THE DAILY PRAETORIAN: Cybersecurity Trends – 8/21/25

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

“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing—after they’ve tried everything else.”

— Winston Churchill

U.S. Navy Destroyers, Submarine, Amphibious Ships Being Sent Toward Venezuela
President Trump is sending a powerful mix of U.S. Navy assets toward Venezuela—at least three Arleigh Burke–class destroyers, an attack submarine, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and potentially the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group with roughly 4,000 Marines—in a bid to pressure Nicolás Maduro over narco‑trafficking, even as some Pentagon officials downplay exact movements and Hurricane Erin briefly forced the ARG back to port. Reuters and other outlets report the ships could operate just outside Venezuelan waters for months conducting surveillance, interdictions, and serving as launch platforms for targeted strikes if ordered, while Caracas has responded by signaling the mobilization of millions of militia volunteers. The deployment follows years of U.S. indictments labeling Maduro a “narco‑terrorist,” with Washington recently hiking the reward for his capture to $50 million; despite conflicting accounts about the flotilla’s precise status, the message is clear: the White House is prepared to use military power to disrupt drug flows and further isolate Maduro’s regime. Click here to read more.

Amazon is betting on agents to win the AI race
Amazon is betting big on AI agents as the next frontier beyond chatbots, aiming to create reliable digital teammates that can perform real-world tasks with high accuracy. In an interview, David Luan, head of Amazon’s AGI research lab and former OpenAI leader, explained how his team is developing large-scale reinforcement learning “gyms” to train agents on complex knowledge work instead of relying solely on internet data. Luan argues that while AI models like GPT-5 are converging in capability, the real breakthrough will come from agents that can act, learn consequences, and integrate seamlessly into workflows, potentially transforming computing and everyday work. Click here to read more.

AI Offers Information. God Offers Wisdom.
In Christianity Today, Vineet Rajan reflects on the limits of artificial intelligence through the lens of the Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom (DIKW) framework, emphasizing that while AI can process vast amounts of data into usable information, it cannot offer experiential knowledge or true wisdom. He warns against using AI as a substitute for human relationships or companionship, arguing that authentic wisdom comes from embodied experiences and God-given guidance rather than algorithmic outputs. As society faces both technological change and a loneliness crisis, Rajan reminds readers that AI is a tool, but only God provides the wisdom needed for life’s most complex decisions. Click here to read more.

Major flaw affecting password managers: they autofill credentials for attackers
A major security flaw has been found in nearly all popular password managers, including 1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden, and iCloud Passwords, leaving tens of millions of users at risk. Security researcher Marek Tóth revealed at DEF CON that attackers can exploit autofill features with simple clickjacking tricks—such as cookie consent banners or hidden overlays—to steal login credentials, credit card data, and personal information in just a few clicks. While some vendors have patched issues, others remain vulnerable, and experts warn that only disabling autofill or using copy/paste can fully protect users for now. Click here to read more.

Continuing to let Hamas terrorists flee from their Gaza positions is no longer an option – analysis
An analysis in the Jerusalem Post argues that the success of an IDF invasion of Gaza City hinges less on troop numbers and more on preventing Hamas fighters from escaping disguised among civilians, as has repeatedly happened in past operations. While Israel has deployed massive forces, Hamas casualties have dropped sharply because militants simply flee alongside evacuating residents, leaving the IDF to capture empty ground. The piece outlines two possible alternatives: a risky rapid assault to catch fighters off guard or a slower encirclement and controlled evacuation to separate civilians from militants. Without such tactics, the analysis warns, Israel risks repeating past mistakes and allowing Hamas to regroup. Click here to read more.