THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/18/25

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

“In war, the only sure defense is offense.”

— George S. Patton

In northern Michigan, thousands of troops train for combat across the Pacific
At Camp Grayling in northern Michigan, more than 7,500 U.S. troops and international partners—including over 500 Taiwanese soldiers—took part in Northern Strike 2025, the Pentagon’s largest reserve component exercise, which for the first time simulated an Indo-Pacific conflict scenario amid rising tensions with China. Spanning land, air, and maritime domains across Michigan’s vast training grounds, the drills included supply drops in Lake Huron, special operations island resupply missions, live-fire air-to-ground strikes, B-2 Spirit stealth bomber landings outside their home base, and rapid runway repair using new fiber-reinforced plastic matting designed for dispersed island warfare. The exercise, which also featured Marines, National Guard units, and allies from nine nations, is now permanently oriented toward preparing for large-scale combat in Asia, reflecting Washington’s strategic pivot. Planners said the training not only strengthens combat readiness but also signals deterrence by demonstrating the U.S. military’s ability to operate jointly and flexibly against powerful adversaries like China. Click here to read more.

Microsoft is finally improving Windows 11’s dark mode
Microsoft is quietly testing long-awaited improvements to Windows 11’s dark mode, nearly a decade after first adding the feature to Windows 10. The latest preview build introduces updated file operation dialogs—such as copy and delete prompts—in a proper dark theme, though some elements like buttons remain light, highlighting that the overhaul is still in progress. While the Control Panel, Run prompt, and file properties window are still stuck in light mode, the changes suggest Microsoft could be preparing a more consistent dark mode experience in time for the Windows 11 25H2 update later this year. With Apple’s macOS offering a uniform dark mode since 2018, Windows users have long pushed for similar polish, raising hopes that Microsoft may finally deliver. Click here to read more.

From atheism to awakening: Gen Z turns back to God
A new YouGov poll reveals a surprising spiritual shift in Britain as belief in God among 18- to 24-year-olds has more than doubled in the past four years, rising from 16 percent in 2021 to 37 percent today, while atheism in this group has fallen sharply from 49 percent to 32 percent. The proportion of young adults rejecting any form of God or higher power has also dropped to 12 percent, reflecting what some church leaders describe as a “quiet revival.” Rt Rev Jill Duff, the Bishop of Lancaster, said she sees “a real openness to God and Christianity and especially to the supernatural” among Gen Z, calling it a sign of spiritual awakening. Older age groups, meanwhile, show relatively stable levels of faith, highlighting how the most striking movement is among the youngest adults, where renewed interest in spirituality may be reshaping Britain’s religious landscape. Click here to read more.

Critical flaw plagues Lenovo AI chatbot: attackers can run malicious code and steal cookies
Lenovo’s AI chatbot Lena was found to have critical XSS vulnerabilities that allowed attackers to inject malicious code, steal session cookies, and even run unauthorized scripts on corporate machines, raising alarms about the dangers of insecure AI deployments. Discovered by Cybernews researchers, the flaws stemmed from improper input and output sanitization, enabling a single malicious prompt to exfiltrate cookies and potentially compromise Lenovo’s customer support systems, opening pathways for data theft, phishing, backdoors, and lateral network movement. Experts warn that without strict guardrails and validation, AI chatbots can become vectors for severe security incidents, urging companies to adopt a “never trust, always verify” approach to both chatbot inputs and outputs. Lenovo acknowledged the issue and patched the flaws ahead of public disclosure, but the case highlights how rushing AI adoption without robust safeguards can leave enterprises exposed to devastating attacks. Click here to read more.

Trump: We’ll only see return of hostages when Hamas confronted and destroyed
US President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that the remaining hostages in Gaza will only be freed once Hamas is “confronted and destroyed,” stressing that the sooner this happens, the better the chances of success. Trump highlighted his past record, claiming he had secured the release of hundreds of hostages and ended six wars within six months, while also boasting of “obliterating” Iran’s nuclear facilities. His comments come as Qatari and Egyptian mediators met with Palestinian factions in what was described as a “positive” meeting, with Hamas receiving a new ceasefire proposal. While other factions reportedly accepted the terms, Hamas requested additional time for discussions. The negotiations underscore the delicate balance between military action and diplomatic efforts to end the war and secure hostage releases. Click here to read more.