THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 7/10/25

Securing Tomorrow: Your Daily Dose of Cyber Safety, Tech Trends, National Defense News, and Inspiration.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

— Benjamin Franklin

Pentagon Just Made A Massive, Long Overdue Shift To Arm Its Troops With Thousands Of Drones
In a landmark shift, the Pentagon has redefined how the U.S. military will deploy small drones, now classifying Group 1 and 2 uncrewed aerial systems as “consumables” akin to ammunition—dramatically streamlining their acquisition, deployment, and use. This new policy empowers lower-level commanders to procure and operate weaponized drones directly, expands domestic drone manufacturing, mandates integration into all major training exercises by 2027, and prioritizes rapid fielding to Indo-Pacific units. Inspired by Ukraine’s battlefield innovations and aiming to outpace adversaries like China and Russia, the initiative marks a long-overdue effort to make drone dominance central to U.S. military strategy. Click here to read more.

Musk says Grok is coming to Tesla cars “very soon”
Elon Musk announced that xAI’s Grok chatbot will be integrated into Tesla vehicles “very soon,” possibly as early as next week, despite recent controversies involving the AI’s offensive responses and international bans. Musk acknowledged Grok’s issues, admitting it was “too eager to please and be manipulated,” but said fixes are underway. The move comes amid turmoil at Musk’s companies, including the departure of X CEO Linda Yaccarino and slumping Tesla sales driven in part by Musk’s political affiliations and leadership changes. Click here to read more.

Pope Leo XIV: AI developers, users share responsibility to promote good of humanity
Pope Leo XIV, in a message to the 2025 AI for Good Summit, emphasized that both developers and users of artificial intelligence share responsibility for ensuring the technology promotes human dignity and the common good. Delivered via Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope urged global leaders to adopt ethical frameworks that prioritize humanity, noting AI’s far-reaching impact across sectors like healthcare, education, and governance. He warned that AI, while powerful, cannot replicate moral discernment or authentic human relationships and highlighted the need to bridge the digital divide affecting billions worldwide. Click here to read more.

Massive browser hijack: extensions turn Trojan and infect 2.3M Chrome and Edge users
A massive browser hijacking operation dubbed “RedDirection” has compromised over 2.3 million Chrome and Edge users through 18 seemingly trustworthy extensions that were silently updated to include surveillance malware. Initially clean and functional—ranging from emoji keyboards to weather apps—these extensions were later transformed into Trojan horses capable of tracking websites, hijacking sessions, and redirecting users to phishing pages. Researchers warn that the threat bypassed vetting processes and remains active through attacker-controlled domains, urging users to delete the affected extensions, reset credentials, and scan for malware. Click here to read more.

‘A stalemate’: Hamas objects to Israel’s concessions on IDF troop deployment in Gaza
In ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Hamas has rejected Israel’s second proposal over the deployment of IDF troops in Gaza during a proposed 60-day truce, objecting to Israeli military presence between the Morag and Philadelphi Corridors. Despite increased flexibility from Israel, talks remain stalled, with mediators from the U.S. and Qatar pressing both sides. Netanyahu, meeting hostage families in Washington, confirmed only humanitarian cases would be released initially, while reiterating that Hamas must disarm and relinquish power for a permanent ceasefire. Hamas insists on Israeli withdrawal, more aid, and firm guarantees. Click here to read more.