THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 5/2/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 5/2/25

by | May 2, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / AndreyPopov | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“We must put capability in place now. We must dramatically improve our capacity and speed to update unmanned and counter-unmanned technologies.”

 

-Doug Beck

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

  • Pentagon seeks drone-killing technology that’s safe for civilians

  • The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) will soon issue a solicitation for low-collateral counter-drone technologies as part of its Replicator 2 initiative, aiming to rapidly scale up defenses against small drones in populated areas. DIU seeks affordable, low-risk solutions—whether electronic, kinetic, or passive sensing systems—to counter increasing drone threats at home and abroad. Although progress has been made, military leaders admit the Pentagon is lagging in deployment and needs more resources and authority to scale effective systems like the Marine Air Defense System. Click here to read more.

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

  • Firefox could be doomed without Google search deal, says executive

  • Mozilla CFO Eric Muhlheim warned in court that the Justice Department’s proposed remedies against Google’s search monopoly — particularly banning Google from paying to be Firefox’s default engine — could bankrupt the browser. Around 85% of Mozilla’s revenue comes from that deal, and alternative search providers like Bing don’t monetize traffic as well. While the DOJ aims to promote competition, Mozilla fears the transition period could gut its operations and hurt internet diversity, given Firefox is the only major browser not backed by Big Tech. Click here to read more.

     

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

  • Measuring the Good Life

  • A groundbreaking five-year study tracking over 200,000 people across 22 countries reveals that flourishing—defined not just by wealth or health, but by meaning, relationships, character, and faith—is often higher in less affluent nations like Indonesia and Tanzania than in richer countries such as the U.S. and Japan. The Global Flourishing Study’s first wave, published in Nature, highlights a striking global pattern: regular religious service attendance is consistently associated with higher levels of personal and communal well-being, while younger generations report the lowest flourishing overall. Click here to read more.

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

  • WhatsApp announces Private Processing so users can use AI and preserve their privacy

  • WhatsApp has announced “Private Processing,” a new AI-powered feature that allows users to access tools like message summarization and writing suggestions while keeping their data secure and anonymous through confidential computing and end-to-end encryption. Built on Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) and using techniques like oblivious HTTP, Private Processing ensures that neither WhatsApp nor Meta can trace requests back to specific users. The feature, which is optional and not enabled by default, will roll out in the coming weeks alongside WhatsApp’s other new privacy updates. Click here to read more.

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

  • Israel carries out strikes on two Syrian cities

  • Israel conducted airstrikes on two Syrian cities, escalating regional tensions amid ongoing conflict. Details of the specific targets or casualties were not disclosed at the time of the report, but the strikes underscore Israel’s continued operations against threats it perceives in neighboring Syria, often linked to Iranian-backed groups. The situation adds to the broader instability in the Middle East, especially as Israel remains engaged on multiple fronts. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 5/1/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 5/1/25

by | May 1, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / zabelin | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Space is clearly a warfighting domain and we’re convinced that if deterrence were to fail, we’re going to have to fight and win the battle for space superiority.”

 

– Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, First Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force

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

  • Space Force Special Operations Command is on its way

  • The U.S. Space Force is forming its own special operations component under U.S. Special Operations Command, known as Space Force Special Operations Command (SFSOC). While it won’t feature Guardians conducting traditional combat missions like Navy SEALs or Green Berets, SFSOC will provide specialized space-based capabilities to support elite military operations. Though technically established in 2025, the command has yet to be fully activated or manned. Leaders across the military increasingly emphasize the importance of integrating space, cyber, and special operations forces as a “modern-day triad” to give the U.S. a strategic edge in future conflicts. Click here to read more.

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

  • Mark Zuckerberg just declared war on the entire advertising industry

  • Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has openly declared a radical future for advertising: one where businesses simply plug in their goals and bank accounts, and Meta’s AI handles everything else — from ad creation and targeting to optimization and measurement. This vision of “infinite creative” using AI-generated photos, videos, and copy could decimate traditional ad agencies and brand strategies, as platforms like Meta assume total control over the advertising lifecycle. Industry leaders have responded with skepticism and alarm, citing issues of brand safety and a lack of trust in platforms grading their own performance. Still, for small businesses, Meta’s all-in-one AI-driven ad machine may offer powerful, accessible tools — reshaping the advertising landscape in ways that could sideline human creatives entirely. Click here to read more.

     

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

  • Trump Establishes Religious Liberty Commission to Combat Threats to Faith

  • On the National Day of Prayer, President Trump signed an executive order creating the Religious Liberty Commission, which the White House says will defend the foundational American principle of religious freedom. Surrounded by faith and political leaders, Trump emphasized that religion is essential to national greatness, pledging to protect conscience rights, parental choice in education, religious free speech, and more. The commission, composed of diverse experts and clergy, will advise the White House and issue a comprehensive report on the state of religious liberty, aiming to address both domestic and global threats to faith communities. Click here to read more.

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

  • Mozilla launches online petition to keep encryption alive

  • Mozilla has launched an online petition urging global governments to reject encryption backdoors and client-side scanning, warning that such measures dangerously weaken personal privacy and digital security. Highlighting recent efforts by the EU, UK, and US to force tech companies to grant law enforcement access to encrypted data, Mozilla argues that these steps, under the guise of public safety, in fact make everyone more vulnerable to breaches and surveillance. The foundation calls for input from cryptographers and privacy experts instead, asserting that strong encryption is essential to protecting individuals’ rights and digital safety. Click here to read more.

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

  • IDF preparing to deliver a ‘decisive blow’ against Hamas, IDF chief Zamir says at soldiers ceremony

  • At the annual Outstanding Soldiers Ceremony on Israel’s Independence Day, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir praised soldiers’ perseverance and resilience during wartime, emphasizing that the IDF is prepared to intensify operations in Gaza to deliver a “decisive blow” against Hamas. Honoring outstanding service members, including those overcoming personal tragedy or societal challenges, Zamir stressed national unity, shared responsibility, and the enduring strength of the Israeli spirit in the face of adversity. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 4/30/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 4/30/25

by | Apr 30, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / Ivan Berrocal | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“This action was taken in response to a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation.”

 

-UK Defence Secretary John Healey

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

  • UK Military Launches Airstrikes with US Targeting Yemen’s Houthi Rebels

  • The UK has joined the U.S. in intensifying airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, marking Britain’s first participation in “Operation Rough Rider” under the Trump administration. British Typhoon jets targeted a drone facility near Sanaa used by the Iran-backed group, citing threats to Red Sea shipping. The strike follows a deadly alleged U.S. attack on a migrant prison and comes amid growing scrutiny of America’s campaign, which has launched over 800 strikes since mid-March. The Houthi attacks, initially sparked by the Gaza conflict, continue to disrupt global trade and regional stability. Click here to read more.

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

  • Meta AI joins the pack – is it better than ChatGPT?

  • Meta has launched its standalone AI app powered by Llama 4, integrating it deeply into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, with a focus on voice interaction, social personalization, and sync features like Ray-Ban Meta glasses. While its conversational flair and social integration aim to rival ChatGPT, early users have reported issues including installation roadblocks and quirky memory interpretations. Compared to ChatGPT’s maturity and reliability, Meta’s assistant shows potential but lacks polish. Still, with Meta’s massive data advantage, its AI future may hinge on user trust and fatigue. Click here to read more.

     

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

  • Survey Shows AI Usage Is Rising in Churches, But Sermons Still Off-Limits for Most

  • Nearly half of U.S. churches now use artificial intelligence in daily operations, with the majority employing it for visual design and social media, but remaining hesitant to apply it to sermon or spiritual content creation, according to Pushpay’s 2025 State of Church Technology report. AI usage among churches rose from 25% in 2024 to 45% this year, with projected growth to nearly 60% by 2026. While AI is embraced for communication and outreach, pastoral leaders continue to prioritize human spiritual discernment. The report also highlights trends in livestreaming, cryptocurrency, and increased tech budgets across congregations. Click here to read more.

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

  • Password crisis deepens in 2025: lazy, reused, and stolen

  • A new study analyzing 19 billion leaked passwords from breaches between April 2024 and 2025 reveals a severe global crisis of weak password reuse, with 94% of passwords either reused or duplicated. Simple and predictable combinations like “123456” and names like “Ana” remain rampant, making users highly susceptible to attacks. Despite widespread awareness efforts, only 6% of passwords were unique, and only 19% included a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols. Cybersecurity experts emphasize the urgent need for stronger password practices, multi-factor authentication, and organizational enforcement of password complexity standards. Click here to read more.

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

  • Police arrest arson suspect, fires continue to blaze accross Israel

  • Israel has cancelled nationwide Independence Day celebrations amid widespread wildfires near Jerusalem and escalating regional tensions, including IDF airstrikes in Syria. Fires forced evacuations, closed Highway 1, and triggered emergency requests for international aid from countries like Greece and Italy. One suspect has been arrested for allegedly attempting arson in southern Jerusalem. Meanwhile, extreme heat and wind are fueling the blazes, prompting meteorological warnings and the deployment of elite firefighting assets, including the Supertanker. The IDF also struck Syrian extremists to protect the Druze community, underscoring the multi-front emergency Israel is facing. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 4/29/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 4/29/25

by | Apr 29, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Air Force Master Sgt. Chris Hibben | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

 

-Ronald Reagan

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

  • Huckabee: If Iran Talks Fail, Trump Won’t Be Dragged Into War, ‘He’ll Lead It’

  • As the Trump administration advances nuclear negotiations with Iran, Israeli leaders are voicing serious concerns, with Prime Minister Netanyahu warning that only a “good deal” preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is acceptable. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee echoed this stance, asserting Trump’s resolve to avoid a weak agreement and confront evil directly. Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit, Huckabee condemned Hamas for its atrocities and rejected the two-state solution as unworkable, emphasizing Israel’s biblical claim to the land. Click here to read more.

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

  • AI Is Using Your Likes to Get Inside Your Head

  • In the age of AI, the like button may evolve from a simple social media tool into a vital source of human preference data used to train artificial intelligence models, as Max Levchin suggests. While AI is learning to predict likes more accurately, potentially making the button obsolete, its value remains in capturing human nuance—especially during shifting personal needs or life events. However, as AI increasingly generates both content and engagement, with bots and synthetic influencers dominating interactions, the authenticity of likes and their role in real human expression is being called into question. This shifting landscape raises ethical concerns and could spur the development of new tools to verify whether content and responses come from real people or machines. Click here to read more.

     

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

  • Is Revival Coming? Hope After Spiritual ‘Convulsion’ Plunged America Into ‘Crisis’

  • Author Tim Goeglein argues that American culture has suffered from the fallout of the 1960s’ radical ideologies but sees hope in today’s youth and a return to faith, asserting that true national restoration will come not from elites but from churches, families, and communities across the country. Click here to read more.

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

  • Spain and Portugal power blackouts: was there a cyberattack?

  • Power has returned to nearly all of Spain and most of Portugal after a widespread blackout on Monday that disrupted transportation, communication, and daily life across the Iberian Peninsula. While Portugal’s grid operator initially blamed unusual atmospheric conditions for causing voltage oscillations, Spain’s authorities have yet to confirm a clear cause. Although some officials speculated about a cyberattack, Spanish and EU representatives later dismissed this theory, though Spain’s High Court has opened an investigation to rule it out. Experts say such a massive coordinated cyberattack would be extremely difficult to carry out. Click here to read more.

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

  • Israel marks Remembrance Day at Western Wall in Jerusalem

  • At Israel’s Remembrance Day ceremony at the Western Wall, President Isaac Herzog and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir honored fallen soldiers and emphasized national unity amid ongoing conflict. Herzog described the memorial siren as a powerful call for togetherness and resilience, especially as the nation continues to grapple with hostages held by Hamas. Zamir praised the courage of Israeli soldiers and reaffirmed the IDF’s unwavering mission to defend the nation and bring every captive home, warning Hamas not to misjudge Israel’s resolve. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 4/28/25

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 4/28/25

by | Apr 28, 2025 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) / Air Force Senior Airman Zachary Willis | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Nothing can stop the attack of aircraft except other aircraft.”

 

-Billy Mitchell

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

  • F-15 Eagles Win Big In Supersized Defense Spending Bill

  • The F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II are set to benefit significantly from new proposed legislation that allocates $7.2 billion for tactical aircraft procurement and modernization, with $3.1 billion dedicated to ramping up F-15EX production and $127.46 million aimed at preventing early retirement of F-15Es. While some details about production and fleet sustainment remain unclear, lawmakers’ strong support for these platforms underscores their importance to U.S. airpower. Other major boosts include funding for next-gen fighters, the B-21 bomber, and tactical airlifters. Click here to read more.

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

  • The Agonizing Task of Turning Europe’s Power Back On

  • A massive blackout hit Spain and Portugal on Monday, disrupting trains, traffic lights, airports, and daily life across both countries, with engineers now working carefully to reboot the grid through a slow, complex “black start” process; though some areas have begun restoring power, the exact cause remains unclear amid conflicting reports and speculation. Click here to read more.

     

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

  • Why Christian hope is different from all other hopes

  • In a world overflowing with heartbreak and cynicism, hope can feel distant or even foolish—but for Christians, hope is firmly rooted in Jesus Christ, the one who conquered death and offers eternal life. Anchored in His unchanging love, we are called to be lights in the darkness, sharing hope, faith, and love with a weary world that desperately needs them. Hope isn’t naïve; it’s powerful, it’s life-giving, and it’s found in the living Word—Jesus Himself. Click here to read more.

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

  • The Cyber Vatican – how the world’s smallest country became a cybersecurity powerhouse

  • As the Vatican prepares for the election of a new pope, cybersecurity has become as crucial as tradition, with lessons from the 2020 RedDelta hacking attempt spurring major digital defenses. Under Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti’s leadership, the Vatican has invested heavily in AI-driven threat analysis, encrypted communications, and offline conclave protocols, ensuring maximum security against evolving cyber threats. From air-gapped systems to signal jammers and constant surveillance, the Holy See is fortified like never before to protect the sanctity of this pivotal event. Click here to read more.

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

  • Katz threatens to attack Iran as Trump tries to cut a contested nuclear deal

  • With the U.S. under President Trump moving closer to a new nuclear deal with Iran, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel remains ready to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if necessary, despite concerns Trump may block Israeli action to secure a deal. While Katz emphasized Israel’s deep cooperation with the U.S., Israeli officials are worried the emerging agreement may not dismantle Iran’s uranium enrichment program as Israel demands. Talks between the U.S. and Iran continue, with Trump optimistic about reaching a deal without military conflict. Click here to read more.

     
Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security

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