RSnake Report 20250928

Hello, and thanks for reading! I just got back from Germany and Austria for a conference there that coincides with Oktoberfest. So I had my fair share of beer and schnitzel, but there wasn’t much time to relax, given the conference. I’m a little jet-lagged, but glad to be home for a couple of days before I’m off to HouSecCon in Houston. I’ll be speaking about issues with CVSS on Tuesday morning and signing some copies of AI’s Best Friend on Wednesday. Come by and say hello if you’re going. Okay, onto the news.

In Russia/Ukraine news, Ukrainian drones have been relentlessly targeting Moscow's air defenses on and off this week, likely in an effort to deplete these systems in preparation for further military actions. Reports indicate that Russia may be running out of surface-to-air missiles, with some air defense crews being reassigned to infantry roles due to a lack of munitions. Imagine being a highly trained SAM operator and being sent into the meat grinder because there are no more missiles to shoot. This is a big indication of the need for lasers that can easily replenish supply and fire hundreds or thousands of times a night each.

A naval drone attack struck an oil loading pier in Tuapse, demonstrating Ukraine's capability to target Russian infrastructure from the sea. Though, this should be a lesson for us here in the US, because our ports aren’t defended particularly well and would likely suffer the same types of attacks on our infrastructure.

Amidst the fuel shortage in occupied Crimea, there has been intensive movement of fuel trucks towards Simferopol and other major cities. Then, it appears not long after they were hit by Ukrainian drones that were monitoring their movement.

A fuel train from Belarus, intended as a rescue package for Russia, was set ablaze in Smolensk, indicating the challenges Russia faces in maintaining its fuel supply chains amidst Ukrainian attacks. It was likely an attack, but the news says that it was a truck that intentionally tried to get in front of the train right before it crossed the tracks. That could have been just bad luck, but it could have also been intentional.

The Afipsky refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region was hit, with the core of its heavy fuel processing facility struck, adding to the list of damaged Russian oil infrastructure. The long-term impact of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities is becoming more dire, with Russia facing challenges in storing surplus oil, using pipelines, and exporting oil due to damaged infrastructure, potentially leading to the closure of some oil wells. This wouldn’t be a short-term closure, though. These would likely be long-term/permanent.

Russian news sources, who have no reason to inflate these numbers, confirm that 25% of Russia's oil refining capacity is offline due to Ukrainian strikes, resulting in 27,000 tons of surplus crude oil daily with no place to go, and significant impacts on gas stations in occupied Crimea and the Southern Federal District. So the concerns about oil wells shutting down are credible.

Ukrainian defense technology continues to advance, with the company "Ukrainian Armored Vehicles" showcasing its ground robotic complex. This looks like a remote-controlled flatbed truck without a cockpit or roll cage. This feels like a really solid design capable of transporting heavy loads over very long distances and uneven terrain, with enough capacity to be useful without putting troops in harm’s way in the process.

Ukrainian forces continue to utilize bomber drones effectively, destroying smokestack hiding places used by Russian forces in the Donetsk direction with drone-dropped TM-62 anti-tank mines. These heavy drones are pretty capable which you can see with this video, which is capable of completely destroying the smoke stack with extreme precision. Pretty impressive.

A tilt rotor UAV was shown in a new video, which I found interesting, because it means it has a more precise loitering capability for precision bombing and recon, but in the forward configuration, it would get a much better range.

Ukraine has introduced a new domestically produced FPV kamikaze drone, the Stinger R15, with an operational range of 25 km and a payload capacity of 8 kg. It looks like it has dual fiber optic spindles, though it’s not exactly clear how it connects them together. But that greatly increases the size of the DMZ, which has been around 15 km to date.

During a tense meeting in Moscow aimed at de-escalating tensions, Russian diplomats told European envoys that Russia considers itself already engaged in a confrontation with NATO, citing NATO's intelligence support for Ukrainian operations against Crimea. Russia is probably right in their analysis, as we have been supplying a lot in the way of material, and it’s not a stretch to believe there is also intelligence being passed back and forth, too. That said, if we are in a war from Russia’s perspective, what does that allow them to do? ☢️ 👎️ 

In European news, Latvia is constructing bogs along its border with Russia, with the intent of creating a natural barrier against potential aggression while also reducing carbon emissions, a strategy inspired by Ukraine's use of peat bogs in 2022 and being considered by Finland, Poland, and Estonia. It did significantly impede Russian troop movement.

German defense company Helsing has introduced the CA-1 Europa, an unmanned stealth bomber concept designed with a focus on AI and modular architecture, with plans for its first flight by 2027 and the creation of an "intelligent mass" of affordable drones. This really is getting pretty close to Skynet capabilities in some way, because likely these will be entirely autonomous once targets or coordinate grids have been selected—no humans in the loop afterwards, except, perhaps, some re-targeting capabilities/tasking mid-flight.

The proposed EU ChatControl system, which would use AI and machine learning to scan private messages for CSAM, has been widely criticized for potentially creating a backdoor for government surveillance and stifling free speech, especially when combined with existing hate speech laws. As someone who really fought hard against CSAM for years, I can tell you that while this might work to some extent, it will be perverted into a weapon against normal people if the wrong government gets elected. For my European readers, this is a Trojan horse, almost by definition.

A brief stopover in Southeast Asian news, where Vietnam has shut down 86 million bank accounts, cutting off citizens from their money for refusing to provide biometric data, a move seen as state-enforced digital control and a warning for similar trends globally, including in the U.S., with the rollout of REAL ID and expanded surveillance. We have a similar thing here in the US that prevents you from traveling without a REAL ID, tied to biometrics, but nothing nearly as draconian as preventing you from using your bank account, at least for now.

As someone who travels a lot, I am pretty used to, but grossed out by, the increase in biometric data being collected. By the way, I am not entirely sure, technically, how the US citizens won’t be caught in this if they are in communication with someone in the EU. Will they have to surveil your location to know whether you are to be monitored or not? This tech leaves me with more questions than answers. Backdoors are bad, but this is worse.

Now for Middle East news, French President Emmanuel Macron has declared that France recognizes the State of Palestine, a huge move in the ongoing geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, and aimed squarely at diminishing Israeli goals. To be fair, though, they have been telegraphing that they were going to do this for quite some time.

A few days later, almost the entire United Nations walked out as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was about to begin his speech, signaling a pretty strong evidence of breakdown in diplomatic relations and conversations. I get that they want to show their support for Palestine, but the moment that people stop listening to one another, it more or less proves that they are hardened in their position. It’s not very wise to be so hardened in a position that you cannot expose your ears to opposing views. What are they afraid of hearing?

In North American news, Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works has unveiled the Vectis, a new high-end stealth drone for the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program, designed for adaptability and multi-mission flexibility, with the first variant expected to fly by 2028. This is our answer to CA-1 Europa, though it feels like it’s more of a mockup than ready for primetime.

There has also been ongoing violence domestically. An ABC affiliate office was shot at by a suspect who is a gun control advocate, and was released on bail, so likely was not legally allowed to own a gun, but also went to gun shows. This clearly was not a coherent or sane human. The motives aren’t yet clear from what I have seen, but likely based on Jimmy Kimmel being pulled by the ABC affiliates.

Speaking of, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was set to return to ABC television after a Disney suspension prompted by comments deemed factually incorrect about the Charlie Kirk assassination, though Sinclair decided not to air the show on its ABC affiliates, opting for news programming instead. Oh, but wait, four days later, they removed the ban. So no government or corporate censorship, and that is good. His show might die naturally now, but that’s on him now. Constitutional crisis averted. But speaking of censorship…

Google has admitted to engaging in the censorship of conservatives, including U.S. Senator Rand Paul, with former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki acknowledging the removal of over 1 million Covid-related videos. I don’t think this comes as a surprise to anyone who watches both sides of the political spectrum. In the last 8 years or so, liberal videos flourished, while conservative videos were often shadow-banned, demonetized, or simply removed. It was nearly a daily occurrence that a video I had watched would disappear when I went back to it later, there for a while. Largely, the effect was that conservatives moved to Rumble and Truth Social, etc, and then we saw what happened with X being taken over by Musk. But now that we know this whole thing was driven not by Alphabet/Google/YouTube but by the US government. This will likely inflame the conversation further. Not a good look.

Speaking of completely illegal actions, California is close to ratifying SB 771, a bill that could impose fines of up to $1 million for what is defined as "hate speech.” I don’t expect that the lawyers in CA actually expect this to work; it’s more performative. But why act like you want to remove free speech rights at all? Who is this act for? Pam Bondi was wrong in suggesting that hate speech should be prosecuted (yes, she later recanted), and so is California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The White House has designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization via executive order. I am not exactly sure what resources this brings to bear, or how it will be monitored/acted upon, but as usual, I am seeing more and more comments about Antifa not being an actual group. To explain this as best I can, neither was al-Qaeda, which literally translates to “the database” or “the list”. It was a loose list of people who were sympathetic to Osama Bin Laden’s cause. They were responsible for several of the largest and most successful attacks on US soil, and they were never a formal group.

This is how terrorist groups work: they are loose, often with diverse funding supplies, often without incorporation, without direct chains of command, etc. But if you can buy an antifa book describing how to become one, or wear an antifa shirt, and if you can actively attempt to overthrow the US violently, how is that different from flying an ISIS/Daesh flag and screaming “Death to America”? I would submit to you, dear reader, that it is a difference of degree, not of kind. Also, as an aside, the book “We are Antifa” is a weird title if it’s not a group one could associate with. 🤷‍♂️ 

The Secret Service disrupted a network of over 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards capable of crippling telecom systems and executing anonymous attacks. It was telegraphed to the public as preventing potential disruptions during the UN General Assembly. I think more than likely it was just a criminal operation allowing countless people to route calls through local addresses for voice spamming and “VOIP phishing” purposes. No arrests were made and no clear plot uncovered, so my suspicion is that this was normal fraud, not necessarily nation-state sponsored.

Ryan Routh, the would-be assassin of Donald Trump, attempted suicide in court after a guilty verdict was read. I am sure the find out part of FAFO really hit home in that moment. I won’t be surprised to hear that Kirk’s killer wants a similar fate. It’s just a little too late for regrets.

A 19 yo man named Joshua Jahn fired multiple rounds at a Dallas ICE facility, killing one and wounding at least two others before committing suicide, with evidence suggesting an ideological motive and connections to previous attacks on ICE facilities. No ICE officers were hit, only three migrants. Further investigation into the Dallas ICE facility attack revealed that the perpetrator had conducted extensive pre-attack planning, including downloading facility lists and researching ballistics and the Charlie Kirk assassination attempt - a copycat who used a similar 30-06 as a matter of fact. Jahn’s mother was a fiery anti-gun advocate, and his sister was a hair stylist and OnlyFans model and has been arrested multiple times. I am not sure how much family values impact these shooters, compared to their friend groups, but it’s an interesting data point.

A senior DOJ investigator, Glenn Prager, has alleged that Jeffrey Epstein was a CIA informant and that rapes occurred on planes with Bill Clinton present, while the victims assert that President Trump was not involved in any such incidents. I don’t think anyone will be surprised that Epstein had some government protection, but what the CIA or whoever it was who was protecting him gained by letting him traffic girls to the wealthy and powerful. But either way, the plot thickens.

Former FBI Director James Comey has been criminally charged with making false statements. I suspect he will also be charged with contempt of Congress and other charges once the investigation gets underway, but we’ll see.

Speculation surrounds a secretive meeting of senior U.S. military officials at Quantico, Virginia, with theories suggesting it could involve a significant policy shift or mandate from the Trump administration to focus on military lethality and reform. Anti-DEI mostly. The meeting at Quantico might also serve as a "pep rally" for the new Department of War vision, with plans to record and publicly release Secretary Hegseth's speech. One thing that made me laugh was that someone suggested that Hegseth should force the generals to do physical training to see if they were physically fit enough for the military. It would be a wake-up call if he said they had a month to retest and then kick them out if they didn’t meet the same standards as all military units in preparation for war.

A potential government shutdown by Democrats could lead to the Trump administration laying off non-essential federal workers. Unlike previous shutdowns, it was more or less paid leave. In this case, he would simply use it as grounds to terminate the staff for whom we do not have funds to pay. So either Democrats comply or face another huge round of government layoffs. Many of the people most at risk are left-leaning.

President Trump has declared that pardons signed by Joe Biden using an autopen are invalid, which is a legal challenge to Biden's use of executive clemency. It also means that Fauci is back in the crosshairs for his handling of COVID, Hunter Biden, and many others.

In Tech news, Google has launched "Learn Your Way," an AI-driven educational platform that personalizes learning content based on individual interests, showing promising results in improving student engagement and performance across various subjects. It almost completely flies in the face of standardized learning and testing, and will have a huge impact on how kids learn. It’s just that it will be driven by LLMs written by a very small group of non-diverse opinions. So I am dubious of the ethics and the hallucinations.

Researchers have employed a technique similar to NVIDIA's, training a robot model within simulated environments for over 1000 years of simulated time. If you remove a limb, it works. If you remove two limbs, it still works. Simulate the breakage of wheels and it’ll walk, etc. Pretty insane to watch it adjust.

Microsoft has terminated the Israeli military's access to its technology after discovering a mass civilian surveillance system. Microsoft is within its rights to do this - apparently, it breaks its terms and conditions. But it also means that we’ll see more technical balkanization as a result, and I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.

Speaking of surveillance, the Unitree G1 humanoid robot has been found to secretly send sensor and system data to servers in China. I don’t think this comes as a huge shock, and it’s likely something that can be disabled at the network level, but still. Consider anything from China as a potential threat at this point. The last thing you’ll want in your home is a robot that is programmed to kill you in a time of war.

The NEO Humanoid from 1x has demonstrated the lowest latency in VR teleoperation seen to date. Low-latency robots could enable the use of robotic soldiers before fully autonomous systems are viable. It’s fairly impressive to watch. It’s almost fully synchronized… when it’s working.

iCity, a relatively new platform for procedural 3D generation, offers users an immersive experience almost akin to a holodeck. It’s a sophisticated tool for users familiar with 3D modeling software like Blender. It’s going to make it possible for users to create their own cities quickly, and then jump into them with other immersive tools like Microsoft HoloLens and Apple Vision Pro. The Holodeck is foretold to be the last human invention.

Okay, onto the articles!

North Korea is reportedly operating four uranium enrichment facilities. This includes the known site near Pyongyang and suggests a significant increase in the country's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, crucial for nuclear weapon production. International diplomacy aimed at curbing North Korea's nuclear ambitions has stalled since 2019, as the regime has continued to expand its nuclear capabilities.

• North Korea operates four uranium enrichment facilities that are active daily.

• The country possesses an estimated 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, indicating a potential increase in its nuclear arsenal.

[RSnake: Four is a lot. It gives them some redundancy and also increases the volume of fissile material. This is getting them close to being able to have up to 100 nuclear devices. ☢️ ]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/09/25/south-korea-says-north-has-4-uranium-enrichment-facilities-build-nuclear-weapons.html

On September 24, 2025, a drone fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels injured 22 individuals in southern Israel, marking a significant breach of Israel's missile defense systems. In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes have resulted in numerous casualties, including many civilians, amid ongoing hostilities following the escalation that began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas-led attack on Israel. Efforts for a ceasefire and peace negotiations are underway, led by the U.S. in collaboration with regional partners.

• A drone attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels injured 22 people in Israel.

• Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have resulted in significant civilian casualties.

• The U.S. is actively working with regional partners to negotiate a ceasefire and peace process.

[RSnake: That’s probably one of the worst strikes thus far in terms of damage and lives lost. It’s not inconceivable that some missiles will get through, sadly.]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/09/24/drone-fired-yemens-houthis-wounds-22-southern-israel-rare-breach-of-missile-defenses.html

America is losing its leadership, with the country becoming more fractured and indecisive, allowing leaders like Xi of China and Putin of Russia to take advantage.

• The US is losing its spine due to internal divisions and a focus on social media outrage over real action.

• Leadership in the US is becoming ineffective, allowing other countries like China and Russia to step in and fill the void.

• The US needs to regain its leadership and focus on standing for something real, taking the hits, and moving forward anyway.

[RSnake: In some ways yes, in other ways no. We are actually exercising our control for perhaps the first time in my lifetime, and Russia is heavily weakened at the moment.]

Source: https://sofrep.com/?p=218025

International journalists remain banned from independently entering Gaza during the ongoing conflict, leading to calls from various news organizations for changes to these restrictions. As of now, at least 65,419 individuals have reportedly died in Gaza since the Israeli military response to the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, while a significant number of Palestinian journalists have faced dire conditions.

• International journalists are not allowed to enter Gaza independently, sparking calls for changes in policies.

• The number of casualties in Gaza has reached at least 65,419 since the conflict escalated.

[RSnake: Given that Journalists can become human shields or even help Hamas like they did in the October 11th attacks, I can see the logic.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8d7yrp80m8o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

A 25-year-old former National Guardsman is accused of attempting to provide 3D-printed weapons to al-Qaeda and is charged with material support and illegal possession or transfer of a machine gun.

• He allegedly encouraged others in a group chat discussing acts of terrorism to develop cyberspace skills and start physical training.

• Hastings took an overseas trip without reporting it to his superiors as required.

[RSnake: If you want to see a really chilling documentary on how something like this happens, watch American Jihadist.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-national-guardsman-accused-of-3d-printing-weapons-for-al-qaeda

In September 2025, tensions between the United States and Iran are heightened as President Trump addresses the UN while Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers a pre-taped speech amid a backdrop of economic strain and military conflict. Following a recent Israeli-American war, Iran faces renewed sanctions and growing internal dissent, leading Khamenei to present a defiant message that reflects both the regime's weakened state and an appeal for resilience among its populace. The geopolitical landscape is marked by the diminishing support from allies and escalating pressures on Iran's government, which struggles with economic hardship and popular unrest.

• Tensions have escalated between the U.S. and Iran with renewed sanctions and military actions affecting the region.

• Khamenei's speeches indicate a struggle for the Iranian regime to maintain control amid significant internal and external pressures.

[RSnake: I wonder if the UN walked out on Khamenei’s speech. You know, the largest sponsor of terrorism on the planet. Oh, wait, no, I don’t. Lol. Hypocrites.]

Source: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202509247025

Iran continues its uranium enrichment activities, rejecting Western demands to cease, asserting that it does not seek nuclear weapons. This has escalated tensions with the United States and Europe, leading to the reimposition of UN sanctions following allegations of non-compliance with a nuclear agreement. Negotiations remain ongoing, but Iran insists on its right to civilian nuclear energy, which complicates diplomatic efforts.

• Iran's supreme leader rejects concessions on uranium enrichment, insisting it has no military ambitions.

• The UN has reinstated sanctions against Iran amid heightened tensions and accusations from the US and European nations.

[RSnake: This is one of the reasons I am so bullish on fusion. No fissile materials and no dual-use. We can give Iran all the power they want without having to worry about the ramifications of nuclear bombs dropping on US cities.]

Source: https://www.eurasiantimes.com/?p=253544

Federal employees describe the chaos and devastation caused by DOGE, a shadow agency created to modernize government technology, under Elon Musk's direction. As Trump was ousted from government, DOGE operatives moved into every corner of government, leaving a trail of layoffs, terminations, and disruption.

• DOGE was created to modernize federal technology, but its impact has been chaotic and devastating for federal employees.

• The agency has laid off thousands of workers, terminated grants, and taken control of official social media accounts.

• DOGE operatives have been accused of bullying and intimidation, with some employees experiencing trauma and stress as a result of the agency's actions.

[RSnake: I am hearing some back channeling from some groups that things are pretty chaotic internally while they restructure and rebuild. That was to be expected to some degree.]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/oral-history-doge-federal-workers/

Italian company Avio is advancing towards becoming a second supplier of rocket engines for the Raytheon Standard Missile, driven by increased demand. They secured a $26 million deal to enhance their production capabilities, which includes the establishment of a U.S. manufacturing site in the future.

• Avio is set to supply a critical rocket motor for the U.S. military's Standard Missile due to rising demand.

• The collaboration aims to address production shortfalls in the United States military.

[RSnake: Interesting. We’ll need a lot more of them, so having more suppliers isn’t such a bad thing. Though I am surprised that we would be allowed to buy anything with a foreign supplier for such a critical system.]

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/09/25/italys-avio-is-on-track-to-make-standard-missile-motors-for-raytheon/

At least 33 protesters in Nepal died from live ammunition during anti-corruption demonstrations, contradicting previous claims by the government. This unrest, which resulted in a total of 74 deaths and thousands injured, led to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli amidst increasing scrutiny of the government's use of force against the demonstrators.

• Live ammunition was confirmed as the cause of death for protesters.

• The protests resulted in significant political changes, including the resignation of the Prime Minister.

[RSnake: I am not surprised. It was a pretty chaotic mess.]

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/live-ammunition-used-against-nepal-protesters-forensics-show/articleshow/124169576.cms

Multiple service members have been suspended or relieved of their duties due to social media posts related to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Pentagon is investigating comments made by troops that either celebrate or criticize Kirk, ensuring adherence to military conduct standards as outlined in the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

• Service members have been suspended for social media activity regarding Charlie Kirk's death.

• The Pentagon is investigating posts that may violate military conduct standards.

[RSnake: Soldiers were always a little unhinged and rowdy. So I’m not particularly for the idea of them censoring the soldiers, but I also think unrestricted social media for servicemen and women is a bad idea wholesale.]

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/09/25/more-troops-suspended-pending-investigations-into-kirk-related-posts/

Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro considers declaring a national state of emergency amid growing tensions with the US over military deployments in the Caribbean, while the US accuses Venezuela of running a large-scale drug cartel and threatens to take action against it.

• The US has deployed a large number of troops to the Caribbean region, which Caracas has denounced as a pretext for coercion and regime change.

• Venezuela accuses the US of spreading disinformation about its involvement in drug trafficking.

[RSnake: Why would it be an emergency? We have attacked some drug boats. Unless… he thinks he’s benefiting from them somehow… 🤔 ]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/09/24/maduro-weighs-state-of-emergency-us-ramps-military-pressure-caribbean.html

U.S. F-15 crews engaged Iranian drones in an unprecedented method by dropping bombs when they ran out of air-to-air missiles during an April 2024 conflict involving Iranian drone and missile attacks on Israel. Despite attempts to hit the targets, the crews were unsuccessful, suggesting a need for alternative weaponry capable of effectively countering such aerial threats.

• U.S. F-15 crews ran out of air-to-air missiles while engaging Iranian drones.

• In a unique tactic, they attempted to drop laser-guided bombs as an alternative, although they missed their targets.

[RSnake: Lol, that’s some crazy stuff right there. It’s not like a helicopter dropping munitions where it’s relatively stationary. These are jets flying hundreds of miles an hour. I am not at all surprised it didn’t work. Wrong tool for that job.]

Source: https://taskandpurpose.com/?p=346208

The Royal Navy has commissioned its sixth Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, HMS Agamemnon, while construction has commenced on the fourth Dreadnought-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, HMS King George VI. These developments signify ongoing enhancements to the UK's naval capabilities, particularly in maintaining a continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent as the Vanguard-class submarines are set to be replaced in the early 2030s.

• HMS Agamemnon is the sixth Astute-class submarine to be commissioned into the Royal Navy.

• Construction of the fourth Dreadnought-class submarine, HMS King George VI, has officially started, replacing the Vanguard-class.

[RSnake: Subs are hugely valuable in this day and age. Good for them.]

Source: https://www.navalnews.com/?p=78128

Approximately 2 million Cisco devices are vulnerable to a recently discovered zero-day exploit, allowing remote code execution or denial-of-service attacks. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-20352, affects devices using Cisco IOS and IOS XE operating systems and can be exploited relatively easily if the SNMP interfaces are exposed to the Internet.

• Two million Cisco devices are at risk due to a zero-day exploit.

• The vulnerability allows attackers to execute code with root privileges or cause a denial-of-service.

[RSnake: Wow, that’s bad. Said another way, that’s 2 million networks. Thankfully, SNMP isn’t open all that often, so the real numbers are probably far fewer.]

Source: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/09/as-many-as-2-million-cisco-devices-affected-by-actively-exploited-0-day/

A significant ransomware attack has disrupted operations at several major European airports, including London Heathrow, Berlin, and Brussels, targeting the MUSE software used for check-in and boarding. The attack has led to widespread flight cancellations and delays, with many staff forced to revert to manual processes. Experts suggest that the attack may be linked to a vulnerability in a recent update and warn of potential ongoing threats as systems are still being assessed for further breaches.

• A ransomware attack disrupted operations at major European airports.

• The attack has caused numerous flight cancellations and delays.

• Concerns exist about ongoing vulnerabilities and potential long-term impacts on airport operations.

[RSnake: I thought this might effect us while we were oversees on the way back, but the airport was working as usual, at least in Munich.]

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/airport-cyberattacks-what-you-need-to-know/articleshow/124110312.cms

The U.S. Secret Service dismantled a clandestine telecom network in the New York area during the U.N. General Assembly, which had over 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards capable of impersonating thousands of devices. The operation is suspected to have connections with organized crime and could facilitate large-scale disruptions of emergency communication systems.

• Authorities discovered a sophisticated telecom operation designed for mass communication disruptions.

• The network's capacity posed a significant threat during a high-profile international event in New York.

• Investigations suggest links to international crime and potential coordination with domestic criminal activities.

[RSnake: I don’t think the hype is correct about this, as I said above, but maybe we’ll learn more.]

Source: https://sofrep.com/?p=218092

Cyber attackers exploited unpatched SharePoint vulnerabilities to infiltrate networks, compromising identities and causing operational disruptions in retail organizations. Microsoft's Incident Response team quickly stepped in with forensic insights and actionable guidance to contain the threat. The incident highlights the importance of proactive patching, identity segmentation, and continuous monitoring to defend against modern cyber threats.

• Cyber attackers exploited unpatched SharePoint vulnerabilities to infiltrate networks.

• Microsoft's Incident Response team quickly contained the threat with forensic insights and actionable guidance.

[RSnake: Yet another reason not to run Sharepoint, as if you needed one.]

Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/?p=142367

A vulnerability in multiple versions of OxygenOS has been discovered, allowing any installed app to access SMS data and metadata without permission or user interaction.

• A vulnerability in multiple versions of OxygenOS allows any installed app to access SMS data and metadata without permission or user interaction.

• The issue impacts all versions of OxygenOS from 12 to the latest one, which is 15, built on top of Android 15.

[RSnake: I wouldn’t recommend running any Chinese operating systems personally, but this is yet another reason.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/unpatched-flaw-in-oneplus-phones-lets-rogue-apps-text-messages/

Organizations are increasingly integrating generative AI technologies, leading to new security vulnerabilities that traditional cybersecurity measures are unable to address. The report provides chief information security officers with strategic recommendations to manage these risks effectively and identifies growth opportunities in AI security solutions tailored for small and medium enterprises.

• Generative AI introduces new and dynamic security risks to organizations.

• CISOs are encouraged to adopt a strategic approach in securing enterprise interactions with AI technologies.

[RSnake: While I was in Germany, we discussed a number of new attacks using Agentic user agents. I think there is a whole new world coming where prompt injection lives everywhere.]

Source: https://thereadable.co/guarding-the-ai-gateway-insights-for-chief-information-security-officers-cisos-researchandmarkets-com/

Hackers are exploiting a critical vulnerability in Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT software, allowing remote command execution and unauthorized access to sensitive data. Security researchers have indicated that this exploitation has been occurring since early September 2025, prior to any public advisory from Fortra regarding the issue.

• A maximum severity vulnerability (CVE-2025-10035) allows attackers to exploit Fortra's GoAnywhere, enabling unauthorized command execution.

• The vulnerability has been linked to ongoing exploitation that dates back to September 10, 2025, before Fortra's public release of information.

[RSnake: It’s not that common for brand new 0-day to be used in actual attacks, despite what most people think. So this is an interesting case.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/maximum-severity-goanywhere-mft-flaw-exploited-as-zero-day/

Malicious software packages are being distributed through npm, allowing developers to install tools with god-mode permissions, which can steal sensitive information without security controls.

• Malicious Postmark server package, postmark-mcp, is being used to steal emails and sensitive data from users.

• The attack surface for endpoint supply chain attacks is becoming the enterprise's biggest attack surface due to the increasing use of AI tools with god-mode permissions.

[RSnake: This is a mess, and once the malware gets into the supply chains, other things can package up that malware and it can live on for years to come. There’s no meaningful defense against this either.]

Source: https://www.koi.security/blog/postmark-mcp-npm-malicious-backdoor-email-theft

A 17-year-old hacker, suspected of being part of the Scattered Spider group, has been charged with cyberattacks that targeted and compromised major Las Vegas casinos, causing significant financial losses and data breaches. He has been released into parental custody with restrictions, while prosecutors are pushing for additional charges and considering trying him as an adult due to the severity of the cybercrimes.

• A teenage hacker was involved in sophisticated cyberattacks on Las Vegas casinos.

• The attacks resulted in significant financial loss and compromised sensitive data.

[RSnake: Good, I hope he learns a very important lesson.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/teen-suspected-of-vegas-casino-cyberattacks-released-to-parents/

Retail organizations are facing increasing cyber threats, with 60% reporting operational disruptions and 43% experiencing security compromises in the past year. A recent incident revealed how attackers exploited vulnerabilities in SharePoint to infiltrate networks and how Microsoft’s Incident Response team intervened to contain the threat and restore security. Recommendations for businesses include improving identity and access controls, regular vulnerability scanning, and prompt patching of known vulnerabilities.

• 60% of retail companies reported operational disruptions from cyberattacks.

• Microsoft's Incident Response team addressed a significant cyber threat involving vulnerabilities in SharePoint.

• Improving identity management and conducting regular security practices are recommended to mitigate risks.

[RSnake: The worst by far was education, btw, according to Chubb’s reports.]

Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/?p=142367

Researchers have discovered hundreds of new bacterial genomes and two potential antibiotics by extracting large DNA fragments from soil samples, offering a novel method to access previously unculturable microbes. This breakthrough could lead to new drug candidates to combat antibiotic resistance and provide insights into microbial diversity that may impact medicine and environmental science.

• A new technique for extracting and sequencing soil bacterial DNA has uncovered hundreds of new bacterial genomes.

• Two promising antibiotic candidates have been developed from uncultured bacteria, addressing the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance.

[RSnake: There are lots of random things living right in front of our noses that we know next to nothing about.]

Source: https://www.rockefeller.edu/news/38239-hundreds-of-new-bacteria-and-two-potential-antibiotics-found-in-soil/

Python support has been added to Wasmer Edge, enabling developers to run Python applications in a fast and fully sandboxed environment powered by WebAssembly. This release addresses the growing demand for efficient Python execution for AI workloads and APIs, offering near-native speeds that significantly outperform existing solutions from Cloudflare and AWS Lambda.

• Wasmer Edge now supports running unmodified Python applications efficiently.

• The performance improvements make it suitable for AI workloads and application development on the edge.

[RSnake: Very cool and has weird implications for the browser really becoming its own operating system.]

Source: https://wasmer.io/posts/python-on-the-edge-powered-by-webassembly

Anduril is preparing for the first flight of its YFQ-44A drone, designed to operate semi-autonomously alongside crewed aircraft. This development aligns with the U.S. Air Force's goal of integrating at least 1,000 collaborative combat aircraft for various missions, aiming for operational capabilities by the end of the decade.

• Anduril's YFQ-44A is expected to fly for the first time in mid-October 2025.

• The Air Force plans to integrate a fleet of 1,000 semi-autonomous drones to enhance its combat capabilities.

[RSnake: It’s a very cool-looking ship, but small enough that it’s not going to carry a large amount of ordinance.]

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/air/2025/09/24/anduril-nears-first-drone-wingman-flight-promises-early-autonomy/

Exail has successfully completed an autonomous transit of 1,100 nautical miles with its uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) DriX O-16, traversing the busy Strait of Gibraltar to demonstrate maritime autonomy capabilities. This mission included seabed mapping operations and reinforced the operational readiness of such technologies in naval applications.

• Exail's DriX O-16 completed a 1,100-nautical-mile journey autonomously.

• The mission showcased the reliability and operational capability of large uncrewed surface vehicles in busy maritime areas.

[RSnake: That’s a pretty sizable distance, and could easily be paired with drones, sensors, or torpedoes.]

Source: https://www.navalnews.com/?p=78181

China is significantly leading the world in factory automation, having more than two million robots currently operating in its factories, which is more than the rest of the world combined. The country has installed nearly 300,000 new robots in the past year alone, driven by extensive government support aimed at making China a dominant player in robotics and manufacturing.

• China's robotics industry has expanded rapidly due to government policies promoting automation and domestic production of robots.

• With improved manufacturing capabilities, China now produces a substantial portion of the world's industrial robots and has shifted from relying on imports.

[RSnake: This will solve their birthrate crisis. Pay attention. It’s also why they need huge amounts of power, it’s not just for AI, these robots will need power.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/business/china-factory-robots.html

Google has introduced a new conversational editing tool that allows users to edit photos by simply telling their phone what changes they want, and it's expected to revolutionize the way we interact with computers.

• The new editing tool uses machine intelligence to allow users to create images from scratch and rewrite and summarize text.

• Google has experimented with AI-powered edits before, but this new tool is more powerful and controlled by plain English.

• The tool allows users to ask for specific edits, such as adding or removing objects, fixing lighting or reflections, and even adding a portrait blur effect.

[RSnake: As it should be. It’s feeling more and more like Star Trek. “Computer! Make me look 5 years younger and 20 lbs lighter.”]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/google-photos-conversational-photo-editor/

Zoox, an Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company, has requested a federal exemption to allow commercial deployment of its robotaxis, which do not have conventional driving controls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently reviewing this request, following Zoox's recent milestones that include public demonstrations of their vehicles and previous regulatory approvals for research on public roads.

• Zoox has applied for a '555 exemption' to commercialize its robotaxis without traditional controls.

• The NHTSA is reviewing Zoox's application after previously granting approvals for research and public demonstrations.

[RSnake: The billionaires keep fighting on robots and space. Btw, I have it on good authority that DoorDash will be getting into the package delivery space, competing with UPS and FedEx on the commercial side, and eventually getting to the consumer space. I could see Zoox moving to the delivery space as well, it’s not like they don’t have an endless stream of packages to deliver.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3049869

The FDA has granted HemoSonics 510(k) clearance for its Quantra Hemostasis System to expand use in obstetric procedures, enabling real-time coagulation insights and improving patient outcomes.

• Quantra is the first and only cartridge-based FDA-cleared viscoelastic testing platform for obstetrics.

• Severe bleeding after childbirth is a leading cause of maternal mortality globally, affecting 14 million women annually.

[RSnake: Great news for new mothers!]

Source: https://thereadable.co/fda-grants-hemosonics-510k-clearance-to-expand-use-of-its-quantra-hemostasis-system-to-obstetric-procedures/

Dubai has approved a century-long deep-tunnel stormwater drainage system to combat extreme flooding, following record rainfall in April 2024.

• The initiative will increase capacity by 700%, manage over 20 million cubic metres of water per day, and reduce construction and operating costs for pumping stations by 20%.

• The deep-tunnel system includes a secondary tunnel in Dubai South, safeguarding infrastructure and enhancing urban resilience for the next 100 years.

[RSnake: While uncommon, it’s horrible when it happens, so might as well plan ahead. Good thinking!]

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/dubai-approves-100-year-deep-tunnel-drainage-system-to-combat-extreme-flooding/articleshow/124110368.cms

Amazon has agreed to pay a $2.5 billion settlement following accusations from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission regarding deceptive subscription practices for its Prime service. The settlement includes $1 billion in civil fines and $1.5 billion in customer refunds, with mandates for clearer subscription cancellation procedures.

• Amazon will pay $2.5 billion for deceptive subscription practices.

• The settlement includes a record civil penalty and mandates changes to subscription cancellation procedures.

[RSnake: That’s just a cost of doing business. I bet they made more than that with those same practices.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/42567-amazon-to-pay-25b-settlement-over-deceptive-subscription-practices

There is a significant threat of illicit Chinese vapes flooding the US market, poisoning children and posing an emerging threat to public health.

• The Trump administration has vowed to combat the problem of illicit Chinese vapes and choke off the supply chain at the borders and ports.

• Federal agents have seized flavored vaping products, with over 4.7 million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products amounting to $86.5 million in estimated retail value.

[RSnake: Those are small dollars, but the impacts could be lifelong for those who are inadvertently poisoning themselves. Quality control is already abysmal even for the regulated ones.]

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-admins-crackdown-illicit-chinese-vapes-us-scores-major-wins-emerging-threat

Citadel CEO Ken Griffin warns that while inflation has decreased from 9% to about 2.9%, a lingering inflation rate around 3% could still greatly affect American voters, particularly as it may impact the political landscape in upcoming elections. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining Federal Reserve independence amid calls from some politicians for more control over monetary policy, cautioning that this could lead to negative perceptions if the public believes political leaders are influencing economic decisions.

• Current inflation rates remain a critical issue for American voters, influencing political dynamics.

• Maintaining the independence of the Federal Reserve is deemed vital for sound economic decisions.

[RSnake: Inflation of any kind means we are printing more and the money you have in your bank account is worth less than it was last year. It’s a form of theft.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/09/27/ken-griffin-inflation-warning-trump-republicans-midterm-elections-fed-independence/

The U.S. economy is experiencing strong growth, with GDP growth projections reaching up to 4% for the third quarter, driven by robust consumer spending and revised positive data for previous quarters. Despite concerns about a potential recession, especially related to housing and inflation impacts, recent consumer spending trends suggest a continued resilience in the economy.

• GDP growth could reach 4% in Q3 as consumer spending remains strong.

• The Federal Reserve may not need to lower rates aggressively due to the stronger economic performance.

[RSnake: GDP up 4%, inflation down to 3%. Overall that’s healthy. Interest rates are still too high, which is bad for home buyers and will slow the market for some time to come.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/09/27/economic-outlook-gdp-forecast-q3-4-percent-consumer-spending-income-recession-warning/