RSnake Report 20251102

Hello, and thanks for reading! We had a nice little Halloween doing the trick-or-treat rounds. Aside from some last minute surgery on a costume using my handy dandy med-kit AFAK ankle holster that I packed with a few feet of duct-tape amongst other things, it was pretty drama free. It’s funny how much shit I get about carrying that ankle holster amongst my friends and how often it has saved the day. Either way, I hope you had a great one. I guess that means Xmas music is already en route as Mariah Carey is beginning to trend. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

In Russian/Ukrainian news, a Russian convoy of armored vehicles sank in a swamp during an attack on the Pokrovsk front, where mud has disrupted operations. I think it’s a great example of why swamps are actually a good defensive line. Several of the five vehicles really could not advance at all and were dispatched, and the ones that managed through were measurably slowed.

Unexplained fires and arsons targeted key Russian infrastructure, including relay cabinets, electrical panels, and railway systems from Moscow to Irkutsk, disrupting logistics and power networks according to Ukrainian intelligence and local sources. In Belgorod, the government's plan to use generators to address power outages failed as residents vandalized, stole, and cut their cables. The regional government now requires wooden, sand-filled structures around electrical substations to protect against drones, as cement costs too much.

Large-scale Ukrainian attacks struck Russia and occupied Crimea, with explosions hitting military infrastructure in Crimea, energy facilities in Kursk, Alchevsk in the Luhansk region, Lipetsk region, and the seaport in Temryuk in Krasnodar Krai. In Tuapse, a sea oil terminal sustained damage, causing visible flames and explosions, with indications that an oil tanker caught fire.

Ukrainian drones hit energy and fuel infrastructure deep inside Russia, including multiple explosions at facilities in Orel, causing power outages, a major power substation in Vladimir triggering a fire, and the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl; the strikes targeted refineries, substations, and critical hubs hundreds of kilometers from the border. Ukrainian kamikaze drones struck the Oryol CHP power plant, which supplies electricity and heat to the city.

Ukraine hit the "Ring" fuel pipeline in the Moscow region, downing all three lines for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, fed by three major refineries and carrying 3 million tons of jet fuel, 2.8 million tons of diesel, and 1.6 million tons of gasoline yearly. This more or less cuts off all of the fuel to the city that isn’t trucked in or brought in by rail. And so began the electrical grid outages as well.

A saturation drone strike involved a wave of Ukrainian one-way attack drones, built up over several weeks of production. This is a pretty remarkable amount of short and medium-range drones that can easily overwhelm air defenses, making holes for more strategic strikes deeper into Russia’s interior.

Ukrainian forces struck an oil depot near Simferopol in occupied Crimea, key to fuel transfer and Russian army supply. In Bashkortostan, the Kanchurinskoye Underground Gas Storage complex burned, affecting regional supply.

But far more interestingly, thousands in the suburban Moscow residential complex "Imperatorskie Mytishchi" lost electricity, water, and heating for the third time in 24 hours after a drone strike. Funny enough the pictures don’t look like much because there is no light. 💡 

Ukraine targeted the "Vladimirskaya-750" substation, one of Europe's largest, which supplies electricity to Moscow, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, and parts of Ivanovo from the Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant, Kostroma Thermal Power Plant, and other facilities, serving as a high-voltage hub between Central Russia and the Volga region. That is a big hit, and it’s clear that Ukraine got the message that disruption of energy is the fastest path to destroying Putin’s economy.

Explosions caused the Belgorod reservoir dam to break, threatening positions of Russian units, including the 6th army, 44th army corps, 128th, 116th, 68th, and 136th brigades with flooding. Ukrainian rocket artillery strikes on the dam flooded Russian bunkers in the Vovchansk sector of Kharkiv region, washing away a neighboring position. Downstream Russian positions became flooded, with waterlogged trenches, submerged equipment, and disrupted logistics. This really is an ecological disaster in many ways, as the amount of sewage, heavy metals, explosives, poisons, et. all, is hard to understate, which are now part of the water supply. ☠️ 

Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s successful test of the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, claiming it traveled 14,000 kilometers over 15 hours, likely over the Arctic and Northern Russia, and can bypass defenses with unlimited range and an unpredictable path. The missile counters the FP-5 Flamingo and proposed US "Golden Dome" anti-ballistic system, and highlights Russia’s inability to replace its aging Cold War strategic bomber force; it resembles the US SLAM from Project Pluto, terminated in 1964 due to ICBM advancements, low-altitude vulnerability to surface-to-air missiles, and radiation risks/fears.

Putin also announced successful tests of the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater vehicle, claiming it is unmatched worldwide and cannot be intercepted, with the Sarmat missile to deploy soon.

While there is no way to know for sure if this is real or another weird bluff, ultimately the Kremlin backed away from calling recent weapons tests "nuclear," clarifying a different meaning, more as in nuclear transport as opposed to nuclear armed or as a nuclear delivery mechanism after Trump implied that it counted as a nuclear test and stating that it opens the doors for us to do our own nuclear tests. Great. ☢️ 

Russia used the 9M729 cruise missile against Ukraine, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead; debris from the October 5 strike on Lapaivka in Lviv region confirmed a range over 1,200 kilometers, up to 2,500 kilometers estimated, violating the INF Treaty that prompted US withdrawal in 2019; regular launches began August 21 after a Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, with 23 fired since plus two in 2022, which doubles as a pretty strong signal that Russia has strike capability to the bulk of Europe. US President Trump dismissed Putin’s Burevestnik boasts, noting US nuclear submarines off Russia’s shores. Nothing like a few nuclear-capable countries threatening to nuke each other.

Fire Point, Ukraine’s largest private drone maker with $1 billion in defense contracts and 30 hidden plants, produces FP-1 kamikaze drones that fly 1,350 kilometers with a 60-kg warhead, used for 60% of deep strikes in Russia at $58,000 each versus over $1 million for Western missiles. I found that stat to be a bit insane and slightly difficult to believe, but I think the way they are slicing that might be important, in that they may count over some distance to be “deep” within Russia.

Drones are replacing ballistic artillery as the primary indirect fire tool on the modern battlefield, due to their low cost, yes, but the cost factor enables saturation and multi-role use. If you check out that video, you’ll get a sense of what saturation starts looking like with enough drones in the sky that there really is nothing ground troops can do with traditional infantry defense.

Russians complain Ukraine gains a huge advantage controlling unmanned ground vehicles with Starlink antennas, while Russian vehicles rely on line-of-sight or repeater based radio. However, they also have a lack of repeater UAVs for ground-hugging operations. Musk got a lot of flak about not allowing Starlink to be used in combat ops in Ukraine, but clearly that time is well in our rearview mirror.

Urban fighting in Pokrovsk continued with Russian forces using numerical advantage to infiltrate parts of the city; in 48 hours, Ukraine eliminated 104 Russian troops and several vehicles, but the situation remains difficult. Much footage along the front that I’m seeing is being captured at night due to the higher thermal radiation differentials of infantry at night. This makes sense with some of the other reports I’ve seen of how much of a horror movie it feels like at night when the drones really take to the skies.

Anonymous France claimed to have hacked Kremlin servers under #OpRussia. It did appear to create an outage immediately afterwards, so I tend to think this did happen; however, I have not seen any official confirmations.

LUKOIL announced plans to sell international assets due to restrictive measures by several states, with shares falling 17% in a week.

Large wildfires burned 23,000 square meters in Yurga, Kuzbass region, with footage from locals in Belovo and Promyshlennaya. These are likely just caused by fire mismanagement, and it’s not surprising they haven’t been prioritizing wildfires in light of everything else that’s going on.

Russian Central Bank governor Nabiullina warned that dropping interest rates to 3-4% would cause 1990s-style hyperinflation and economic collapse, given the fragile economy. By all accounts, she appears to be pretty competent at her job, so she is getting pressure to drop interest rates and knows she can’t do that without imploding the economy in the process. Meanwhile, Russian Railways, the largest employer spanning telecom, security, manufacturing, and more, reported a bloodbath in earnings, down almost $50B rubles in profit from the year prior.

The Telegraph reported Putin fears a coup as his regime weakens, with Kremlin paranoia leading the FSB to accuse the Russian Antiwar Committee of plotting a violent power grab; experts see it as discrediting opposition and blaming the West amid economic troubles and China dependency, following the 2023 Wagner mutiny. US intelligence currently assesses Putin will continue the war at any cost until achieving territorial gains in Ukraine despite heavy army losses and recession risks in the war’s fourth year; since May’s offensive, Russia seized only 0.4% of Ukraine’s territory with no significant gains. At this rate, it is expected to take until 2030 to capture Donbas and other occupied regions… and at what cost to his own economy and infrastructure?

European News

Two unidentified drones appeared near Estonia’s Reedo military base on October 17; one was shot down but not recovered, with an armored reconnaissance squadron stationed there; European officials suspect Russia. I would too, to be honest. I suspect there will be a big hunt to find that downed drone.

Ten people were stabbed in a terror attack on a train in Huntingdon, UK. Two adult male black males were caught. Both were wielding large knives, so it was likely a planned and coordinated attack. Obviously, my take on it is banning knives and guns and all of the tools that could bludgeon people or slice them or put holes in them is stupid, but when we don’t allow people to defend themselves, this kind of terrorism will continue to create massive casualties and death tolls. 👎️ 

In South East Asian news, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the additional 100% tariffs on China are off the table after trade talks in Malaysia, with China set to purchase substantial US soybeans soon and a TikTok sale deal finalized; the agreement includes a one-year delay on China’s rare earth export controls.

A US Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 crashed in the South China Sea on October 26, 2025, at 2:45 p.m. local time during routine operations. An F/A-18 from Strike Fighter Squadron 22 also went down in the same waters from the USS Nimitz; both crews ejected safely and were recovered by Carrier Strike Group 11 search and rescue. Speculation on causes includes fuel contamination, but former squadron members noted that the segregated fuel systems, centrifuge separation of water, particle removal assemblies, and regular testing by aviation bosun mates generally ensure quality, so that seems unlikely.

In Middle East news, an Israeli airstrike hit a vehicle in the central Gaza Strip, killing one and injuring several; the Israel Defense Forces stated it targeted a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist planning an imminent attack on Israeli forces.

China shipped 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate to Iran’s Bandar Abbas since September, enough for roughly 500 ballistic missiles as a fuel precursor. Iran is clearly restocking after the June strikes, while the US and Israel replenish interceptors. Just another reminder that China is at war with the West, via Iranian and Russian proxies.

Iranian state actor Cyber Toufan breached Israeli defense contractor Maya, releasing security footage from a meeting room and workshop showing confidential discussions and work on drone, missile, tracking, and launching system prototypes.

In South of the Border News, US Armed Forces struck four drug-trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific on October 27, 2025, at President Trump’s direction, killing at least 14 suspected narco-terrorists linked to designated terrorist organizations; Mexican authorities rescued one survivor.

Police in Rio de Janeiro launched a major operation with 2,500 officers, armored vehicles, helicopters, and drones against the Red Command drug gang, prompting cartel retaliation with bullets, burning cars, barricades, and drone-dropped explosives.

Over 130 people died, mostly in the favelas, in 48 hours, including four officers, as the governor declared the city effectively at war. Basically, the whole city is on fire from the videos that are coming out of the conflict.

It appears that about 81 arrests, and 60 suspects and four officers dead. That is a lot of carnage that mostly took place in the Penha favelas and specifically the Comando Vermelho drug gang. This came after they ambushed and killed the Special Police Unit and posting about it on social media saying “Keep Playing”. More than 100 AKs, ARs, G3s, and FALs were recovered. Not super wise, I’d say, and makes me wonder if Brazil is starting to see the virtues of the “Bukele doctrine” of zero tolerance to cartels.

The Trump Administration plans attacks on Venezuelan military installations, including airbases and ports used by the Cartel of the Suns led by President Nicolás Maduro and regime members, potentially by air in days or hours. So, probably by the next newsletter, we should see some interesting news one way or another about this. I suspect that by delaying the attack, the US is likely monitoring all communications, transports, and military operational activity to make the attacks worse than they would normally be.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica. It caused devastating inland flooding on the Santa Cruz Bypass between Black River and Mandeville. It looks like it’s heading north and east past the east coast of the United States, so we shouldn’t see any negative impact on the coastal US.

In North American news, Canadian Prime Minister Carney stated the decades-long economic integration with the US has ended, turning former strengths into vulnerabilities. Another way to look at it is Canada has wildly underfunded much of it’s security and outsourced that cost to the US, and taken advantage of our trade status worldwide. I’m not sure pushing Canada away is the best thing for the US but they do need to start taking their own security seriously.

US defense firm Anduril tested a prototype of its low-cost Barracuda-500 cruise missile, launchable from HIMARS, Harpoon, and Patriot systems. The fact that this is low-cost and interchangeable will naturally make them extremely attractive to international partners.

A House Oversight Committee report deemed all actions by President Biden using an autopen null and void, in a 100-page report. I am not sure if that move actually means anything until litigation begins between the US government and the people with whom amnesty protects, and let’s be honest, that’s mostly what this is about. Once that kicks off, we’ll see if this report holds up in court or if the autopen does.

In Tech News, studios now expect viewers to use second screens like phones while watching TV. I guess that comes as no surprise whatsoever. The bizarre part is that studios are telling writers that they must simplify plots with more exposition so that people can understand what’s going on without watching.

A study of 973 e-commerce websites with $20 billion annual revenue from August 2024 to July 2025 found organic LLM traffic underperformed traditional channels like organic search, paid search, email, and social media in conversion rate, average order value, and revenue per session, except paid social. It analyzed over 50,000 ChatGPT referrals against 164 million traditional transactions.

1X Technologies launched its Neo home robot, presented as a skinny, soft, quiet assistant for chores like laundry, dishes, cooking, and cleaning. Just one problem, it’s remote-controlled, so you’ll now have some complete stranger in your home watching you, doing your housework, etc. No, thank you. 👎️ 

Former L3Harris executive Peter Williams pleaded guilty to selling zero-day exploits to a Russian broker for millions in cryptocurrency. I had a similar conversation about this with a RSnake Report reader. This is one of the problems with dealing in 0-day. It’s more like a biological weapon. Once it’s out, it is out.

An AI-generated song by Xania Monet, created using Suno by human Telisha Jones, entered a Billboard radio chart for the first time and secured a $3 million record deal. Very odd, but I had my editor listen to it without explaining what it was, and she was moved by the lyrics and vocals, so… there we have it. Music has passed the uncanny valley.

In Economic News, global central banks will soon hold more gold than US dollars, according to Apollo.

And meanwhile, gold a bearish shooting star reversal with a 45-year high RSI on the monthly chart.

You want to see a similar graph that should give us all pause? It’s Warren Buffett’s cash holdings. Michael Burray also put out an ominous tweet, “Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play.” Clearly, the financial elite are prepping for a crash.

Recent layoff announcements include UPS at 48,000 employees, Amazon up to 30,000, Intel 24,000, Nestle 16,000, Accenture 11,000, Ford 11,000, Novo Nordisk 9,000, Microsoft 7,000, PwC 5,600, Salesforce 4,000, Paramount 2,000, Target 1,800, Kroger 1,000, Applied Materials 1,444, and Meta 600, signaling a weakening labor market likely driven in part by AI. That, plus the increasing debt, means less chance of people paying off those loans, and who holds them? The banks. The banks are in the most dangerous position with their debt holdings.

Okay, onto the articles!

NATO is facing a catch-22 as it tries to protect its data flows from subsea cable disruptions and space threats, but has failed to recognize the dangers behind Russia's escalations in both domains.

• The number of incidents involving undersea cables in the Baltic region has increased significantly since 2022, with potential Russian involvement in several cases.

• NATO is diverting high-priority data traffic from subsea cables to satellites in case of a threat, but this backup plan may not be reliable due to Russia's escalating anti-satellite capabilities.

[RSnake: I tend to think any long-haul tech that cannot move is a dangerous long-term bet. Rail, power transmission lines, and yes, telecommunication lines.]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/10/24/natos_subsea_cable_strategy_turns_into_a_catch-22_1142966.html

The US has positioned a military force off Venezuela’s coast, with thousands of troops, warships and aircraft deployed across the region. The largest US presence in Latin America in decades is marked by at least ten deadly strikes on vessels off Venezuela’s coast, with the latest attack killing six people on board. The operation is part of a growing military build-up under the authority of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean.

• The largest US presence in Latin America in decades is marked by at least ten deadly strikes on vessels off Venezuela’s coast.

• Thousands of troops, warships, and aircraft are deployed across the region under the authority of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).

[RSnake: Get the popcorn, folks. Next week should be an interesting one, one way or another. 🍿 ]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/25/what-military-force-has-the-us-positioned-off-venezuelas-coast?traffic_source=rss

More than 20 countries have united to remove Russian oil and gas from global markets, aiming to diminish funding for Russia's military operations amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This pledge follows heightened sanctions from the US, UK, and EU targeting major Russian oil companies and decreasing their access to international financial markets. As winter approaches, Ukrainian officials emphasize the importance of protecting energy infrastructure from Russian attacks, which have intensified.

• Over 20 countries are committed to eliminating Russian oil and gas from international markets.

• New sanctions against Russian oil companies have been implemented by the US and UK to undermine Russia's war financing.

• Ukrainian leaders emphasize the urgent need to secure energy infrastructure during the winter months, amidst continued Russian strikes.

[RSnake: We need a similar move to interrupt the secondary markets for the oil and procurement of weapons, like the 3 million engines that Russia bought from China that have zero use outside of the war effort.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=369478

Russia is forming female assault units to fight on the Pokrovsk axis in Ukraine, where they are being used as cannon fodder due to catastrophic losses, and their lives depend on the mercy of officers.

• Russian forces are using women and children as targets in the war, with evacuation impossible and civilians burying neighbors in their yards.

• Russia is relying on female assault units to fulfill personnel shortages and continue fighting, despite catastrophic losses and the high risk of death.

[RSnake: Pretty sad. We talked about this a bit before, but it is similar to what Hamas has done with their female suicide bombers. Speaking of, Afghan women are doing even worse than they were before under the renewed Taliban rule.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=369413

Iran has seen a sharp increase in the use of the death penalty, with rights groups reporting 280 executions in October 2023 alone, marking it as one of the bloodiest months for prisoners since the mass executions of 1988. Activists and organizations like Amnesty International have condemned this spike as a means of political repression, urging an immediate halt to the executions that have reportedly targeted dissenters and minority groups.

• Iran reported 280 executions in October 2023, indicating a significant rise in the use of capital punishment.

• Activists claim these executions are utilized to suppress dissent and control the population.

[RSnake: In some respects, I think that’s probably a good thing generally, to cut costs of incarceration and ensure people actually obey the law, but not the way Iran is using it.]

Source: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202510248695

Zhi Dong Zhang, a key figure in a global fentanyl trafficking network with ties to Mexican drug cartels and Chinese operatives, operatively ran a fentanyl cell based in New York. After evading capture, Zhang was recently detained in Cuba, and U.S. authorities are preparing for his extradition amid intensified efforts to combat narcotics trafficking and money laundering in cooperation with Mexican officials.

• Zhi Dong Zhang allegedly led a network distributing synthetic narcotics across the U.S., connecting Chinese exporters and Mexican cartels.

• Zhang's operation moved large quantities of drugs between 2016 and 2021, utilizing complex money laundering strategies through various international banking systems.

[RSnake: I am sure this character came up in the talks between Trump and Xi about the Tariffs and stopping the flow of fentanyl, which I have very little faith will happen, especially now that the drug is being manufactured in many locations outside of China, and you can tell China is lying because they are talking.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chexican-narco-financier-ran-new-york-fentanyl-cell-mexican-operatives-us-indictment

Samia Suluhu Hassan has been declared the winner of Tanzania's presidential election, securing approximately 98% of the votes amid significant unrest and claims of violence leading to hundreds of deaths. The opposition contests the election's legitimacy due to the absence of key candidates and alleged suppression of dissent, while the government downplays the scale of the unrest and enacts measures to restore order.

• Samia Suluhu Hassan won 98% of the votes in Tanzania's presidential election.

• Protests erupted following the election, with claims of violence resulting in hundreds of fatalities.

• The opposition alleges that key figures were barred from running and that the election lacks legitimacy.

[RSnake: That is a crazy high number. So high, I… do not believe it. I’m going with it is extremely likely that there was something untoward in the voting process. More on that story here - 500 people were killed.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2ww0e0jewo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

European billionaires have funneled $2 billion into US leftist nonprofits through a transatlantic NGO network to erode US democracy and finance anti-Trump protests.

• Five foreign charities have funneled nearly $2 billion into American leftist nonprofits, injecting European policy agendas into U.S. institutions.

• Foreign billionaires bankroll American far-left nonprofits to unleash activist campaigns and undermine US sovereignty.

[RSnake: It’s a shock we don’t have better controls around the money movement. At a state level, a friend of mine said he wants to be able to vote for increased taxes, and only the people who vote for an increase get taxed more. Made me laugh.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/european-billionaires-funneled-2-billion-transatlantic-ngo-network-erode-us-democracy

Israel is blocking crossings into Gaza despite a declared ceasefire, leading to a critical humanitarian situation where 1.5 million people require emergency assistance. Strikes in the region continue, creating challenges for aid delivery and access to basic needs such as food and water. Hamas has agreed to establish a committee to manage post-war Gaza following discussions with Palestinian factions in Cairo.

• Israel is blocking aid to Gaza despite a ceasefire.

• 1.5 million people in Gaza require emergency assistance.

• Hamas is establishing a committee to govern post-war Gaza.

[RSnake: It would help if Hamas weren’t actively stealing the aid from 600 trucks, but Al Jazeera can’t find that story, apparently. Idiots.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/10/25/live-un-says-1-5m-in-gaza-need-aid-israel-blocks-borders-despite-ceasefir?traffic_source=rss

On the night of November 1-2, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine involving two missiles and 79 drones, targeting multiple locations across the country. Ukrainian air defenses reported success in intercepting 67 of the drones, while the ongoing assault resulted in casualties and structural damage.

• Russia executed a major aerial assault on Ukraine using missiles and drones.

• Ukrainian forces successfully intercepted the majority of the drones during the attack.

[RSnake: That’s a worse air defense number than the previous. Either Ukraine is running low on air defense, or this is a new strategy of some kind. The US is refurbishing $172 million worth of old HAWK missiles that may end up in Ukraine once they are retrofitted.]

Source: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/11/02/8005442/

Microsoft has issued critical out-of-band security updates to address a remote code execution vulnerability in the Windows Server Update Service (WSUS). This flaw, which can potentially allow attackers to execute malicious code remotely, poses significant risks, particularly for systems that have the WSUS Server Role enabled. With proof-of-concept exploits now circulating, immediate patching is essential to prevent potential widespread attacks.

• A critical vulnerability in Microsoft's WSUS allows for remote code execution by unauthenticated attackers.

• Patching is urgent due to the availability of proof-of-concept exploit code.

[RSnake: If you run a Windows server somewhere, patch up those Windows boxes!]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-releases-windows-server-emergency-updates-for-critical-wsus-rce-flaw/

The Pentagon will enforce the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) starting November 10, 2025, requiring companies in the defense supply chain to meet verified cybersecurity standards to access Department of Defense data. This initiative aims to strengthen national security by ensuring that all contractors, including subcontractors, are effectively securing sensitive information, thereby minimizing vulnerabilities within the defense industrial base.

• CMMC implementation begins on November 10, 2025, mandating cybersecurity certification for all contractors handling DoD data.

• The policy aims to enhance national defense readiness by closing cybersecurity gaps in the defense supply chain.

[RSnake: About time! Good. There is a time and place for rules and regulations, and this is a good example of where it should be used.]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/10/24/seven_common_misconceptions_about_cmmc_1142962.html

China-linked cyber-espionage actors known as 'Bronze Butler' exploited a zero-day vulnerability in Motex Lanscope Endpoint Manager to deploy malware called Gokcpdoor, which allows attackers to steal confidential information. The vulnerability, designated CVE-2025-61932, affects earlier versions of the software and has been actively exploited for months, requiring urgent patching efforts by federal agencies due to the lack of alternatives for mitigation.

• China-linked hackers exploited a critical vulnerability in Lanscope to deploy malware.

• Urgent patching is required due to ongoing exploitation of the vulnerability.

• The malware enables unauthorized access to sensitive data through compromised systems.

[RSnake: Yep, the CCP continues to pre-position itself in our infrastructure.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/china-linked-hackers-exploited-lanscope-flaw-as-a-zero-day-in-attacks/

A massive tax fraud scam known as cum-ex was uncovered, and the main suspect, Sanjay Shah, was extradited to Denmark to face charges. A whistle-blower, Jas Bains, blew the whistle on the scam after he was sued by the Danish tax authority. The case ended with the Danish tax authority losing the £1.4 billion lawsuit.

• Cum-ex scam was a global phenomenon targeting multiple countries, including Denmark, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Austria.

• The scam exploited delays in processing share sales to create confusion over ownership and claim rebates on withholding tax.

[RSnake: There are a number of similar scams out there around tax refunds. Some of them are making >$1B every year.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2kp19ed78wo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Hackers are exploiting a critical flaw in Adobe Magento and Microsoft Copilot Studio, allowing them to deliver phishing attacks via legitimate domains.

• Researchers at Datadog Security Labs have discovered a new phishing technique called CoPhish, which weaponizes Microsoft Copilot Studio agents to deliver fraudulent OAuth consent requests.

• The technique relies on social engineering and can be used by attackers to target application administrators with high-privileged roles, even if they are not verified.

• Microsoft has confirmed the issue and plans to address it through future product updates.

[RSnake: Social engineering is always going to be a problem as long as you cannot verify who is talking about what. AI will make that so much worse.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-cophish-attack-steals-oauth-tokens-via-copilot-studio-agents/

A widespread cyber exploitation campaign is targeting WordPress sites, leveraging critical vulnerabilities in widely used plugins that allow for remote code execution. Researchers report that many websites remain at risk due to failure to update to patched versions of these plugins, even months after fixes were released.

• A campaign is exploiting vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins GutenKit and Hunk Companion to gain unauthorized access.

• Despite patches being available, many sites continue to operate with outdated and vulnerable plugin versions.

[RSnake: And auto-update is not a thing in reality. It is a good idea, but in practice, it’s both extra steps that people don’t know they need to take, and it adds risk if the plugins don’t work properly.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-launch-mass-attacks-exploiting-outdated-wordpress-plugins/

An FBI investigation has led to the arrest of several individuals, including NBA player Terry Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups, for alleged involvement in illegal sports betting and rigged poker games with ties to organized crime. Authorities claim that the scheme involved sophisticated technology and manipulated injuries to affect gambling outcomes, resulting in significant financial fraud and theft over several years.

• NBA players and associates are accused of using inside information to manipulate bets on games.

• The investigation uncovered a large-scale poker scam involving the mafia that defrauded victims out of millions.

[RSnake: Such a dumb way to go down after such a crazy career.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgmpp3x5x5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Jaguar Land Rover experienced a cyberattack that resulted in a 27% decrease in car production in the U.K. in September, affecting the auto industry's overall output. The attack halted vehicle manufacturing for over five weeks, leading to a need for emergency government intervention to support affected suppliers and companies.

• A cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover led to a 27% slump in U.K. car production.

• The incident resulted in a government-backed £1.5 billion emergency loan to support affected businesses.

[RSnake: That is significant. Board members aren’t going to like that. I suspect that will cause a very interesting set of conversations.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/42720-jaguar-land-rover-cyberattack-causes-27-slump-in-uk-car-output

A mother in Florida is suing Character.AI after her son, who was 14 when he died by suicide, became increasingly obsessed with the chatbot's Daenerys persona, which may have contributed to his death. The company argues that its output is protected under free speech laws.

• The court must decide whether A.I.-produced text constitutes speech and therefore enjoys First Amendment protections.

• If the courts rule in favor of Character.AI, it could set a precedent that allows government censorship of A.I. models and our interactions with them.

• The case is considered the first to confront the issue of non-human speakers in a wrongful-death case, and its outcome will shape the rules for human-A.I. relationships.

[RSnake: I have read about this case before. The character was not necessarily even an adult character in the traditional sense, but he definitely was engaging in a romantic relationship with it, nevertheless.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/magazine/character-ai-chatbot-lawsuit-teen-suicide-free-speech.html

The U.S. plans to increase the import of Argentine beef annually while lowering tariffs, which has raised objections from the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association. They argue that this move could harm American cattle producers and may compromise food safety due to Argentina's history with foot-and-mouth disease.

• The U.S. will quadruple the amount of Argentine beef imports at a lower tariff rate.

• The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association warns this could threaten American cattle farmers' livelihoods and food safety.

[RSnake: I realize there are dangers with importing live beef, including screw worm, but it seems like it would make sense to fatten them up with US grains before import, both to support the grain industry and to make the beef more palatable, since it is not like the beef we are used to here in the US.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/42725-us-cattlemens-association-decries-trump-welcoming-more-argentine-beef

Outdated financial reporting regulations are weighing down US financial institutions, with a proposed bill to update thresholds for currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports.

• The original reporting requirements were made in the 1970s, but they no longer make sense due to changes in the economy and the number of transactions over $10,000.

• The proposed bill would allow the Treasury Department to adjust reporting thresholds for inflation every five years.

[RSnake: Yeah, a similar thing happened to a friend of mine when the credit cards had a limit of $100 in gas per day, and he would drive between San Francisco and Vegas in his truck, triggering more than $100 a day in gas payments and stranding him. Once upon a time, that made sense, but these hard and fast rules need to scale with inflation and the general cost of goods.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-senators-answer-trumps-call-to-modernize-banking-system

Xinjiang has welcomed over 300 million tourists in 2024, more than double the number in 2018, with tourism revenue reaching $51 billion. The region is being marketed as a tourist destination within China and internationally, with Beijing promoting it as an exotic and mysterious place. Despite concerns over human rights abuses, many foreign visitors are attracted to Xinjiang's stunning landscapes and cultural experiences.

• Beijing is pumping billions of dollars into developing infrastructure and promoting tourism in Xinjiang.

• The region has emerged as a tourist destination, with foreign visitors attracted to its beauty and cultural experiences.

[RSnake: I guess if you want to be spied on, hacked, and often seen with racist hatred, I can’t think of a better place to vacation. 😆 ]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8x1rnnd5gjo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Newly unsealed documents reveal Jeffrey Epstein's extensive financial connections to Wall Street and Russian banks. JPMorgan Chase flagged over $1 billion in transactions related to Epstein, who was charged with sex trafficking before his death in 2019, while ongoing scrutiny of the bank's involvement continues amid lawsuits and investigations by U.S. lawmakers.

• JPMorgan Chase settled multiple lawsuits totaling $365 million related to Epstein's activities.

• The unsealed records show the bank's early and repeated alerts regarding suspicious transactions linked to Epstein.

[RSnake: The plot thickens.]

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/inside-epsteins-money-trail-unsealed-files-expose-wall-street-russian-bank-connections/articleshow/125027862.cms

Consumer concern is rising over the impact of data centers on electricity prices as they consume an increasing share of the U.S. power grid. Data centers are projected to rise from 4% to as much as 12% of electricity consumption by 2028, while renewable energy growth may be stunted due to potential legislative changes. Additionally, natural gas supply is struggling to meet electricity generation needs, exacerbating the situation for data center operators.

• Consumer concerns about rising utility bills are linked to the increasing electricity demand from data centers.

• The growth of renewables may be hindered by forthcoming legislative changes, impacting future electricity supply.

• Natural gas production is not meeting domestic energy needs due to increased exports, complicating energy availability for data centers.

[RSnake: Yes, and the pain will be felt unless we start dramatically opening up our energy options, which will likely need to take the form of every sort of energy source we can manage to build if we want to keep costs down.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3064113

Major grocery delivery companies are implementing discounts and special offers for recipients of SNAP benefits in response to the impending freeze on payments due to the government shutdown. Instacart, DoorDash, Gopuff, and Zip are launching various relief programs to support families facing food insecurity, with initiatives like discounted grocery orders and free meal deliveries in November as part of these efforts.

• Instacart is offering a 50% discount on grocery orders for SNAP recipients as part of a $5 million relief initiative.

• Gopuff and DoorDash are also providing free groceries and meal deliveries to assist SNAP recipients amidst payment disruptions.

[RSnake: Interesting, and I wonder if this is the way of things - lower income families that can prove their need get a lower-price, and the rest of us pay normal fees.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/11/01/instacart-doordash-gopuff-zip-discounts-snap-recipients-shutdown/

Gold prices have surged nearly 60 percent this year, recently crossing the $4,000-per-ounce mark, driven by geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Analysts suggest that global gold production may have reached its peak, while significant reserves are becoming increasingly scarce, creating concerns about future supply.

• Gold prices have increased significantly due to geopolitical and economic factors.

• Analysts believe gold production may be stagnating, and reserves are declining.

[RSnake: Pretty significant, and worrying for what that means for people who are on a fixed income or cash-heavy, if we see inflation hit, like it did a couple years ago at 20+%.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/precious-metals/these-are-worlds-biggest-gold-mines

Small businesses, including Terry Precision Cycling, are challenging Trump-era tariffs in a Supreme Court case with substantial implications for presidential power and the economy. These tariffs have significantly increased the costs for businesses that rely on imported materials, complicating their pricing strategies and threatening their survival. With projected tariff revenues in the trillions, the case raises critical questions about the limits of executive authority in economic matters.

• Terry Precision Cycling and other small businesses are contesting high tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

• The tariffs are affecting global supply chains and increasing costs for consumers.

[RSnake: We shall see. Obviously, the House can vote to reenact them too, so it’s unclear what this will mean.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/11/01/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-challenge-small-business-plaintiff-vermont-small-business/

Universal Basic Income (UBI) is increasingly being discussed as a response to job displacement caused by automation and artificial intelligence. Critics argue that it may lead to societal dependency and a loss of motivation to work, ultimately reverting to a feudal-like system. The future implementation of UBI could involve tightly controlled digital currencies, affecting personal autonomy and prompting a fundamental shift in societal structure.

• Universal Basic Income may be adopted as a solution for the economic impact of automation.

• Concerns are raised about UBI leading to societal dependency and loss of personal agency.

[RSnake: And as we saw in Sam Harris’ experiment with UBI, it is worse than if we don’t, in terms of long-term prospects.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/universal-basic-income-making-slavery-great-again

The Department of Homeland Security is trying to force Meta to unmask the identity of individuals behind certain Facebook and Instagram accounts that post about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, claiming they are in violation of a law related to merchandise importation. The issue centers on whether these accounts are indeed selling or importing prohibited merchandise.

• The Department of Homeland Security is trying to force Meta to unmask the identity of individuals behind certain Facebook and Instagram accounts that post about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

• The move is being challenged by lawyers as "wildly outside the scope" of DHS's authority.

[RSnake: Well, if they are breaking the law, they should be decloaked. If not, then not. Pretty straightforward. The question is who makes that determination, and it should be a judge.]

Source: https://www.404media.co/dhs-tries-to-unmask-ice-spotting-instagram-account-by-claiming-it-imports-merchandise/

California has made significant strides in enhancing its energy storage capacity, with battery storage systems increasing by over 3,000% since 2020, allowing the state to avoid emergency energy conservation pleas since 2022. The investment in battery technology has helped stabilize the electrical grid, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and support California's climate goals, while continuing challenges remain regarding safety and further technological development.

• California's battery energy storage capacity has grown from 500 megawatts in 2020 to over 15,700 megawatts, contributing to grid reliability.

• The state has not experienced rolling blackouts since 2020 due to improvements in its energy infrastructure and increased energy storage.

[RSnake: It might also help if they turn on some nukes. Solar is only part of the equation.]

Source: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-10-17/california-made-it-through-another-summer-without-a-flex-alert

A new set of features called Agent Skills has been introduced to enhance the capabilities of Claude, allowing organizations to create and deploy reusable AI skills across various platforms. These skills are designed for improved governance, automation, and efficiency in workflows, enabling teams to standardize expertise capture and streamline processes through composable AI tools.

• Agent Skills enable the development and deployment of customizable AI skills across multiple platforms.

• Organizations can manage workflows and automate tasks more effectively using these new capabilities.

[RSnake: Pretty cool. I think skills are the right way to think about programming, as certain things are fairly rote, like “install Apache” or “configure Postgres,” etc, but LLMs kinda suck at them, due to new software versions causing issues and hallucinations.]

Source: https://claudeskills.cc

Microsoft is set to introduce a feature in Teams that allows employers to monitor where employees are working from when connected to the company's WiFi. This development reflects a trend among companies to encourage or enforce in-office attendance post-pandemic, despite many jobs being doable remotely.

• Companies are looking for ways to track employee attendance in the office.

• The new Teams feature will be optional, but it can be enabled by company management to monitor employee location.

[RSnake: Basically, it will say “Jane Doe isn’t at the office,” which isn’t much of a problem if you already work remotely, but sucks if you are stuck in the office and would rather work down the street at the coffee shop, or run an errand during work hours, etc.]

Source: https://lifehacker.com/tech/microsoft-teams-will-let-your-boss-know-when-youre-not-in-the-office