filter.Anyone who clicks on an unsubscribe link automatically confirms that their email address exists and that they check their inbox. For spammers, who usually extract their email addresses from large data packages, this information alone is valuable. If the spammers go to the trouble of designing the supposed unsubscribe page in such a way that it extracts data from visitors, they use social engineering tricks to elicit passwords and other sensitive information from their victims.Protection: Instead of clicking on the unsubscribe button, you can block the sender in your email program or in the web interface of your email provider. If this is not possible, you can add the email and thus the sender to a spam list.This will prevent any further messages from this sender from reaching your inbox. You will then only need to remember to unblock the sender if you want to receive messages from them again. However, this will never be the case with the phishing emails we are discussing here.In Outlook, right-click on an email and select “Block” → “Block sender”.In Thunderbird, select the email and click on “Junk” at the top.In Gmail, open the message and then select the three-dot menu at the top right of the email. In the menu, click on “Report spam” or “Block sender”.3. Captcha introduces malwareCaptchas are designed to protect websites from automated requests by distinguishing real people from bots. Nowadays, this often requires nothing more than clicking on the “I’m not a robot” checkbox. In the past, you had to click on small photo squares showing cars, traffic lights, or motorcycles.New trap with captchas: After clicking on the hostile captcha “I’m not a robot”, one of these instructions appears. If you follow it, you insert a previously copied malicious code into the Windows Run dialog, which then downloads the actual virus.FoundryDanger: For some time now, criminals have been using captchas to smuggle viruses such as the Qakbot malware onto the PCs of website visitors, as follows:When you first click on the “I’m not a robot” checkbox, the website copies malicious code to the page visitor’s clipboard. Instructions then appear, which the user is supposed to follow because a network error has allegedly occurred, or to continue verifying that they are a human and not a machine. The instructions specify the key combinations Win-R and Ctrl-V, followed by the Enter key. However, what this actually does is open the Windows Run dialogue box (Win-R), paste the malicious code from the clipboard into it (Ctrl-V), and execute it (Enter).The code then downloads the actual malware, usually Qakbot. This adds the PC to a botnet or downloads ransomware that encrypts all data and then demands a ransom.Protection: The Run dialogue box should serve as a clear warning. No legitimate captcha in the world should want to paste code there. Remain suspicious and don’t be afraid to cancel an action.4. Spyware Trojans in the App StoreA new type of spyware Trojan is stealing from users of Android and iOS smartphones. The malware, known as Spark Cat, was found in apps available in the official Google and Apple app stores. After installing the infected app, it requests access to the photo storage.This does not usually arouse suspicion, as Spark Cat and its successor Spark Kitty hide in chat apps, for example.Sending photos via chat apps is common and naturally requires access to photos.This app was available in Google’s official app store and was infected with the Spark Cat spyware Trojan. The malware searches the smartphone’s image storage for passwords, which it extracts using OCR.FoundryDanger: On Google Playalone, Kaspersky’s security researchers counted 10 apps infected with Spark Kitty that had been downloaded over 240,000 times. In Apple’s App Store, the malware was found in 11 infected apps.The malware searches the phone’s photo storage for screenshots containing passwords or other secret information. The text is extracted using OCR recognition and then used by the attackers to access crypto wallets. This allows them to steal large sums of money from their victims’ accounts.Protection: The tried-and-tested method of only downloading apps from official app stores is unfortunately of no help here. After all, the malware was found in apps from these stores. In future, you should therefore also pay attention to how often an app has been downloaded. Apps with a million or more downloads are most likely safe.Also, pay attention to the permissions an app requests. You should only grant access to your photo storage after careful consideration. And as a general rule, sensitive information such as passwords should not be stored in screenshots. These belong in a password manager. See our article on the best password managers.5. Attacks on printersIn June 2025, security researchers at Rapid 7 discovered eight vulnerabilities in hundreds of printers from various manufacturers.Danger: Attackers can use these vulnerabilities to gain access to the network and data. The companies affected are Brother, Fujifilm, Ricoh, Toshiba, and Konica Minolta. Although the companies have provided firmware updates, the security vulnerability can only be closed with a workaround.This vulnerability bypasses authentication, allowing attackers to gain control of the device. To log in, attackers use the device’s default password, which consists of its serial number. This can be retrieved via another vulnerability.Protection: Change your printer’s default password and install the latest updates for your device.6. Browser add-ons empty crypto walletsBrowser extensions containing malicious code are popping up again and again. Most recently, the criminals behind these extensions targeted owners of crypto wallets.This is a Firefox extension for the Meta Mask crypto exchange. It is often difficult to determine whether these extensions are harmless or not. However, a high number of downloads suggests that an add-on is harmless. Taking a look at the developer’s website also helps with the assessment.FoundryDanger: Dozens of fake browser add-ons for Firefox are designed to steal access data for cryptocurrency wallets. The extensions pretend to be legitimate wallet tools from well-known platforms such as Coinbase, Meta Mask, or Trust Wallet.Some of the approximately 40 dangerous add-ons are even said to have made it into Firefox’s official add-on marketplace, as reported by the discoverer Koi. To do this, the attackers used the open-source code of well-known add-ons and placed their malicious code in them. The add-on was then posted online under a name similar to the original.Protection: Only download browser extensions from trusted sources. Even then, make sure that the add-on has been downloaded many times before. Since extensions can update automatically, there is also a risk that add-ons that were initially harmless could be infected with malicious code after an update. Therefore, uninstall any extensions that you no longer need.7. DeepfakesDeepfakes are fake photos, audio files, or videos. They can cause a lot of damage, because even cautious people can be misled by the fakes.One example is a fake livestream of Nvidia’s keynote speech in October 2025: At the same time as the real livestream on YouTube, fraudsters broadcast a deepfake video featuring an AI-generated Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia.However, he did not talk about new chips at Nvidia, but about a new cryptocurrency project. The fake stream is said to have had more viewers than the real one at the beginning: 100,000 for the deepfake compared to 12,000 for Nvidia.The reason for this was probably that YouTube displayed the deepfake first in the results list when searching for “Nvidia Keynote.” It took YouTube half an hour to take the fake offline.The real Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, at the real keynote in October 2025. At the same time, a deepfake of the keynote with Jensen Huang was running on YouTube. In it, he advertised a cryptocurrency.FoundryDanger: Criminals use cryptocurrencies to steal money from unwary users. These scams usually involve false promises of quick profits with crypto coins that are actually worthless. Deepfakes are often used for this purpose.Manipulation is then used to quickly increase the apparent value of the coins, which prompts the victims to buy. Once a certain value is reached, the fraudsters sell their shares in one fell swoop and make a profit. The price of the cryptocurrency falls rapidly, so that everyone else usually suffers a complete loss.Protection: You should only invest in cryptocurrencies if you are very familiar with the subject. Then the typical crypto scams are easy to spot.8. Ransomware with AISecurity researchers at Eset have discovered malware called Prompt Lock. It uses artificial intelligence specifically for ransomware attacks.Danger: The blackmail virus uses a locally installed language model that independently generates scripts during the attack and thus decides for itself which files to search, copy, or encrypt.A function for the permanent destruction of files is apparently already integrated, but has not yet been activated. Prompt Lock creates cross-platform Lua scripts that can run on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS.Protection: The best protection against ransomware is an up-to-date data backup that is stored separately from the system. You can find more tips in our guide to ransomware.9. Attackers crack doorsSmart devices for home networks usually also offer internet access to their functions. While this is convenient, it also carries risks.The management software for Unifi’s smart door locks contained a security vulnerability with the highest vulnerability rating (CVSS 10). Hackers could probably easily crack a door protected by Unifi.UnifiDanger: Vulnerabilities in smart devices become threatening when an attacker can use them to penetrate the home network and steal data. The following case is also very unpleasant: A smart doorbell has a vulnerability that attackers can use to open the lock.This was apparently the case in October 2025 with door locks from the company Unifi. The Unifi Access Application access software contained a security vulnerability with a CVSS score of 10, as announced by the manufacturer itself.It did not reveal exactly what the vulnerability and the corresponding attack methods look like. However, the CVSS score of 10, which is the highest possible rating, suggests that the vulnerability can be easily exploited with massive consequences.Protection: Version 3.4.31 of Unifi Access Application, which is aimed at businesses, is affected by the vulnerability. Administrators should update to the latest version.In general, you should regularly check for updates to the firmware and management software for all smart home and network devices. Vulnerabilities in these devices can have serious consequences.

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West Coast Community Bancorp Announces Earnings and Dividend for the Fourth Quarter of 2025
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West Coast Community Bancorp Announces Earnings and Dividend for the Fourth Quarter of 2025

SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- West Coast Community Bancorp ((", Bancorp, ", OTCQX:WCCB), the parent company of West Coast Community Bank (the "Bank"), announced unaudited earnings for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 of $13.8 million, compared to $12.1 million in the prior quarter and an increase of $9.9 million, or 258.6%, from $3.8 million reported for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $50.4 million, an increase of $20.9 million, or 70.5%, from $29.6 million reported for 2024. The year-over-year increase in earnings was largely driven by the merger with 1st Capital Bancorp that closed on October 1, 2024 (the "Merger"), reflecting a full year of merged operations, as well as a reduction in one-time merger-related expenses. Basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, were $1.32 and $1.31, respectively, compared to $1.15 and $1.14 in the third quarter of 2025. Basic and diluted EPS increased $0.95 and $0.95, or 256.9% and 262.8%, respectively, from the same quarter last year. For the year ended December 31, 2025, basic and diluted EPS were $4.81 and $4.76, respectively, representing an increase of $1.49 and $1.48, or 44.8% and 45.0%, respectively, from 2024. The year-over-year increase in EPS was largely driven by the Merger, reflecting a full year of merged operations, as well as a reduction in one-time merger-related expenses.On January 22, 2026, the Bancorp Board of Directors declared a $0.01 increase in quarterly cash dividend to $0.23 per common share, payable on February 17, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 10, 2026."Our strong fourth‐quarter and full‐year results underscore the continued momentum of our franchise and the disciplined execution of our strategic priorities throughout 2025," said Krista Snelling, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of West Coast Community Bancorp. "In 2025, we expanded our assets by 7.6% to $2.9 billion and delivered record annual net income of $50.4 million through meaningful organic loan growth, sustained strength in our deposit base, successful integration of our merger activities earlier in the year and improved returns on both average assets and equity."The Board's decision to increase our quarterly dividend again reflects the strength of our capital position, the consistency of our earnings performance and our confidence in the long‐term outlook for the Bank," added Snelling. "We remain committed to balancing disciplined growth with prudent capital management and returning value to our shareholders continues to be a key priority."Financial HighlightsPerformance highlights as of and for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2025, include the following:Total deposits were $2.5 billion at December 31, 2025, which increased $41.0 million, or 1.7%, from September 30, 2025, and increased $166.6 million, or 7.2%, from December 31, 2024. The increase from September 30, 2025, is attributed to the seasonal inflows of deposits from large nonprofit organizations which brought in $60.8 million in new deposits in the fourth quarter. The increase from December 31, 2024, was driven by new banking relationships, which generated $134.0 million in new deposits by the end of 2025.Total loans were $2.2 billion at December 31, 2025, representing an increase of $45.3 million, or 2.1%, from September 30, 2025, and increased $127.2 million, or 6.2%, from December 31, 2024. Loan growth during the fourth quarter of 2025 occurred in revolving and asset-based lines of credit. In addition, we originated new loan commitments of $186.5 million during the fourth quarter of 2025. Growth in the fourth quarter was highest in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, where $71.0 million and $48.6 million in new loan commitments were originated, respectively. Loan commitment growth in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties for 2025 was $187.6 million and $152.8.0 million, respectively. During 2025, we originated a total of $534.0 million in new loan commitments.Net income for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, increased $1.7 million, or 14.2%, from the third quarter of 2025 due to a $2.0 million decrease in the provision for credit losses, which was largely attributed to provisions for individually evaluated loans that were recorded in the third quarter of 2025. The increase of $9.9 million in net income over the quarter ended December 31, 2024, was mainly due to the Merger, organic growth, a reduction in merger-related expenses and the absence of the initial provision for credit losses associated with acquired loans recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.Total assets were $2.9 billion at December 31, 2025, an increase from $2.8 billion at September 30, 2025, and $2.7 billion at December 31, 2024. The increase of $45.5 million, or 1.6%, over September 30, 2025, was primarily due to a $45.3 million increase in loans held for investment and a $47.3 million increase in cash and cash equivalents, partially offset by a decrease in available-for-sale ("AFS") debt securities of $43.4 million. The increase of $203.3 million, or 7.6%, over December 31, 2024, was largely the result of a $127.2 million increase in loans held for investment and a $106.0 million increase in cash and cash equivalents.Primary liquidity ratio, defined as cash and cash equivalents, deposits held in other banks and unpledged AFS securities as a percentage of total assets was 15.9%, 16.5% and 14.4% at December 31, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively.Taxable equivalent net interest margin was 4.99%, 5.28% and 5.38% for the quarters ended December 31, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively. The quarter-over-quarter decrease in the net interest margin is largely attributed to accelerated accretion of purchase discounts associated with the partial early redemption of $4.3 million of subordinated debt assumed in the Merger, accounting for approximately 12 basis points of the quarter-over-quarter decrease. Taxable equivalent net interest margin for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024 was 5.21% and 5.09%, respectively. The taxable equivalent net interest margin excluding the purchase discount accretion on the acquired loan portfolio and accelerated accretion on discount of partially redeemed subordinated debt (non-GAAP1) for the quarters ended December 31, 2025, and September 30, 2025, was 4.80% and 4.93%, respectively, and 4.87% and 4.88% for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively.The cost of funds was 1.46% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to 1.37% in the prior quarter and 1.37% in the fourth quarter of 2024. The cost of funds for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024 was 1.39% and 1.45%, respectively. The accelerated accretion of purchase discounts associated with the partial early redemption of subordinated debentures assumed in the Merger, which is discussed below, was unfavorable to the cost of funds by approximately 14 basis points during the fourth quarter of 2025. The decrease in the cost of funds for all of 2025 as compared to 2024 can be attributed in large part to higher average balances of noninterest-bearing deposits as a percentage of total average deposits throughout 2025, as well as discretionary rate cuts on money market deposit accounts during 2025 responding to the three 25 basis point interest rate cuts by the Federal Open Market Committee ("FOMC") in late 2025. For the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, average noninterest-bearing deposits as a percentage of total average deposits were 42.2% and 39.7%, respectively.For the quarters ended December 31, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, return on average assets ("ROAA") was 1.88%, 1.73% and 0.57%, respectively, return on average equity ("ROAE") was 14.55%, 13.16% and 4.55%, respectively, and return on average tangible equity ("ROATE") was 18.46%, 17.05% and 6.85%, respectively. Excluding merger-related items and accelerated accretion on the partial early redemption of subordinated debentures for the quarters ended December 31, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, adjusted ROAA (non-GAAP1) was 1.98%, 1.74% and 2.08%, respectively, adjusted ROAE (non-GAAP1) was 15.34%, 13.27% and 16.65%, respectively, and adjusted ROATE (non-GAAP1) was 19.41%, 17.20% and 22.07%, respectively.For the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024, ROAA was 1.84% and 1.50%, respectively, ROAE was 14.06% and 11.11%, respectively, and ROATE was 18.25% and 13.35%, respectively. Excluding merger-related items and accelerated accretion on the partial early redemption of subordinated debentures for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024, adjusted ROAA (non-GAAP1) was 1.89% and 2.05%, respectively, adjusted ROAE (non-GAAP1) was 14.46% and 15.22%, respectively, and adjusted ROATE (non-GAAP1) was 18.73% and 18.14%, respectively.The efficiency ratio was 44.12% for the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to 43.13% in the prior quarter and 61.62% in the fourth quarter of 2024. The efficiency ratio for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024 was 44.69% and 50.62%, respectively. Excluding merger-related items and accelerated accretion on the partial early redemption of subordinated debentures, the adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP1) was 42.54% for the fourth quarter of 2025, 42.71% for the third quarter of 2025 and 43.05% for the fourth quarter of 2024. The adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP1) was 43.77% and 43.29% for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively.All capital ratios were above regulatory requirements for a well-capitalized institution with a total risk-based capital ratio of 14.46%, 14.65% and 14.00% at December 31, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively. Tangible common equity to tangible asset ratio was 11.10%, 10.95% and 10.14% at December 31, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively.Tangible book value per share was $29.85 at December 31, 2025, compared to $28.81 at September 30, 2025, and $25.09 at December 31, 2024. The increase in the fourth quarter of 2025 was driven by net income of $13.8 million combined with a decrease in the unrealized losses on the AFS debt securities portfolio.Merger with 1st Capital BancorpThe merger between West Coast Community Bancorp and 1st Capital Bancorp closed on October 1, 2024, with the core system conversion completed in December 2024. At the effective time of the closing, each share of 1st Capital Bancorp common stock was converted into the right to receive 0.36 shares of common stock of Bancorp. As a result, 2,071,483 Bancorp shares were issued as of October 1, 2024. The Merger added total assets of $994 million, which included $258 million in investments and $603.1 million in loans, net of fair value adjustment, as well as $27.7 million in core deposit intangibles and $14.3 million in goodwill. Additionally, the Merger added deposits of $893 million and subordinated debt of $11.5 million, net of fair value adjustments.Interest Income, Interest Expense and Net Interest MarginNet interest income of $34.4 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, decreased $190 thousand, or 0.5%, from $34.6 million from the quarter ended September 30, 2025, and increased $368 thousand, or 1.1%, from $34.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. The decrease in net interest income in the fourth quarter of 2025 was largely the result of higher interest expense attributed to a partial early redemption of higher cost subordinated debentures. While average interest-earning assets grew during the fourth quarter of 2025, the associated increase in interest income was more than offset by an increase in interest expense resulting from $864 thousand in accelerated accretion of purchase discounts on the partial early redemption of subordinated debentures. The increase in net interest income of $368 thousand for the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, is largely attributed to growth in average interest-earning assets during 2025, contributing to a $1.5 million year-over-year increase in interest income. This was partially offset by an increase in interest expense due largely to the subordinated debentures redeemed during 2025.Net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $134.2 million, an increase of $39.1 million, or 41.1%, from that reported for the same period in 2024. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to the Merger, which increased investments and loans, in addition to the effect of organic growth during 2025.The cost of funds increased nine basis points from 1.37% in the third quarter of 2025 to 1.46% in the fourth quarter of 2025. As previously mentioned, during the fourth quarter, $4.3 million in par value of Bancorp's subordinated debentures assumed in the Merger were redeemed early, resulting in $864 thousand additional interest expense from accelerated accretion of the associated fair value discount. The impact of the early redemption of subordinated debentures accounted for all of the quarter-over-quarter increase in the cost of funds. Absent the partial early redemption of subordinated debentures during the fourth quarter of 2025, the cost of funds decreased approximately five basis points from the third quarter of 2025, reflecting management's discretionary rate cuts on money market deposit accounts responding to three 25 basis point interest rate cuts by the FOMC in late 2025. The quarterly cost of funds increased year-over-year by nine basis points when compared to the 1.37% reported for the fourth quarter of 2024. The increase was driven by the accelerated accretion associated with the partial early redemption of subordinated debentures. Excluding the impact of the accelerated accretion, the cost of funds decreased approximately five basis points year-over-year, reflecting discretionary rate cuts on money market deposit accounts during 2025 as mentioned earlier. During 2025, the cost of funds decreased six basis points to 1.39% as the Bank benefited from the full-year effect of the lower-costing deposit franchise from 1st Capital Bancorp, including a higher composition of noninterest-bearing demand deposits in 2025 relative to 2024. Further, a higher proportion of lower-cost deposit balances in 2025 allowed the Bank to pay down higher-cost wholesale borrowings and brokered deposits. These benefits to the cost of funds in 2025 were partially offset by $1.0 million in accelerated accretion on the partial redemption of higher cost subordinated debentures previously discussed, which was unfavorable to the cost of funds by approximately four basis points during 2025.For the fourth quarter of 2025, taxable equivalent net interest margin was 4.99%, compared to 5.28% in the third quarter of 2025 and 5.38% for the fourth quarter of 2024. The decrease in the taxable equivalent net interest margin in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter of 2025 was the result of an increase in the cost of funds, as previously discussed, as well as lower earning asset yields. The earning asset yield for the fourth quarter of 2025 decreased 22 basis points over the prior quarter. Average deposit inflows over the quarter outpaced the average growth in loan balances, resulting in an increase in the average balance of liquid assets such as investments and interest-earning due from banks; these lower-yielding assets thus represented a proportionally larger share of the average earning asset mix for the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to prior quarter, leading to decline in the overall earning asset yield. Slightly lower loan yields in the fourth quarter also contributed to the decrease in earning asset yields. Lower loan yields are attributed, in part, to slightly lower purchase discount accretion on acquired loans as well as the absence net favorable adjustments to interest income that occurred in the prior quarter, consisting of: $354 thousand of prepayment penalties related to early payoffs of commercial real estate credits, $126 thousand from an interest recovery upon the full payoff of a problem credit, partially offset by a $161 thousand in interest write-off related to the placement of a land development loan on nonaccrual status in the third quarter of 2025.For the year ended December 31, 2025, taxable equivalent net interest margin was 5.21% compared to 5.09% for 2024. The taxable equivalent net interest margin for 2025 increased due to a lower cost of funds, as previously discussed, as well as higher overall yield on interest earning assets. Earning asset yields during 2025 benefited from higher yields on investments, due in large part to the higher yielding investments acquired in the Merger. While loan yields decreased slightly during 2025, they benefited from a full year of purchase discount accretion on acquired loans, totaling approximately $9.8 million, and represented an increase of $6.0 million from that recorded in 2024. Excluding both the purchase discount accretion on the acquired loan portfolio and the acceleration of the discount related to the partial redemption of Bancorp's subordinated debentures, as previously discussed, the adjusted net interest margin (non-GAAP1) for the quarters ended December 31, 2025, September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2024 was to 4.80%, 4.93% and 4.79%, respectively, and 4.87% and 4.88% for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively.1Non-GAAP measure. See Non-GAAP Financial Measures table for reconciliation to GAAP financial measures below.The following tables compare interest income, average interest-earning assets, interest expense, average interest-bearing liabilities, net interest income, net interest margin and cost of funds for each period reported:For the Quarters EndedDecember 31, 2025September 30, 2025December 31, 2024(Dollars in thousands)AverageBalanceInterest Income/ ExpenseAvg Yield/ CostAverageBalanceInterestIncome/ ExpenseAvgYield/CostAverage BalanceInterest Income/ ExpenseAvg Yield/ CostASSETSInterest-earning due from banks$164,017$1,6303.94 %$116,056$1,2844.39 %$83,210$9284.44 %Investments*429,1253,9093.61 %385,2353,3743.47 %421,6813,5193.32 %Loans*2,154,45138,2407.04 %2,109,59338,3567.21 %2,023,90237,8457.44 %Total interest-earning assets2,747,59343,7796.32 %2,610,88443,0146.54 %2,528,79342,2926.65 %Noninterest-earning assets158,417161,773164,421Total assets$2,906,010$2,772,657$2,693,214LIABILITIESInterest checking deposits$247,6326040.97 %$248,6846661.06 %$356,5316290.70 %Money market deposits882,5506,0412.72 %785,5205,7872.92 %580,5264,8173.30 %Savings deposits178,5954230.94 %181,2564400.96 %183,2403530.77 %Time certificates of deposits149,6771,0572.80 %152,9921,1252.92 %180,3341,6433.62 %Brokered deposits——— %——— %28,2843805.34 %Short-term borrowings——— %——— %—44.90 %Subordinated debt10,4171,07741.02 %11,0522298.22 %11,5512378.16 %Total interest-bearing liabilities1,468,8719,2022.49 %1,379,5048,2472.37 %1,340,4668,0632.39 %Noninterest-bearing deposits1,039,1841,008,555994,214Noninterest-bearing liabilities22,38620,91322,827Total liabilities2,530,4412,408,9722,357,507EQUITY375,569363,685335,707Total liabilities and equity$2,906,010$2,772,657$2,693,214Net interest income/margin-taxable equivalent adjusted$34,5774.99 %$34,7675.28 %$34,2295.38 %GAAP net interest income$34,444$34,634$34,076Cost of funds1.46 %1.37 %1.37 %*Interest income on investments and loans is reported as tax equivalent basis. Prior period figures have been restated for comparability. For the Years EndedDecember 31, 2025December 31, 2024(Dollars in thousands)Average BalanceInterest Income/ ExpenseAvg Yield/CostAverageBalanceInterestIncome/ ExpenseAvg Yield/ CostASSETSInterest-earning due from banks$80,922$3,3644.16 %$45,809$2,0184.41 %Investments*393,86213,7283.49 %279,5576,4862.32 %Loans*2,111,331150,5947.13 %1,550,601111,4107.18 %Total interest-earning assets2,586,115167,6866.48 %1,875,967119,9146.39 %Noninterest-earning assets161,208100,139Total assets$2,747,323$1,976,106LIABILITIESInterest checking deposits$250,2912,5561.02 %$240,9992,1170.88 %Money market deposits773,33321,7012.81 %465,00313,7032.95 %Savings deposits175,6861,5490.88 %116,4917430.64 %Time certificates of deposits157,1114,7563.03 %148,7895,1853.48 %Brokered deposits——— %44,9612,3945.32 %Short-term borrowings9,2134124.47 %2,2101305.87 %Subordinated debt11,0721,93717.49 %2,9042378.16 %Total interest-bearing liabilities1,376,70632,9112.39 %1,021,35724,5092.40 %Noninterest-bearing deposits989,327669,753Noninterest-bearing liabilities22,67718,716Total liabilities2,388,7101,709,826EQUITY358,613266,280Total liabilities and equity$2,747,323$Full story available on Benzinga.com

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globenewswirehace 16d

Summit State Bank Earns $1,067,000, or $0.16 Per Diluted Share, in Fourth Quarter 2025

SANTA ROSA, Calif., Jan. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Summit State Bank (the “Bank”) (Nasdaq: SSBI) today reported net income of $1,067,000, or $0.16 per diluted share for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2025, compared to net loss of $7,142,000, or $1.06 loss per diluted share for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.

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Super Copper Highlights Large-Scale IOCG-Style System at Castilla with Extensive Strike and Depth Continuity
benzingahace 16d

Super Copper Highlights Large-Scale IOCG-Style System at Castilla with Extensive Strike and Depth Continuity

IOCG System: Castilla has geological signs consistent with an Iron Oxide Copper-Gold system, a deposit type associated with some of the world's largest copper-gold mines.Extensive Strike Continuity: Mineralized vein systems and mine workings have strike lengths of up to 500 metres, remaining open along strike and under shallow cover.Vertical Continuity Demonstrated: Historical underground workings confirm mineralization to depths of at least 50 metres, with no modern drilling conducted to test depth extensions.VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 27, 2026 /CNW/ - SUPER COPPER CORP. (CSE:CUPR) (OTCQB:CUPPF) (FSE: N60) ("Super Copper" or the "Company"), is pleased to provide a geological interpretation of results from its Phase 1 surface sampling and mapping program at the 100%-owned Castilla Copper-Gold Project, located in Chile's Atacama Region.The results support the interpretation that Castilla hosts structurally controlled Iron Oxide Copper-Gold ("IOCG") mineralization, characterized by extensive strike continuity, high-grade copper and gold mineralization, and a well-developed iron oxide core, consistent with many Chilean copper-gold deposits.Exploration Highlights:Prospective IOCG System: Geological mapping and mineral assemblages are consistent with an Iron Oxide Copper-Gold system, a deposit type associated with some of the world's largest copper-gold mines.Extensive Strike Continuity: Individual mineralized vein systems and mine workings have been mapped with strike lengths of up to 500 metres within Castilla and up to 700 metres length reported within the district, remaining open along strike and under shallow cover.Vertical Continuity Demonstrated: Historical underground workings confirm mineralization to depths of at least 50 metres, with no modern drilling conducted to test depth extensions.High-Grade Surface Results: Select samples returned values up to 53.8 g/t gold, 17.7% copper, and >50% iron, highlighting the presence of high-grade mineralized zones.Strategic Structural Setting: The project is situated within the Atacama Fault System, a primary structural corridor controlling major copper-gold mineralization in northern Chile.Geological Interpretation: A Multi-Stage Mineralized SystemPhase 1 work indicates that mineralization at Castilla is hosted within Cretaceous-age plutonic rocks, ranging from quartz diorite to tonalite, within a belt of Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous intrusive units.Mineralization is interpreted to occur in two overlapping and genetically related styles, consistent with IOCG system development:1. High-Grade Gold & Copper Quartz VeinsGold- and copper-bearing quartz and quartz-carbonate veins occur as a dense vein swarm trending predominantly north-northeast, north-south, and northwest, dipping sub-vertically.Vein Dimensions: Individual veins range from 0.5 to 3.0 metres in width, with mapped strike lengths from 20 metres up to 500 metres.Mineralogy: Gold bearing veins are composed of quartz with variable concentrations of pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, covellite, with secondary copper minerals including malachite and chrysocolla.Alteration & Textures: Boxwork textures and oxidation products indicate a well-developed near-surface oxidation zone, commonly associated with higher-grade sulphide mineralization at depth.Historical Validation: Artisanal mining historically targeted these structures selectively, with workings estimated to extend to at least 50 metres depth.2. Massive Iron Oxide (Fe) CoreA series of ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

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