RSnake Report 20241224

Table of Contents

• Geopolitical

• Technology

• Cybersecurity

• Business

If you’re looking for that notorious link to track Santa, we’ve got you! 🎅🏻

Hello, and thanks for reading, happy Christmas Eve! I wanted to spend just a minute talking about the newsletter before we jump in. Lately, I’ve found myself explaining what it is to a lot of people, so I wanted to do that here now so that you all have a sense of how I think of it. Some people think that geopolitics, tech, cyber, and business/economics are separate things. While they do make up nice categories, I think of them all as one big thing, interrelated at their very core.

There are talented hackers coming out of Eastern Europe that those on the blue team have been battling for decades. These hackers are largely in their 30’s and 40’s. Where did they come from? Well, they came from orphanages, and they were abandoned at birth. Why is that? Because their parents were forced to have them and didn’t actually want them or couldn’t afford to keep them - contraception was illegal, divorce was nearly impossible, and the parents couldn’t afford the children due to bad economic policy. Why would the government force the parents to have kids? Because of a perception of declining birth rates that the state wanted to correct, it was enacted by an authoritarian party leader.

That man was Nicolae Ceaușescu, that party was the communist party, that country was Romania, and now, 35 years after the coup that lead to Ceaușescu’s execution, we are dealing with the fallout of the “Orphan Phenomenon” hacking our citizens here in the United States. You see? It is ALL connected.

That is what the RSnake Report is about, bringing together seemingly isolated and dispirit sources and attempting to tie together the connections. Often, I’ll add a link and fully disagree with the conclusions of the article. That’s not by accident. I don’t want to hide the reality of what people are saying from you, even if I disagree. I want you to be able to make up your own mind about it, with at least some guidance with my opinions on the topic to tie to together into a cohesive newsletter. Go ahead, disagree; that is a good thing, and I encourage critical thinking and feedback!

I could just throw a bunch of links together and call it a day, and it would still be useful, but far less so. One might see a drone flying in Syria against Turkish forces and simply marvel at the video itself, but not necessarily understand the implications of the funding that backed it, who trained these forces, and the fallout of the collisions of two warring factions. That’s where I attempt to add color. Hacking/security is the 5th domain of war. It makes sense that it is discussed alongside these other areas. There are CCP/state-sponsored hackers in Beijing who know me far better than my own neighbors, and that is not a good thing.

If you’re curious, I still haven’t made one cent off of this newsletter. My only payment is great feedback from you all.

Please share this with people you think should see it. That is all I want for Xmas! 🎁 

Okay, let’s get on with it. In the Russian/Ukraine conflict, there is no Christmas armistice - so much for Russia being a Christian nation, eh?! But not all Russians got the memo - reports of Russian troop mutinies in Kherson are surfacing. Commanders allegedly refuse to lead a suicidal assault across the Dnipro River, leaving Putin’s grand strategies in disarray. This hesitation comes amidst intelligence suggesting an amassed force of 2,000 soldiers and 300 speedboats in the region.

Meanwhile, North Korea’s involvement continues to bleed losses, with over 1,100 casualties confirmed by South Korean Joint Chiefs and Ukrainian sources estimating even graver numbers exceeding 3,000. Pyongyang appears undeterred, with preparations underway to send more troops and equipment to their beleaguered Russian allies.

Russians have turned to using electric scooters and passenger cars in assaults after depleting their armored vehicle stock. Predictably, these improvisations haven’t ended well, as evidenced by footage of obliterated vehicles and discarded scooters. Either the Russians have given up on the idea of armor or have begun to run out seriously, or both. This leads to whole platoons getting killed at a time - imagine the morale after hearing that.

There are some interesting drone comments. The first was a mine-laying drone that was laying out a perfectly laid out mine pattern. I am not sure how good this would be in practice because typically, you want to hide your mine, but it just shows that they are really thinking through the best way to do this. At best, this may destroy one tank, but at worst it’s merely a minor delay for EOD crews. That said, getting EOD crews out in the open might be useful for other attacks against those typically highly trained soldiers.

Another thing I spotted, and it is part of a much longer video was a FPV drone acting as an ambush mine. It was simply sitting and waiting, using very low power by comparison to flying. If this were tied into a system to detect movement (very easy to build) and alert the operator to take notice/action, this could greatly increase the combat effectiveness of a single drone operator who normally can only effectively search areas using one drone at a time. It also would reduce the need to go back and recharge the batteries and reduce the risk of friendly casualties dealing with an armed drone.

The combat effectiveness of drone-on-drone kills by the WildHornets, who have done a pretty effective crowdfunding campaign, has been noticed in the stats. The amount of lancet strikes per month has dramatically shrunk after the WildHornets began to operate. Now, to be clear, this could also be a supply shortage happening at the same time on the Russian side. So I’m wary of these stats, but either way, it is notable.

There was one little weird piece of footage of a ground drone going and picking up a flying drone that had crash-landed. Field evacuation of drones is a new innovation I hadn’t seen before. Drones protecting other drones. A little spooky if you ask me, especially if this kind of system becomes autonomous. At what cost will they be programmed to protect their own team’s drones? The video cuts out, so I don’t know how effective this drone rescue op was, but it's still interesting. Also, notice that this whole thing was being filmed by a drone. That’s three drones and no humans in that video. I keep thinking a small steel plate mounted to the top and bottom of the drone would allow a strong magnet-on-a-string to do similar recovery operations but faster and cheaper.

Ukraine is also developing another short-range cruise missile that can hit a 200 km range, but apparently, they are developing a longer range one with presumable ranges of closer to 1000km. They want to build 3000 of these and target deeper into Russian territory. Ukraine’s domestic military-industrial complex is shaping up to be formidable, and aside from large platforms like planes, ships, and tanks, they seem to be a lot more self-reliant.

On the Russian innovation front, I caught a video of Russians converting perfectly good 5.45mm ammo into make-shift shotgun rounds. Yeah, you heard me. They’re inserting a few of what looks to be steel ball bearings into the neck of some tubing attached to the end of the casing and crimping the end, hoping that that somehow helps them take down drones. The one advantage I see here is they don’t need to carry two different firearms, just one or two mags of the anti-drone ammo. But, seriously, this is not the way.

The oil spill disaster in the resort town of Anapa has become another testament to Russian mismanagement because after cleaning them up and putting them into bags, they left the bags of oil on the beach. The fuel oil-laden plastic bags are then unsurprisingly swept back into the sea. Now, there’s oil and bags, not just oil. Way to go! 😝 

There have been many attacks in the last few days against Russia. First was the Millerovo airfield, which the Russians say was unharmed, and everything was intercepted despite the fire that broke out. There was also a drone that hit a Shahed drone facility, destroying millions of dollars in parts and stopping the protection of approximately 400 Shaheds. The Russians called it a “mysterious fire,” but the drone caught on camera slamming into it would be my first guess as to the issue. Lol.

Also, we have seen more people setting fires on local police cars and infrastructure. This time, one of the women, a 76-year old was told by the FSB to do it. So, very likely, people are trolling elderly/unwise people into damaging their own infrastructure. Interesting tactic and likely pretty funny and demoralizing internally at the same time.

Things are not all great for Ukraine, though. Aside from the losses here and there, the Ukrainian power situation is not looking good. They are starting to have to rely on power plants from Turkey and Lithuania to supply it. They are not alone, though - lots of European countries are going to struggle with power over the coming winter.

Before we jump out of Russia/Ukraine, it is worth noting that the Russians have started blocking YouTube. It stands to reason that Putin really is not a fan of the anti-Russian sentiment, and the last thing they want is their population to get wise to the losses and incompetence. Authoritarians gonna authoritarian.

Onto Europe, where Serbia saw one of its largest protests in decades, as citizens, students, and farmers took to the streets against corruption. Despite attempts to stifle turnout, Belgrade’s streets were flooded with demonstrators demanding change. The turn out was incredible - some estimate it may have reached just shy of 100k people. Georgia is also about to enter an interesting phase in the next handful of days, with an ultimatum that if they don’t have new parliamentary elections or Salome Zurabishvili will not resign. Expect more from that region soon.

One of the dog whistles of racists, like the shooter in New Zealand, is that there is a “great replacement” going on. Well, there is a video from Sweden where Muslims are saying that is exactly what is happening in Malmo. Not a great look and likely to fuel some anger from the citizens there. Now to be fair, this video was mostly just reporting what he was told, not what he felt or wanted necessarily, but I don’t know that that will matter to people watching it.

An interesting one for the 2nd amendment crowd. Finland is taking proactive steps to bolster its defense with plans for 300 new gun ranges. These are state-sponsored and designed to get the public proficient with firearms, given that they are likely one of the first countries involved if the Russians spill over into NATO countries.

Iceland inches closer to the EU, setting a potential referendum for 2027 to become the 28th EU member state. I am not at all surprised by this. Now the question is, what will happen with Greenland, given that Trump has had his eye on it?

And for a taste of cutting-edge tech, the UK has successfully tested a directed energy weapon capable of neutralizing drone swarms. This likely operates differently than the laser systems, which just burn a hole in the target. This likely short-circuits a drone’s equipment, making it arc and fail. Unless the drones are electronically hardened, they don’t stand much of a chance with this sort of technology. But neither does your own equipment nearby because while I am sure they are doing everything they can to isolate and direct the beam, anything caught in it will likely also fail.

A Russian cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea. This isn’t just any cargo ship; it was likely not en route to do rescue operations in Tartus or build a new base in Lybia. No, some eagle-eye people on X believe that it had two hatches that were destined for Project 10510 - a nuclear-powered icebreaker. This would open up a year-round passage for goods through the northern routes, allowing cold-weather ports to be open year-round. This might put them years behind schedule.

Onto the South China Sea, where China’s maritime militia in Hainan has ballooned to 152 boats, more than doubling its size in recent years. This “militia” reinforces Beijing’s dominance in disputed waters. I think we should call it what it is: their Hainan Navy.

Adding fuel to the fire, the PLA released chilling footage of an anti-ship missile obliterating a mock U.S. aircraft carrier. I have a few thoughts about this video, though. First of all, this was in the sand, not the sea, so there wasn’t a moving target that could take evasive action or the reflective nature of radar on the waves. Second, the ship didn’t deploy any countermeasures. the nature of radar on the waves. Second, the ship didn’t deploy any countermeasures. Third, if you really slow down the video, the explosion appears on the near side of the ship, not on the deck. The first explosive frame looks like it’s in front of the ship, not inside it. I don’t actually think they hit the target. Not that it wouldn’t do anything serious.

Onto, the Middle East where, Syria’s power vacuum has caused some interesting ripple effects. Jolani’s declaration that no armed groups, including the U.S.-backed SDF, will be allowed to operate in Syria risks direct confrontation. Despite being the leader of the ISIS offshoot, he seems to be trying to take a moderate approach. I don’t think he’s going to get his wish, given that all his neighbors want a piece, but it is interesting to see him try to politic.

The SDF forces released some footage of the arms they are being equipped with. Heavy machine guns, RPGs, hand grenades… the origin? The US, of course. Our fingerprints are all over the Kurdish/Sunni Muslim forces.

Meanwhile, in a prelude of what is to come, Turkish tanks are heading toward Kobani. So now we have US-NATO-backed Kurdish forces fighting Turkey-NATO-backed ISIS forces in the North and US-NATO-backed Israeli forces fighting those same ISIS forces in the south. And they aren’t armed with sticks and rocks here. They’re armed with tanks, MLRS, and drones. Your tax dollars. 💸 

On the Hezbollah front, the IDF’s seizure of over 84,000 Hezbollah weapons just shows the scope of recent ground operations in Lebanon. The sheer scale of armament hidden among civilian areas is staggering and shows just how vital that pager/walkie-talkie operation that 60 minutes covered was.

Onto North America, where Donald Trump’s suggestion to reclaim the Panama Canal is causing a bit of a stir in Panama and is maybe a bit of backlash from the Chinese companies who maintain the port. More on Trump’s thoughts here and here. It’s hard to tell how much of this is negotiation/trolling and how much he intends to go for it. Time will tell, I guess!

Biden has decided that it is against his conscious to allow death sentences to be carried out, so he decided to intervene and commute the death sentences of 37 death row inmates and switch them to life without parole. That left three remaining death row inmates. I guess his conscious isn’t that bothered by death sentences after all. Political theater. More on that story here.

Meanwhile, Congress voted to ban Chinese drone manufacturer DJI, a move likely driven by concerns over CCP surveillance and domestic lobbying efforts by American drone manufacturer Skydio. This doesn’t really change much, though; there are tons of other drone manufacturers in China or are proxies of China that will happily supply the US market. The actual law is paper-thin. It will take a better bill if we want to go after this problem.

The US is now fielding a new type of modular MRLS that will allow it to fire various modern missiles. That’s going to turn out to be very useful, I think, as supplies of one dwindle, it will be easy to swap out a missile pack for another system with plentiful supplies.

I also saw a new type of ducted fan VTOL drone that looks both very high tech and likely has a lot of advantages over the quadcopters including the radar footprint but also potentially noise and other things. It’s hard to explain without watching the video, but I think you’ll see what I mean.

In brief Tech news, AI-driven tools like WonderWorld and Gaussian Splatting are revolutionizing 3D rendering. I highly recommend those videos if you want to see where things are heading. Whether in real-time (unlikely but feasible in the short term due to a variety of constraints) or in world-building.

Also, Arizona is now embracing AI education with its first charter school using AI as a primary teacher for at least a few hours per day. This is the same tech that notoriously lies/hallucinates, is full of very left political biases, and will flatly refuse to discuss specific topics entirely, even if they are benign in reality. I am not a fan of this as a teacher replacement, at least not yet. That said, US teachers/curriculum haven’t been doing a great job either, so we shall see.

Lastly, in Economics, European luxury brands are feeling the pinch as Chinese demand wanes. Analysts speculate that potential tax cuts in the U.S. could offset losses, redirecting consumer spending back to European luxury giants. That would save Europe, and hurt China beyond their current belt-tightening. I will keep saying it because I don’t hear anyone else doing so - China is not a market for US companies and never really was.

Okay, onto the articles!

Geopolitical

Concerns have arisen regarding the potential involuntary activation of the National Guard to assist the U.S. Capitol Police, specifically the legal implications and requirements surrounding such actions. The current Defense Secretary lacks the legal authority to do so without the consent of state governors, and any attempt to proceed without this consent could result in a constitutional crisis due to violations of federal laws governing military support in domestic law enforcement.

• The defense secretary's request to extend National Guard support to the Capitol Police may violate legal limitations set by the Posse Comitatus Act.

• Lack of governors' consent for involuntary activation poses significant constitutional and legal challenges for federal military intervention in domestic issues.

[RSnake: Yeah, in the Wild West, this almost triggered a US civil war. Watch Wyatt Earp and the Coyboy War for more details on that. We have to tread lightly on this one. People are understandably wary of their own government. It’s not like it’s been earning the US public’s trust as of late with COVID policies and policing social media.]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/12/24/the_national_guard_and_the_militarization_of_dc_1080643.html

The UN reports that 207 individuals were killed in a slum neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during a mass killing carried out by gangs earlier this month. The violence is part of a broader crisis in Haiti, characterized by escalating gang violence, political instability, and significant humanitarian challenges, with over 5,358 deaths linked to gang conflicts reported this year alone.

• The UN identified that 207 people were executed by gangs in Haiti, with findings revealing brutal methods of murder and body disposal.

• The ongoing gang violence has resulted in significant fatalities and injuries, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.

[RSnake: I can just see it now - we will get dragged into that somehow.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/23/un-publishes-new-death-toll-of-two-hundred-seven-for-recent-massacre-in-haitis-capital?traffic_source=rss

The United States is set to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 20, 2025, potentially leaving a significant gap in global health financing and leadership. The US has historically been the largest contributor to the WHO, providing over $400 million annually, a funding level that will be drastically reduced following the withdrawal.

• The US withdrawal from WHO will hinder global public health response efforts.

• This move could create a vacuum in health leadership and financing on an international scale.

[RSnake: I mean they did such a bang-up job working with Fauci building the gain of function research that led to COVID. Seriously, read that Biden administration but bi-partisan report. I can’t imagine why we wouldn’t want more of that!]

Source: https://www.jewishpress.com/?p=720321

President-elect Trump predicts his second administration will be fully operational in roughly two hours.

• President-elect Trump said he would make good on campaign promises within 29 days of taking office.

• Trump predicted the incoming president's deportation plan would take effect on day one.

[RSnake: Yup, more of the same. I have heard numerous people saying the deportation plan is well underway already. Criminals first. Others next. I still haven’t heard where they plan to put them, though.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-predicts-his-administration-will-be-fully-operational-within-two-hours

Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria has collapsed following years of conflict and protests that began in 2011. Celebrations erupted in Damascus as the opposition gained control, raising issues of human rights abuses in the aftermath, including the discovery of mass graves and continued uncertainty for the families of missing individuals.

• The fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime has led to significant political changes in Syria.

• The aftermath raises serious human rights concerns, including the discovery of mass graves and unaccounted-for prisoners.

[RSnake: I am sure this is a good day for all involved. I am just not so sure about who we are left with. It’s like taking the car keys away from a drugged-out kid and tossing it to your drunk uncle.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/12/23/years-of-reporting-on-syria-the-road-to-damascus-and-the-fall-of-al-assad?traffic_source=rss

Russia claims to have shot down 42 UAVs launched by Ukraine over multiple regions, while Ukrainian air defenses reportedly intercepted 47 Russian drones. The conflict continues to escalate with significant military losses on both sides, including over 1,800 Russian soldiers in a single day. Fighting persists in contested urban areas as tensions remain high.

• Russia's air defense claims a large number of intercepted Ukrainian drones.

• Significant military losses are reported for both Russian and Ukrainian forces.

[RSnake: I don’t doubt these numbers on either side. The real question is how many was that as a percentage and how many were fired. And if you want to get into it, what was the cost of attrition on both sides.]

Source: https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/12/22/7490209/

The U.S. National Security Advisor has informed the incoming Trump administration about an increased risk of Iran pursuing nuclear weapons, as recent Israeli airstrikes have led to calls within Iran for reconsideration of its nuclear stance. Iranian officials, while maintaining that their nuclear program is peaceful, have recently exceeded international uranium enrichment limits, prompting concerns about their military capabilities and intentions regarding nuclear development.

• The Biden administration warns of a heightened risk of Iran developing nuclear weapons.

• Recent Israeli airstrikes have contributed to a shift in Iran's attitude toward its nuclear program.

[RSnake: Yup, that is the real risk.]

Source: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202412222731

There is increasing scrutiny regarding President Joe Biden's mental health and the alleged cover-up by his inner circle. Prominent figures within the Democratic Party and media outlets are now disclosing information suggesting that Biden has struggled with cognitive fitness for several years, which could lead to severe political ramifications for the party.

• Biden's mental decline is becoming more publicly exposed by major news outlets.

• Key Democratic insiders are speaking out against the cover-up of Biden's cognitive issues.

[RSnake: Rats running from the ship. Now, in the 11th hour, they are honest about their lies and cover-ups. Not a good look. I really think this is one of the reasons no one took Kamala seriously - she was saying Biden was good to go. You cannot lie to the face of the American people and think they won’t notice what they’ve already seen.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/dominoes-are-falling-fast-over-biden-mental-health-cover

Russia has been developing a nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapon, complicating US efforts to prevent its acquisition through arms control and diplomatic leverage.

• A nuclear attack in space would not directly kill anyone on the ground, altering the dynamics of a nuclear first strike.

• Russia depends less on access to space than the US or its allies do, making it harder for the US to raise stakes and engage Russia in arms control talks.

[RSnake: I am surprised such a thing hasn’t already been orbited. But yes, this does allow them an option to take out much of the world’s electronic systems without killing a person in the process. Of course, the aftermath would be death and destruction very akin to a nuclear strike, though, as people starve and freeze, etc.]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/12/24/arms_control_in_space_needs_a_motivator_1080630.html

The U.S. Space Force is on track to deliver a new command-and-control system called ATLAS, aimed at providing operators with a unified view of space operations by the end of next year. The system will replace outdated technology and enhance the Space Force's analytical capabilities, with successful integration and training efforts underway to facilitate its adoption. Additionally, the Space Force is preparing to address increasing threats from adversaries like China and Russia by bolstering its operational readiness and incorporating commercial space capabilities.

• The U.S. Space Force is developing a new system called ATLAS to improve command-and-control capabilities for space operations.

• The initiative is part of a broader strategy to address rising threats from nations like China and Russia.

[RSnake: And nuclear armed satellites, yes.]

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/space/2024/12/23/space-operations-command-preps-for-new-shared-domain-awareness-tool/

The U.S. Navy is facing significant challenges as its fleet is diminishing while China's navy continues to grow, with projections indicating that the U.S. could drop to 280 ships by 2027 compared to China's 400. Efforts are underway to revitalize the U.S. Navy's shipbuilding industry, which includes addressing the issues within the supply chain and ensuring that critical components are sourced from a stable and engaged supplier base.

• The U.S. Navy is projected to shrink significantly, leading to concerns about naval power in the face of China's expansion.

• Efforts to boost shipbuilding involve addressing challenges in the supply chain and ensuring stability for suppliers.

[RSnake: Here comes the SHIPS act! Let’s get on it!]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/12/23/boosting_the_maritime_industrial_base_for_navy_combat_power_1080352.html

The Port of Shanghai has become the first port in the world to handle over 50 million TEUs in annual container throughput, solidifying its position as the busiest port globally for the past 14 years. The port's growth is attributed to increased export containers, international transfers, and a significant enhancement in operational efficiency, including advancements in automation and green initiatives aimed at developing eco-friendly shipping solutions.

• Shanghai Port achieved a historic record by surpassing 50 million TEUs in annual container throughput.

• The port's operations have improved significantly with technological advancements and a focus on environmentally sustainable practices.

[RSnake: It’s also a very vulnerable port if we do get into a hot war with them. Iranians have a similar issue with their oil and gas ports.]

Source: https://gcaptain.com/?p=219543

The Biden administration has approved the SouthCoast Wind Project, the 11th major offshore wind initiative in the U.S., contributing to over 19 gigawatts of clean energy capacity. The project, located off the Massachusetts coast, is expected to generate up to 2.4 gigawatts of energy, enough to power 840,000 homes, despite potential regulatory changes under the incoming administration that may impact future offshore wind development.

• The SouthCoast Wind Project will significantly contribute to the U.S. renewable energy capacity.

• The future of offshore wind energy in the U.S. may face challenges with the incoming administration's energy policies.

[RSnake: I am okay with more power because we’ll need all of it we can get. But this is almost the same as one nuclear plant. Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, for instance, = 2 gigawatts. We’re going to need a lot more than the equivalent of one nuclear power plant with AI and the internet-of-things revolution upon us.]

Source: https://gcaptain.com/?p=219525

President-elect Donald Trump is making waves in the maritime world with his vocal opposition to port automation, support for the Jones Act, and comments about the Panama Canal's tolls.

• Trump’s recent moves could signal a strong maritime focus in his upcoming administration.

• The outcome of the port automation dispute could redefine the future of U.S. port operations and have far-reaching implications for labor relations and national security.

• Trump’s comments on the Panama Canal tolls have reignited discussions about U.S. strategic interests in the canal, particularly given China’s growing presence in the region.

[RSnake: I am okay with port automation, but not Chinese tech. The systems require direct connections to China to operate. It's not a good or safe design. Period.]

Source: https://gcaptain.com/?p=219519

Italy's Navy has received its new flagship amphibious assault ship, the LHD Trieste, marking a significant advancement in its naval capabilities. The ship is designed for a wide range of operations, including force projection, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief, and will be homeported in Taranto after initial training. This development positions Italy as a stronger maritime power with enhanced operational versatility in joint and multinational contexts.

• The LHD Trieste is Italy's most advanced amphibious warfare vessel to date.

• It can support various missions from combat operations to humanitarian aid and has the capacity to embark F-35B aircraft.

[RSnake: Just to be clear, it is an aircraft carrier replete with the ski-jump design for catapult launches, not just VTOL. The description makes it seem like it’s a landing craft.]

Source: https://www.navalnews.com/?p=66271

The U.S. Navy is actively engaged in operations in the Red Sea and surrounding regions, including conducting airstrikes against Houthi-controlled targets in Yemen to counter threats to maritime shipping. Additionally, recent friendly fire incidents involving naval aircraft highlight ongoing tensions in the area as U.S. forces navigate complex challenges related to regional security and military deployments.

• U.S. Navy forces are involved in Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect shipping from Houthi attacks.

• U.S. Central Command has conducted airstrikes against Houthi military facilities in response to threats in the Red Sea.

[RSnake: I am still waiting for the news on how we shot down our own F/A-18.]

Source: https://news.usni.org/?p=113898

Technology

H2O.ai has achieved a significant milestone by scoring 65% on the GAIA benchmark for General AI Assistants, indicating that AI is approximately 30% away from matching human-level general intelligence. This score surpasses competitors like Google and Microsoft, showcasing advancements in AI capable of solving complex real-world tasks efficiently. H2O.ai's h2oGPTe Agent demonstrates robust reasoning, multimodal comprehension, and adaptability for enterprise applications.

• H2O.ai secured the top position on the GAIA benchmark, outperforming major tech companies.

• The advancement suggests AI is nearing human-level general intelligence.

[RSnake: Yes, but at what cost? OpenAI o3 had to spend a million dollars to get even close to what humans were capable of. We need that cost to come way down.]

Source: https://thereadable.co/ai-is-only-30-away-from-matching-human-level-general-intelligence-on-gaia-benchmark/

AMD has developed a machine learning compilation (MLC) system that allows for efficient deployment of large language models (LLMs) on their GPUs, such as the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, competing closely with NVIDIA's offerings. The system leverages ROCm for optimized performance while providing broader compatibility across various hardware through a unified software framework.

• AMD's MLC-LLM enables competitive performance for LLMs on AMD GPUs.

• The MLC framework facilitates universal deployment across multiple hardware platforms.

[RSnake: Good for them! More competition will start forcing these product prices back down from orbit.]

Source: https://blog.mlc.ai/2023/08/09/Making-AMD-GPUs-competitive-for-LLM-inference

OpenAI's new language model, o3, scored 25% on a challenging dataset called FrontierMath, which consists of difficult mathematical problems. This indicates significant advancements in AI's ability to handle complex mathematical inquiries, suggesting that AI systems may soon be capable of passing undergraduate-level mathematics exams. However, the challenge of proving theorems remains, and the effectiveness of AI in formal proof scenarios is still limited.

• OpenAI's language model o3 achieved a 25% score on the FrontierMath dataset, demonstrating progress in AI's mathematical capabilities.

• Despite advancements, AI still faces challenges in generating original mathematical proofs compared to expert mathematicians.

[RSnake: This is great because it’s broadly applicable. Once the complex math functions are routinized in code, there is no reason to use an LLM again.]

Source: https://xenaproject.wordpress.com/2024/12/22/can-ai-do-maths-yet-thoughts-from-a-mathematician/

In Europe, there is a significant skills shortage driven by demographic changes, poor working conditions, and the rapid advancement of AI technologies. Countries like the Netherlands and Germany are experiencing declines in labor force growth and impending shortages of skilled workers, while specific programming languages are gaining popularity and in-demand roles are evolving in the tech sector.

• Skills shortages in Europe are impacting labor markets and driven by multiple factors.

• Certain programming languages are rising in demand alongside the advancement of technology and AI.

[RSnake: Right, and anyone who wants to work on cutting-edge tech will want to leave to places where the regulations allow that innovation. EU is figuring out how global markets work the hard way.]

Source: https://thenextweb.com/news/in-demand-programming-languages-2025

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is making a record-breaking fly-by of the Sun, coming as close as 3.8 million miles to its surface while enduring extreme temperatures and radiation. The mission aims to uncover the mysteries of the Sun's corona and improve understanding of solar wind and its impact on Earth.

• Parker Solar Probe will approach the Sun's corona to investigate why it is significantly hotter than the solar surface.

• Understanding solar wind is crucial for predicting space weather that can affect Earth's technology.

[RSnake: Cool - hopefully, we can get better at predicting solar storms. A big flare could still wipe out most electronics.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9q7lnyw25wo

Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, has raised a total of $12 billion, with recent funding increasing its valuation aspirations to $50 billion. xAI's generative AI model, Grok, is increasingly integrated into Musk's social platform, X, and plans to enhance various technologies across Musk's companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, while facing competition from established AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic. The rapid scaling of xAI highlights significant investment activity in the AI sector, where competitors are also securing large funding rounds to accelerate their development.

• xAI has raised a total of $12 billion from prominent investors.

• The generative AI model Grok is integrated into X and aims to enhance technologies across Musk's various companies.

• The AI sector is experiencing significant investment, with competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic also raising large sums.

[RSnake: And X is going ad-free for a higher charge. This gets him away from the ad model for his most valued users.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=2922142

Cybersecurity

Adobe has issued emergency security updates for a critical vulnerability in ColdFusion that could allow attackers to read arbitrary files on affected servers. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2024-53961, has a known proof-of-concept exploit and has been assigned a high severity rating, prompting urgent action from users to prevent potential exploits in the wild.

• Adobe released security patches for a critical ColdFusion vulnerability.

• The flaw has a proof-of-concept exploit and requires immediate attention from users.

[RSnake: Seriously, if you are still on ColdFusion, I need to introduce you to something that came from this century. No, really. This century’s tech has been pretty wild, you should try it.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/adobe-warns-of-critical-coldfusion-bug-with-poc-exploit-code/

Apache has released a security update addressing a critical vulnerability in the Tomcat web server that could allow attackers to execute remote code. This vulnerability affects various versions of Tomcat and requires users to take additional actions beyond simply updating to secure their systems.

• Apache Tomcat has a critical vulnerability that could lead to remote code execution.

• Users must take extra steps in addition to updating to secure their systems against this vulnerability.

[RSnake: I was never a fan of Tomcat, but it was/is widely used for Java. This is probably why I never had much interest in it; I have tended to stay away from Java as a web development platform. I never liked having to compile code for web apps, personally.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/apache-fixes-remote-code-execution-bypass-in-tomcat-web-server/

A US federal judge has ruled that NSO Group violated US hacking laws by using WhatsApp zero-days to deploy Pegasus spyware on at least 1,400 devices. The court will determine damages early next year.

• NSO Group allegedly exploited WhatsApp vulnerabilities using multiple zero-day exploits to deploy Pegasus in zero-click attacks.

• The ruling is a significant victory for Meta-owned WhatsApp, which filed the case five years ago.

[RSnake: Generally speaking I think that it sets an interesting precedence for malware/spyware authors, and probably a good one. It sucks for them because they may never have meant it to be used this way originally, but if you don’t vet your customers, they can and will do bad things. We always struggled with this at Bit Discovery but ended up deciding it was okay to let anyone do any scan they wanted because it was all open-source information anyway.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-court-finds-spyware-maker-nso-liable-for-whatsapp-hacks/

A cyberattack by the ransomware gang Black Basta affected 5.6 million patients of Ascension, a health care giant, causing medical errors and diversion of emergency services.

• Ascension suffered a breach due to Black Basta's attack, with stolen data including personal identifiable information and protected health information for nearly 6 million individuals.

• The US Department of Health and Human Services has identified the breach as the third-largest healthcare-related breach of this year.

[RSnake: Wow, nasty. That’s a lot of patients. That’s around 15% of the population of the United States. In one compromise.]

Source: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/12/health-care-giant-ascension-says-5-6-million-patients-affected-in-cyberattack/

The number of non-human identities in organizations has grown dramatically due to the increasing use of IoT devices and automation, leading to a need for effective management and security measures.

• The Internet of Things is driving more machine-to-machine communications without human intervention, resulting in an explosion of non-human identities that require proper management and security.

• Non-human entities such as bots, scripts, and automated workflows execute tasks autonomously, necessitating identity management to prevent unauthorized access and misuse.

[RSnake: Think of these as tokens/API keys, that identify the application to other applications.]

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/non-human-identities-gain-momentum-requires-both-management-security

In 2024, global cybercrime is expected to cost approximately $9.5 trillion, representing about 9 percent of the world's GDP. To combat the evolving tactics of cybercriminals, collaborative efforts among businesses, governments, and communities, including initiatives targeting the education of youth and preparedness against emerging threats, have been emphasized.

• Cybercrime is projected to cost around $9.5 trillion globally in 2024.

• Collaboration among business, government, and youth is essential to combat advanced cyber threats.

[RSnake: Be careful with these numbers, they are used by VCs and vendors to scare people/companies/governments. The real number is not easily calculated.]

Source: https://cybersecurityventures.com/?p=33009

Business

Xerox Holdings Corporation announced an agreement to acquire Lexmark International, Inc. for $1.5 billion, a move aimed at strengthening its core print portfolio and expanding its global presence in the managed print services market. This acquisition is expected to generate significant cost synergies and enhance Xerox's capabilities in addressing the evolving needs of clients in the hybrid workplace.

• Xerox is acquiring Lexmark to bolster its print services and expand its market share.

• The transaction is projected to create cost efficiencies and improve Xerox's financial position.

[RSnake: Who knew printers were still such big business! Shout out to my buddy who started his life as a printer/copier sales guy. 😉 ]

Source: https://newsroom.lexmark.com/2024-12-23-Xerox-to-Acquire-Lexmark

Australian importers are experiencing significant challenges in container shipping, facing freight costs up to eleven times higher than in previous years. Factors contributing to this crisis include global supply chain disruptions, Panama Canal restrictions, and industrial action at key ports, impacting sales and cash flow for businesses and leading to higher consumer prices.

• Australian importers are dealing with unprecedented container shipping costs.

• Global supply chain disruptions and local industrial actions are exacerbating the situation.

[RSnake: It’s going to get higher, is my prediction.]

Source: https://gcaptain.com/?p=219538

The US government is facing a decision on Nippon Steel's proposed $15 billion takeover of US Steel, following a deadlock in the Committee on Foreign Investment. President Biden, who opposes the deal citing national security concerns, must approve or extend the decision timeline within 15 days. The situation poses potential implications for US-Japan relations amidst bipartisan consensus against the takeover.

• Nippon Steel's takeover of US Steel has become a contentious issue due to national security concerns.

• The decision must be made by President Biden soon, with significant implications for both the steel industry and US-Japan relations.

[RSnake: I get it, but this is not the same steel we use in military capacities. That is a different company. It’s not clear exactly what Biden thinks he is doing - does he know this isn’t a national security threat and is ignorant of it, or is he just trying to do some political posturing?]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/12/24/us-japan-steel-deal-goes-to-biden-for-final-decision-after-panel-deadlocks?traffic_source=rss

Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi are planning a merger to form a global automotive powerhouse in response to increased competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers. Additionally, the EU has introduced tariffs on Chinese EV imports to counter perceived unfair subsidies that are affecting market dynamics.

• Honda and Nissan plan to merge to form one of the largest car manufacturers in the world.

• The merger is motivated by the need to compete with rising Chinese electric vehicle producers.

[RSnake: EU tariffs… someone is getting on the tariff game early. Interesting. I bet that will start hurting the Chinese companies sooner than later.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy3ljvv93lo

Baristas at over 300 Starbucks locations are participating in a strike that began on Friday, which is set to continue into Tuesday, affecting key cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, and Chicago. The action was initiated by a union representing 10,000 workers in response to unresolved labor practice issues and insufficient wage increases, and poses a risk to business during a peak sales period for the company.

• More than 300 Starbucks stores are involved in a strike organized by a union of baristas.

• The strike is a response to unresolved labor practices and insufficient wage negotiations.

[RSnake: Just in time for Xmas. Drive safe out there! Lots of pissed-off drivers on the road.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/23/business/starbucks-strike.html

FedEx plans to spin off its freight division, FedEx Freight, into a separate publicly traded company to streamline operations and enhance competitiveness. This move aims to boost the company's stock value and address challenges in the logistics industry, particularly with declining demand for express shipping services. The spinoff is expected to occur within the next 18 months, as FedEx navigates ongoing struggles with its core business and adjusts to changing market conditions.

• FedEx is spinning off its freight division to improve focus and streamline operations.

• The company is addressing declining demand in its core logistics business and aiming to boost stock performance.

[RSnake: Interesting, I wonder what this really means from a day-to-day perspective. Different planes? Different management, surely.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/40881-fedex-rises-on-freight-spinoffs-compelling-valuation-numbers

Prominent investors are increasingly funding carbon dioxide removal technologies as a means to combat climate change while also seeking profit opportunities. This emerging industry has already attracted over $5 billion in investments since 2018, indicating a shift towards innovative climate solutions amidst rising global temperatures.

• Investors like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos are exploring ventures in the carbon capture industry.

• The carbon removal sector has raised substantial funding, pointing to its potential growth amidst climate concerns.

[RSnake: Odd timing to ramp this up, as I suspect a lot of the regulations will be heavily contested under Trump. That said, having the tech ready isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and there are state regulations to contend with.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/climate/carbon-capture-global-warming.html

The cryptocurrency market is experiencing significant shifts in user trust dynamics following the collapse of the centralized exchange FTX. This event has led to a measurable decline in trading volumes and token valuations on centralized platforms, with users increasingly migrating towards decentralized exchanges as a response to eroded confidence.

• Trust is a critical factor influencing user preferences between centralized and decentralized exchanges.

• The FTX collapse has accelerated a movement towards decentralized alternatives and impacted token valuations significantly.

[RSnake: Yes, but it will go mainstream with exposure to the stock market. So, while it may lose some trading volume as a direct asset, we’ll see it appearing elsewhere.]

Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.17227

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