RSnake Report 20250413

Hello, and thanks for reading! It’s super windy here in Austin, but the weather is great. I’ve been spending a little more time near the pool, but it’s definitely not quite summer yet. At least not in Austin! Let’s jump into it, {not the pool}, shall we?

Starting with the Russian/Ukrainian conflict, Ukrainian President Zelensky has dropped a bombshell, revealing that two Chinese nationals were captured on the frontline, fighting alongside Russian forces in Donetsk. The implications of this revelation are enormous, suggesting that there may be a significant number of other Chinese nationals embroiled in this conflict. Zelensky has promptly instructed his Foreign Minister to reach out to China for an explanation. If China is entering the war, they may be a lot more willing to help Russia with equipment and technical expertise than they have been, and be more willing to purchase Russian oil, etc. I suspect this is really just a matter of giving the CCP more direct information that they can use to get ready for conflict with the West, similar to what North Korea was doing. It’s not like the CCP cares about losing a few hundred thousand soldiers, or millions of them. They really do not care.

On the technological front, Ukraine has unveiled its latest combat unmanned ground vehicle, the D-21-12, which comes armed with a machine gun. I do really like this design because it can charge into front-line positions and make it next to impossible to progress without destroying it, which leads to zero Ukrainian casualties.

For their part, there is a new video showing a Russian tactical UGV carrying out an attack on a Ukrainian position. I know Russia was really pushing this propaganda that they have these devices, but this is the first and only time I have seen combat footage of it actually being used, and it’s against a target that wasn’t clearly, obviously, containing Ukrainian soldiers. So it’s hard to tell if this is entirely propaganda or really evidence of a change in how the Russians will turn to more automation. It’s kinda crazy how glorified RC cars are turning out to have real battlefield utility.

On a more positive note for Ukraine, a recent display of survivability capabilities of a Ukrainian Leopard-2A4 tank. Despite sustaining otherwise very significant damage from a Russian drone strike that penetrated the ammunition rack, the crew compartment remained intact. This shows the delta between the Western military’s approach to survivability, both in training and tech, which can allow soldiers to return to the field with greater experience.

Conversely, Russian tactics were displayed with the dramatic explosion of a T-80BVM tank by the 414th Strike UAV Brigade. When the drone hit, it hit the open hatch. Now, why a tank on the front lines, in range of Ukrainian drones, had no counter-drone EW aboard and had an open hatch just shows how badly trained and equipped these crews are, and when it’s hit, it fully destroys the tank. That crew is not returning to give notes to Russian engineers. I don’t think Russia really cares about getting its crews home safely.

In response to mounting air attacks, Zelensky has made it clear that Ukraine needs additional air defense systems. In a proactive move, Netherlands announced €150 million in funding to enhance air defenses with the I-Hawk system, alongside plans to deliver more F-16s and essential components of the Patriot system. The kinda cool thing is that the Hawk system was designed to take down Russian jets, and it now it will finally fulfill that purpose.

In other air-defense news, Ukraine has also revealed the operational capabilities of the "Trizub" laser system, which reportedly can vaporize drones, missiles, helicopters, and aircraft and other projectiles from up to 10,000 meters (a little over 5.5 miles) away. The advancements in laser technology not only showcase the creative approaches to modern warfare but also offer a glimpse into future combat scenarios. This looks very much like a prototype to me, but if it works, this could be a low-cost solution that has enough range to protect major cities and front lines from higher-flying systems. Low flying will still be difficult because it requires a line of sight.

The alternative is scenes like the one below, where air defenses over Kyiv were pushed to their limits as the Russian forces launched yet another assault, sending 88 Shahed drones toward the capital. These tracers are slow to hit the targets and require some pretty good shooting. Clearly, some got through, even with all that lead. So, perhaps lasers are a better choice for densely populated areas like this, where power is plentiful and casualties can be extremely high.

The number of casualties in the Sumy region rises to an alarming 99, including 11 children, due to indiscriminate attacks. I have heard numbers, 33, 80, and 99, so it’s not exactly clear how many were killed, but the answer remains the same: too many.

A blaze has erupted at the oil refinery in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia. I really do hope for the budding peace deal that this is just an accident and not a Ukrainian strike, because from what I can tell energy is off limits during the partial deal. This would be pretty blatant. 🔥 

Meanwhile, the crude oil market is feeling the pinch as Brent crude dips below the $60 mark, and Russia's Urals blend is now trading near $50 per barrel, a notable $20 below the planned benchmark. This downturn is projected to have serious ramifications for the Kremlin’s war chest, especially as they have purportedly already burned through about half of their $120bn sovereign wealth fund.

In European news, Estonia seized a sanctioned Russian “shadow” tanker, the KIWALA, as it attempted to sneak into the port of Ust-Luga. This tanker wasn’t sailing empty; it was reportedly carrying crude oil. While it flew a Djibouti flag, even officials there denied any connection to the vessel. There were 24 non-Russian crew members on board, and the captain was reportedly Chinese.

Sanctions against Russia seem to be having a real impact. A newly compiled graph shows that activity within the so-called Russian shadow fleet has plummeted by an astonishing 85%, with vessels jointly sanctioned by the U.S., EU, and UK seeing a staggering 93% drop in operational activity. Pretty impressive!

Estonian inspectors have also turned their sharp eyes to the KIWALA during its detention and found a shocking 40 deficiencies aboard the tanker, underscoring the high stakes of using aging vessels in volatile waters. Regulators in the Bali region are now urged to heed this warning, given the numerous sub-standard tankers operating in their waters. It does make sense, though - if they can’t operate under normal conditions, they’re going to be substandard in quality and maintenance.

Reports have surfaced indicating that they may pull as many as 10,000 U.S. troops from Eastern Europe. I believe this would reduce the chances of an attack in Eastern Europe triggering Article V and also reduce the costs of having the troops deployed in areas that aren’t currently in conflict, given that we have bigger fish to fry in the Pacific if China does go hot.

On to South East Asia news. The U.S.-China trade relationship is not looking pretty. Following Trump’s aggressive move to slap a 50% tariff on Chinese goods, bringing the total on some products to a staggering 104%, and the CCP hitting back with 84% tariffs, the decoupling of these two economic giants appears inevitable. Beijing isn’t taking this sitting down, vowing “We don’t back down” while invoking a speech by Mao discussing being at war with the West. I don’t have high hopes that this de-escalates quietly. The best we can hope for if this continues is a massive economic disruption in China, a full default, for instance, which would affect the West too. The faster we unwind from China, the safer we will be, but it’s not going to be easy even in the best-case scenario. The only other scenario I see that might work out is if we can concede in both directions on major issues and quickly.

Adding to the anxiety, shipments from China are plunging as U.S. container bookings drop by 25% in response to these tariffs. Americans are loading up on essentials, reminiscent of pandemic-era stockpiling, with interviewees mentioning they’re doubling quantities of basic goods to brace for impact. And is there any doubt why, with news like this, Amazon is no longer shipping certain goods from China due to the tariffs? I think the market is acting rationally given the shortage of goods. The Chinese stock market is getting trounced this week. It is partly due to a general reset of the market, but I also think the market is very concerned about all these sanctions. We shall see how that shakes out.

Hollywood rumors swirl that China may respond to the tariffs by banning U.S. film imports. This seems unlikely to me. While it would be a punch against Hollywood, the people running the studios aren’t the people Trump cares about, and they don’t vote for him. So he’s probably disinterested in that threat. Also, the CCP has, for years, required rewrites to Hollywood scripts and demanded that at least one Chinese actor be hired for Hollywood movies before it would allow the movies to be shown in China, like Kelly Mary Tran’s placement in Star Wars. Did her role in the movies seem oddly tacked on? Well, now you know why. Why would the CCP remove its leverage over Hollywood and the minds of the world? Now you know why I think it’s unlikely.

Also, I spotted this rather dreary story, that the opposition democratic party in Hong Kong voted 90% to 10% to disband. My question is did the CCP just insert that many insiders to cause such an overwhelming vote? Or are we expected to believe that people who want democracy suddenly decided authoritarian governments are pretty cool after all? 🙄 

China put together a video of their testing and training around how they plan to deal with drones. It mostly involves hiding, doors and tarps. Though they did show a few different things like shotguns, a net gun and some sort of EW weapon. So it is clear the CCP is anticipating drone-based weapons being used against them.

In Middle East news, a display of defiance, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has pushed back against U.S. hopes for a Libya-style nuclear deal, essentially telling Washington to keep dreaming if they believe Iran will dismantle its nuclear program on American terms. However, in a surprising twist, former President Trump weighed in on the matter during talks with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, asserting that while Iran should not possess military nuclear capabilities, it could maintain a civilian nuclear program for electricity generation, like the one at the Bushehr reactor. So it sounds like the two countries are getting more in alignment on this one major issue.

As diplomatic discussions unfolded in Muscat, Oman, the Iranian delegation made it clear that they have “red lines” that cannot be crossed, including a firm rejection of denuclearization talks. Instead, they suggested a return to previously agreed-upon levels of uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief from the U.S. This gives me a little hope that the sanctions are actually working - perhaps too well if it is causing Iran to want nukes.

In Yemen, the U.S. Navy has ramped up its military operations, launching 10 airstrikes targeting underground munitions storage facilities belonging to the Ansar Allah group near the capital, Sana'a. These strikes are part of a broader strategy to degrade Houthi capabilities and send a clear message about U.S. commitments in the region. Personally, I am not convinced these attacks are doing what we hope they will do, but I’m willing to wait and see.

The U.S. State Department has issued a sharp warning to any nation or entity providing support to the Iranian-backed Houthis, which have now been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This also means that Iran is in the line of sight for any issues that might arise that may be considered assistance for the Houthis. We have what we need to drop bombs on Iran as a result.

In Domestic news, a few Asian currencies have started outperforming the U.S. dollar amid rising fears of a recession. Goldman Sachs predicts that the Chinese yuan will likely have a more significant impact on Asian currencies than the dollar itself. This trend suggests a potential reshaping of financial dynamics that could reverberate across global markets. The US dollar devaluation means that other countries will find US products more attractive, and could dramatically increase purchasing, or at least that has been the theory. In light of sanctions and tariffs, it’s not clear if that will pan out.

The Department of Defense has introduced the Leonidas H2O, a high-energy microwave system designed to disable nearby small boats and drones. Tested under realistic conditions, this innovative technology be an advancement in non-kinetic tactical solutions. In the video it shows how it was able to stop a boat engine without firing a shot. Pretty cool tech if it isn’t too difficult to deploy.

In a call for increased military readiness, the commander of U.S. Space Command has now called for an imminent ramp-up of space weapons and announced plans for satellite refueling funding. Imagine that - the Space Force wants space weapons. Lol. But honestly, there is really a threat there to our satellites and astronaut missions, so this isn’t as crazy as it sounds. 🛰️ 

Meanwhile, an investigation has revealed that CENTCOM has only one air defense system available for the Army. Yes. One. Despite ongoing concerns regarding drone threats. I really, really hope that this is just a BS article, because if not, we are way behind the times. Reports suggest that over 50% and maybe as high as 80% of casualties sustained by Russian forces can be attributed to FPV drones. With low-cost, software-defined drones inflicting significant damage, it seems incomprehensible that the U.S. stalls in advancements to keep pace.

On the home front, rising bond yields are pushing mortgage rates to new heights, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbing back above 7%. This is what I was saying last week about a lot of things having to go right for Trump’s plan to work. In this case, the Fed isn’t playing ball, and treasuries aren’t flying off the shelves as fast as I think the Trump administration was hoping. I do think that could change, just as we saw a big reversal in the market, but the problem with the market recovering is that treasuries aren’t as attractive. So again, a lot of things have to go a very specific way for the plan to work, and I just don’t see that happening.

As far as the “hokey pokey” part of the plan, Trump has announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries, yet the tariff on China is set to balloon to a staggering 125% and later 145% with the exception of cell phones and computers. So things are a bit of a mess and likely to rapidly change. More than a dozen different trade deals are already on the table from the countries that want to avoid tariffs. We’ll see what happens over that three-month period.

The Department of Homeland Security is formalizing practices to surveil visa and green card holders for anti-Semitic speech. While I think that anyone aiding or abetting a terrorist org belongs in jail or deported, I am not at all a fan of blanket surveillance, nor is anti-Semitism illegal, at least not currently. That said, if the government is surveilling everyone at all times, it should include aliens as well. Hard to say what about this is new or different, other than just a scare tactic. That said, chilling effects tend to make bad actors with really dangerous intent go underground, and I’d rather know who they were, personally. That said, this isn’t censorship precisely; it is something else.

Bill Maher shared an intriguing dinner conversation with Trump, suggesting that the man behind the headlines can be different in person, less deranged and more personable. I think this will come as an unwelcome shock to a lot of democrats, but it makes sense. He has been all about earned media since his first run at the presidential office. That means he needs to say seemingly wild and unhinged things to get people to write articles about him and take over the national dialogue. As Updike once said, “Celebrity is a mask that eats into the face.”

Briefly in Tech news, META is under fire due to a whistleblower session at a hearing in Washington where Sara Wynn-Williams gave pretty damning testimony, where she and the people who were questioning her alleged that Zuckerberg and his staff perjured themselves on numerous occasions to Congress (a crime) in that they worked closely with the Chinese Communist Party to enable censorship in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but also dissidents on US soil. I suspect META may be in some serious trouble coming up. Her testimony included potential witness intimidation, a gag order, and threatening $50k fines for each instance of disparaging content, regardless if it is “telling the truth” - an order which she appears to have ignored. One of the interesting sections is where they talked about what happens when a 13-year-old girl deletes a photo - they decide it is a great time to deliver beauty product ads, because she likely dislikes how she looks. So gross.

Okay, onto the articles!

Israel has completed the construction of a security corridor that separates Rafah from the rest of Gaza, intensifying the ongoing conflict with Hamas. The Israeli military is conducting airstrikes in Gaza while also enforcing strict controls on food, fuel, and humanitarian aid to the region, exacerbating shortages for Palestinians. Amid the escalating violence, the Israeli government is also pressuring Hamas to release hostages and has indicated plans for further military operations in Gaza.

• Israel has constructed a security corridor to encircle Rafah, increasing military control over Gaza.

• The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties and humanitarian challenges for the Palestinian population.

[RSnake: I can see why they did that. It is much more difficult to smuggle things into Rafah now. Still possible, but not at the same quantity as it might have once been.]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/04/12/israel-says-new-security-corridor-completed-severing-gazas-southernmost-city.html

Sudanese paramilitary forces have carried out a two-day attack on famine-hit camps in the Darfur region, killing over 100 people, including aid workers and children. The attack also destroyed parts of the city andthe health infrastructure. This is part of a series of brutal attacks on displaced people and aid workers in Sudan since the start of the conflict nearly two years ago.

• The attack targets Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps, which shelter over 700,000 displaced people.

• Nine aid workers were killed in the attacks, including six medical workers from Relief International.

[RSnake: I am curious how, if at all, USAID defunding their efforts in the region is affecting this conflict.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/12/sudan-paramilitaries-kill-at-least-100-people-in-darfur-attack-un-says?traffic_source=rss

In the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, severe restrictions are being imposed to eradicate Ukrainian identity, including prohibitions on Ukrainian traditions and language. Additionally, residents face repression, and underground resistance movements are being formed in response to the oppressive conditions enforced by Russian authorities. As negotiations for peace progress, concerns increase over potential territorial concessions from Ukraine amidst ongoing violence and state-sponsored surveillance.

• Residents in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine are facing severe repression aimed at eliminating Ukrainian identity.

• Underground resistance movements are emerging as Ukrainians respond to the oppressive conditions set by Russian authorities.

[RSnake: Russia is so good that it has to ban the alternative.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93gy91y43vo

The Trump administration has proposed a budget for NASA that includes a significant cut of approximately 20 percent, equating to $5 billion, predominantly affecting the agency's Science Mission Directorate. This reduction threatens the continuation of several key projects, including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and significant cuts to various scientific research areas within NASA, potentially leading to the closure of the Goddard Space Flight Center and affecting thousands of jobs. Congressional opposition to these cuts is anticipated as the budget process unfolds.

• NASA's budget proposal includes a 20 percent cut, primarily impacting scientific research.

• The proposed cuts threaten significant projects, including the highly anticipated Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

• Congressional opposition to the proposed budget cuts is expected to be strong.

[RSnake: That is a pretty hefty cut. As a bit of a space nerd, I am not a fan of cutting NASA, but I suspect what will end up happening is most of that cut will affect non-critical science research.]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/proposed-nasa-budget-cuts-would-decimate-american-leadership-in-space/

U.S. intelligence predicts a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan within two years, which could secure China's dominance in the global semiconductor market. The Chinese military, particularly its navy, is expanding rapidly, holding a significant advantage over the U.S. Navy in terms of ship quantity, posing critical challenges to U.S. military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

• U.S. intelligence anticipates a Chinese invasion of Taiwan by 2027.

• China's navy continues to expand in size and capabilities, threatening U.S. naval dominance.

• The U.S. is urged to restore its shipbuilding industry to counter the challenges posed by China's military growth.

[RSnake: Two years will fly by too. We don’t have much time. A lot of procurement cycles are over a year, for instance.]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/04/11/restoring_american_industrial_might_to_counter_china_1103368.html

Military cooperation among China, North Korea, and Russia is increasing, raising security concerns in the Pacific region. The U.S. military commander in the Pacific, Admiral Samuel Paparo, noted China's significant military support to Russia, while North Korea is providing artillery and missiles in exchange for military assistance from Moscow. This growing alliance poses direct threats to U.S. national security and military readiness in the region.

• China is supplying military tools and technology to Russia, which is then reciprocating with military assistance.

• North Korea is sending artillery and troops to Russia while developing its military capabilities.

[RSnake: It makes sense, and they missed one - Iran.]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/04/11/china-north-korea-and-russia-military-cooperation-raises-threats-pacific-us-official-warns.html

A Pakistani-born businessman, Tahawwur Rana, has been remanded in custody for 18 days in India on charges related to his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. He was extradited from the US and is accused of aiding Lashkar-e-Taiba by working with a childhood friend to support the Pakistani group blamed for the assault. Rana will face questioning by Indian authorities in detail to unravel the conspiracy behind the deadly attacks.

• Rana is accused of aiding Lashkar-e-Taiba and was extradited from the US.

• He faces 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

[RSnake: Wow - and he was here in the US. If that's true, that’s not great. Imagine what sort of other unsavory types have made it to our shores.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ep67x645jo

US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as European nations pledged significant financial support for Ukraine's defense. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russian actions and requested more military aid, while Trump voiced frustration over the lack of progress toward a ceasefire. Russia continues to deny claims of employing foreign fighters in the conflict, and tensions between the US and Russia remain high regarding diplomatic relations and military support.

• The US is actively trying to mediate discussions between Ukraine and Russia amidst the ongoing conflict.

• European nations have committed substantial funding for Ukraine's military.

• There are persistent accusations of foreign involvement in the conflict, complicating diplomatic efforts.

[RSnake: I don’t think the terms or the proposed concessions are public, but I suspect Russia will demand to keep Donbas and some of the other Oblasts in the East, as well as getting Kursk back, as well as continuing to hold Crimea. That’s just a huge territorial loss for Ukraine, but it would bring peace.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crm3kxxx8x9o

President Donald Trump has signed executive orders directing the Department of Justice to investigate former appointees Chris Krebs and Miles Taylor, revoking their security clearances due to their criticisms of his election fraud claims. This action is part of a broader pattern of retaliatory measures against individuals who opposed his administration's narratives, including the targeting of the law firm representing Dominion Voting Systems in related defamation cases.

• Trump is investigating former appointees over their criticisms of his claims regarding the 2020 election.

• The revocation of security clearances is part of a series of retaliatory measures against dissenters.

  [RSnake: Some of my former CISA contacts are quite up in arms about this, especially as CISA is getting its funding cut. This actually could be quite dangerous, given that they are the first line of defense in understanding new vulnerabilities that affect the Internet.]

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/trump-doj-krebs-revokes-sentinelone-security-clearance



Black Basta ransomware group's tactics and techniques have been exposed through a leak of 190,000 chat messages, providing insight into their internal workflows and decision-making processes.

• Black Basta uses social engineering to exploit trust biases in targeted workers by posing as IT administrators attempting to troubleshoot problems or respond to fake breaches.

• The group also focuses heavily on restocking its supply of vulnerabilities that can be exploited to gain control over targets' networks.

[RSnake: The lack of ephemeral messaging amongst hacker groups is somewhat astonishing.]

Source: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/04/leaked-messages-expose-trade-secrets-of-prolific-black-basta-ransomware-group/

OpenAI's chatbot was abused by spammers to send 80,000 unwanted messages to websites, bypassing filters, for four months before being noticed and revoked.

• Spammers used OpenAI's chatbot to generate unique messages that bypassed spam-detection filters and sent them to over 80,000 websites in four months.

• The spammers used a framework called AkiraBot to automate the sending of messages and rotate domain names to avoid detection.

[RSnake: This is somewhat silly, Llama 3.2 is easily good enough for this purpose, and there are a lot of uncensored local models that would never get blocked because they’re local. 80k messages would only take a couple of days to make.]

Source: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/04/openais-gpt-helps-spammers-send-blast-of-80000-messages-that-bypassed-filters/

A data breach has compromised the health records of over 1.6 million patients from Planned Parenthood clinics across more than 30 states. Hackers accessed sensitive personal and medical information, including details on minors, through Laboratory Services Cooperative's systems in October 2024.

• Over 1.6 million health records from Planned Parenthood patients have been stolen.

• The breach includes personal data, medical information, and identifiers such as Social Security numbers.

[RSnake: Not just minors but also women who have had abortions. I can easily see that being used against them in a number of ways.]

Source: https://lifehacker.com/tech/hackers-stole-health-records-of-millions-of-planned-parenthood-patients?utm_medium=RSS

A new adversarial ranking attack called StealthRank has been developed to manipulate large language models, potentially influencing product recommendation systems. This attack can boost the ranking of target products while maintaining textual fluency and avoiding explicit manipulation traces. StealthRank outperforms state-of-the-art adversarial ranking baselines in both effectiveness and stealth.

• StealthRank is a novel adversarial ranking attack that manipulates LLM-driven product recommendation systems.

• The attack employs an energy-based optimization framework combined with Langevin dynamics to generate StealthRank Prompts (SRPs)-adversarial text sequences.

[RSnake: I can easily see the SEO community loving this tech/these tactics for the brands they support.]

Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.05804

A recently disclosed vulnerability in some versions of the CrushFTP server has been targeted by attackers, allowing a remote, unauthenticated attacker to take over the admin account. This critical vulnerability was identified as CVE-2025-31161 and affects CrushFTP 10 before 10.8.4 and 11 before 11.3.1. Researchers have reported active attacks against this bug since at least the last week of March.

• A critical vulnerability in some versions of the Crush FTP server allows a remote, unauthenticated attacker to take over the admin account.

• The affected versions are CrushFTP 10 before 10.8.4 and 11 before 11.3.1.

[RSnake: Active exploitation - patch up if you use it. Chances are that you don’t, but if you do…]

Source: https://www.vulnu.com/p/crushftp-cve-2025-31161-targeted-by-attackers

China-based phishing groups known as the Smishing Triad are increasingly targeting international financial institutions and their customers, converting stolen payment card data into mobile wallets. These phishing operations have expanded their infrastructure and tactics, utilizing sophisticated methods to evade detection and exploit SMS and RCS messaging systems to maximize engagement with their scams.

• The Smishing Triad has shifted its focus from impersonating service providers to targeting banks and financial institutions.

• Their operations now span over 121 countries, indicating a global scale of phishing efforts.

• Innovative techniques employed by these groups allow them to bypass traditional SMS security measures, presenting significant risks to individuals and financial organizations.

[RSnake: That’s pretty impressive how prolific they’ve been. Quite possibly state-sponsored or even are part of the CCP directly.]

Source: https://krebsonsecurity.com/?p=70793

NATO warned that Russia could cut undersea cables to trigger a 'worldwide internet blackout', hundreds of cables crisscross the globe carrying 98% of internet traffic, making them essential to the global economy.

• NATO warned that Russia could trigger a 'worldwide internet blackout' by sabotaging undersea cables with its shadow fleet.

• Hundreds of undersea cables crisscross the globe carrying 98% of internet traffic, making them essential to the global economy and international communications.

[RSnake: They could easily do this. It’s one more reason we should consider being more resilient here in the United States and having better manufacturing and supply chains.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/worldwide-internet-blackout-nato-warned-that-russia-could-cut-undersea-cables

Microsoft has reintroduced the Recall feature in Windows 11, which takes snapshots of user activity every three seconds. The feature has faced backlash due to privacy concerns, particularly regarding its potential misuse by malicious actors and the capture of sensitive information.

• Recall takes frequent snapshots of user activity, raising privacy and security concerns.

• The feature allows potential abuse, including data capture from secure applications.

[RSnake: Interesting. Makes “living off the land” much easier for adversaries, who can simply enable it to see what the user is doing.]

Source: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/04/microsoft-is-putting-privacy-endangering-recall-back-into-windows-11/

Meta is facing an antitrust trial from the Federal Trade Commission that could force the company to divest from Instagram and WhatsApp. The government claims that Meta acquired these platforms to eliminate competition rather than to enhance its product offerings, which could impact Meta's substantial advertising revenue. A potential breakup of these platforms poses significant challenges for Meta, given its reliance on Instagram for a large portion of its U.S. ad revenue.

• The FTC is pursuing an antitrust case against Meta regarding its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.

• The outcome of the trial could significantly impact Meta's business model and advertising revenue.

[RSnake: This plus the most recent hearing… It’s not looking good for Meta.]

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/91315583/5-things-to-know-about-metas-upcoming-ftc-trial

Google DeepMind's AI model, Gemini 2.5, outperforms competitors in several benchmarks and is gaining significant traction in the AI landscape. The company is integrating various generative AI tools across different media formats while remaining a dominant force in text-based models, indicating a strong resurgence in its AI capabilities.

• Gemini 2.5 is currently the leading AI model across multiple performance benchmarks.

• Google is integrating generative AI tools into its suite of products, expanding its capabilities beyond just text-based models.

• The advancements in AI technology from Google threaten the competitive standing of other companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.

[RSnake: I have been hearing that Gemini is catching up. However, it’s still a very censored model, so for many use cases it’s not useful. The open-sourced, uncensored models will win if these companies don’t figure out how to add adult filters to the models. It seems so simple, and none of them have done it.]

Source: https://www.thealgorithmicbridge.com/p/google-is-winning-on-every-ai-front

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is collaborating with Palantir and IRS engineers to create a centralized API for accessing IRS records, potentially allowing extensive access to sensitive taxpayer data. This initiative is part of a larger effort to modernize IRS systems and streamline government operations, while also consolidating data management across various agencies. The project aims to complete the API within 30 days, but there are concerns about data security and management as it progresses.

• DOGE and Palantir are working on a mega API for IRS data access.

• The project raises questions about data security and access management.

[RSnake: It won’t be easy, but hopefully they can streamline the whole process. I am not holding my breath, though.]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/palantir-doge-irs-mega-api-data/

ChatGPT has become the most downloaded non-game app in March 2025, surpassing Instagram and TikTok, with a 28% increase in new downloads reaching 46 million. This surge in popularity may be attributed to enhanced features and the app's growing brand recognition in the AI space, as it becomes synonymous with the term 'AI' like Google was in the past. As competition remains from other AI chatbots, ChatGPT's strong market position makes it difficult for rivals to gain traction.

• ChatGPT topped the download charts for March 2025 with significant growth in installs.

• The brand recognition of ChatGPT is influencing consumer behavior towards downloading the app over competitors.

[RSnake: Even more reason they need to be more open with their weights. If 46 million people rely on them, and their data sources and their weights, I think society writ large needs to know how it is tilting answers in whatever direction they are. And they are.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=2992765

Erratic weather patterns are disrupting traditional shipping routes, leading to higher operational costs for carriers. In response, AI technologies are being developed to improve weather forecasting and optimize logistics, aiding shippers in navigating climate-related challenges while enhancing customer communication about shipment statuses.

• AI-driven weather forecasting is improving accuracy for predicting extreme weather events.

• Real-time communication and tracking via AI help reduce customer frustration and improve shipping efficiency.

[RSnake: One of the absolute best use cases for AI. Weather prediction. I have heard that they are now as accurate a week out as they used to be a day out. That’s progress.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/blogs/1-think-tank/post/41402-climate-chaos-is-the-new-normal-can-ai-help

A new framework called ER-RAG has been developed to enhance the capabilities of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) by integrating heterogeneous data sources using an Entity-Relationship model. This method standardizes how data is retrieved and queried, demonstrating superior performance in a competitive AI challenge, outperforming existing commercial systems in terms of retrieval speed and results accuracy.

• ER-RAG integrates diverse data sources to improve retrieval-augmented generation.

• The framework standardized retrieval processes, achieving competitive performance in AI challenges.

[RSnake: I am just waiting for one of the big players to make this much more accessible. It’s too difficult right now, and doesn’t work how people expect it to.]

Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.06271

China has increased tariffs on U.S. imports to 125% in response to the U.S. raising tariffs on Chinese goods, escalating a trade war that could disrupt global supply chains and lead to significant economic consequences. In the wake of these actions, U.S. markets are reacting negatively, with prices declining and fears of a recession growing among analysts. Meanwhile, both countries continue to negotiate potential trade deals with other nations to mitigate the impact of the tariffs.

• China raises tariffs on U.S. imports to 125%.

• U.S. markets decline amid heightened trade tensions.

• Trade negotiations with other countries are ongoing as a response.

[RSnake: That’s more or less saying to one another we don’t need each other’s business. The US only represents a few digits of their exports, but if the US can convince Europe to join them, that might have a huge impact on their exports worldwide.]

Source: https://gcaptain.com/?p=225741

B2B CEOs are navigating complex market scenarios with AI agents offering a promising solution for simplifying revenue cycles and driving strategic outcomes. AI agents represent a significant evolution in business technology, enabling teams to act faster, collaborate more effectively, and scale more strategically. By integrating AI agents, CEOs can create seamless, personalized buying journeys that meet today's expectations while driving growth.

• AI agents are intelligent partners that enable teams to act faster, collaborate more effectively, and scale more strategically.

• AI agents represent a significant evolution in business technology, enabling teams to streamline processes, drive strategic outcomes, and improve efficiency.

[RSnake: What happens when we can get instant multi-agent support? That changes the game to where you can more or less think of an idea and it can be built dozens or hundreds of times, tested thousands of times to determine the winner, and all by the time you’ve gotten a cup of coffee.]

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/91314816/how-to-scale-smarter-with-ai-agents

Africa can break its dependence on foreign aid by taking control of its critical mineral resources, which are essential for the global clean energy transition.

• African countries can capture the full value of their mineral resources to reduce their reliance on foreign aid.

• The decision to suspend foreign aid and shut down the USAID agency has sent shockwaves across the development industry, but it highlights Africa's continued dependence on foreign aid as a choice, not a necessity.

• Africa's mineral wealth represents the greatest economic opportunity of our generation, with the global battery market expected to reach $250bn by 2030.

[RSnake: It sure can - and likely should. Especially in light of the fact that China may not be a reliable source of minerals. It’s a big bargaining chip.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2025/4/12/africa-doesnt-need-aid-it-needs-control-over-its-critical-minerals?traffic_source=rss

The UK government has taken effective control of British Steel due to a breakdown in negotiations with its Chinese owner, Jingye Group, about transitioning to greener production methods. The intervention is aimed at preserving 3,500 jobs as the company faces imminent closure of its operations, which are losing significant money daily. This move marks a potential nationalization of British Steel, the UK's largest state rescue since the 2008 banking crisis, amid pressures from global market dynamics and US tariffs.

• The UK government intervened to take control of British Steel to prevent closure and preserve jobs.

• The company is facing financial difficulties due to global supply glut and US tariffs affecting its exports.

[RSnake: I can see why they’d do it. I am not really a big fan of nationalization of industry, but in this case, I can see the strategic utility in keeping the jobs and the tech operational. I am a bit surprised the Chinese let it get this ba,d though - it seems like a strategically useful thing to control.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/4/12/uk-steps-in-to-save-british-steel-as-nationalisation-looms?traffic_source=rss

Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, has acquired his social media company, X, in an all-stock deal valued at $33 billion for X and $80 billion for xAI. This merger consolidates Musk's various companies, creating an ecosystem where businesses support one another, albeit with some risks including a lawsuit from the SEC and regulatory scrutiny over user data collection. Investors remain optimistic about the potential of Musk's businesses, particularly in the AI sector, despite these challenges.

• xAI's acquisition of X raises the valuation of both companies amidst investor optimism.

• The merger creates a consolidated business ecosystem for Musk that could enhance synergies across his ventures.

[RSnake: I have to imagine this was a way to pay himself out a few billion while he re-finances any debt, and re-incorporates in friendlier states, etc.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=2993022

The European Union has released recommendations aimed at regulating in-game virtual currencies to enhance consumer protection. These guidelines require clarity in pricing, prevent exploitative practices, and suggest further protections for vulnerable players, particularly in free-to-play games. Member states can choose to adopt these guidelines at their discretion, potentially impacting the viability of many small and medium gaming businesses in the region.

• The EU guidelines emphasize that in-game currencies should be treated as digital representations of real-world money for consumer protection.

• Recommendations include ensuring transparent pricing, avoiding exploitation of cognitive biases, and implementing parental controls.

[RSnake: This will affect some hackers who launder money through these systems.]

Source: https://tiendil.org/en/posts/eu-key-principles-on-in-game-virtual-currencies

The U.S. bond market is experiencing significant volatility as yields on 10-year Treasury notes have surged to around 4.5%, up from less than 4% just days prior. This increase reflects a growing uncertainty among investors regarding the stability of U.S. assets amid escalating trade tensions linked to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

• The yield on the 10-year Treasury has risen sharply, indicating turmoil in the bond market.

• Investors are concerned about the implications of Trump's tariff policies on U.S. financial stability.

[RSnake: It’s not enough. It needs to be higher if the Fed is going to ditch interest rates.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/11/business/economy/treasury-bonds-tariffs.html