THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/13/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/13/25

by | Aug 13, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Elena Baladelli, Army | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“The most dangerous phrase in the language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way.'”

 

— Rear Adm. Grace Hopper

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Paratroopers test autonomous vehicle with AI for mortar resupply

  • Paratroopers tested the Overland AI ULTRA Fully Autonomous Tactical Vehicle during the multinational Agile Spirit 25 exercise in Georgia on July 29, aiming to enhance battlefield safety by keeping soldiers out of harm’s way. The ULTRA, an all-wheel, off-road vehicle capable of carrying up to 1,000 pounds at speeds of 35 mph, ran mortar resupply missions for 60mm and 120mm units. Controlled via satellite or internet connectivity — or pre-programmed for autonomous routes — the system is designed to be affordable and expendable, costing far less than crewed combat vehicles. Overland AI sees future roles for ULTRA in breaching obstacles, reconnaissance, and medical evacuation. Army leaders say exercises like Agile Spirit help test and refine such capabilities, with soldiers reporting strong interest in wider adoption. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • Apple’s plan for AI could make Siri the animated center of your smart home

  • Apple is reportedly planning a major AI push that could make Siri the animated hub of a future smart home ecosystem, Bloomberg reports. The company is developing products including a 2027-targeted tabletop robot resembling an iPad on a moving arm, an Amazon Astro-like wheeled robot, and even exploring humanoid concepts. The tabletop model would feature a more conversational, LLM-powered Siri with visual personality—possibly Memoji-like—that can track users and interact naturally. By mid-2026, Apple also aims to release a smart home display, similar to a Google Nest Hub, for controlling devices, playing music, taking notes, and making video calls, with face-recognition personalization for multiple users. Alongside this, Apple is working on a new lineup of home-security devices, including cameras, as it seeks to close its generative AI gap with competitors. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • Answers in Genesis Unveils Disney-Like Bible Attractions in Pigeon Forge and Branson

  • Answers in Genesis has launched new Disney-like Bible attractions in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Branson, Mo., offering families a 5D virtual reality journey from the Garden of Eden to the resurrection of Christ without leaving their seats. The Truth Traveler 5D experience combines motion-synchronized chairs, wind effects, and immersive storytelling to reinforce biblical truth while entertaining guests. Known for the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum, the ministry has expanded to these popular tourist destinations, with Pigeon Forge featuring a planetarium and Branson adding a theater for live shows and projection mapping. Chief Digital Officer Ben Wilt says the goal is to affirm the Bible’s authority while delivering a “Disney-level” experience with robust pre-show elements and intentional design. Both sites include food and gift shops, aiming to leave visitors with a lasting impression of Scripture’s importance. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • FDA’s bellyflop a sign that AI is no silver bullet for public safety – interview

  • FDA’s new AI drug review tool “Elsa”—developed with OpenAI to help speed up approvals—has been accused by insiders of fabricating medical studies and misrepresenting research, making it unfit for clinical reviews. In an interview with Cybernews, Brooke Hartley Moy, CEO of AI fact-checking firm Infactory, said she wasn’t surprised, warning that large language models often hallucinate facts and are poorly suited for tasks demanding precision and trust. She cited pressure on agencies to deploy AI quickly without enough in-house expertise, creating a “perfect storm” for failure. While Moy sees promise for AI as an augmentation tool in healthcare, she stressed that human oversight is essential and that the FDA must take a cautious approach to rebuild public trust. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • WATCH: Hamas uses fake WCK humanitarian vehicle to target IDF soldiers in Gaza

  • The IDF says it eliminated five Hamas fighters in Gaza last week who were using a vehicle falsely marked with the World Central Kitchen (WCK) emblem to disguise their activities. The military claims the fighters also wore yellow vests to appear as aid workers, aiming to avoid being targeted. WCK confirmed to Israeli officials that it had no connection to the vehicle, which was located in Deir al-Balah before being struck by an Israeli Air Force jet. The IDF accused Hamas and other groups of exploiting humanitarian symbols to mask military operations, and said it will continue working with aid organizations to prevent such abuse. Click here to read more.

Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/12/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/12/25

by | Aug 12, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Graves | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Presence equals influence.”

 

— Admiral Karl Schultz

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Coast Guard commissions its first new icebreaker in more than 25 years

  • The Coast Guard has commissioned the USCGC Storis, its first new icebreaker in more than 25 years, converting a former Royal Dutch Shell oil drilling support vessel to bolster U.S. Arctic capabilities ahead of new ship deliveries in 2030. The $125 million upgrade gives the Storis navigation, communications, and defensive enhancements, joining the Polar Star and Healy as the nation’s only icebreakers amid rising competition with Russia and China in the resource-rich Arctic. While Congress has approved $25 billion for 40 new cutters, including icebreakers, and $300 million for new port facilities, all three vessels will remain homeported in Seattle until at least next year. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • Microsoft releases lightweight Office taskbar apps for Windows 11

  • Microsoft is rolling out new lightweight taskbar companion apps for Microsoft 365 business users on Windows 11, offering quick access to People, File Search, and Calendar directly from the taskbar. The People app provides an org chart and lets users quickly start Teams chats, calls, or emails; the File Search app enables fast file retrieval across OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook with previews and filters; and the Calendar app shows upcoming events and meeting join options. Announced at last year’s Ignite conference and tested in beta, the apps will now install automatically with Microsoft 365 on Windows 11 unless blocked by IT admins, though users can disable auto-launch. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • Celebrating 500 years since the first printed English New Testament

  • This year marks the quincentenary of the first printed English New Testament, completed by William Tyndale in 1525 after fleeing England to avoid Church opposition. Translating directly from Greek using Erasmus’s text, Tyndale first printed in Cologne—though only 22 chapters of Matthew survived—before successfully publishing the full New Testament in Worms, with copies reaching England and Scotland by early 1526. His work laid the foundation for the King James Version and many modern translations, shaping the English Bible for centuries. The Tyndale Society, founded in 1995, launched anniversary celebrations in Antwerp this July with an academic conference, concerts by the Tyndale Singers, and rare exhibits, including the only pristine surviving 1526 New Testament and a prison letter from Tyndale himself. Events will continue globally through 2026, offering churches and communities opportunities to reflect on the enduring impact of Scripture in the English language. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • Created a passkey? Hackers can bypass it using a simple downgrade attack

  • Security researchers at Proofpoint have revealed that hackers can bypass passkey authentication through a simple downgrade attack, exploiting gaps in platform support for FIDO2 logins. While passkeys are designed to replace passwords with a phishing-resistant method, many cloud identity services—such as Microsoft Entra ID—do not support them across all browsers and operating systems, allowing attackers to spoof an unsupported user agent and force victims into using weaker login methods like passwords with or without MFA. Proofpoint demonstrated a phishing kit that mimics Microsoft’s login flow, tricks users into selecting “other ways to sign in,” and captures both credentials and session cookies, enabling attackers to hijack accounts without needing further authentication. Though no active campaigns have been observed, researchers warn the flaw affects multiple passkey implementations and remains a serious threat until older authentication methods are fully disabled. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • Israel in talks with South Sudan about Gazan resettlement plans – report

  • Israel is reportedly in talks with South Sudan about a potential plan to resettle Palestinians from Gaza to the East African nation, according to six sources familiar with the discussions cited by the Associated Press. The proposal, which could deepen ties between the two countries, involves exploring the establishment of camps for Gazans who choose to relocate, with an Israeli delegation expected to visit South Sudan to assess possibilities. South Sudanese civil society leader Edmond Yakani confirmed conversations with officials about the plan, which follows last week’s visit to Israel and the West Bank by South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Monday Semaya Kumba. Israel and South Sudan share longstanding ties, with Israel having supported South Sudan’s struggle for independence and being among the first to recognize it in 2011. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/11/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/11/25

by | Aug 11, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jesse Turner | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“The whole art of war consists of guessing at what is on the other side of the hill.”

 

— Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Coyote Loitering Drone Interceptors Have Arrived On U.S. Navy Destroyers

  • Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Winston S. Churchill have been outfitted with Coyote Block 2 loitering drone interceptors, enhancing the Navy’s ability to counter uncrewed aerial threats with lower-cost, flexible defense systems. These jet-powered interceptors, capable of lingering in the air and being dynamically retasked, mark a significant shift from traditional surface-to-air missiles like the SM-2 and ESSM, which are more expensive and less adaptable. The new launchers were spotted on the destroyers assigned to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, and their deployment follows lessons learned from recent Houthi drone attacks in the Red Sea. Designed to meet the growing complexity of drone warfare, the Coyotes add a crucial layer to the Navy’s multi-tiered ship defense strategy, offering cost efficiency and operational versatility. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • Reddit will block the Internet Archive

  • Reddit will begin blocking the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine from indexing most of its site, including post pages, comments, and profiles, after discovering that AI companies have been scraping Reddit data from archived pages in violation of its policies. The Wayback Machine will still be able to archive Reddit’s homepage, showing only which posts and headlines were popular on a given day. Reddit says it will restore broader access only if the Internet Archive can prevent scraping abuses and respect platform rules, such as deleting removed content. The move follows Reddit’s broader push to monetize access to its data, including paid deals with Google and OpenAI, API restrictions, and a lawsuit against Anthropic over alleged unauthorized scraping. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • 4 Things Christians Need to Know about RFK Jr.’s mRNA Research Cuts

  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the termination of 22 mRNA vaccine development projects worth $500 million, citing peer-reviewed evidence that the spike proteins produced by such vaccines can cause systemic harm and fail to effectively prevent respiratory infections like COVID-19 and flu. The FDA has now mandated safety labeling on all mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to warn of potentially irreversible heart damage, especially in young men, while medical experts are pushing for greater transparency about vaccine risks. Kennedy says the government will shift funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms, and a recent DOJ settlement now requires federal agencies to scrub vaccine status from employee records and bars its use in hiring or promotions. For Christians, the news underscores the importance of discernment, truth, and stewardship over health decisions, while advocating for accountability in public health policy. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • GPT-5 demonstrates “shockingly low” safety: researchers jailbreak it in under 24 hours

  • Security researchers report that OpenAI’s new GPT-5 model shows “shockingly low” default safety, with SPLX finding it vulnerable to 89% of over 1,000 adversarial prompts when run without a system prompt—making it “nearly unusable for enterprise out of the box.” While a basic system prompt cuts vulnerabilities to 43%, GPT-5 still lags behind GPT-4o, which scored far higher in robustness tests. Effective jailbreak methods included obfuscated prompts and fake encryption challenges, with GPT-5 at times producing bomb-making instructions. NeuralTrust also confirmed weaknesses via “Echo Chamber” and “Storytelling” techniques that subtly poison conversation context. Experts warn organizations to harden GPT-5 before deployment and add runtime protections to mitigate systemic LLM safety risks. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • Rising antisemitism: Dangerous return to dark times – opinion

  • Antisemitism is erupting openly across the globe, with violent attacks, vandalism, online harassment, and even doxing campaigns targeting Jews in the U.S., Europe, and beyond, echoing the dangerous climate of the 1930s. Recent incidents include assaults in Poland and New York, antisemitic graffiti in U.S. cities, and Iran’s Press TV publishing personal details of people aiding wounded Israeli soldiers. FBI data confirms Jews remain the most targeted religious group for hate crimes in the U.S., while coordinated disinformation, progressive political silence, and public displays like “Heil Hitler” salutes at rallies fuel the resurgence. The authors warn that this is not only a Jewish problem but a societal one, urging especially non-Jews to speak out now or risk repeating history’s darkest chapters. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/7/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/7/25

by | Aug 7, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / Brandon Woyshnis | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Apocalypse-proof”

 

— Every Cybertruck Owner, probably

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Cybertrucks Wanted By Air Force As Missile Targets

  • The U.S. Air Force plans to purchase two Tesla Cybertrucks to use as missile target vehicles during weapons testing and training, citing the possibility that adversaries may begin using them in future conflicts. The request, part of a broader acquisition of 33 target vehicles, is tied to testing for U.S. Special Operations Command’s precision-guided munitions, including Hellfire and Griffin missiles. The Air Force justified the Cybertruck’s inclusion due to its unique stainless steel design, impact resistance, and potential battlefield durability. While the trucks don’t need to function, they must be towable to simulate real-world scenarios. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • OpenAI Finally Launched GPT-5. Here’s Everything You Need to Know

  • OpenAI has launched GPT-5, calling it a major leap toward artificial general intelligence, with CEO Sam Altman describing it as “generally intelligent” and “like talking to a PhD in any subject.” GPT-5 is faster, smarter, more accurate, and hallucinates less than its predecessors, boasting a 256,000-token context window and major gains in coding and healthcare benchmarks. The rollout includes lighter GPT-5-mini and GPT-5-nano variants, with tiered access for free, Plus, and Pro users. Pro users can also tap into GPT-5-pro and GPT-5-thinking, which handle more complex tasks and process queries for longer. New features include Gmail and Google Calendar integration, user-selectable personalities, and safe completion modes for dual-use prompts. OpenAI now claims 700 million weekly users, 5 million business users, and 4 million developers. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • Archaeologists Find Rare A.D. 70 Coin in Jerusalem from Time of the Apostles

  • Archaeologists near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount have unearthed a rare bronze coin from A.D. 69–70 bearing the inscription “For the Redemption of Zion,” linking it directly to the final year of the First Jewish–Roman War and the destruction of the Temple—events prophesied by Jesus and unfolding during the time of the apostles. The well-preserved coin features symbols from the Jewish festival of Sukkot and reflects a shift in the rebels’ messaging from “freedom” to a longing for redemption. This remarkable find offers a tangible connection to both the biblical era and the spiritual hopes of a besieged people. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • Parts of the US Constitution quietly vanish due to “coding error”

  • Parts of the U.S. Constitution—specifically key portions of Article I outlining Congressional powers and civil liberties—briefly disappeared from Congress’s official website this week due to what the Library of Congress says was a “coding error.” Missing text included sections on habeas corpus, Congressional authority over the military, and limits on state powers, prompting online speculation and public concern. Though the content was restored hours later, critics questioned the timing and transparency of the glitch, raising broader concerns about the digital integrity of foundational documents. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • US pro-Palestinian activist paid $75k to protest, funding traces back to Chinese Communist Party

  • A key organizer of pro-Palestinian protests in New York, David (Sung Mo) Chung, has reportedly been paid $75,000 annually by The People’s Forum (TPF), a left-wing nonprofit now under scrutiny for alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Financial records and a new investigation reveal that Chung is the sole paid employee of TPF, which co-sponsored a major rally just one day after the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel. TPF and its leaders have openly expressed support for Hamas, prompting an IRS complaint and raising concerns about potential violations of laws governing nonprofit activities. Further investigations trace funding for TPF and aligned activist groups back to Neville Roy Singham, a Maoist businessman based in China, currently under U.S. congressional investigation for allegedly spreading CCP-aligned propaganda. Critics argue that anti-Israel protests are being used as a front for broader socialist and anti-Western agendas, supported by foreign interests. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/6/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/6/25

by | Aug 6, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Air Force Senior Airman Addie Peterson, National Guard | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“We’ll meet this change with the same warfighter mindset the Wolf Pack has maintained through our history, and strengthen our ability to accept follow-on forces, defend the base and take the fight north.”

 

-Col. Peter Kasarskis

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Air Force moves F-16s closer to North Korea in new ‘super squadron’

  • The U.S. Air Force is moving 31 F-16s and 1,000 airmen from Kunsan Air Base to Osan Air Base closer to North Korea as part of its “Super Squadron Test Part II” to consolidate combat power and improve operational efficiency. The temporary shift aims to bolster U.S. and South Korean readiness through expanded joint exercises and strategic positioning, reinforcing Osan’s defensive posture amid heightened threats. Air Force leaders say the test will assess whether a larger, centralized squadron can generate more combat power and streamline logistics. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • OpenAI Announces Massive US Government Partnership

  • OpenAI has partnered with the U.S. government to provide federal agencies access to its AI models including ChatGPT for just $1 over the next year, aligning with President Trump’s AI Action Plan to accelerate innovation. The deal, brokered with the General Services Administration, follows months of lobbying by OpenAI leadership and comes alongside the GSA’s addition of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google models to its purchasing list. This move enables government-wide use of AI tools to enhance efficiency, while safeguarding data privacy. OpenAI also recently released open-weight models tailored for secure use in sensitive environments. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • U.S. Church Urged to Stand with Suffering Sudanese Christians

  • Sudanese Christians are enduring extreme hardship amid civil war and targeted religious persecution, prompting urgent calls for American churches to take action. Christian Solidarity International (CSI), a global NGO advocating for persecuted believers, has worked for decades in Sudan and South Sudan, freeing over 160,000 slaves and now focusing on meeting immediate needs like food and shelter for displaced Christians. Abi McDougal of CSI emphasizes prayer, financial support, and advocacy as vital ways American believers can stand with their suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. “It’s not prayer in isolation, it’s prayer in action,” she says. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • Venice Film Festival hacked, participants’ data exposed

  • The Venice Film Festival, the world’s oldest of its kind, has confirmed a cyberattack that exposed participants’ personal data, including that of journalists. The breach, which occurred on July 7, 2025, involved unauthorized access to festival servers where hackers copied names, emails, phone numbers, tax codes, and mailing addresses. Organizers say their IT team swiftly isolated affected systems and notified authorities, launching immediate restoration efforts. The incident was revealed through breach notification letters sent to impacted individuals, just ahead of the festival’s 82nd edition starting August 27. Click here to read more.
     

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • ‘Five IDF Divisions, five months’: Netanyahu’s Gaza occupation plan to defeat Hamas – exclusive

  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Gaza occupation plan, titled “Five IDF Divisions, Five Months,” is set to be presented to Israel’s security cabinet Thursday and would involve a full-scale military operation, the relocation of around one million residents from Gaza City, and coordination with U.S. humanitarian efforts. While IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir warned the plan endangers hostages, he is expected to remain in his role. The U.S. administration, led by President Trump, is preparing to significantly increase humanitarian aid through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, with Trump stating that whether to fully occupy Gaza is “Israel’s decision.” Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/5/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/5/25

by | Aug 5, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Army Sgt. Brianna Badder | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.”

 

-Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest)

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Army releases ‘spiritual fitness guide’ to help soldiers strengthen their will to fight

  • The U.S. Army has released a 112-page Spiritual Fitness Guide aimed at helping soldiers strengthen their inner resilience, find purpose, and bolster their “will to fight.” Developed by the Army Chaplain Corps as part of the broader Holistic Health and Fitness program, the guide highlights belief systems, creative expression, and emotional intelligence as key elements of spiritual readiness alongside physical and mental health. It outlines stages of spiritual development and includes exercises to help soldiers move from helplessness to empowerment. Army leaders say spiritually grounded soldiers are more prepared for both war and life. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • OpenAI releases a free GPT model that can run on your laptop

  • OpenAI has launched GPT-OSS, its first open-weight model in over six years, offering both a 120-billion and a 20-billion parameter version that can run on a single Nvidia GPU or a laptop with 16GB of memory, respectively. Released under the Apache 2.0 license via platforms like Hugging Face and Azure, GPT-OSS is designed for commercial use and supports reasoning, coding, web browsing, and agent operation. OpenAI touts it as its most rigorously tested model for safety and hopes it will empower smaller developers seeking more control. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • Federal Workers Granted Freedom to Express Christian Faith at Work

  • A new memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management affirms that federal employees are now explicitly encouraged to express their Christian faith—and other religious beliefs—openly at work, marking a significant policy shift toward religious freedom in the government workplace. The guidance permits religious displays, prayer, Bible study, witnessing, and even inviting coworkers to places of worship, provided it doesn’t disrupt operations. Backed by constitutional and statutory protections, the memo urges agencies to revise restrictive policies and follows an executive order reinforcing faith-based engagement in government. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • Top hacker is a bot, yet humans still steer cyber defence

  • AI-driven hackbots like XBOW are now leading vulnerability discovery platforms such as HackerOne in volume, but humans still outperform them in identifying critical, high-impact flaws. XBOW, a tool built by an offensive security firm, has found over 250 vulnerabilities using automation—but it’s not fully autonomous, and its findings still require human validation. HackerOne co-founder Michiel Prins emphasizes that while hackbots excel in speed and scale, the most severe bugs still come from “bionic hackers”—humans who use AI to enhance their work. However, challenges persist, including AI-generated exaggerations or hallucinated reports. For now, human insight remains essential to steering and verifying AI discoveries, especially in complex areas like broken business logic. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • Security cabinet to discuss potential full Gaza takeover

  • Israel’s Security Cabinet will meet Thursday to consider a full military takeover of Gaza, including areas with hostages, following a tense high-level discussion between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir. While Netanyahu argued a shift in strategy is needed to free hostages, Zamir warned such a move risks becoming a strategic trap. Defense Minister Israel Katz reinforced the government’s dual goal of defeating Hamas and securing hostage releases. Meanwhile, negotiations remain stalled as Hamas leaders distance themselves from Qatari mediators and reject Israel’s warnings. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/4/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/4/25

by | Aug 4, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / Sherrodphoto | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“This system changes the game.”

 

Lt. Gen. Joel Vowell

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Dark Eagle hypersonic missile system makes overseas debut during Talisman Sabre

  • The U.S. Army’s Dark Eagle hypersonic missile system made its overseas debut during the Talisman Sabre exercise in Australia’s Northern Territory, highlighting the military’s ability to rapidly deploy cutting-edge weapons with allies. Though not fired, the system—capable of speeds over Mach 5 and ranges up to 1,700 miles—was showcased to allied troops by the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force. The joint U.S.-Australian efforts underscore a strategic shift toward long-range precision strike in response to China’s military buildup. The exercise also featured Typhon missile live fire and Australia’s HIMARS debut. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • Why tech is racing to adopt AI coding

  • AI-powered programming tools are reshaping how software gets built—and fast. In a wide-ranging interview, Anysphere CEO Michael Truell explains how Cursor, their AI coding platform, is helping engineers write, debug, and delegate code tasks more efficiently by blending integrated development environments with smart assistants trained on massive codebases. Cursor users, including major tech companies, now rely heavily on the tool, which has quickly become one of the most popular developer aids in the post-ChatGPT era. While some fear job losses, Truell argues that automation will empower developers rather than replace them, and even open the door for “vibe coders”—non-experts experimenting with building software. Still, he maintains that true transformation in programming and AI will unfold gradually, not overnight. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • Two-state solution conference against Israel relies on Hamas’ lies

  • A recent U.N.-hosted conference on a two-state solution—co-led by France and Saudi Arabia—has drawn sharp rebuke from critics who say it rewards terrorism and embraces Hamas propaganda. The summit’s call for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid to Gaza, and recognition of Palestinian statehood—regardless of Hamas’s disarmament or the release of hostages—was condemned as both dangerous and morally upside-down. Critics, including Israeli advisor Caroline Glick and faith-based leaders like Tony Perkins, argue this response ignores the reality that Hamas initiated the war and continues to exploit civilians and aid. They highlight that Israel, unique among nations, is being pressured to feed its enemies mid-conflict and surrender key war aims while facing global double standards. The article also emphasizes the spiritual battle for truth, citing biblical references like Proverbs 26:2 and Isaiah 5:20, warning that the widespread acceptance of Hamas’s lies in media and diplomacy is a moral deception. In contrast, Israeli leaders assert their right to defend themselves, refusing to be “devoured” again—invoking historical and biblical resolve. Critics insist that genuine compassion means supporting Israel’s mission to defeat Hamas, not empowering evil through appeasement. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • St. Paul extends emergency amid cyberattack: experts plead caution

  • St. Paul, Minnesota has extended its state of emergency for 90 more days following a significant cyberattack that began July 28, prompting shutdowns of city IT systems and involvement from the Minnesota National Guard. Mayor Melvin Carter called it a “deliberate, coordinated digital attack,” while cybersecurity experts warn the breach may have far-reaching consequences, particularly if critical data like property records or tax payments were altered or lost. Experts highlighted motivations behind such attacks—including ransom, revenge, and data theft—and emphasized the vulnerability of local governments due to outdated systems and limited resources. Officials are urging cities to improve cybersecurity defenses and awareness amid a rising wave of digital threats. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • Netanyahu decides on full occupation of Gaza Strip, IDF activity in areas with hostages, PMO says

  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to pursue full occupation of the Gaza Strip, including IDF operations in areas where Israeli hostages are still held, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, which warned IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to resign if he disagreed. The decision comes amid failed ceasefire-hostage negotiations with Hamas, who continue to use aid and emaciated hostages as leverage while demanding open humanitarian corridors and a halt to Israeli air operations. Hamas dismissed Israel’s threats as meaningless, even as international efforts to deliver aid directly to hostages intensify. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/1/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/1/25

by | Aug 1, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Air Force Staff Sgt. Frederick Brown | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Big results require big ambitions.”

 

-Heraclitus

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • U-2 Just Set New Records On The 70th Anniversary Of Its First Flight

  • On the 70th anniversary of its first flight, a U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane set new endurance and altitude records for its category and class, according to an Air Force official. The mission began the night before from California and concluded with a dramatic zoom climb before landing, marking a symbolic achievement as the aging reconnaissance jet nears its planned 2026 retirement. Despite its Cold War origins and vulnerabilities to modern air defenses, the U-2 remains a uniquely high-flying platform for intelligence gathering, recently aiding border missions and monitoring foreign surveillance balloons. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • Reddit wants to become the next Google search

  • Reddit is aiming to become a full-fledged search engine, expanding its AI-powered tool, Reddit Answers, as a core feature of the platform. Launched in December, Reddit Answers already sees up to six million weekly users, and the company plans to deepen its integration and roll it out globally. CEO Steve Huffman told shareholders the focus is on turning user intent—millions seeking advice weekly—into Reddit’s native search experience. With over 416 million weekly visitors, Reddit’s move to boost its own search capabilities could reduce reliance on Google, even as the platform’s traffic has benefited from users adding “Reddit” to Google queries for human-generated results. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • Lauren Daigle Surprises Camp Mystic Survivor Who Rewrote ‘Hallelujah’ to Honor Camp Victims

  • Lauren Daigle surprised 12-year-old Skyler Darrington on Fox and Friends after the young flood survivor went viral for rewriting and performing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” in memory of the 27 girls lost in the catastrophic July 4 flood at Camp Mystic. Skyler, whose cabin was hardest hit, co-wrote the tribute with her mother, Lacey, during what she called a day of grief and healing. Daigle praised Skyler’s strength and faith, saying, “You took the tragedy and turned it into something beautiful.” Skyler said the experience deepened her faith, adding, “We sang during the tragic event, and it just helped us grow.” Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • Gen Z in the Crosshairs: Cybercriminals Shift Focus to Young, Digital-Savvy Workers

  • Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting Gen Z workers due to their tech fluency, polyworking lifestyles, and risky digital habits like password reuse and mixing personal and professional device use. Kaspersky and other experts warn that fake job offers, phishing, and social engineering attacks are tailored to this group, who often manage freelance gigs and corporate tasks from unsecured locations and devices. The blending of personal and work life makes them easy entry points into corporate networks. Experts recommend using strong password managers and staying alert to red flags like too-good-to-be-true offers. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • What are Israel’s choices in Gaza?

  • Israel’s objectives in Gaza—returning hostages, dismantling Hamas, and preventing future threats—remain consistent since the October 7 attack, yet double standards and misconceptions cloud international discourse, argues military strategist John Spencer. He critiques the insistence on a postwar plan before victory, unrealistic demands on civilian displacement, and selective outrage over Israel’s military tactics—all standards not applied to other nations at war. Spencer outlines possible paths to achieving Israel’s goals, including temporarily relocating civilians, continued military pressure, or Hamas’s surrender. He insists these aims are legal, achievable, and grounded in international norms. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 7/31/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 7/31/25

by | Jul 31, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / nespix | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”

 

-John F. Kennedy

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • China is betting on a real-world use of AI to challenge US control

  • As China races to catch up with the U.S. in artificial intelligence, it is doubling down on real-world applications to close the gap created by American chip export restrictions. At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Beijing showcased AI’s integration across hospitals, police departments, and public services, led by companies like DeepSeek. China’s government is pushing a top-down strategy, encouraging widespread adoption of AI to “empower the real economy,” while emphasizing open-source development and positioning itself as a responsible global AI leader. Despite economic challenges and limited access to cutting-edge chips, China’s approach contrasts with the U.S. focus on developing advanced models like GPT-5. Experts say the Chinese model may face scalability and ethical issues, but the country’s aggressive deployment aims to reshape global AI leadership. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • Why AI researchers are getting paid like NBA All-Stars

  • Top AI researchers are being courted like NBA All-Stars as Big Tech companies, including Meta and Google, engage in a high-stakes hiring war to dominate the artificial intelligence landscape. Amid a surge in demand, companies are offering massive compensation packages to lure elite talent, with some engineers being offered deals so lucrative they rival those in professional sports. Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, is making aggressive moves to attract experts, while others like Google are choosing to hire over acquiring startups. Yet, insiders say many AI researchers are now driven less by money and more by the opportunity to shape the future of the technology itself. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • The Silicon Valley Revival Has Momentum. Next Comes Maturity.

  • A surprising revival of Christian faith is gaining traction in Silicon Valley, with tech workers, investors, and founders increasingly engaging in worship, faith discussions, and discipleship efforts in corporate and public spaces. This spiritual momentum echoes past religious awakenings and is being met with efforts to cultivate “exilic discipleship”—a framework for Christians to navigate tension between professional success and personal convictions in a largely secular environment. Leaders aim to turn this spark into lasting maturity by promoting humble, resilient, and redemptive engagement in workplaces like labs, startups, and boardrooms. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • ChatGPT conversations are showing up on Google, internet users shocked

  • ChatGPT users are alarmed after discovering that conversations shared via the “Share” button are showing up in Google search results. These shared links, meant for collaboration, are being indexed by search engines if posted on social media or websites, exposing everything from resumes with personal details to emotional confessions and even potentially illegal plans. Despite OpenAI’s warnings not to include sensitive data in shared chats, many users were unaware that deleting a conversation from their account doesn’t remove its shared link. To ensure privacy, users must manually delete any shared links. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • Hamas cut off contact, escalation in Gaza likely unavoidable, Israeli official tells ‘Post’

  • An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that Hamas has cut off contact with negotiators, making a major military escalation in Gaza likely unavoidable. Talks are reportedly on the brink of collapse, with Hamas also reducing communication with Qatar and Egypt, while focusing more on ties with Turkey. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met with U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff for nearly three hours Thursday, with officials saying the U.S. and Israel are aligned on next steps. Witkoff plans to visit Gaza’s humanitarian centers Friday to assess the situation. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 7/30/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 7/30/25

by | Jul 30, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / viper-zero | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“The sea—like life itself—is a stern taskmaster. The best way to meet it is head-on.”

 

-Admiral Chester Nimitz

I. National Defense: Key developments in national defense, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • US military bases brace for potential tsunamis in wake of powerful earthquake

  • Following a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, U.S. military bases across the Pacific issued tsunami alerts and precautionary evacuations. Bases in Japan, Guam, Hawaii, and along the U.S. West Coast activated emergency protocols, with ships repositioned to avoid possible waves and personnel moving to higher ground. Though waves observed were minor—ranging from 8 inches to 2 feet—forces remain on alert until the threat fully subsides. No significant damage has been reported so far. Click here to read more.

II. Tech Trends: Updates on emerging technology trends shaping the digital world.

  • Microsoft reports strong cloud earnings, with Windows and Xbox up too

  • Microsoft wrapped up its 2025 fiscal year with a powerful Q4, posting $76.4 billion in revenue and $27.2 billion in net income—up 18% and 24% year-over-year, respectively. Cloud services led the charge: Azure alone brought in $75 billion in annual revenue, up 34%. Despite recent layoffs, Microsoft’s workforce remains steady at 228,000. Windows and device revenue grew modestly as businesses prepare for Windows 10’s end of support. Xbox content and services, including Game Pass, rose 13% this quarter, though hardware sales dropped 22%. Notably, Microsoft claimed the title of top publisher on both Xbox and PlayStation, with six of the top 10 PlayStation games this quarter. Meanwhile, Microsoft 365 added 89 million consumer subscribers, LinkedIn hit record engagement, and search advertising rose 21%—a boost aided by AI-powered Bing. The company sees continued momentum in AI and cloud, even as it forecasts slight gaming revenue dips next quarter. Click here to read more.

     

III. Inspiration: Articles centered on faith that offer guidance and reflection.

  • ‘Jerusalem Is the Place’: Israel Urges Nations to Follow US Lead, Relocate Embassies to Jewish Capital

  • Since the U.S. moved its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay have followed suit — and Israel is calling on others to do the same. At a recent event, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee praised the move, calling Jerusalem the “undisputed, undivided capital” of Israel. NGO leader Chaim Silberstein and former deputy mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum stressed the spiritual, political, and historical importance of Jerusalem, while urging more global recognition. With ongoing conflicts and misinformation, Israeli leaders say international support is more vital than ever. Click here to read more.

IV. Cyber Safety: A focus on the latest cybersecurity threats, tips, or breaches impacting individuals and organizations.

  • Will AI go rogue now that it can bypass some CAPTCHA tests?

  • OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT agent has stunned the internet by reportedly bypassing Cloudflare’s “I am not a robot” CAPTCHA—sparking fears about AI going rogue. While the bot hasn’t yet cracked complex image CAPTCHAs, researchers say it’s only a matter of time. Combined with other alarming developments, like Replit’s AI erasing databases and ByteDance’s Trae IDE allegedly spying on users, critics fear AI’s growing autonomy. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman compared GPT-5’s progress to the Manhattan Project. As oversight lags behind innovation, experts stress that human responsibility—not AI—is still the real wild card. Click here to read more.

V. Shield of Israel: Coverage from The Jerusalem Post, providing an Israeli perspective on ongoing conflicts.

  • PMO: All countries ‘that truly want to help’ welcome to join humanitarian aid airdrops to Gaza

  • The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced on Wednesday that “any country that truly wants to help” is welcome to participate in humanitarian aid airdrops over Gaza. The statement comes as Israel confirmed it has been conducting aerial deliveries of food aid to civilians in the enclave and called on others to follow suit. So far, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt have joined the effort, with 32 aid packages delivered Wednesday following 52 on Tuesday. Israel accused Hamas of stealing food from civilians, saying it secured airspace and ensured successful delivery. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security

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