THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 7/30/25

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

“The sea—like life itself—is a stern taskmaster. The best way to meet it is head-on.”

-Admiral Chester Nimitz

US military bases brace for potential tsunamis in wake of powerful earthquake
Following a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, U.S. military bases across the Pacific issued tsunami alerts and precautionary evacuations. Bases in Japan, Guam, Hawaii, and along the U.S. West Coast activated emergency protocols, with ships repositioned to avoid possible waves and personnel moving to higher ground. Though waves observed were minor—ranging from 8 inches to 2 feet—forces remain on alert until the threat fully subsides. No significant damage has been reported so far. Click here to read more.

Microsoft reports strong cloud earnings, with Windows and Xbox up too
Microsoft wrapped up its 2025 fiscal year with a powerful Q4, posting $76.4 billion in revenue and $27.2 billion in net income—up 18% and 24% year-over-year, respectively. Cloud services led the charge: Azure alone brought in $75 billion in annual revenue, up 34%. Despite recent layoffs, Microsoft’s workforce remains steady at 228,000. Windows and device revenue grew modestly as businesses prepare for Windows 10’s end of support. Xbox content and services, including Game Pass, rose 13% this quarter, though hardware sales dropped 22%. Notably, Microsoft claimed the title of top publisher on both Xbox and PlayStation, with six of the top 10 PlayStation games this quarter. Meanwhile, Microsoft 365 added 89 million consumer subscribers, LinkedIn hit record engagement, and search advertising rose 21%—a boost aided by AI-powered Bing. The company sees continued momentum in AI and cloud, even as it forecasts slight gaming revenue dips next quarter. Click here to read more.

‘Jerusalem Is the Place’: Israel Urges Nations to Follow US Lead, Relocate Embassies to Jewish Capital
Since the U.S. moved its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay have followed suit — and Israel is calling on others to do the same. At a recent event, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee praised the move, calling Jerusalem the “undisputed, undivided capital” of Israel. NGO leader Chaim Silberstein and former deputy mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum stressed the spiritual, political, and historical importance of Jerusalem, while urging more global recognition. With ongoing conflicts and misinformation, Israeli leaders say international support is more vital than ever. Click here to read more.

Will AI go rogue now that it can bypass some CAPTCHA tests?
OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT agent has stunned the internet by reportedly bypassing Cloudflare’s “I am not a robot” CAPTCHA—sparking fears about AI going rogue. While the bot hasn’t yet cracked complex image CAPTCHAs, researchers say it’s only a matter of time. Combined with other alarming developments, like Replit’s AI erasing databases and ByteDance’s Trae IDE allegedly spying on users, critics fear AI’s growing autonomy. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman compared GPT-5’s progress to the Manhattan Project. As oversight lags behind innovation, experts stress that human responsibility—not AI—is still the real wild card. Click here to read more.

PMO: All countries ‘that truly want to help’ welcome to join humanitarian aid airdrops to Gaza
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced on Wednesday that “any country that truly wants to help” is welcome to participate in humanitarian aid airdrops over Gaza. The statement comes as Israel confirmed it has been conducting aerial deliveries of food aid to civilians in the enclave and called on others to follow suit. So far, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt have joined the effort, with 32 aid packages delivered Wednesday following 52 on Tuesday. Israel accused Hamas of stealing food from civilians, saying it secured airspace and ensured successful delivery. Click here to read more.