THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/16/26

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/16/26

by | Jan 16, 2026 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

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

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

 

—James Baldwin

I. National Security: Key developments in national security, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Navy’s New Frigate Program Makes Big Bet On Containers Loaded With Missiles

  • The U.S. Navy’s new FF(X) frigate program bets on containerized weapons to compensate for the ship’s lack of an integrated vertical launch system, fitting the hull of the Coast Guard’s Legend‑class cutter with a 57 mm gun, a 30 mm cannon, RAM point‑defense missiles, and a Sea Giraffe radar while reserving the stern for modular payloads such as up to 16 Naval Strike Missiles or 48 Hellfire rockets housed in shipping containers; designers stress that these “capability‑in‑a‑box” modules can be swapped out as needs evolve, allowing rapid upgrades and risk reduction, though critics note the ships currently lack sonar, robust anti‑air defenses and a built‑in VLS, limiting their independent combat utility until future iterations add more sensors, missiles and unmanned companion vessels. click here to read more.

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

  • RAM shortage chaos expands to GPUs, high-capacity SSDs, and even hard drives

  • RAM shortages drive up prices for GPUs, high‑capacity SSDs, and even hard drives, forcing gamers and builders to pay premiums well above MSRP; RTX 5070 cards now sell for about $560‑$570 versus their $549 list price, while Radeon RX 9070 models hover near $580 against a $549 MSRP, and premium RTX 5070 Ti and 5080 cards climb to $730‑$750; SSDs follow suit, with 1 TB M.2 drives costing $120‑$150, roughly double last year’s prices, and larger capacities see even steeper hikes, squeezing consumers who already grapple with soaring DDR5 RAM costs. click here to read more.

     

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

  • When 2026 is uncertain, remember that God is not

  • Ezra teaches that humility, reliance on God, and confident prayer guide every journey, urging believers to fast, ask for divine protection, and trust that God answers prayers—even when outcomes differ from expectations; his example shows that true safety comes from God, not earthly armies, a lesson readers can apply as they step into the uncertainties of 2026. click here to read more.
     

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

  • Cyber Insights 2026: Social Engineering

  • AI‑powered social engineering now automates hyper‑personalized attacks at scale, using deepfake video and voice, synthetic personas, and agentic large‑language models that scout targets, craft convincing lures, and manage command‑and‑control infrastructure without human input; criminals deploy these tools in phishing‑as‑a‑service kits, browser‑based “ClickFix” tricks, and AI‑generated financial scams, making detection increasingly unreliable and forcing defenders to pivot toward zero‑trust workflows, multi‑person approvals, and continuous verification rather than relying on traditional detection methods. click here to read more.

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

  • If Israel falls, we fall’: Fate of West tied to Israel, former French PM tells ‘Post’ – interview

  • Former French prime minister Manuel Valls tells the Jerusalem Post that Europe’s fate hinges on Israel’s survival, arguing that a defeat of Israel would imperil the West’s fight against Islamism, Iranian‑Russian ties, and antisemitism; he stresses that supporting Israel counters modern antisemitism, criticizes left‑wing parties for exploiting the issue, and calls France’s 2025 recognition of a Palestinian state a mistake, urging a security‑first two‑state solution backed by Arab partners. click here to read more.

Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/15/26

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/15/26

by | Jan 15, 2026 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / VanderWolf-Images | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Fortune favors the bold.”

 

-Terence

I. National Security: Key developments in national security, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Lockheed delivered record 191 F-35s as it cleared out TR-3 backlog

  • Lockheed Martin delivered a record 191 F‑35 Joint Strike Fighters in 2025, surpassing the previous high of 142 in 2021, after clearing a backlog caused by delays in the Technology Refresh 3 (TR‑3) upgrade that forced the Department of Defense to pause deliveries for a year; the truncated TR‑3 software eventually allowed production to resume in July 2024, and the company completed the backlog in May 2025, while the F‑35 fleet now totals about 1,300 aircraft worldwide with over 1 million flight hours, having supported operations such as the midnight‑hammer strikes on Iran and NATO engagements over Russian drones in Poland. click here to read more.

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

  • Spotify’s 3rd price hike in 2.5 years hints at potential new normal

  • Spotify raises its Premium monthly fee from $12 to $13, with student, Duo, and Family plans also climbing by $1‑$2, marking the third price increase in 2½ years after hikes in July 2023 and July 2024; the company cites the need to fund new features such as lossless audio, music videos, messaging tools, joint‑listening “Jams,” and a new Hollywood podcast studio, positioning the adjustments as necessary to sustain its service quality and support artists. click here to read more.

     

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

  • Brandon Lake Takes ‘Good Morning America’ to Church, Says He’s Pointing People ‘to Jesus’

  • Grammy‑winning Christian artist Brandon Lake appears on ABC’s Good Morning America, performing his Dove‑Award‑winning song “Hard Fought Hallelujah” and explaining that his goal is to point listeners toward Jesus; he credits his recent collaboration with Jelly Roll for boosting the track’s popularity, jokes that he and Maury Povich both “tell people who the father is,” and emphasizes that faith fuels his music and life, urging viewers to explore the gospel for transformation. click here to read more.
     

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

  • China bets on quantum cyber weapons to win future wars

  • China’s People’s Liberation Army tests more than ten quantum cyber‑warfare tools that fuse cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology to harvest battlefield intelligence from the public internet at unprecedented speed; researchers at the National University of Defence Technology in Changsha build a unified situational‑awareness system that can map the battlespace, provide ultra‑precise quantum navigation resistant to spoofing, and secure data against cyber threats, signaling a shift from theoretical concepts to operational quantum weapons aimed at dominating future conflicts. click here to read more.

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

  • US sanctions Iran officials over protests crackdown, Israel Katz declares Iranian bank terror org.

  • The United States sanctions five Iranian officials—senior security council members, IRGC commanders, and law‑enforcement leaders—accusing them of orchestrating the brutal crackdown on protests, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vows to trace and freeze funds the regime wires abroad; concurrently, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declares the state‑run Bank Melli a terrorist organization, echoing a 2018 U.S. designation and aiming to choke the bank’s role in sanction evasion and financing of Iranian proxies, as the Treasury also targets 18 individuals and shadow‑banking networks linked to illicit oil revenues and labels Fardis Prison a terror entity. click here to read more.

Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/14/26

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/14/26

by | Jan 14, 2026 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / xbrchx | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

 

-Theodore Roosevelt

I. National Security: Key developments in national security, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • What is a Lucky Box and why is there one at the Pentagon?

  • The Pentagon now houses a Lucky Box vending machine in its main food court, where anyone can drop a few bucks into a slot and walk away with a sealed mystery prize that might be a coveted Pokémon pack, an autographed sports relic or even a Muhammad Ali‑signed glove—though most pulls turn out to be modest surprises; the company behind the machines announced the installation on Christmas Eve and called the Pentagon a “milestone moment,” while Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough confirmed the unit has been operating since Dec. 23, sparking curiosity among service members and visitors alike who enjoy a quick gamble while grabbing lunch, even if the defense department’s budget quirks sometimes draw a raised eyebrow; the novelty has already generated buzz on social‑media accounts like U.S. Army W.T.F! Moments, inviting anyone with a taste for chance to try their luck in the heart of America’s biggest military hub. Click here to read more.

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

  • OpenAI to buy compute power from Cerebras in deal worth more than $10 billion, source says

  • OpenAI signs a multi‑year contract to buy up to 750 megawatts of compute power from Cerebras, a deal valued at more than $10 billion that will be delivered in phases through 2028 to accelerate ChatGPT’s response speed; the agreement diversifies Cerebras’s revenue away from its UAE partner G42, showcases the industry’s appetite for massive AI‑training hardware, and aligns with OpenAI’s broader plan to secure tens of gigawatts of compute for future models while it prepares for a potential IPO. click here to read more.

     

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

  • As Iran Cracks Down on Protests, Christians Speak Up

  • Iranian Christians, many of whom fled persecution decades ago, now publicly support the nationwide protests against the regime, sharing messages of solidarity, praying for justice, and urging U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene; they recount personal histories of imprisonment, describe how the crackdown has killed thousands and shut down the internet, and note that churches inside Iran are increasingly vocal, using prayer calls and social media to rally believers while warning that Christians face heightened risk of accusations and imprisonment as the government blames foreign influence. click here to read more.
     

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

  • Verizon down for nearly 200K users, teams deployed on the ground

  • Verizon and several other carriers experienced a nationwide outage Wednesday, leaving tens of thousands of users without voice, data, and internet service as engineers raced to restore connectivity; the disruption peaked around 1 p.m., heavily affecting East‑Coast cities like New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, and Charlotte, and even knocked out 911 emergency calls in New York City and Washington, DC, prompting officials to advise residents to use alternate carriers or landlines, while the FCC announced it will investigate the incident. click here to read more.

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

  • Iran closes airspace as Western military official says signals show US attack ‘imminent’

  • Iran shuts its airspace to all flights after a NOTAM warns that a U.S. attack may be imminent, prompting flight‑tracker maps to show aircraft fleeing the skies over Iran and Iraq; a Western military official tells Reuters that unpredictable U.S. behavior keeps adversaries on edge, while President Trump says the U.S. will monitor the situation after claiming recent killings in Iran have ceased; meanwhile, Poland, Italy and the United Kingdom urge their citizens to leave Iran, the British embassy in Tehran closes temporarily, and the United States withdraws personnel from its Al Udeid base in Qatar as Tehran threatens retaliation against U.S. bases in the region. click here to read more.

Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/13/26

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 1/13/26

by | Jan 13, 2026 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / Tomas Ragina | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

 

-Thomas Jefferson

I. National Security: Key developments in national security, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • Trump Tells Protesters “Help Is On Its Way,” Cuts Off Negotiations With Regime

  • President Donald Trump urges Iranian protesters to keep demonstrating, declares that “help is on its way,” and cancels all negotiations with Tehran until the regime stops killing demonstrators, a move that follows reports of tens of thousands of deaths; he reiterates the 25 percent tariff on any nation doing business with Iran and hints at possible U.S. military strikes, cyber attacks, or expanded sanctions, while U.S. Central Command declines to comment on force posture; Israel readies its forces for a potential coordinated operation with the United States, and European leaders condemn the crackdown, proposing new sanctions against Iran’s security apparatus. click here to read more.

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

  • Microsoft will pay extra power costs to run data centers, so Americans don’t have to

  • Microsoft pledges to cover the full electricity costs of its U.S. data centers and to replenish any water they consume, aiming to prevent local utility bills from rising as AI‑driven demand spikes; the company will work with utilities to expand power supply where needed and publish water‑usage data for each site, a move praised by President Donald Trump, who says tech firms must “pay their own way” rather than burden American households. click here to read more.

     

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

  • Franklin Graham Calls for a ‘Time of Prayer and Repentance’ Amid Rising Tensions

  • Franklin Graham urges Americans to hold a national “time of prayer and repentance” this week, warning that political division, street violence, crime, and drug abuse signal a nation in crisis; he calls on believers to pray for leaders, ask God to calm unrest, and seek forgiveness for collective sin, asserting that united prayer can counter hostile forces seeking to undermine the country, and he invites people to pause and pray together at noon on Wednesday. click here to read more.
     

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

  • Cyber Insights 2026: External Attack Surface Management

  • External Attack Surface Management (EASM) tracks every internet‑exposed asset—known and hidden—to shrink blind spots that attackers exploit, yet the surface keeps expanding as cloud services, AI tools, shadow IT, and third‑party connections proliferate faster than security teams can inventory them; experts warn that AI‑driven shadow services, autonomous development agents, and AI‑to‑AI attacks will multiply entry points, while IPv6, open‑source dependencies, and supply‑chain links add hidden risk, prompting organizations to adopt automated discovery, AI‑enhanced prioritization, and continuous monitoring of partners to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats. click here to read more.

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

  • UAE used military bases in Red Sea region to aid Israel’s war against Hamas, leaks reveal

  • Leaks reveal that the United Arab Emirates prepared its southern Red Sea bases—located in Yemen, Eritrea, and Somalia—to supply Israel with military, logistical, and intelligence support in its war against Hamas; the October 2023 document orders rapid mobilization of equipment, tanks, phosphorus missiles, and communication assets, while also detailing investigations into Qatar’s and Kuwait’s aid to Hamas and establishing a channel between Yemen’s National Resistance Forces and Israel. The plan calls for continued assistance until the Palestinian militants are defeated. click here to read more.

Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security
THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 01/12/26

THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 01/12/26

by | Jan 12, 2026 | THE DAILY PRAETORIAN

Image Credit: iStock / Kachura Oleg | Imagery Disclaimer

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

“Diversity in counsel, unity in command.”

 

-Cyrus the Great

I. National Security: Key developments in national security, particularly cyber and technological warfare.

  • World Waits For Trump’s Next Move On Iran As Protests Grow Deadlier

  • The United States threatens a full‑scale strike on Iran as protests turn deadlier, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying President Donald Trump will consider air raids, cyber attacks, new sanctions, or diplomatic talks after receiving hourly briefings; Trump has already imposed a 25 percent tariff on any nation doing business with Iran, warned that Iranian retaliation would meet “unprecedented” force, and announced that Tehran seeks nuclear negotiations while the regime continues a brutal crackdown that has killed at least 544 demonstrators and detained thousands; meanwhile, Iran’s leaders boast of regained control, threaten U.S. and Israeli assets, and promise to target any American aggression, while Israel readies its own response and the world watches for Trump’s decisive move. click here to read more.

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

  • Anthropic launches Cowork, a Claude Code-like for general computing

  • Anthropic expands its Claude Code technology into a new feature called Cowork, embedding it in the macOS Claude desktop app so users can grant the assistant access to a chosen folder and issue plain‑language commands; Cowork can automatically fill expense reports from receipt photos, draft reports from collections of notes, or tidy up desktops and folders, offering a simpler, less technical workflow than Claude Code while still allowing iterative refinements during a task. click here to read more.

     

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

  • Bible Sales Hit Record High in U.S. in 2025 as Americans Seek Hope in Uncertain Times

  • Americans bought a record 19 million Bibles in 2025, the highest U.S. sales in 21 years, as war, cultural upheaval and economic uncertainty drove people to seek hope and stability in Scripture; the top adult title was The Invitation New Testament from B&H Publishing, while the bestselling children’s edition was The Action Bible: God’s Redemptive Story illustrated by Sergio Cariello, and the United Kingdom also saw a surge, with the ESV Bible from Crossway leading sales. Industry leaders attribute the boom to a broader search for meaning amid post‑pandemic fallout, global conflicts, AI anxieties and a mental‑health crisis, noting that readers are not only purchasing Bibles but actively studying and applying them. click here to read more.
     

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

  • Meta denies viral claims about data breach affecting 17.5 million Instagram users, but change your password anyway

  • Meta tells Instagram users that a recent wave of password‑reset emails did not stem from a data breach, explaining that a third‑party service mistakenly triggered the messages and that the company has patched the flaw; although hackers on Breach Forums advertised a dump claiming to expose 17.5 million accounts, Cybernews researchers traced the files to an old 2017‑2022 scrape of six million profiles that resurfaced online, confirming no new personal data were compromised, yet Meta still advises users to change passwords as a precaution. click here to read more.

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

  • Trump imposes 25% tariffs on nations dealing with Iran as US weighs strike

  • President Donald Trump announces a 25 percent tariff on any nation that does business with Iran while senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance, push for a fresh negotiation round before the United States launches a military strike; the White House says Trump will weigh sanctions, diplomatic outreach, or force after a Tuesday briefing, and a Qatari source confirms that U.S. plans for an operation against Iran are in “advanced stages,” with forces in the Middle East ready for any contingency. click here to read more.

Tags: Information Security, Information Technology, News, Security

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