THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 12/16/25

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

“The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals.”

-James Monroe

More KC-135 Tankers Deploy To The Caribbean
The Pentagon is expanding its Caribbean presence to intensify “Operation Southern Spear” against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, deploying additional KC‑135 Stratotanker refuelers to the Dominican Republic, KC‑46 Pegasus tankers from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and a surge of C‑17 cargo flights delivering supplies and troops to Puerto Rico and Ecuador, while U.S. officials prepare to seize more sanctioned oil tankers to cut off Maduro’s revenue and consider a broader blockade; the buildup accompanies heightened diplomatic briefings, new FAA warnings about Venezuelan airspace, and statements from the Trump administration linking the effort to both drug‑interdiction and strategic control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. Click here to read more.

AI’s four possible futures: crash, stabilization, nationalization, or breakthrough?
Generative‑AI investors face four possible outcomes: a market crash from over‑inflated valuations, a soft‑landing where growth slows but AI becomes a steady productivity tool, a scenario where governments treat AI as a regulated public utility, or a breakthrough that drives exponential innovation and profitability for firms with solid data and integration—experts warn that bubbles may burst before any breakthrough materializes, while others see a gradual stabilization as the industry matures. Click here to read more.

‘Stop in the Name of God’: Charlie Kirk’s Final Book Honors ‘Transforming’ Sabbath
Charlie Kirk’s posthumously released book Stop in the Name of God argues that observing the Sabbath—turning off devices, resting, and focusing on family and worship—can transform one’s life, a practice Kirk embraced after a pilgrimage to Israel where his pastor and a Messianic‑Jewish host explained the spiritual significance of Shabbat; the book frames the Sabbath as a divine blueprint for rest and renewal, contrasting it with Kirk’s previously hectic schedule and suggesting that a weekly pause can improve mental health, deepen faith and strengthen relationships. Click here to read more.

CISO Communities – Cybersecurity’s Secret Weapon
Closed CISO communities—often hosted on Slack or WhatsApp—have become a “secret weapon” for senior security leaders, offering a trusted space to exchange threat intel, discuss vendor choices, mentor aspiring CISOs, share job opportunities and cope with burnout, all while maintaining strict confidentiality through codes of conduct, invitation‑only membership and the Chatham House Rule; these peer‑driven networks complement formal ISAC/ISAO structures by delivering real‑time, person‑to‑person collaboration that strengthens cybersecurity defenses across industries. Click here to read more.

IDF cyber chief warns Israel, US face far greater cyber threats than publicly known
Israel’s cyber chief Maj. Gen. Aviad Dagan warned that both Israel and the United States face far larger, largely unseen cyber threats that could target critical national infrastructure, emphasizing that past successes should not breed complacency; he highlighted ongoing joint cyber‑warfare drills with U.S. Cyber Command, cited past Iranian attempts to sabotage Israeli water and hospital systems, and noted reciprocal Israeli cyber actions against Iranian ports and fuel infrastructure, underscoring the need for continual preparedness. Click here to read more.