THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 2/2/26

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

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”

-Alexander Graham Bell

Marines Ramp Up Arctic Readiness for Cold Response 2026 in Norway
U.S. Marines are intensifying cold‑weather training in Norway to prepare for the NATO‑led Cold Response 2026 exercise, deploying a Marine Air‑Ground Task Force from Camp Lejeune and testing gear such as insulated clothing, skis and snowshoes while integrating P‑8 Poseidon patrol aircraft and F‑35A fighters for all‑domain operations; the drill, which will involve roughly 25,000 personnel from a dozen allied nations, aims to sharpen rapid‑deployment capabilities, improve interoperability, and reinforce deterrence on the Arctic frontier against emerging threats, supporting broader U.S. and NATO strategies that emphasize cohesion, strategic access to Greenland and a long‑term security presence in the high north. Click here to read more.

OpenAI launches Codex desktop app to manage multiple AI agents
OpenAI unveiled the Codex desktop app for macOS, a “command center” that lets developers run and supervise multiple AI coding agents simultaneously, isolate each task in its own worktree, and automate routine chores like dependency updates and test runs; the tool bundles reusable workflows and coding standards to enforce consistency, doubles rate limits for paid users, and offers a free‑tier preview while a Windows and Linux version is promised later, positioning Codex as a collaborative coworker that speeds software development and competes with rivals such as Anthropic’s Claude Code. Click here to read more.

Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit Affirms the Bible’s Accuracy and Timeless Truth
The Museum of the Bible now displays portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls, letting visitors see the ancient manuscripts that contain fragments of 38 Old‑Testament books and other writings like the Book of Enoch, which scholars say match today’s Bible text and confirm its reliability; curators rotate the scrolls every three months and store them for five‑year intervals in climate‑controlled rooms to preserve the fragile parchment, while experts explain that the scrolls, dated to around 300 BC and copied by the Essene community, illuminate the religious environment of Jesus’s era and reinforce the timeless truth of Scripture; the exhibit invites the public to connect with the historic roots of the biblical narrative. Click here to read more.

Over 1,400 MongoDB Databases Ransacked by Threat Actor
Security researchers at Flare discovered that threat actors have compromised over 1,400 publicly exposed MongoDB databases, replacing their contents with ransom notes that demand roughly $500 in Bitcoin; the firm identified more than 200,000 MongoDB servers online, of which about 3,100 lack proper access controls, and 45.6 % of those vulnerable instances show signs of infection, while the remaining servers appear clean or may have already paid the ransom; although the attackers reuse a single Bitcoin address in 98 % of the notes, the wallet has collected only about $400 so far, indicating the campaign’s profitability is limited despite the potential to earn up to $842,000; Flare also warned that nearly half of the discovered servers contain additional vulnerabilities that could enable denial‑of‑service attacks, urging owners to secure their databases promptly. Click here to read more.

Iran fears US strike could break Islamic regime’s grip on power by reigniting protests, sources say
Iranian officials warn that a limited U.S. strike could ignite fresh mass protests and threaten the regime’s grip on power, noting that the brutal crackdown on January’s demonstrations has already shattered the population’s fear and left many citizens ready to confront security forces again; senior insiders told Reuters that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was briefed on the danger that external pressure combined with domestic anger could trigger a collapse of the ruling system, while former president Hassan Rouhani and opposition figures have urged major reforms to avert further unrest; meanwhile, President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing targeted attacks on Iranian security forces and leaders, a move that Tehran fears would embolden dissenters and provoke a violent backlash; the internal debate highlights a stark contrast between the regime’s public defiance and private concerns about a potential uprising. Click here to read more.