THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 4/7/25

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

“An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile—hoping it will eat him last.”

— Winston Churchill

Netanyahu, Trump Meet to Address US Tariffs, Iran Threat, Gaza Crisis
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington to meet President Trump for high-level talks centered on Iran’s nuclear threat and U.S.-Israel economic ties. The Oval Office meeting comes after Netanyahu discussed a controversial 17% U.S. tariff on Israeli goods with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Netanyahu said confronting Iranian aggression would top his agenda with Trump. This follows Israel’s release of intercepted Hamas documents allegedly proving Iran funded the October 7 terror attack. Meanwhile, the U.S. has deployed a THAAD missile defense system to Israel, signaling deepening military coordination. The visit could shape future U.S.-Israel responses to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Click here to read more.

Garmin Connect+ announcement leaves users outraged. Some are calling “the Pope to intervene”
Garmin users are pushing back against the company’s new paid subscription service, Garmin Connect+, by launching a petition demanding its removal. The backlash stems from frustration that premium smartwatch owners—many of whom paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars for high-end devices like the Fenix or Epix—are now being asked to pay extra for new features. The petition, shared widely on Reddit, calls for scrapping the paywall, unifying software across devices, and disabling subscription ads. While some users sympathize, others doubt Garmin will change course. The controversy highlights growing resistance to the rising trend of hardware-plus-subscription pricing. Click here to read more.

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Garden at Site of Christ’s Burial, Backing Biblical Narrative
A new archaeological study at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre has uncovered traces of a 2,000-year-old garden with olive trees and grapevines—supporting the Gospel of John’s description of Jesus’ burial site. Led by Professor Francesca Romana Stasolla, the research used archaeobotanical and pollen analysis beneath the ancient church floor and revealed a cultivated area that likely predates Roman occupation. The discovery was made during major renovations of the basilica, the first since 1808, and adds historical weight to the biblical account of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Click here to read more.

Fake AI ‘subject matter experts’ are infiltrating your news stream
Major media outlets have unknowingly quoted dozens of fake AI-generated “experts” in hundreds of articles, according to a new investigation by journalist Rob Waugh. News organizations including The Guardian, BBC, Fortune, Newsweek, and Vogue cited these digital personas, created for brand promotion and SEO. Some “experts” had fake names, AI-generated photos, and unverifiable credentials, yet were featured commenting on everything from psychology to climate science. Waugh traced many of the fake profiles to media networking platforms like Qwoted and ResponseSource, which are now working to remove them. The discovery raises urgent concerns about trust in mainstream media during the rise of generative AI. Click here to read more.

US and Iran will meet for high-level nuclear talks, Araqchi and Trump say
The United States and Iran will hold indirect high-level nuclear talks in Oman on April 12, marking the first such engagement since President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal. While Iranian officials initially denied the talks would be direct, both Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Trump confirmed the meeting, which will involve mediators shuttling messages between delegations. Trump warned Iran faces “great danger” if talks fail, insisting it must never obtain nuclear weapons. Iran is unlikely to agree to dismantle its advanced nuclear infrastructure, which experts say could enable bomb production within months. Click here to read more.