THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 10/3/25

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

“Air superiority is not an American birthright. It’s actually something you have to fight for and maintain.”

-Gen. David Goldfein

Status Of Venezuela’s Air Defense Capabilities
As U.S. counter-narcotics operations escalate in the Caribbean—with Marine F-35Bs forward-deployed to Puerto Rico and other assets active—Venezuela is redeploying air defenses and warning it’s tracking U.S. jets, prompting a fresh look at its layered, highly mobile mix of Russian-supplied systems and aging kit: the Air Force fields ~21 Su-30MK2V fighters with R-77/R-27 and R-73 missiles (a few legacy F-16s remain, largely short-range only), while the Army operates long-range S-300VM/Antey-2500 batteries, Buk-M2 medium-range systems, modernized S-125 Pechora-2M, thousands of Igla-S MANPADS, RBS 70s, and ZU-23-2 guns; the Navy adds limited shipborne and shared Buk coverage. This mobility and diversity complicate U.S. planning, likely forcing reliance on stealth platforms (F-35), stand-off weapons, and robust SEAD/CSAR support if strikes expand inland against cartels or the Maduro regime. Despite sanctions eroding some capabilities, even older Venezuelan systems—if dispersed and used opportunistically—can threaten non-stealth aircraft, echoing lessons from other conflicts where rudimentary defenses scored hits. With Venezuelan S-125s seen moving toward the coast and Caracas signaling a potential state of emergency, the risk of confrontation—and the premium on U.S. stealth, electronic warfare, and ISR—appears to be rising. Click here to read more.

With a Friend like this, who needs enemies?
New Yorkers are pushing back against the viral subway ad campaign for Friend, a $129 AI wearable marketed as a constant digital companion, with graffiti calling it “surveillance capitalism” and “AI wouldn’t care if you lived or died.” The necklace, which listens to conversations and delivers push notifications with commentary on users’ daily lives, has been met with skepticism and frustration despite its promises of always-on support. Having tested the device herself, Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song agrees with the criticism, highlighting the unease of wearing an AI that monitors everything you do. Click here to read more.

Charlie Sheen talks the existence of God, search for spiritual truth: ‘Nothing’s a coincidence’
In a candid interview with Tucker Carlson, actor Charlie Sheen opened up about his evolving spiritual journey, saying he now believes “God’s real” and describing moments in his life that felt connected by a “supernatural quality.” Sheen reflected on lessons from his father Martin Sheen’s Catholic faith, his own struggles with doubt, and the impact of his daughter Lola’s Christian baptism, admitting that while he sometimes leans on science for answers, he increasingly sees that “nothing’s a coincidence.” After years of turmoil, Sheen says he is learning to accept mystery and embrace the search for truth without needing to solve every question. Click here to read more.

“A new era for cybersecurity” as AI finds a multi-million-dollar blockchain bug
AI has just marked a milestone in blockchain security after Sherlock’s smart contract research platform revealed its system helped identify a critical bug in a live lending protocol that put $2.4 million at risk. The flaw allowed users to withdraw funds beyond their balance, even from a zero account, by repeatedly exploiting a rounding error. Although the exploit has been patched, experts note attackers could have drained a large portion of reserves before intervention. Sherlock’s AI has already uncovered more than 18 high-severity vulnerabilities, many in previously audited code, prompting security researchers to hail this as “a new era for cybersecurity” while warning that hackers will inevitably adopt the same tools. Click here to read more.

‘Ready for a lasting peace’: Trump, world figures respond to Hamas announcement on hostage release
Hamas announced Friday night that it would release all 48 hostages under the U.S. proposal, though it called Washington’s 72-hour deadline unrealistic. President Donald Trump hailed the move as a sign Hamas is “ready for a lasting peace” and urged Israel to halt airstrikes on Gaza. Egypt and Qatar welcomed the announcement, with Cairo pledging to push for a permanent ceasefire and Doha coordinating with Washington to advance talks. In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid said the deal represents an “unprecedented opportunity” and pledged political support, while officials stressed negotiations are essentially complete. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham called Hamas’ reply “predictable” and French President Emmanuel Macron pressed for immediate follow-through. Mediators say Hamas has also agreed to transfer Gaza’s governance to a Palestinian body elected with Arab and Islamic backing. Click here to read more.