THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 2/12/25

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

“We must make the investments necessary to deter, and if necessary, defeat this new axis of aggressors.”

— Rep. Mike Rogers

Republicans propose at least $100 billion in extra defense spending in the next decade
Congressional Republicans are proposing a $100-$150 billion increase in defense spending over the next decade to expand the Navy, modernize strategic nuclear forces, and strengthen missile defense. The Senate’s proposal calls for 5% of GDP to be allocated to defense, while the House proposes a $100 billion cap. The move aligns with President Trump’s “peace through strength” agenda amid threats from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Democrats argue the plan balloons national debt while cutting social programs. If passed, the budget resolutions will allow Republicans to bypass Senate filibuster rules. Click here to read more.

JD Vance rails against ‘excessive’ AI regulation in a rebuke to Europe at the Paris AI summit
Vice President JD Vance warned against overregulating AI at a Paris summit, arguing it could stifle innovation, in contrast to Europe’s strict AI laws and China’s state-backed AI expansion. The U.S. refused to sign a global AI pledge backed by over 60 nations, including China, deepening divisions over AI governance. Meanwhile, France pitched a “third way” to balance regulation and innovation, while China advocated for open-source AI despite Western security concerns. With AI shaping global power struggles, Musk’s bid for OpenAI and U.S.-Europe tech tensions add further uncertainty. Click here to read more.

Marc Fogel’s 95-year-old mom celebrates release from Russian prison after fighting to bring him home
After three years in a Russian penal colony, American teacher Marc Fogel has returned home following a prisoner exchange negotiated by President Donald Trump. Fogel, detained for carrying doctor-prescribed medical marijuana, was greeted at the White House alongside Trump, calling the president a “hero” for securing his release. His 95-year-old mother, who had long advocated for his freedom, said she nearly fainted upon hearing the news. The exchange also involved the release of an unidentified Russian citizen held in the U.S. Click here to read more.

CISA, experts urging users to patch new Windows zero-days: “test and deploy quickly”
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an urgent alert regarding two actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows, urging users to patch them before March 4th. The flaws—CVE-2025-21418, affecting Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock, and CVE-2025-21391, targeting Windows Storage Link—allow attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges and delete critical data. Microsoft’s February Patch Tuesday update also includes fixes for 63 security flaws, with three rated critical, including a wormable remote code execution vulnerability in Windows LDAP. Click here to read more and secure your systems.

Israel considers striking Iranian nuclear sites – report
A U.S. intelligence assessment suggests that Israel may be planning major strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities this year, with hopes of securing U.S. support under President Donald Trump, according to the Wall Street Journal. The report indicates that Israel views this as a critical window to weaken Iran’s nuclear ambitions, as concerns grow over Tehran’s expanding capabilities. American military sources suggest that U.S. weapons and logistical support would be crucial for the success of any such operation. Trump has expressed a preference for negotiating a non-nuclear deal with Iran rather than military action, stating, “I would prefer that to bombing the hell out of it.” Click here to read more.