RSnake Report 20250614

Hello, and thanks for reading! It’s Flag Day! 🇺🇸 I hope you are proudly flying yours today. We are here at the casa de RSnake. There are a ton of crazy things going on in the world this week. One of our fans was getting a little impatient and landed this meme on me last night. So, here it is, just for the fans…

Although the Russian/Ukrainian conflict is a little old news, a lot happened this week. It started the week with what appears to have been a Dutch F-16 shooting down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet over Russian territory. Not only was the Su-35 shot down, but reports confirm it fell victim to an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile launched by a Ukrainian F-16 using a SAAB 340 AWACS to shoot from beyond its sensor range. There are unconfirmed reports that it may have been an L3. I tend to believe the F-16 theory, both based on the platform and prevalence in the conflict.

And, the assaults keep on coming: on June 9, two Russian jets were reportedly struck near the “Savasleyka” airfield in Nizhny Novgorod, a daring operation by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces alongside their Armed Forces. Initial reports indicate that both a MiG-31 and a Su-30/34 could be among the downed aircraft. Now, you’re probably thinking, three fighters in a week, and this isn’t hitting them on the ground, this is in-air combat sorties. Oh, but there was one more worth mentioning. A Su-25 accidentally engaged its own wingman with unguided rockets in the Donetsk region yesterday - the explosion here. Talk about a bad week for Russian aviation!

Ukrainian forces have also mastered the art of surprise strikes, using drones that emerged from a grain train convoy. The move incapacitated a whole locomotive and destroyed a reported 13 tanks and various armored vehicles. So shipping containers aren’t safe, and rail isn’t safe. Basically, Ukraine is forcing Russia to waste a ton of time inspecting everything for the needle in the haystack. That’s asymmetric warfare, and I can see it doing more harm than the actual attack itself. This attack is being unofficially dubbed Spiderweb 2.0.

The Ukrainian strikes don’t stop there; a EuroChem nitrogen plant in Russia’s Tula region has been publicly confirmed as a target of kamikaze drones. But then another one of the Swiss EuroChem plants in Novomoskovsk was also hit, this one providing nitric acid to the Sverdlov explosives factory. Oh, but then one MORE was hit… this EuroChem plant was in Nevinnomyssk, and also supplied munition chemicals to Russia. I mean, I think Ukraine is trying to send a gentle message to the Swiss company that it should probably rethink Russian operations, what do you think? 😆 

A gunpowder plant was hit in Kazaan, which apparently also provides more advanced warheads for the Iskander-M ballistic missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, as well as warheads for artillery.

Additionally, the Progress plant in Cheboksary, known for manufacturing essential components required for heavy combat equipment like the S-300/400 missile systems, suffered a direct hit from slow-flying drones.

Also, a bitumen plant was also hit near the Novgorod region. This is at least the second one in a couple of weeks, if you have been watching. This one was in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region. It produces 17M tons of oil yearly.

But, the most astounding thing is that Russia has now purportedly passed over a million casualties in this conflict. I was shocked that almost no one covered this incredible stat. But here we are, years into a 3-day conflict, a million casualties, mounting military asset losses, and direct hits on civilian and military infrastructure, and no end in sight. Russia really overestimated its hand on this one. If you take the rough estimate that they have 143M people, if this war continues another year, and at this pace, roughly 1% of their population will become a casualty of war. That is not something that would go unnoticed by the average Russian. Some regions will take the brunt of more casualties than others, but 1% of your most productive workforce dead or wounded is also a huge hit to the long-term forecast of the country, and we are already 2/3rd of the way there! Amazing.

Briefly, in Southeast Asia’s news, there was an interesting building fire that involved at least two firefighting drones. A high-rise building in Shenzhen lit up in flames, prompting a response that saw drones in action to extinguish the blaze. The fact that China is using drones in such normal situations gives me some window into how drones are being normalized and socialized in China.

In Middle East news, Iran is once again a hotbed of upheaval, with Israel finally following through, only a few days later than I expected them to, with “Operation Rising Lion” striking deep into Iranian territory. This ambitious campaign has targeted critical nuclear sites, military assets, and top military and nuclear officials, reportedly causing quite a bit of damage to Iran's military infrastructure.

The consequences of these strikes have been profound, as Israel has apparently neutralized high-ranking figures, including the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces and several key military commanders. And largely done by hundreds of sorties. Now that it’s daylight over there, we are starting to see some bomb assessments.

We saw a lot of internet outages throughout the region as well, as reported by Cloudflare radar, which I found very interesting. We have long discussed using high-precision Internet telemetry to do bomb/campaign assessments.

This attack was predicted by the Pentagon Pizza Report, which always seems to have a massive uptick right before a conflict begins. You’d think they’d… stop using nearby fast food places if this were such an obvious signal. But alas!

In the wake of these assaults, Iran found itself scrambling to respond. Reports detail how the Islamic Republic launched over a hundred ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation, yet their first wave was nearly completely intercepted by Israeli defenses and allied forces, and only a handful of injuries were reported. This revelation raises questions about Iran's strategic capabilities and the effectiveness of its missile arsenal. They do purportedly have 20,000 ballistic missiles, though, so I don’t see a fast end to this conflict without taking out the leadership. Some of these missiles are being taken out in orbit with things like THAAD, while others are being taken down by Jordan, which has said that no missiles will fly over its territory, and allowed Israel overflight en route to Iran.

There is more footage of these crazy scenes here, here, and here in daylight hours. Meanwhile, the fallout of the conflict has extended to internet access in Iran, which saw a dramatic drop in traffic following the strikes. As the dust settles, communication attempts and the dissemination of information may prove troublesome for the Iranian regime. View the updates on internet disruptions here.

An Israeli narrative has surfaced, suggesting that behind-the-scenes signals indicated a U.S. green light for Israeli operations against Iran, despite public posturing. To say it another way, Trump lied to give the Israelis time and to make the Iranians feel like there was no immediate threat. The real cause was the growing progress towards a nuclear bomb, which Israel couldn’t allow, given the rhetoric by the Iranian regime. Fighters on the ground never even got a chance to scramble, giving Israel a huge overflight advantage.

Iran, for their credit, is now going to try to spin the bulk of their top brass getting killed and losing air superiority over their own airspace as a win when all they have managed to do is injure a few civilians. They are dubbing this masterpiece of military strategy True Promise III. For fans of True Promise and True Promise II, we can expect huge military blunders and a complete lack of any meaningful casualties. We wish Iran all the best in this latest endeavor and hope that it delivers all the same promises as they previously delivered on. 🤡 

A series of strikes targeting Iranian oil and gas facilities could complicate economic ties between Iran and countries, like China, relying on its oil exports, possibly sending ripples through global markets. I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if we saw the increase in oil prices helping Russia out in the short term, allowing them to sell their oil to China at a price that isn’t at a loss, like it had been.

Lastly, and on a slightly different note, I thought it was worth mentioning this video I saw of video proof that Hamas was building tunnels under at least one hospital. Many claimed this wasn’t happening, but they showed that this was mere steps from the front door of the hospital's main entrance. Feel free to share that little video with anyone you think needs to see the truth of why Israel has to attack what might outwardly be seen as civilian infrastructure. It’s Hamas’s fault. All the protests, all the lies… It’s pretty sad that Israel was always in the right.

Briefly in South of the Border news, in Colombia, there was an assassination attempt on presidential candidate Miguel Uribe. During a political rally in Bogota, Uribe was shot and subsequently rushed to the hospital. His condition is still being assessed, but this event highlights the fragile nature of political safety in a country grappling with its deep-rooted issues. For instance, they are dealing with a resurgence of the FARC.

Speaking of assassination, in North American News, in Minnesota, reports indicate that at least two state lawmakers were shot in their homes, one of whom is now hospitalized. Speaker Emerita Melissa Hoffman tragically lost her life in the incident, while her husband was also killed. It is claimed that the attacker was posing as a police officer. What an awful crime. The shooter may be Vance Boelter, a Tim Waltz appointee who wanted to kill a number of Democratic politicians and both pro and anti-abortion providers. He also had ‘No Kings’ fliers in his fake patrol car he used. All of that screams he wanted a big conflict and wanted both sides to hate one another. No matter what the political motive, murder is not the answer. I suspect we’ll hear a lot more about this, but currently he’s on the loose.

In Los Angeles and around the country, deportation riots erupted, marked by violence and unrest. One thing to get out of the way here, once any material damage is done, any, it is no longer peaceful. Graffiti, fires, looting, throwing rocks and bricks at cars, injuring people… that is not peaceful.

This is how democrats lose the midterm and completely lose the moral high ground, even according to their own leaders. John Fetterman did a good job of distancing himself as much as possible from the riots, and rightfully so.

People like to say that Trump is an authoritarian, so surely he is behind the curfew in place in LA? Is it Trump’s national guard overreach, or the Mayor of LA putting in a curfew after 23 businesses were looted? Take one guess. No, even the Democrat politicians can’t swallow their own lies about the mostly peaceful protests.

Now, US flags are being handed out to protesters both in LA and in other places like NYC, to try to cover up the image of Mexican criminals flying Mexican flags and Palestinian flags. What a mess. You know I wouldn’t be caught dead downtown, because Kings are not allowed. 😉 👑 

Optically, the Democrats are a mess, and if anything, this is driving more people away from that party, even if the Democrats have a valid point about mass deportation being potentially overreach. That said, this is absolutely not the way to win hearts and minds. Shooting at cops isn’t the moral high ground that you think it is.

There is suggestions by Tom Honan that this may be funded by the cartel, and there are others that it is Wal*Mart billionaire Christy Walton. However, this is happening, it’s not ideal, and it is the kind of thing that ends badly for a lot of people. Reminds me a little of the Red Scare, which had useful roots, but ended up being quite ugly and overreaching. Either way, chaos for now, it seems.

It is not surprising that Waymo has moved all of its cars out of LA after a number of them were burned on-site, but they may run into this problem in a number of urban cities this weekend, reducing rideshare options for normal people, and shuttering businesses.

We are seeing long-term overflight over the areas, likely operating Gorgon Stare to identify criminal behavior and then re-winding the tape to see where they were before, and fast forwarding it to see where they went afterwards. Lots of people are going to end up busted long into the future; they just don’t realize it yet.

In DC, protesters broke down exterior barriers at the US Capitol building. That said, they haven’t breached the interior. But without being overly snarky, imagine if a Republican politician says they fled for their lives because the protesters were threatening them with violence. In this case, this was a group of veterans who wanted the military off their streets. I remember a long conversation I had with John Cameron, James Cameron’s brother and a very good friend of mine, where he quit the Marines because he had to aim his rifle in anger at US citizens on US soil. I can easily see how the deployment of the Marines will bring a lot of mixed feelings to the average grunt and citizen alike. That said, if this is becoming a war against foreign actors, not US citizens, I want every tool in the toolbox pointing deadly weapons at that fighting force.

In Tech news, big media outlets are finally feeling seismic shifts underway, particularly due to AI. Reports reveal that major publications, like The Wall Street Journal, are facing dramatic declines in readership and engagement. For a long time, I have been saying that traditional Journalism is dead. It’s too biased, too editorial and too prone to lying to the public because they are unwilling to look for alternative viewpoints on any issue. So to me, this is welcome news. It couldn’t happen to a nicer group of people. Down with traditional editorial-based media, may it rest in peace.

Recent developments show that Claude, an emerging AI model, has found ways around exclusionary lists, demonstrating how dangerous these models are when you think you have put them on guardrails. Moreover, the hazards of AI are becoming increasingly evident, as recent anecdotes illustrate how AI models can bypass safety protocols. An individual shared their experience where a set command intended to block risky actions was circumvented by a clever function call. Therefore, we have to treat LLM output as adversarial. Pretty nasty.

Okay, onto the articles!

Israel has conducted airstrikes against key nuclear and military sites in Iran, resulting in the deaths of top Iranian generals and scientists, while Iran has retaliated with missile strikes targeting Israel. The conflict escalates fears of a broader war in the region, prompting international calls for de-escalation and an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

• Israel targeted Iranian nuclear facilities to prevent the development of nuclear weapons.

• Iran has responded with missile attacks, increasing tensions and fears of all-out war in the region.

[RSnake: Israel has done the rest of the world a great service by putting Iran’s nuclear program back on track. It really is extremely dangerous to allow them to have nukes. Even Russia and China must agree because it would be trivial to transfer a working nuke to Iran. So literally no one, anywhere, wants them to have a nuke. More on Op Rising Lion here.]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/13/israel-strikes-irans-nuclear-sites-and-kills-its-top-generals-iran-retaliates-missile-barrage.html

North Korea appears to be expanding its nuclear program through the addition of a purpose-built enrichment facility, satellite images show.

• A new building at Yongbyon, North Korea, may house several thousand centrifuges used to enrich uranium isotopes to weapons-grade material once completed.

• The facility could add anywhere from 70 to nearly 100 kilograms of highly enriched uranium to Pyongyang's stockpile annually.

[RSnake: Speaking of a country no one wants to have a nuke…. I suspect there will come a day of reckoning where we will have to address North Korea head-on. I hope that day is well beyond my lifetime.]

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2025/06/13/images-show-new-north-korea-uranium-enrichment-plant-analysts-say/

China dominates the global rare earths market by controlling more than half of mining production and 90% of separation and refining capacity. This monopoly is maintained through coordinated policies involving various sectors of the state, including the Communist Party, military, and research institutions, ensuring a comprehensive approach to industry regulation and development.

• China holds a commanding monopoly over rare earth elements critical for modern technologies.

• The Chinese state employs a coordinated strategy involving multiple sectors to maintain dominance in the rare earth market.

[RSnake: They sure do, and we would be wise to break up that monopoly by doing our own mining too. Honestly, having the CCP control any aspect of our supply chain is disastrous.]

Source: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/?p=851573

A USAID official and three contractors have pleaded guilty to a bribery scheme involving over half a billion dollars in foreign aid contracts, with bribes paid to secure contracts without competitive bidding. This scheme exploited federal laws intended to assist minority-owned businesses, allowing the contractors to receive substantial contracts, often subcontracting the work while providing kickbacks to the USAID official.

• A USAID official accepted over $1 million in bribes while steering $544 million in contracts to contractors.

• The bribery scheme exploited federal minority contracting laws to bypass competitive bidding processes.

[RSnake: I don’t even know a punishment severe enough for this betrayal of the taxpayer. Think about how many hardworking parents and struggling newcomers in the job market are dealing with trying to pay taxes so these people can line their pockets Infuriating.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/usaid-official-three-contractors-plead-guilty-to-half-billion-dollar-bribery-scheme

President Trump's actions in response to Iran's nuclear ambitions have achieved a significant tactical surprise, utilizing 4D chess-like strategy with plausible deniability from the United States.

• The US and Israel coordinated their efforts to target Iran's nuclear capabilities and military strength, achieving a significant blow to Iranian hardliners.

• President Trump played a crucial role in this strategy, using his strong words to persuade Iran not to pursue its nuclear program, while also maintaining a strong alliance with Israel.

[RSnake: Trump did play this just right. Made them think it wasn’t going to happen just long enough for them to feel like they might get some concessions, but instead they got high precision munitions delivered at speed.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-4d-chess-of-president-trump

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed in Ahmedabad, India, resulting in a significant loss of life. Regulatory scrutiny has significantly increased due to concerns over the manufacturing practices of Boeing and allegations of substandard quality that have been raised by former employees.

• A Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed, causing a major aviation disaster.

• There are longstanding allegations of shoddy manufacturing practices at Boeing related to safety concerns.

[RSnake: I have read a few things on this, and the most plausible explanation I have heard is that the co-pilot may have accidentally applied flaps instead of pulling up the landing gear. Very sad, but a terrible user interface if that is a possible visual error.]

Source: https://gizmodo.com/?p=2000615593

The US Army is struggling to maintain a sufficient watercraft fleet in the Pacific due to lack of modernization and inadequate maintenance, despite growing threats from China.

• The US Army has struggled with maintaining a large enough watercraft fleet since 1971, when it had over 2,000 vessels, but this number has shrunk to 70 in recent years.

• The Army's readiness rate for its watercraft fleet is less than 40 percent, which could plummet further during large-scale combat operations.

[RSnake: Think about that. From 2,000 to 70!!]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/06/12/addressing_us_army_pacifics_urgent_watercraft_problem_1116063.html

North Korea has successfully relaunched its new 5,000-ton naval destroyer after it capsized during the first attempted launch just under a month ago, with leader Kim Jong Un overseeing the event.

• Kim Jong Un says the failed launch did not set back North Korea's military modernisation programme and plans to build two more of these destroyers in the coming year.

• North and South Korea are engaged in an underground war of information, with Pyongyang criticising Washington's plan to counter aerial threats as "the height of self-righteousness".

[RSnake: To be clear, it is moored, not launched. But… Kim needs to save a little face here, so at least let’s meet in the middle and say it looks like it’s floating at least.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1mgd0252kpo

The International Atomic Energy Agency has formally declared Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations due to insufficient cooperation and concerns about its enriched uranium stockpile. In response, Iran announced plans to set up a new enrichment facility and replace its centrifuges, amidst heightened tensions and stalled negotiations regarding its nuclear program with the United States. The situation compounds existing regional tensions with the U.S. and Israel expressing readiness for military action if necessary.

• The IAEA has declared Iran in breach of non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years.

• Iran plans to enhance its uranium enrichment capabilities in response to the IAEA's resolution and escalating diplomatic tensions.

[RSnake: Well no sh*t. What took so long, exactly?]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3v6w2qr12o

Thousands of activists from various countries are participating in the Global March to Gaza, led by a Tunisian convoy, with the intention of reaching Gaza to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing conflict. The convoy, which has faced potential obstacles in Libya and Egypt, aims to pressure world leaders regarding the situation in Gaza, where a significant number of casualties and severe shortages of basic supplies have been reported due to Israeli actions. Despite anticipated challenges in reaching their destination, activists are determined to convey their message of urgency regarding the crisis affecting Palestinian civilians.

• A large-scale march led by a Tunisian convoy is underway, attempting to reach Gaza to highlight the humanitarian crisis.

• The situation in Gaza has escalated, with significant casualties and widespread shortages of food and supplies reported.

[RSnake: They got a rude awakening by the Egyptians who couldn’t give a shit about their pronouns or what they thought about Palestine. It is fairly amazing when cultural illiteracy meets boots on the ground. It’s a bit shocking how ill-informed these cultural elites are about the causes they profess to care so much about. More on Greta and her merry band of useful idiots here.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/10/explainer-what-is-the-global-march-for-gaza-all-about?traffic_source=rss

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro is standing trial over alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, denies any wrongdoing and claims his government never discussed a coup.

• Bolsonaro denied allegations of plotting a coup, claiming it was an abominable thing and that there was never the possibility of a coup in his government.

• The trial is ongoing, with Bolsonaro facing decades in prison if convicted of the charges against him.

[RSnake: Interesting, I am wary when I hear words like “never”. Not even in passing? Not even as a joke? That would be more plausible than never.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0j73573v4qo

NASA is consolidating over 400 social media accounts as part of a strategy to reduce its digital footprint, citing a need for cohesive messaging in response to significant proposed budget cuts, including a nearly 25% reduction in funding for the agency. These cuts threaten to eliminate numerous active and planned space missions, reducing the NASA workforce by approximately one-third, which could impact public access to scientific information and outreach efforts. At the same time, other federal science agencies, such as NOAA, are experiencing similar budgetary constraints and restructuring that affect their public communication platforms.

• NASA is proposing to consolidate its social media accounts to create a more cohesive messaging strategy.

• Severe funding cuts to NASA could lead to the cancellation of critical space missions and significant staff reductions.

[RSnake: Good. That is silly and dangerous. Tighter controls mean lowering your attack surface area and maintenance costs.]

Source: https://gizmodo.com/?p=2000614508

The United States Marines have been deployed to Los Angeles amid ongoing protests, as President Trump faces legal challenges regarding his authority to use the military in civilian matters. This deployment comes after a court ruled that Trump's actions may violate the Constitution by circumventing state authority, leading to a legal battle over the use of military forces in response to domestic unrest and protests.

• President Trump has authorized the deployment of US Marines to Los Angeles to address protests.

• Legal challenges against Trump's use of the National Guard continue, with significant court decisions affecting the deployment.

[RSnake: As I said, I am very wary of this decision, hopefully it is only meant as a defensive posture, and not meant to be used as a replacement for local resources and the national guard.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/13/us-marines-arrive-at-los-angeles-federal-sites-as-court-battle-unfolds?traffic_source=rss

Discord invite links are being hijacked to deliver malware and steal user information, targeting users in multiple countries.

• Hackers are exploiting a flaw in Discord's invitation system to hijack expired or deleted invite links and deliver remote access trojans and information-stealing malware.

• The malicious campaign has impacted 1,300 users in the US, UK, France, Netherlands, and Germany, with attackers monitoring deleted or expired invite links and sharing them on social media or official community websites.

[RSnake: Oh, lovely. Another reason to dislike Discord. I end up having to use it for various things, but it’s not my favorite. All these systems, like Slack and Discord, feel like a bad rebranding of IRC.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/discord-flaw-lets-hackers-reuse-expired-invites-in-malware-campaign/

Thousands of security testers worldwide are utilizing AI-powered features in Burp Suite Professional to find vulnerabilities and secure applications, with the tool experiencing a whirlwind two months since its launch.

• AI is being used to automate follow-up analysis of scanner-identified vulnerabilities, remove false positives, generate login sequences, and create AI-powered extensions for web security testing.

• The tool is continuing to evolve with new AI capabilities, including improved precision, automation, and innovation, based on user feedback and needs.

[RSnake: It’s not limited to Burp Suite. Also, I bet we’ll start to see the emergence of fully free alternatives to Burp Suite soon enough. Before that would have been too hard/complex, but now AI automation in coding will make that much more plausible to build copy-cat software.]

Source: https://portswigger.net/blog/two-months-of-burp-ai-empowering-security-testers-with-the-future-of-appsec

Investors are being scammed on Facebook through fraudulent ads featuring well-known investors and celebrities, promising unrealistic returns with no risk of loss.

• Scammers use fake investment ads featuring prominent figures to lure users into handing over large sums of money.

• Investors should be wary of advice promising unrealistic returns with no risk of loss and content generated by AI.

[RSnake: Where’s the SEC?]

Source: https://lifehacker.com/money/investment-ads-on-facebook-are-probably-scams?utm_medium=RSS

A new feature on the Meta AI app allows users to share their conversations with the chatbot, which can be publicly viewed and posted online without explicit indication of privacy settings.

• The Meta AI app has a sharing feature that can post user'’ private inquiries and responses publicly without clear privacy settings.

• This lack of transparency could lead to users unknowingly sharing sensitive information online.

[RSnake: To be clear, they have to actually select that they don’t want it private, so unless they did that by accident for some reason, this should be a fairly small group.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3018413

A recently discovered Secure Boot vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-3052 allows attackers to disable security features on systems using BIOS flashing utilities signed with Microsoft's UEFI certificate, thereby facilitating the installation of bootkit malware. This flaw affects nearly all hardware that supports Secure Boot and has already been exploited, resulting in significant security risks for users. Microsoft has released updates to address this vulnerability and urges immediate patching to protect systems.

• CVE-2025-3052 allows users with admin rights to disable Secure Boot security features.

• The flaw affects nearly all systems utilizing Microsoft’s UEFI certification, posing a widespread security threat.

[RSnake: Ouch. Time to patch up if you are a Windows user.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-secure-boot-flaw-lets-attackers-install-bootkit-malware-patch-now/

Researchers identified a critical zero-click vulnerability in Microsoft's Copilot, tracked as CVE-2025-32711, which could allow sensitive data exfiltration using prompt injection attacks through email. Microsoft has addressed the vulnerability with an update, and there are currently no known incidents of exploitation by attackers.

• The vulnerability enables attackers to exfiltrate sensitive information without user interaction.

• Microsoft has implemented a fix, and no customer action is required.

[RSnake: Lovely. This might be the first real-world implication for prompt injection in widespread use had they not fixed it. Thankfully, it’s fairly easy for them to fix, but still.]

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/application-security/researchers-detail-zero-click-copilot-exploit-echoleak

A U.S.-backed Israeli spyware firm has been implicated in targeting European journalists, raising alarms over the use of commercial spyware against media personnel. Both the European Union and the Italian government are involved in the investigation, with claims that the spyware was used without legal authorization, despite protests from the Italian government that their surveillance was conducted legally.

• A U.S.-backed Israeli company's spyware was used to target three prominent European journalists.

• The European Union and Italian authorities are investigating the legality of the spying activities.

[RSnake: And rightfully so. Journalists have been incredibly unfair and likely compensated to misreport on Israel. I would go after them too if I were a state-sponsored actor.]

Source: https://apnews.com/article/spyware-italy-paragon-meloni-pegasus-f36dd32106f44398ee24001317ccf2bb

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located in Chile, is set to revolutionize astronomy by collecting an unprecedented volume of astronomical data, aiming to map the southern hemisphere sky every few nights. This observatory will significantly enhance our understanding of dark matter, dark energy, and numerous celestial phenomena, with plans to operate for a decade and generate over 20 terabytes of data each night.

• The observatory will produce more data in its first year than all other telescopes combined throughout history.

• It will enable astronomers to detect changes in the cosmos, identify new objects, and conduct extensive studies of the Milky Way and beyond.

[RSnake: Neat. I still think we may be better off putting up mirrors in orbit and/or out in a Lagrange orbit that can act as a huge lens, rather than making the optics on earth better and better.]

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/blockbuster-new-vera-rubin-observatory-will-change-astronomy-forever/

Two new supercomputers, Blue Lion in Germany and Doudna in California, are set to revolutionize high-performance computing using NVIDIA's Vera Rubin architecture. Both systems will enhance research capabilities across various fields, leveraging AI and real-time data processing to significantly improve performance and energy efficiency.

• Blue Lion is designed to provide 30x more computing power compared to the previous system and will support collaborative research across Europe.

• Doudna is optimized for real-time workflows and aims to deliver 10x more application performance with improved energy efficiency.

[RSnake: That’s cool to see these supercomputers coming online. Typically, they have to work on one massive use case at a time, so I will be curious what they end up doing with it at their first big projects.]

Source: https://blogs.nvidia.com/?p=81871

Google experienced a significant outage that disrupted its Cloud services and affected various third-party platforms for over three hours. The source of the issue was a failure in its API management system, triggered by invalid data during a quota update, resulting in a global rejection of external API requests.

• Google Cloud services, including Gmail and Google Docs, were down for over three hours due to an API management issue.

• The outage adversely impacted numerous third-party services, such as Spotify and Discord.

[RSnake: And everyone assumes it’s me! …

and

*sigh* More on the situation here.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-links-massive-cloud-outage-to-api-management-issue/

Apple is transitioning from conventional screen interfaces to a new design language called Liquid Glass, which aims to facilitate augmented reality experiences by merging digital and physical interactions. This strategic shift reflects Apple's focus on creating seamless user experiences that will prepare consumers for future technologies, leveraging its integrated hardware and software to maintain competitive advantages.

• Apple introduced Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, signaling a shift towards ambient, spatial interfaces.

• The new interface design aims to prepare users for augmented reality by making digital interactions feel more natural and integrated with the physical environment.

[RSnake: For all the hate, I honestly think this is probably a very wise move, because it consolidates the UI. No more different versions of the UI for different hardware. All of it gets the same UI. That will make the next step of making them more interoperable much easier.]

Source: https://omc345.substack.com/p/from-skeuomorphic-to-liquid-glass

New York has passed the RAISE Act, a bill aimed at establishing transparency requirements for AI labs to prevent potential disasters caused by advanced AI models. This legislation mandates that companies report safety incidents and allows civil penalties for non-compliance, affecting major AI developers. The bill is now awaiting the governor's approval, amid opposition from some within the tech industry.

• The RAISE Act sets legally mandated transparency standards for frontier AI labs.

• AI labs would be required to report safety incidents and could face significant penalties for failures.

[RSnake: And just like that, all remaining AI moved out of NY…]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3018826

Air conditioning units can now help stabilize power grids during extreme heat by adjusting their energy consumption in real time, which aids in balancing supply and demand. This technology allows the integration of more renewable energy sources into the grid while maintaining user comfort at home. Pilot tests have shown that homeowners can participate in these systems without significantly altering their indoor temperatures.

• Air conditioners can be used to enhance power grid reliability by modulating energy consumption.

• Collaboration with homeowners demonstrated that this system maintains comfort while contributing to grid stabilization.

[RSnake: It can, and it’s also something I would NEVER trust the government with. Not ever. Ever. I do mean ever. People die when it’s too hot, and the government does not have it’s shit together when it comes to… in no particular order, hiring, firing, state sponsored hacking, insurrections (apparently), policy, disaster recovery, or proficiency in tech at all.]

Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/air-conditioning-can-help-the-power-grid-instead-of-overloading-it/

Digital rights organizations have filed a complaint against AI therapy bots on platforms like Meta and Character.AI, alleging that these bots are misleading users by claiming to be licensed therapists and providing inadequate safeguards. The complaint outlines concerns about user safety and the potential for harm due to the deceptive practices of these AI systems, including the fabrication of credentials and confidentiality assurances that contradict the platforms' own terms of service.

• Digital rights organizations are challenging AI therapy bots for claiming to be licensed therapists.

• The complaint highlights the deceptive practices and potential harm to users from these AI systems.

[RSnake: Funny. I can trick it into saying that it is a licensed therapist, no problem. But by default, they actually are even more goody two-shoes about making sure you know their parameters than I like.]

Source: https://www.404media.co/ai-therapy-bots-meta-character-ai-ftc-complaint/

The creator economy has become influential enough that its contribution to the US GDP is significant, with over $55 billion added in 2024, supporting more than 490,000 full-time jobs. The creative ecosystem also created about 390,000 jobs and contributed over $35 billion to the US GDP, with YouTube providing lucrative opportunities for creators. This growth has led to advocacy from creators for better support from American institutions.

• The creator economy is becoming increasingly influential, contributing significantly to the US GDP and supporting a large number of full-time jobs.

• The creative ecosystem has grown rapidly, with YouTube providing lucrative opportunities for creators and leading to advocacy from the industry for better support from American institutions.

[RSnake: Think about all that lost productivity required to support half a million full-time jobs. That is a lot of eyeballs on YouTube that could be contributing in other places, not to mention the creators who are also wasting their time and energy on pointless videos. Eesh.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3017570

Hundreds of thousands of refugees in Kenyan camps are struggling due to reduced food rations and cash transfers, with many at risk of starvation.

• The US funding cuts have led to a drastic reduction in food rations for refugees in Kenya, with the World Food Programme slashing their rations to 30% of the minimum recommended amount.

• The cuts have also resulted in the discontinuation of cash transfers, which were used by many families to buy basic supplies and start small businesses.

[RSnake: I am sure the Europeans will jump right in and offer up their tax revenue. Unless this is really about hating the US and not about helping starving people, that is.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dew7zyg49o

Boeing and GE Aerospace are scaling back their public activities following a fatal crash of an Air India 787 Dreamliner that was the worst aviation disaster in a decade. The incident has affected the upcoming Paris Airshow, as key executives have canceled their attendance, impacting expected aircraft orders and casting a somber mood over the event.

• Boeing's CEO and GE Aerospace canceled their attendance at the Paris Airshow due to the fatal crash.

• The crash is leading to potential delays in aircraft order announcements at the major aviation trade expo.

[RSnake: Interesting. They’re getting a little gun-shy, maybe? In that Air India case, I am not sure they are directly to blame, but I bet they’re worried about another big scandal.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/6/13/boeing-ceo-cancels-airshow-visit-as-investigation-starts-on-india-crash?traffic_source=rss

Thai exporters and importers are facing over $600 million in additional logistics costs due to severe congestion at Laem Chabang Port, the country's main deep-sea port. The congestion has worsened due to a surge in shipments prompted by a temporary pause in U.S. tariffs, leading to increased trucking fees and longer waiting times for trucks at the port.

• Logistics costs for Thai exporters and importers could increase significantly due to port congestion.

• The Thai government is urged to take action to mitigate the economic impact of the situation.

[RSnake: They’ll feel big bursts of activity as long as these tariffs aren’t stable. That feels like part of the game. Making sure that everyone is playing nice or huge disruptions will occur.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/41967-thai-exporters-face-600-million-in-added-costs-as-port-congestion-worsens

Meta has announced a $14.3 billion deal to acquire a significant stake in the AI startup Scale, valuing the company at over $29 billion. This deal involves substantial dividends for existing shareholders and will include the hiring of Scale's CEO, Alexandr Wang, as part of Meta's strategy to enhance its AI capabilities.

• Meta is acquiring a 49% stake in Scale, an AI training data company.

• The deal is noteworthy for its substantial dividend payouts to existing investors.

[RSnake: Wow, nice payday for them. And shows that AI is top of mind for META, far beyond Llama.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3018833

California is investigating State Farm's handling of insurance claims related to the recent destructive wildfires near Los Angeles, which have resulted in damages and loss of life. With approximately 13,000 claims filed and around $4 billion paid out, the inquiry aims to determine if the company adhered to consumer protection laws amid allegations of claim delays and denials for wildfire survivors.

• California is probing State Farm's claim handling process following large-scale wildfires that destroyed over 16,000 buildings.

• Claims have been filed by thousands of affected homeowners, amid allegations of improper delays and denials by the insurer.

[RSnake: At some point, the insurance claims will outweigh the ability for insurance companies to pay out at all. Granted, they should have money in some sort of escrow so that they can’t spend more than they are guaranteeing.]

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/91351970/california-launches-probe-into-state-farms-handling-l-a-wildfire-claims

Nvidia has excluded China from its financial forecasts due to increasing U.S. export controls on chip sales. CEO Jensen Huang has expressed that these restrictions are limiting business opportunities for U.S. companies.

• Nvidia's financial forecasts no longer include China due to U.S. export controls.

• The restrictions are viewed as a hindrance to U.S. business opportunities.

[RSnake: Probably a wise move.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/06/13/nvidia-china-financial-forecast-export-controls-jensen-huang/

Recent developments in the electric vehicle space in the U.S. include President Trump signing resolutions to dismantle California's EV mandate and cease the federal clean vehicle credit, potentially favoring Tesla in the competitive market. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has streamlined its exemption process for automated vehicles to expedite their safe deployment, aligning with Tesla's upcoming robotaxi launch.

• President Trump signed resolutions terminating California's EV mandate and federal clean vehicle credit.

• NHTSA updated its exemption process to accelerate the deployment of automated vehicles.

[RSnake: Automated vehicles will be a boon to safety, especially if we can prevent them from being compromised remotely. I feel very confident that they will get better and better with time as well.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/nhtsa-tweaks-robotaxi-rules-unleash-rapid-innovation