THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 5/14/25

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

“The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: when you’re ready for him and when you’re not.”

— Murphy’s Law of Combat

How The Houthis’ Rickety Air Defenses Threaten Even The F-35
The U.S. military’s stealth advantage was recently challenged when Houthi forces in Yemen reportedly came close to shooting down a U.S. F-35 and several F-16s during Operation Rough Rider. Despite the F-35’s advanced electronic warfare and stealth capabilities, the Houthis’ growing arsenal of improvised and mobile infrared-guided air defense systems, including jury-rigged R-73 and R-27 missiles and Iranian-designed Saqr-series weapons, has proven to be a serious threat. These passive systems evade detection by traditional radar-warning receivers, reducing reaction time for pilots and complicating mission planning. The incident underscores vulnerabilities even in top-tier stealth aircraft and reflects broader shifts in aerial warfare, where passive infrared tracking, mobility, and hybrid sensor systems are emerging as critical threats. Lessons from Yemen are shaping U.S. and adversary strategies alike, with implications for future high-end conflicts and the next generation of air dominance. Click here to read more.

Microsoft Cuts Off Access to Bing Search Data as It Shifts Focus to Chatbots
Microsoft will shut down its Bing Search APIs on August 11, cutting off access to smaller developers who have relied on the tool to power alternative search engines and custom applications. While large partners like DuckDuckGo will retain access through private contracts, the move is part of a broader pivot toward AI-powered offerings like Azure’s “Grounding with Bing Search.” Developers criticized the new tool as limited and less flexible, with some calling it overengineered for basic needs. The change, alongside recent layoffs and tighter AI integration, highlights Microsoft’s shifting priorities amid rising competition in search and AI. Click here to read more.

Billboard Declares ‘Christian Music Is Surging’ as Two Faith-Based Songs Enter Hot 100
Christian music is making a rare and significant impact on the mainstream music scene, with Brandon Lake’s Hard Fought Hallelujah and Forrest Frank’s Your Way’s Better both breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 chart—a first for multiple Christian songs in over a decade. Their success, largely driven by viral momentum on platforms like TikTok, marks a broader resurgence of faith-based music. The milestone places Lake and Frank alongside just a handful of Christian artists who’ve crossed over to the Hot 100 since 2013, reflecting a growing appetite for spiritually grounded anthems in today’s diverse musical landscape. Click here to read more.

5.7M files with resumes exposed after hiring platform forgot the password
A massive data leak from recruitment platform HireClick has exposed more than 5.7 million files—mostly resumes—due to a misconfigured AWS S3 bucket, leaving job seekers’ sensitive data, including full names, addresses, phone numbers, and employment details, open to the public. The breach poses serious risks of identity theft, phishing scams, and impersonation, with attackers potentially using the leaked information to create fake identities, conduct employment fraud, or harass victims. Despite multiple contact attempts, HireClick has not responded, and the duration of the exposure remains unknown. The incident adds to a troubling pattern of data leaks across recruitment platforms worldwide. Click here to read more.

IDF issues warnings to Houthis with no attack after Yemen fires twice in one day
The IDF issued another evacuation warning on Wednesday to civilians at Houthi-controlled Yemeni seaports—Ras Isa, Hodeidah, and Al-Salif—citing the ports’ use for terrorist activities, but again did not follow through with military action. This marked the second such warning in recent days without an actual strike, raising speculation that Israel may be using psychological operations to disrupt Houthi logistics without the high cost of long-range missions. Meanwhile, Houthi missile attacks on Israel continue, including recent interceptions near Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that the Houthis insist excludes Israel. Click here to read more.