Security fences have been a crucial part of human civilization for centuries. From wooden palisades protecting early settlements to today’s advanced, technology-enhanced barriers, their development reflects the changing needs of societies. This article explores the history of security fences, their evolution, and the modern solutions used by companies to secure their properties.

The origins of security fences

Wooden palisades and medieval walls

The earliest security fences appeared in prehistoric times, when wooden palisades were used to protect villages from wild animals and hostile groups. Over time, these basic structures evolved into the stone walls and fortifications of the Middle Ages, safeguarding cities and castles from invasions.

Iron fences and the industrial revolution

During the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, iron fences gained popularity. Stronger and more durable than wood, they also offered an aesthetic appeal. These fences were commonly used to secure factories, railways, and other industrial sites.

Modern security fences: innovations and technology

Electronic security systems

Technological advancements in the 20th and 21st centuries have transformed security fencing. Many modern fences now feature sensors, cameras, and alarms that provide instant alerts during break-in attempts. These electronic systems add a level of protection beyond traditional fences.

Sustainable materials

The use of sustainable materials in fence construction is a growing trend. Recycled steel, bamboo, and composite materials are increasingly used to create environmentally friendly options that remain strong and durable.

The psychology of safety: why fences create a sense of security

Physical barriers and peace of mind

Fences provide both physical and psychological benefits. Acting as visible and tangible barriers, they deter intruders and offer a sense of safety to residents or employees. This psychological effect is rooted in human behavior and contributes to a secure environment.

The importance of aesthetics

While protection is the primary purpose of a security fence, its appearance is also important. A well-designed fence enhances the overall look of a property and creates a positive impression. For businesses, this can reinforce their brand and professional image.

Innovations in security fences: what does the future hold?

Smart fences and automated access systems

Smart technologies and automated access systems represent the future of security fencing. These solutions integrate physical barriers with digital technologies, such as facial recognition or mobile apps, to enhance efficiency and user convenience.

Integration with other security systems

Another emerging trend is the integration of fences with other security measures, including drones and AI-driven surveillance cameras. This comprehensive approach provides both proactive and reactive security solutions.

Case study: how a security fence prevented a major break-in

The situation

A logistics company facing repeated break-ins decided to protect its warehouse with an advanced fence system from Fenceweb. The losses caused by these incidents had become significant.

The solution

The company installed a security fence equipped with sensors and cameras. The system detected break-in attempts and sent real-time alerts to the security team, enabling swift responses and preventing further incidents.

Impact

By implementing this advanced security fence, the company not only safeguarded its property but also reduced insurance costs and restored customer confidence.

SELinux and AppArmor are the two most popular mandatory access control (MAC) systems for Linux, limiting what actions installed applications can take. MAC serves as an important security layer, limiting the damage a rogue or malicious application can do.

Tumbleweed has traditionally relied on AppArmor for its MAC implementation, but the distro is now moving to SELinux, as is the downstream SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE) and openSUSE Leap 16.

“Users installing openSUSE Tumbleweed via the ISO image will see SELinux in enforcing mode as default option in the installer,” wrote SELinux Security Engineer Cathy Hu in an email announcement. “If the user prefers to use AppArmor instead of SELinux, they are able to change the selection to AppArmor manually in the installer.”

The project’s blog said existing users will be able to continue using AppArmor, and new users can still select it during the installation process, but SELinux is expected to bring a greater level of security.

Tumbleweed has used AppArmor as its default LSM. This marks a shift in the default Mandatory Access Control (MAC) system for new installations as SELinux replaces AppArmor as the default choice. SELinux will be enabled in enforcing mode by default only for new installations. Existing installations will not be affected by the change and will retain the option to select AppArmor during installation if they prefer.

The switch to install SELinux by default is going through implementation and aligns with a decision to grow adoption of SELinux for both SUSE and openSUSE. It’s expected to increase security by confining more services by default. SELinux is known for its rich security features and widespread use in enterprise environments.

The move is expected to bring tighter access controls to Tumbleweed. Users may encounter bugs or issues, but openQA tests for Tumbleweed have played a key role in identifying and resolving potential problems in the early adoption phase.

SELinux is traditionally used by Red Hat and derivative distros, while AppArmor is used by Debian, Ubuntu, and their derivatives. AppArmor is generally seen as easier to use, but SELinux has more configuration options, greater flexibility, and a higher degree of security.

openSUSE distros already have an outstanding reputation for security, with the the developers implementing several hardening options few other distros use. The change to SELinux will only improve that security even more.

The UK alarmed lawmakers, security experts, journalists, activists, and more when it was revealed that it ordered Apple to provide access to iCloud backups for ALL iPhone users, not just those of British citizens. The order—which was issued in secret and is immediately legally binding—is viewed by virtually all as a massive overreach and a dangerous precedent that will weaken cybersecurity for all.

Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Andy Biggs have written a bipartisan letter to Director Gabbard, urging her to take immediate action to protect U.S. communications and the privacy of American citizens.

“If the U.K. does not immediately reverse this dangerous effort, we urge you to reevaluate U.S.-U.K. cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as U.S. intelligence sharing with the U.K.,” Wyden and Biggs wrote. “The bilateral U.S.-U.K. relationship must be built on trust. If the U.K. is secretly undermining one of the foundations of U.S. cybersecurity, that trust has been profoundly breached.”

The lawmakers go on to point out the shortsightedness of undermining end-to-end encryption (E2EE), especially in the aftermath of China’s Salt Typhoon attack, what Senator Warner described as the “worst telecom hack in” in U.S. history.

In the wake of the Salt Typhoon attack, both the FBI and CISA recommended that all users rely on E2EE messaging platforms to secure their communication and maintain privacy.

“Our suggestion, what we have told folks internally, is not new here: Encryption is your friend, whether it’s on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication. Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible,” said Jeff Greene, an executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA.

If U.K. lawmakers get their way, the protection E2EE offers will be completely negated, leaving users vulnerable to cyberattacks and more. Because of the stakes, Wyden and Biggs are urging Director Gabbard to take extreme action, including reevaluating the U.S.-U.K. cybersecurity and data sharing agreements.

The lawmakers also point to Director Gabbard’s testimony during her confirmation hearings, in which she said that backdoors lead down a dangerous path that can undermine Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights and civil liberties.” They also referenced her written statements that “[m]andating mechanisms to bypass encryption or privacy technologies undermines user security, privacy, and trust and poses significant risks of exploitation by malicious actors.”

The lawmakers are clearly hoping that Director Gabbard lives up to her testimony and sends a strong signal to the U.K. that weakening the very encryption that protects innocent users around the world is an unacceptable course of action.

The Lawmakers’ Letter

Wyden and Biggs’ letter is copied below in its entirety:

Dear Director Gabbard:

We write to urge you to act decisively to protect the security of Americans’ communications from dangerous, shortsighted efforts by the United Kingdom (U.K.) that will undermine Americans’ privacy rights and expose them to espionage by China, Russia and other adversaries.

According to recent press reports, the U.K.’s Home Secretary served Apple with a secret order last month, directing the company to weaken the security of its iCloud backup service to facilitate government spying. This directive reportedly requires the company to weaken the encryption of its iCloud backup service, giving the U.K. government the “blanket capability” to access customers’ encrypted files. This order was reportedly issued under the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act 2016, commonly known as the “Snoopers’ Charter,” which does not require a judge’s approval. Apple is reportedly gagged from acknowledging that it received such an order, and the company faces criminal penalties that prevent it from even confirming to the U.S. Congress the accuracy of these press reports.

These reported actions seriously threaten the privacy and security of both the American people and the U.S. government. Apple does not make different versions of its encryption software for each market; Apple customers in the U.K. use the same software as Americans. If Apple is forced to build a backdoor in its products, that backdoor will end up in Americans’ phones, tablets, and computers, undermining the security of Americans’ data, as well as of the countless federal, state and local government agencies that entrust sensitive data to Apple products.

The Salt Typhoon hack of U.S. telephone carriers’ wiretapping systems last year — in which President Trump and Vice President Vance’s calls were tapped by China — provides a perfect example of the dangers of surveillance backdoors. They will inevitably be compromised by sophisticated foreign adversaries and exploited in ways harmful to U.S. national security. As the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI confirmed last November, People’s Republic of China (PRC)-affiliated actors were involved in “copying of certain information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests pursuant to court orders.”

The risk does not just come from wiretapping systems — when sensitive data is stored by third parties, without end-to-end encryption, it is vulnerable to theft when those service providers are hacked. That is exactly what has happened in 2023, when PRC-affiliated hackers broke into Microsoft’s systems storing federal agencies’ emails. As the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Safety Review Board documented, the foreign spies “struck the espionage equivalent of gold,” enabling them to access “the official email accounts of many of the most senior U.S. government officials managing our country’s relationship with the People’s Republic of China” and “downloaded approximately 60,000 emails from State Department alone.”

After years of senior U.S. government officials — from both Republican and Democratic Administrations — pushing for weaker encryption and surveillance backdoors, it seems that the U.S. government has finally come around to a position we have long argued: strong end-to-end encryption protects national security. Indeed, in the wake of the Salt Typhoon hack, CISA released public guidance which recommended that high-value targets, including Members of Congress, solely use end-to-end encrypted communications tools, like Signal.

While the U.K has been a trusted ally, the U.S. government must not permit what is effectively a foreign cyberattack waged through political means. If the U.K. does not immediately reverse this dangerous effort, we urge you to reevaluate U.S.-U.K. cybersecurity arrangements and programs as well as U.S. intelligence sharing with the U.K. As the U.K. Parliament’s intelligence oversight committee described in a December, 2023 public report, the U.K. benefits greatly from a “mutual presumption towards unrestricted sharing of [Signals Intelligence]” between the U.S. and U.K. and that “[t]he weight of advantage in the partnership with the [National Security Agency] is overwhelmingly in [the U.K.’s] favour.” The bilateral U.S.-U.K. relationship must be built on trust. If the U.K. is secretly undermining one of the foundations of U.S. cybersecurity, that trust has been profoundly breached.

You stated at your confirmation hearing that “backdoors lead down a dangerous path that can undermine Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights and civil liberties.” And you wrote in response to a written question that “[m]andating mechanisms to bypass encryption or privacy technologies undermines user security, privacy, and trust and poses significant risks of exploitation by malicious actors.” We urge you to put those words into action by giving the U.K. an ultimatum: back down from this dangerous attack on U.S. cybersecurity, or face serious consequences. To inform ongoing Congressional oversight, please also provide us with unclassified answers to the following questions by March 3, 2025:

1. Was the Trump Administration made aware of this reported order, either by the U.K. or Apple, prior to the press reports and, if so, when and by whom?
2. What is the Trump Administration’s understanding of U.K. law and the bilateral CLOUD Act agreement with regard to an exception to gag orders for notice to the U.S. government?
3. What is the Trump Administration’s understanding of its obligation to inform Congress and the American public about foreign government demands for U.S. companies to weaken the security of their products, pursuant to the CLOUD Act?

Sincerely,

Ron Wyden
United States Senator

Andy Biggs
Member of Congress

CC: Mr. Peter Mandelson, British Ambassador

Plasma 6.3 brings a myriad of changes and improvements, with the vast majority focused on fixing bugs and improving the overall experience. As a result, while there’s not many major new features, this release is a significant quality-of-life release that most users should install as soon as possible.

One year on, with the teething problems a major new release inevitably brings firmly behind us, Plasma’s developers have worked on fine-tuning, squashing bugs and adding features to Plasma 6 — turning it into the best desktop environment for everyone!

Fractional Scaling

One of the biggest improvements in this release is how fractional scaling works, something that has long been a week point for Linux, compared to macOS and Windows.

The most important news regarding graphics is a huge overhaul of how fractional scaling works. In Plasma 6.3, KWin makes a stronger effort to snap things to the screen’s pixel grid, greatly reducing blurriness and visual gaps everywhere and producing sharper and crisper images.

This works at very high zoom levels as well, as KWin’s Zoom effect switches to a sharp pixel-perfect representation and overlays a grid on top of the screen. You can actually see how individual pixels look relative to other ones. Very useful for artists and designers.

Plasma 6.3 also uses more accurate colors when the Night Light feature is enabled. Night Light is designed to reduce blue light in the evenings.

Drawing Tablet Support

Plasma 6.3 includes a number of improvements to Drawing Tablet integration, further solidifying Plasma as the leading DE for creatives.

The System Settings’ Drawing Tablet page has been overhauled and split into multiple tabs to improve how things are organized, and new configuration options have been added to each section:

• You can map an area of a drawing tablet’s surface to the entire screen area
• We have refined the tablet calibration feature so that it produces more accurate calibrations
• The stylus testing feature shows information about tilt and pressure
• You can customize the pressure curve and range of a stylus to chop off the high and/or low parts
• You can also re-map or swap the functions of the stylus’s buttons

Hardware Monitoring

Plasma 6.3 includes improvements to hardware monitoring, with System Monitor more accurately reporting CPU usage. In addition, the application itself uses less resources, leading to a better, more accurate understanding how resources are being used.

Improvements were also made to GPU and printer monitoring as well.

Info Center also provides more information, exposing data about all of your GPUs as well as your batteries’ cycle counts.

Monitoring printers is equally easy, as each printer’s print queue is shown directly in the widget. The widget also shows a little spinner on any printers that are currently printing, so you can see at a glance which ones are in use.

Tools

KDE made improvements to KRunner, used for quickly searching through files.

KRunner and KRunner-powered searches now let you jump between categories using the Page Up/Page Down keys and Ctrl+Up/Ctrl+Down key combinations.

It’s good to see KRunner receiving some love, as the tool is one of the best features of Plasma, but sometimes feels like it doesn’t receive as much attention as it deserves.

Similarly Discover, Plasma’s app center, will now highlight sandboxed apps with permission that are likely to change after being installed. This should help users identify potential issues with applications and identify “shady behavior.”

Usability

Plasma 6.3 includes a number of usability improvements.

Plasma 6.3 makes things easy without ditching flexibility. If you prefer using a mouse with your laptop, you can now configure its built-in touchpad to switch off automatically, so it doesn’t interfere with your typing. Also, if you set up your machine as a network hotspot, Plasma generates a random password for the network so you don’t have to think one up.

Finding help is easier in Plasma 6.3. A “Help” category has been added to the launcher (the menu that tends to live on the left hand side of your panel), and we have removed the Settings category entirely. Its contents have been merged into the System category, reducing the number of categories that don’t offer meaningful grouping.

Speaking of menus, the default Kickoff launcher menu now switches categories only when you click on them, matching the behavior of all other sidebar lists. However, if you preferred the old switch-on-hover behavior, it’s still available too.

We have made things clearer by adding a Show Target item to the desktop context menu for symbolic links, the digital Clock widget displays all events on days with more than five of them (giving you a complete view of upcoming commitments), and when you want to reboot into the bootloader menu the next time your machine reboots, the logout screen now indicates this.

To avoid overwhelming you with too much information, when notifications arrive while Plasma’s “Do Not Disturb” mode is engaged, exiting that mode shows the number of missed notifications, rather than sending them all in one giant torrent.

Additionally, a subtle but important change: when you drag a file out of a window that’s partially below other windows, it no longer jumps to the top, potentially obscuring what you wanted to drag it into!

Customization

One of Plasma’s defining features is the ability to customize it to be exactly what users want. Version 6.3 is no different, adding a number of improvements.

In Plasma 6.2, we introduced symbolic icons in Kickoff’s category sidebar. Some people didn’t like that, so in 6.3 you can undo the change yourself: we modified the implementation to pull icons from the standard data source, allowing you to set them to whatever you want using the Menu Editor app.

Speaking of the Menu Editor app, editing desktop files for apps from the “Edit Application…” menu item in Kickoff (and other launcher menus) opens the app in the editor, rather than showing you file properties. This lets you easily edit the entire applications list!

If you have ever lost a widget in the process of customizing your system, you’ll love this new feature: in Plasma 6.3, the Widget Explorer gives you the opportunity to remove every instance of a widget, including those that got lost or are only present on unplugged screens.

Conclusion

In our Linux Distro Review series, we looked at the major Linux DEs, including KDE Plasma. In that review, we praised Plasma’s gorgeous looks, powerful features, incredible applications, and the myriad of customization options, concluding it offered “a level of features and power that is unrivaled across any other DE or even any other platform.”

Unfortunately, the paper cuts that came Plasma (then version 5.x) resulted in our conclusion that it was “the one that could be king” if more work was put into improving stability and reducing paper cuts.

With the 6.x series, the KDE developers have done just that, making Plasma more stable, reliable, and solid than it has ever been, and Plasma 6.3 is a testament to that work.

According to The Washington Post, the UK government issued Apple a legally binding order to provide access to all iPhone cloud backups, including those protected by the company’s Advanced Data Protection, a feature that uses end-to-end encryption (E2EE).

The UK is not asking Apple to hack specific accounts or aid law enforcement in specific investigations. Instead, the British government is asking Apple to create a backdoor or bypass so that it can decrypt and access the encrypted content of any iPhone user who relies on iCloud backup, regardless of whether they are a British citizen or a citizen of another country.

To be clear, this puts the UK squarely in a league of its own, going far beyond what China or Russia require. To make matters worse, the UK’s order makes it illegal for anyone within Apple to even disclose its existence—since absolutely, without a doubt, undeniably, absolute secrecy has always been the hallmark of perfectly legal legislation. The Post’s sources obviously believed the issue was a grave enough threat to be willing to risk the legal ramifications should they ever be identified.

Apple itself, within the bounds of what it legally could, tried to warn the world the UK was preparing to issue this order.

“There is no reason why the UK [government] should have the authority to decide for citizens of the world whether they can avail themselves of the proven security benefits that flow from end-to-end encryption,” Apple told Parliament in March of last year.

At least one of the Post’s sources was a consultant tasked with advising the U.S. on encryption matters. The source confirmed that Apple would be legally prohibited from informing users their encryption had been bypassed and rendered useless. What’s more, the source expressed shock that the UK was essentially trying to force Apple to aid it in its efforts to spy on all users worldwide, regardless of citizenship.

The Encryption Issue

Encryption has been a long-standing point of contention between law enforcement and tech companies. Law enforcement and government officials often point to encryption as some kind of boogeyman that makes it impossible to conduct investigations into terrorism, child trafficking, and all other manners of horrible activities. To be clear, every reasonable effort should be made to combat such things.

Unfortunately, creating backdoors or otherwise undermining encryption is not a reasonable solution. As countless mathematicians, cryptographers, computer scientists, privacy advocates, computer experts, and even government officials have made clear, there is absolutely no way to weaken encryption for the good guys without also making it easier for the bad guys to exploit.

The U.S. recently learned this lesson the hard way, thanks to what Senator Mark R. Warner dubbed the “worst telecom hack in our nation’s history — by far.” China-backed Salt Typhoon hackers gained access to multiple U.S. telecom companies, giving them the ability to monitor phone calls and text messages at will.

In the wake of the attack, even the FBI and CISA have encouraged all users to rely on E2EE messaging platforms.

“Our suggestion, what we have told folks internally, is not new here: Encryption is your friend, whether it’s on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication,” said Jeff Greene, an executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA. “Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible.”

What Happens Next

Apple has the right to appeal the UK’s decision, but the company must comply with the order while waiting on the outcome of an appeal. Like the entire process, Apple’s appeal will be in secret, as will the outcome.

In the meantime, if Apple moves forward and complies with the UK’s order, it would represent a major weakening of privacy and security for all iPhone users worldwide. It’s unclear if Apple could legally comply, given that the company is bound by the privacy laws and regulations of other jurisdictions. The EU’s privacy laws, in particular, may prohibit Apple from complying with the UK’s order, at least in the context of EU citizens.

In all likelihood, Apple will stop offering encrypted services within the UK if it is unable to successfully appeal the decision, an outcome that will leave all UK iPhone users in a far worse position, and compromise their ability to protect their private data at a time when bad actors are exploiting such data more than ever.

Unfortunately, it will likely take a Salt Typhoon-like attack on the UK before its government officials finally realize that strong encryption is the cornerstone of safe technology.

We hate to rain on your parade, but the cloud isn’t always sunny. Malware may be lurking nearby. We’re navigating the common types of cloud malware so your business is better prepared to handle potential cyber security threats.

Understanding Cloud Malware

Cloud malware is essentially the same as what can attack your physical network and systems. Your cloud is infected with malicious code. What the code does from there depends on the type of attack. Some malware holds your data hostage for ransom. Other types of malware can corrupt or steal your data.

Cloud malware attacks typically inject malicious code into your virtual system. Instead of code, the hackers may even insert malicious virtual machines into your network. Yep, it can cause a mess since the virtual machines are almost undetectable. In other words, the virtual machines mimic your existing ones.

Common Types of Cloud Malware Attacks

Cloud malware attacks are probably a bit more common than you realize. In 2022, around 79% of businesses reported a breach in their cloud. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re destined to go through a cloud cyber attack. However, it does indicate you have a pretty good chance. So, what types of cloud malware attacks should you be watching for?

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks

This type of malware can be a particular problem for public clouds. Essentially, your server or network is being inundated with bots. These aren’t the friendly little chatbots that pop up on some web pages ready to help. These bots act like malicious traffic desperately trying to flood your network causing your cloud service to go offline. In other words, the bots are causing a denial of service.

The bots are generally only sending tons of requests to your IP address. By themselves, meaning only a few at a time, your network isn’t going to run into problems. However, when thousands of bots are all sending requests simultaneously, it’s easy to see why your cloud service is overrun.

Hypervisor DoS

Just when you start thinking about what can be worse than a DDoS attack, something else comes along. A hypervisor DoS attack is classified as a denial of service attack. However, there’s a pretty big difference between the two types of cloud malware.

This type of cyber attack only sends malware to either your hypervisor or virtual machine monitor. Once one of these is infected, it’s a breeze for the malware to spread to all of your host’s virtual machines. So, not only your cloud may be impacted but the bots can spread to others.

Hyperjacking

This almost sounds fun, except it’s illegal and can cause a ton of problems. A hacker can take over the hypervisor creating the cloud environments within the virtual machine. Yep, this sounds a bit confusing. So, essentially a hacker is controlling the hosting virtual machine.

Since they’re in the virtual machine, the malicious code is essentially undetectable unless someone is really searching for it. Your cloud host may not realize the malware is in their virtual machines until multiple systems and networks are infected. As we said earlier, it can cause a huge and expensive mess.

Hypercall Attack

This is a creative tactic hackers often use to access cloud environments. Posing as guests, hackers use a type of software trap to get into your domain. Great, now you have an uninvited guest you may not even be aware of.

Like Hyperjacking, hackers are aiming for your hypervisor. They’re just going about it a little differently. They’re going after the virtual machines using your hypercall handler instead of directly targeting the hypervisor. This makes the malware tough to detect even using AI and machine learning tools.

Taking Advantage of Live Migrations

Does your cloud service provider offer live migrations? This is a pretty standard service most businesses take advantage of. Live migrations let you move a cloud application from one physical location to another. You don’t need to disconnect from the app or client just to move to another spot. Pretty convenient isn’t it, especially for staff working in the field?

The downside of the convenience is it can open the doors a little bit for malware attacks. Hackers can use malware to redirect your cloud resources to their network. Now you’ve lost control of your systems and data to the hackers. Other threats during live migrations can include opening your cloud environment up to DoS and DDoS attacks. 

Even if nothing seems to happen during the live migration, hackers can still jump in and quickly modify your system. This modification leaves a back door open for them to visit just about any time they feel like. So, your data and systems are never fully safe until the malware is identified and removed.

Tips on Preventing Common Cloud Malware Attacks

Before deciding there’s no way you can defend against all cloud malware attacks, don’t forget about the advantages you get from the cloud. This doesn’t mean accepting the risks and getting on with business. Instead, you can take a couple of steps to help minimize your potential risks.

Pay Attention to Access Controls

Who has access to your system and networks? There shouldn’t be a welcome mat out for anyone who wants to browse around in your data. Limit access to data by using access controls like multi-factor authentication and encryption.

Keep all encryption keys safe and continuously rotate them out. Don’t ignore password strength and change them out regularly.

Partner with a Strong Cloud Service Provider

Finding a cloud service provider is as easy as locating a gas station. In other words, there isn’t a shortage of options. Before partnering with a cloud service provider check their cyber security practices. Preventing cloud malware attacks takes both you and your service provider. 

Meta has been quietly emerging as one of the leading AI companies, but it is taking a far different approach than many of its competitors. While most companies are releasing proprietary AI models, Meta has open-sourced its Llama family of models.

One of the biggest challenges facing Meta, as well as the rest of the industry, is how to develop AI models that are safe and cannot be used in a harmful manner. Meta is a signatory of the Frontier AI Safety Commitments, and its new Frontier AI Framework is aligned with that agreement.

In the new policy, Meta outlines what its goals are, what catastrophic outcomes it must work to prevent.

We start by identifying a set of catastrophic outcomes we must strive to prevent, and then map the potential causal pathways that could produce them. When developing these outcomes, we’ve considered the ways in which various actors, including state level actors, might use/misuse frontier AI. We describe threat scenarios that would be potentially sufficient to realize the catastrophic outcome, and we define our risk thresholds based on the extent to which a frontier AI would uniquely enable execution of any of our threat scenarios.

By anchoring thresholds on outcomes, we aim to create a precise and somewhat durable set of thresholds, because while capabilities will evolve as the technology develops, the outcomes we want to prevent tend to be more enduring. This is not to say that our outcomes are fixed. It is possible that as our understanding of frontier AI improves, outcomes or threat scenarios might be removed, if we can determine that they no longer meet our criteria for inclusion. We also may need to add new outcomes in the future. Those outcomes might be in entirely novel risk domains, potentially as a result of novel model capabilities, or they might reflect changes to the threat landscape in existing risk domains that bring new kinds of threat actors into scope. This accounts for the ways in which frontier AI might introduce novel harms, as well its potential to increase the risk of catastrophe in known risk domains.
An outcomes-led approach also enables prioritization. This systematic approach will allow us to identify the most urgent catastrophic outcomes – i.e., cybersecurity and chemical and biological weapons risks – and focus our efforts on avoiding them rather than spreading efforts across a wide range of theoretical risks from particular capabilities that may not plausibly be presented by the technology we are actually building.

Meta breaks down exactly how it defines a critical risk AI and what action it will take in response.

We define our risk thresholds based on the extent to which a frontier AI would uniquely enable execution of any of our threat scenarios. A frontier AI is assigned to the critical risk threshold if we assess that it would uniquely enable execution of a threat scenario. If a frontier AI is assessed to have reached the critical risk threshold and cannot be mitigated, we will stop development and implement the measures outlined in Table 1. Our high and moderate risk thresholds are defined in terms of the level of uplift a frontier AI provides towards realising a threat scenario. We will develop these models in line with the processes outlined in this Framework, and implement the measures outlined in Table 1.

Meta also says it will evaluate—and respond accordingly—to the possibility that high and moderate risk AI models could advance to a high-risk model.

We define our thresholds based on the extent to which frontier AI would uniquely enable the execution of any of the threat scenarios we have identified as being potentially sufficient to produce a catastrophic outcome. If a frontier AI is assessed to have reached the critical risk threshold and cannot be mitigated, we will stop development and implement the measures outlined in Table 1. Our high and moderate risk thresholds are defined in terms of the level of uplift a model provides towards realising a threat scenario. We will develop Frontier AI in line with the processes outlined in this Framework, and implement the measures outlined in Table 1. Section 3 on Outcomes & Thresholds provides more information about how we define our thresholds.

The AI Industry Needs More Open Safety Policies

Meta’s detailing and documenting its standards is a refreshing stance in an industry that appears to be recklessly rushing toward artificial general intelligence (AGI). Employees across the industry have warned there is not enough being done to ensure safe development.

By clearly defining what its safety goals are, and committing to halting development of critical risk models, Meta is setting itself apart as one of the few AI companies that is putting safety first and foremost, with Anthropic being another notable example.

Hopefully, other companies will take note and follow suit.

Microsoft has long maintained that Windows 11 would leave many PCs behind, thanks to its strict TPM 2.0 requirement. As a result, hundreds of millions of PCs are destined for the landfill, many of them fairly recent models with years of life left. The company appeared to soften its stance in mid-December, even providing instructions on how to install Windows 11 on unsupported machines, even if the company did not recommend doing so.

This PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11 – these requirements help ensure a more reliable and higher quality experience. Installing Windows 11 on this PC is not recommended and may result in compatibility issues. If you proceed with installing Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won’t be entitled to receive updates. Damages to your PC due to lack of compatibility aren’t covered under the manufacturer warranty. By selecting Accept, you are acknowledging that you read and understand this statement.

Despite receiving praise for its reversal, Microsoft appears to be doing yet another about-face, this time doubling down on its opposition to Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. First spotted by Neowin, the Microsoft support page no longer discusses installing Windows 11 outside of officially supported hardware.

To make matters even worse for users with older computers, Microsoft appears to be taking measures against third-party tools that are designed to help users install Windows 11 on their unsupported machines. Also spotted by Neowin, Microsoft is now flaggin the Flyby11 utility as malware, blocking it from running. Ironically, Flyby11 utilizes the same Registry tweak that Microsoft’s not deleted instructions initially provided.

Flyby11’s GitHub release notes makes clear that users can safely ignore the malware warning and proceed with the installation.

Important Notes: Microsoft does not officially support this method, but it still works as expected

The app is now flagged as PUA:Win32/Patcher by Microsoft Defender. You can safely ignore this if you wish to proceed with the upgrade. I will contact Microsoft to verify whether this is an official classification or a false positive

Microsoft’s change of heart is an unfortunate development for users with older—and some not so older—hardware, and will see million of PCs prematurely thrown out.

Secureworks’ Counter Threat Unit (CTU) is one of the leading cybersecurity intelligence platforms designed to identify and combat advanced persistent threats (APT) and state sponsored attackers. The company’s platform will help round out Sophos’ already impressive lineup of cybersecurity options.

Sophos says the integration of products and platforms will lead to an improved experience for customers of both companies.

To share just one example, we will combine the MDR/XDR and other key capabilities of both organizations into a single, unified security operations platform that enables us to deliver unparalleled cyber defenses for today’s diverse IT environments, including hundreds of built-in integrations. This advanced platform will further enhance visibility, detection and response for mitigating cyberattacks, setting a new standard for security operations.

Sophos says the company is committed to a seamless transition for customers of both companies.

We deeply value the trust that customers have placed in Sophos and Secureworks and we are unwavering in our commitment to continue to defend them against today’s advanced threats while maintaining the high levels of service they already value. In addition to continuing to deliver our current set of services and technologies to Sophos and Secureworks customers, our customer experience teams will ensure seamless, continued support during the integration period. Please reach out to your Sophos representative with any questions.

HPE announced in January 2024 that it had reached an agreement to purchase Juniper Networks in an all-cash transaction worth roughly $14 billion. Juniper specializes in AI-native networks, making it an appealing takeover target for HPE, as HPE made clear at the time of the announcement:

Through its suite of cloud-delivered networking solutions, software, and services including the Mist AI and Cloud platform, Juniper helps organizations securely and efficiently access the mission-critical cloud infrastructure that serves as the foundation of digital and AI strategies. The combination with HPE Aruba Networking and purposely designed HPE AI interconnect fabric will bring together enterprise reach, and cloud-native and AI-native management and control, to create a premier industry player that will accelerate innovation to deliver further modernized networking optimized for hybrid cloud and AI.

Unfortunately for the two companies, the DOJ has filed a suit to block the acquisition, saying it will reduce competition in the network hardware space.

The United States of America brings this civil action to prevent Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (“HPE”) from acquiring a smaller, but innovative rival, Juniper Networks, Inc. (“Juniper”). HPE and Juniper are the second- and third-largest providers of commercial or “enterprise” wireless networking solutions, respectively, in the United States. The acquisition, if consummated, would result in two companies—market leader Cisco Systems, Inc. (“Cisco”) and HPE—controlling well over 70 percent of the U.S. market and eliminate fierce head-to-head competition between Defendants, who offer wireless networking solutions under the HPE Aruba and Juniper Mist brands.

The DOJ goes on to say that Juniper forced HPE to discount its prices, and that HPE only wants to purchase the small company because it cannot compete on merit.

For years, pressure from Juniper has forced HPE to discount deeply and invest in developing advanced software products and features as part of a multifaceted campaign to “Beat Mist. The “Beat Mist” campaign failed. Having failed to beat Juniper’s Mist on the merits, HPE seeks to acquire Juniper instead for $14 billion. This proposed acquisition risks substantially lessening competition in a critically important technology market and thus poses the precise threat that the Clayton Act was enacted to prevent. It should be blocked.

A Presumptively Unlawful Merger

The suit goes on to make the case that the merger is “presumptively unlawful,” since it would reduce competition and increase consolidation within the market.

The proposed merger is presumptively unlawful. It would significantly increase concentration in an already consolidated relevant market for enterprise-grade WLAN solutions. The proposed acquisition would result in two firms controlling over 70 percent of the relevant market.

To measure market concentration, courts often use the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (“HHI”) as described in Section 2.1 of the 2023 Merger Guidelines. See United States Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission, Merger Guidelines (2023 ed.) § 2.1. HHIs range from 0 in markets with no concentration to 10,000 in markets where one firm has 100 percent market share. Under the Merger Guidelines, a market with HHI greater than 1,800 is highly concentrated, and a change of more than 100 points is a significant increase. See Fed. Trade Comm’n v. Kroger Co., No. 3:24-cv- 00347, 2024 WL 5053016, at 15 (D. Or. Dec. 10, 2024). A merger that creates or further consolidates a highly concentrated market that involves an increase in the HHI of more than 100 points is presumed to substantially lessen competition and is presumptively unlawful. See id. at 15 (citing U.S. Dep’t of Justice & Fed. Trade Commission, Merger Guidelines § 2.1 (2023)).

The proposed merger between HPE and Juniper easily clears these hurdles in the markets for enterprise-grade WLAN solutions and is presumptively unlawful, with a pre-merger HHI over 3,000 and a change of at least 250 points using IDC’s estimates of U.S. market shares for wireless access points. Cisco and Defendants’ shares of the U.S. enterprise-grade WLAN market are roughly in line with their shares of the U.S. market for access points alone.

A Merger Would Hurt the Market

The DOJ maintains that a merger between the two companies would hurt the market in a way that could not be easily offset. This is due to the high barrier to entry any company looking to enter the market would face.

Entry by new vendors of enterprise-grade WLAN in response to the merger would not be timely, likely, or sufficient to offset the anticompetitive effects of the proposed merger of HPE and Juniper. It takes years and significant financial investment for a vendor to design and procure hardware components for a WLAN portfolio; create a management platform that incorporates tools that streamline and automate network maintenance; build a sales and support organization; and recruit value-added resellers and other distribution partners that procure and install equipment for WLAN customers.

The DOJ also believes that any proposed “synergies” of the merger are doubtful to live up to the hype.

Defendants have claimed that the proposed acquisition would generate synergies by combining operations and removing duplication in the companies’ sales, administrative, and other organizations. But HPE’s own executives—and several of HPE’s competitors—have expressed doubts about HPE’s ability to successfully integrate Juniper’s products into its networking portfolio. Regardless, to the extent the proposed transaction would result in any verifiable, merger-specific efficiencies in the relevant market, such efficiencies are unlikely to be timely or substantial enough to mitigate the risk to competition posed by the transaction.

Conclusion

The Trump administration has promised to crack down on Big Tech, vocally criticizing the influence tech companies have. Reuters reports that HPE representatives met with the Trump administration, but clearly those meetings were not productive enough to prevent the lawsuit.

The DOJ’s legal action could portend what’s to come for Big Tech companies and their future merger attempts.

DesignRush.com has released its Data Privacy Day 2025 study, evaluating states based on three criteria:

• Cybercrime rate
• Data breach rate
• State’s data protection laws

According to DesignRush, Kentucky took top honors, with a score of 99.32, for offering the best data privacy protections:

Kentucky ranks as the safest state for data privacy in 2025 due to its exceptionally low cybercrime rate of 102.5 incidents per capita 100.000 and minimal breaches at 0.09 per capita 100.000. Its strong legal protections, with a score of 6, reflect its commitment to safeguarding residents’ data.

In contrast, South Dakota came in last, with a score of 65.14:

South Dakota is the least safe state for data privacy, with a high cybercrime rate of 183.6 incidents per capita 100.000 and the second-highest data breach rate of 0.98 per capita 100.000. Its lack of comprehensive privacy laws (scored 1) also highlights its struggles in protecting its residents’ data.

Rounding Out the Top Three

Rhode Island came in second place with a score of 97.14:

Rhode Island secures second place with a balance of moderate cybercrime (130 incidents per million) and an extremely low breach rate of 0.09 per capita 100.000. Its strong legal framework also reinforces its high safety score.

Tennessee rounded out the top three, coming in with a score of 96.43:

Tennessee ranks third, with moderate cybercrime (119 incidents per capita 100.000) and relatively low breaches at 0.20 per capita 100.000. Its comprehensive data privacy laws contribute to its impressive safety score.

As DesignRush points out, businesses in the top states benefit from the trust these states’ legislation provides. Because their data is relatively secure, customers trust sharing it with companies. What’s more, clear legislation provides a clear framework for companies to operate within.

Rounding Out the Bottom Three

Alaska came in as the second-worst state, with a score of 66.50:

Alaska’s extremely high cybercrime rate of 318.8 incidents per capita 100.000, paired with minimal legal protections (law score of 1), places it among the most vulnerable states. Despite a low data breach rate of only 0.14 per capita 100.000, the lack of safeguards leaves residents exposed.

Massachusetts rounded out the bottom three with a score of 68.16:

Massachusetts experiences a moderate cybercrime rate of 141.6 per capita 100.000 but is burdened by the highest data breach rate of 1.21 per capita 100.000. Limited legal protections (law score of 2) also contribute to its poor performance when it comes to data privacy.

Operating in one of the worst states comes with a variety of challenges, from a lack of consumer trust to the risks associated with compliance issues, higher cybercrime rates, breaches, and fines.

Conclusion

DesignRush’s study underscores the importance of strong data privacy legislation, something the U.S. notoriously lacks. As a result, the issue is left up to individual states, with the varying outcomes the study demonstrates.

In the meantime, consumers suffer, and companies are stuck navigating a quagmire of different regulations and requirements, depending on the state they operate in.

dbForge SQL Complete 7.0 introduces AI-driven code assistance, a feature that marks a new era in SQL development. By leveraging machine learning, the tool offers context-aware code completion that goes beyond syntax suggestions. It interprets the logic of your queries and the structure of your database, providing intelligent suggestions that align with the developer’s intent. This means less time spent on writing and debugging SQL code, as the AI predicts and suggests based on the context of the ongoing work, including understanding natural language queries or comments.

The tool’s SQL formatting capabilities have seen substantial upgrades, offering more customizable options that adhere to coding standards or personal preferences. This isn’t just about making code look better; it’s about ensuring that SQL scripts are maintainable and understandable, which is crucial in large enterprise environments where many hands might touch the same codebase over time.

Refactoring has also been given a significant boost. SQL Complete 7.0 allows for complex operations like renaming multiple database objects across different SQL statements simultaneously, ensuring that all references are updated automatically. This reduces the risk of errors during maintenance and supports agile development practices by allowing developers to refactor code with confidence.

For the Enterprise Edition, a new T-SQL Code Analyzer provides an additional layer of quality control. By scanning SQL scripts against a set of predefined rules, it identifies potential issues from syntax errors to performance bottlenecks, offering actionable insights on how to improve code. This is particularly beneficial for enterprises where database performance is critical to business operations.

The tool’s compatibility with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and Visual Studio ensures that it integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, meaning developers can adopt these enhancements without the overhead of learning new systems. SQL Complete 7.0 also supports the latest SQL Server features, including graph database functions, ensuring that as databases evolve, so does the tool’s capability to manage them.

For enterprise companies, this release of dbForge SQL Complete means more than just an update; it signifies a shift towards smarter SQL management. The integration of AI not only speeds up development but also enhances the quality of the SQL code, potentially leading to more reliable and performant database applications. The scalability of the tool ensures it can handle the growing complexity of enterprise databases, while the reduction in time spent on SQL tasks directly correlates to cost savings and efficiency gains.

In essence, dbForge SQL Complete 7.0 by Devart is not just enhancing SQL management; it’s revolutionizing it by marrying AI with traditional SQL tools, setting a new benchmark for what enterprises can expect from their database management solutions.

A Fresh Infusion of Capital

This recent funding round was spearheaded by Scale Venture Partners, with notable participation from Atlassian Ventures, Cercano, ScOp VC, and the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, among others. The involvement of figures like David Singleton, former CTO of Stripe, and Johnny Ho, co-founder of Perplexity, underscores the high expectations set on Unwrap’s potential to disrupt the analytics sector.

The capital injection aims to bolster Unwrap’s sales and engineering teams, facilitating further product development and company expansion. Rory O’Driscoll, a partner at Scale Venture Partners, will join Unwrap’s board, bringing his experience from successful ventures like Box and DocuSign.

Understanding Unwrap’s Core Offering

At its heart, Unwrap is about making customer feedback actionable. Unlike many analytics tools that provide raw data or require extensive manual analysis, Unwrap employs AI to dive deep into unstructured customer feedback—be it from surveys, social media, or customer service interactions. Here’s how it stands out:

• Automated Insight Generation: Unwrap automatically identifies themes, sentiments, and priorities from customer feedback. This automation reduces the manual labor typically associated with understanding customer data, allowing for quicker, more informed decision-making.
• Intuitive Data Visualization: For data analysts, one of the most compelling features is the platform’s ability to present complex data in easily digestible formats. Through its AI algorithms, Unwrap not only processes but also visualizes data in ways that highlight actionable insights, making it easier for teams to translate customer feedback into product enhancements or strategic pivots.
• Real-Time Analysis: In today’s fast-paced market, the ability to react in real-time is invaluable. Unwrap offers near-instant analysis, enabling companies to be agile in responding to customer needs or market shifts.

Practical Applications for Data Analysts

For professionals leveraging data analytics tools daily, Unwrap offers several practical benefits:

• Enhanced Product Development: By understanding customer pain points and desires more clearly, product teams can prioritize features or improvements that resonate most with their audience. This insights-driven approach can significantly reduce time-to-market for new features while ensuring they meet customer expectations.
• Customer Experience Optimization: Customer service and experience teams can use Unwrap’s insights to tailor interactions, improve service protocols, or even predict customer satisfaction trends. This could lead to higher retention rates and more positive brand advocacy.
• Market Strategy: For analysts tasked with market analysis, Unwrap’s ability to sift through vast amounts of feedback provides a granular view of market sentiments, helping to craft strategies that are more aligned with actual consumer behavior rather than assumptions.
• Risk Management: By identifying patterns or sudden shifts in customer feedback, analysts can alert business leaders to potential risks or opportunities, fostering a proactive rather than reactive business culture.

The Future Outlook

With customer intelligence being described by investors as a “forever problem,” Unwrap is positioned not just as a tool for today but as a fundamental part of the analytics ecosystem for years to come. The company’s vision goes beyond merely processing data; it’s about instilling a deeper understanding of customers into every layer of business decision-making.

As Unwrap grows, its integration with other data systems and platforms will be crucial. The feedback from current users, echoed on platforms like X, highlights enthusiasm for its intuitive interface and the depth of insights provided, though some note the learning curve typical of adopting new AI technologies.

AI Central to Understanding Customers

Unwrap’s Series A funding is more than just a financial boost; it’s an endorsement of a vision where AI isn’t just an auxiliary tool but the central engine driving customer understanding. For data analysts, this means entering an era where their work could be less about sifting through data and more about interpreting and acting on insights that are already well-curated by AI. As Unwrap continues to evolve, it’s clear that the future of customer intelligence is not just about collecting feedback but transforming it into strategic action.

Financial Highlights

Microsoft’s Q2 2025 earnings were nothing short of stellar. The company reported revenue of $69.6 billion, marking a 12% increase year-over-year. This growth was underpinned by significant gains in its cloud business, particularly Azure, and its burgeoning AI sector. Earnings per share stood at $3.23, surpassing analyst expectations and indicating a healthy profit margin despite the massive investments in AI infrastructure.

• Microsoft Cloud: With a total revenue of $40.9 billion, up 21%, Microsoft’s cloud services are the backbone of its financial success. Azure alone saw a 31% growth, with AI services contributing 13 percentage points to this figure. This is a testament to the company’s strategic focus on cloud computing and AI integration.
• AI Revenue: The AI business has been highlighted as one of Microsoft’s fastest-growing areas, with an annual revenue run rate now exceeding $13 billion, up 175% year-over-year. This figure underscores Microsoft’s position as a leader in the AI revolution, integrating AI into products like Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure AI services.

Market Reaction

Despite the positive earnings report, Microsoft’s shares experienced a downturn in after-hours trading, dropping 4.5%. This unexpected market reaction was primarily due to concerns over the company’s AI spending and the competitive landscape, particularly with the entry of cost-effective AI models from China, like DeepSeek.

• @alex on X noted, “$MSFT: ‘Already, our AI business has surpassed an annual revenue run rate of $13 billion, up 175% year-over-year.’ ‘This quarter Microsoft Cloud revenue was $40.9 billion, up 21% year-over-year’ – 31% growth at ‘Azure and other cloud services revenue'”.
• @ZorTrades observed, “Microsoft: AI Strength, Cloud Disappointment Microsoft’s stock took a hit in after-hours trading, despite reporting strong earnings per share and revenue beats. The problem? The Intelligent Cloud segment, which includes Azure, missed estimates despite growing 19% YoY.”.

Strategic Implications

Microsoft’s focus on AI and cloud computing isn’t just about financial gains; it’s about positioning the company at the forefront of technological innovation:

• AI Integration: The integration of AI across Microsoft’s product lineup, from Microsoft 365 to Azure, shows a strategic bet on AI being the next frontier for computing. This move is not just about enhancing current offerings but about creating new paradigms in how businesses and consumers interact with technology.
• Cloud Dominance: Azure’s continued growth, even amidst global economic uncertainties, demonstrates Microsoft’s stronghold in the cloud market. The company’s investments in expanding its cloud infrastructure are paying dividends, offering scalability and flexibility that enterprises demand.
• Competitive Landscape: The rise of competitors like DeepSeek, offering AI solutions at lower costs, introduces a new dynamic in the market. Microsoft’s response, including the integration of DeepSeek into its Azure offerings, suggests an adaptive strategy to maintain its market dominance while embracing broader AI accessibility.

Cloud and AI Investments Paying Off

Microsoft’s Q2 2025 earnings paint a picture of a company in robust health, powered by strategic investments in cloud and AI. However, the market’s reaction to these results indicates that investors are keenly watching how Microsoft navigates the increasingly competitive AI landscape and manages its substantial capital expenditures.

• @danielnewmanUV commented on X, “Here we go Microsoft: Always my favorite visual from @EconomyApp The rapid leg down was all about cloud missing the number and sequential Azure growth being down. The recovery is all about the AI Revenue number being up 175% to $13 Billion and knowing this is VERY EARLY in.”

As we move into 2025, Microsoft’s journey will be one to watch, balancing innovation with investor expectations, in a tech world where AI and cloud computing define the future of business.

The Catalyst for Change

The year 2024 was marked by several cyberattacks that shook the foundations of cybersecurity practices. Incidents at institutions like the NHS and CrowdStrike, coupled with a faulty update from CrowdStrike that led to widespread system failures, underscored the urgent need for robust crisis management. Hack The Box‘s survey, which revealed that 74% of CISOs plan to increase their crisis simulation budgets in 2025, reflects a recognition across the industry that simulation is not just preparation—it’s a necessity.

The New Normal in Cybersecurity

CISOs now view crisis simulations as their top priority for 2025, with a significant 73% considering cyber incident live drills essential for business resilience. This shift is about responding to past threats and preempting future ones. The consensus among security leaders, as seen in posts on X, is clear: simulations are crucial for understanding the chaos of a cyberattack in a controlled environment, allowing teams to refine their response strategies without the real-world stakes.

Realistic and Actionable Simulations

There’s a growing demand for simulations that aren’t just theoretical exercises but are grounded in real-world scenarios. A notable 77% of CISOs would be more inclined to invest in simulations if they were more realistic and actionable, highlighting the need for simulations that mimic the complexity and unpredictability of actual cyber incidents (). This demand has led to innovations in simulation technology, where AI is being leveraged to create more dynamic and adaptive scenarios that evolve based on the actions taken by the participants.

The Role of AI in Simulations

Integrating AI into crisis simulations transforms how these exercises are conducted. AI can simulate various attack vectors, from ransomware to supply chain attacks, providing a comprehensive learning environment. This technology allows simulations that adapt in real-time to the defenders’ strategies, offering new challenges and learning opportunities that static simulations cannot (trending on X).

Beyond the Simulation: Learning and Adaptation

Post-simulation analysis has become as critical as the simulation itself. The insights gained are invaluable, offering lessons on everything from communication breakdowns to the effectiveness of incident response plans. This analysis phase is where the actual value of crisis simulations is extracted, turning theoretical exercises into actionable intelligence for real-world application.

Industry Voices

Industry experts and CISOs share a common sentiment on platforms like X: the future of cybersecurity resilience lies in how well organizations can simulate, learn, and adapt from these simulations. From discussions on the necessity of integrating crisis simulations into annual security budgets to the benefits of cross-departmental participation in these drills, the narrative is clear—crisis simulations are no longer an optional training element but a core component of cybersecurity strategy.

Building a Culture of Resilience

As we move into 2025, the emphasis on crisis simulation by CISOs is not just about compliance or checking off a security list. It’s about building a culture of resilience where organizations are not just surviving cyber incidents but are prepared to thrive despite them. This proactive approach, underpinned by advanced technology and a commitment to continuous learning, sets a new standard for being secure in the digital age. The message from the cybersecurity community is clear: in the face of evolving threats, simulation is the latest preparation.

Microsoft Defender XDR: Enhancing Incident Response

Microsoft Defender XDR stands out by offering Security Operations Center (SOC) teams an advanced platform for incident investigation and prioritization. With around-the-clock expert assistance, this tool aggregates and analyzes data from various sources, facilitating a quicker response to threats. It’s designed to reduce the noise of false positives, allowing security teams to focus on genuine threats, thereby improving incident response times and effectiveness.

Microsoft Copilot for Security: AI-Driven Data Protection

Leveraging generative AI, Microsoft Copilot for Security introduces a new paradigm where security professionals can interact with complex security systems using natural language. This tool not only simplifies the process of understanding and mitigating threats but also enables proactive data protection. By interpreting user queries in plain language, it helps bridge the gap between technical security operations and strategic business decisions, making cybersecurity more accessible and actionable for CDOs.

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps NCE: Securing Cloud Workloads

The New Commerce Experience (NCE) for Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps focuses on securing applications in the cloud. It provides proactive Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) and safeguards cloud workloads with continuous monitoring and automatic remediation of misconfigurations. This tool is essential for CDOs overseeing cloud strategies, ensuring that as data moves to the cloud, it remains protected against both external threats and internal risks.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Real-Time Network Protection

In an era where endpoint devices are often the first line of attack, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offers real-time threat detection and blocking across multiple devices. It employs machine learning to identify suspicious activities and prevent malware from executing, providing a robust layer of protection for network perimeters. This capability is crucial for CDOs to ensure that the vast amount of data flowing through endpoints is secure.

Microsoft Defender for Identity: Safeguarding Hybrid Environments

Hybrid environments, where on-premises and cloud infrastructures coexist, present unique security challenges. Microsoft Defender for Identity addresses these by protecting against cyber-attacks and insider threats. It uses AI to monitor, analyze, and respond to identity-based threats, offering CDOs peace of mind about the security of their identity infrastructure across hybrid landscapes.

Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention: Managing Sensitive Information

Microsoft Purview enhances data governance with its data loss prevention capabilities. It allows organizations to define and label sensitive information types, integrating seamlessly with Microsoft 365 services and applications. This tool empowers CDOs to enforce policies that prevent data leakage, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations while maintaining operational efficiency.

Strategic Implications for CDOs

For CDOs, these tools collectively offer a strategic advantage in managing data security. The integration of AI across Microsoft’s security suite means that data can be protected more intelligently, with less human intervention for routine tasks, allowing security teams to focus on strategic threat management. The natural language interface of Microsoft Copilot for Security, in particular, democratizes access to security insights, bringing non-technical stakeholders into the security conversation.

Moreover, the real-time and predictive capabilities of these tools enable a shift from reactive to proactive security measures. This shift not only helps in mitigating risks but also in planning for secure digital transformation initiatives. The ability to label and protect sensitive data through Microsoft Purview aids in compliance efforts, reducing the risk of breaches and the associated costs.

However, the use of AI in cybersecurity also introduces ethical considerations. CDOs must navigate the balance between security and privacy, ensuring that AI applications are transparent, accountable, and respectful of user data rights.

As Microsoft continues to refine and expand its AI security capabilities, CDOs have at their disposal a suite of tools that not only protect but also enhance the strategic value of data within their organizations. This suite is not just about defense; it’s about enabling secure innovation and maintaining trust in an increasingly digital world.

The Breakthrough

DeepSeek has shown that it’s possible to achieve AI capabilities on par with those from leading US companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta, but with a fraction of the financial investment. Their latest model, DeepSeek-R1, was developed for a mere $5.6 million, using Nvidia’s less advanced H800 chips rather than the cutting-edge hardware typically favored by Big Tech.

This approach challenges the notion that only massive investments can yield top-tier AI and showcases a path where cost-efficiency drives innovation.

Market Repercussions

The revelation of DeepSeek’s capabilities has caused ripples throughout the tech sector. Nvidia, known for providing the high-performance chips critical for AI training, experienced a staggering $600 billion drop in market value in a single day. This reaction highlights investor fears about whether the demand for such expensive hardware will hold if cheaper yet effective alternatives come to light. The broader tech industry, including other AI-centric companies, faced similar scrutiny, with stocks falling as the market reevaluated the sustainability of current AI spending levels.

Big Tech’s Response

The reactions from established tech giants have been varied:

• Microsoft, Meta, and Google: These companies have defended their investment strategies, arguing that while DeepSeek’s approach is innovative, the widespread application of AI requires the infrastructure that only significant investments can support. They emphasize that their strategy is not solely about building AI models but integrating AI into vast ecosystems, including cloud computing, data centers, and enterprise solutions.
• Nvidia: Despite the stock plunge, Nvidia insists on its vital role in the AI sector, stating that while training models might become more cost-effective, the demand for inference—using trained models to make predictions—will only increase, necessitating robust hardware solutions.

Strategic Implications for Enterprises

For CTOs and technology leaders in large companies, DeepSeek’s breakthrough raises several strategic considerations:

• Cost Efficiency vs. Scale: There’s a clear takeaway on efficiency here. Companies might now prioritize AI investments that offer the best performance for the dollar, potentially leading to a more diverse AI sector where smaller, agile players can challenge the giants.
• Innovation and Competition: DeepSeek’s success could ignite a wave of innovation where the focus shifts from how much money can be spent to how smartly resources can be utilized. This might encourage partnerships, acquisitions, or a pivot towards open-source models to keep up with rapid advancements.
• Security and Compliance: The geopolitical implications of AI development, particularly with a Chinese startup making such strides, might push enterprises to rethink their AI supply chains, data sovereignty, and security protocols in light of international competition.
• Market Adaptation: Companies might need to adapt to a market where AI services become more commoditized, focusing on differentiation through application, integration, and user experience rather than just the underlying technology.

Innovation Trumps Spending

While DeepSeek’s achievements might not immediately unseat Big Tech, they undeniably challenge the current norms. The tech industry might see a shift towards a model where AI development is less about who can spend the most and more about who can innovate the best. For large enterprises, this means potentially reevaluating AI strategies and looking toward a future where AI is optimized for cost, performance, and ethical considerations.

DeepSeek’s story is a potent reminder of technology’s dynamic nature—where today’s underdogs can swiftly become tomorrow’s industry leaders, reshaping how we view investment, innovation, and the global competition in AI.

Here, we delve into the technical nuances of this development, exploring what it means for networking executives and the broader telecommunications landscape.

The Core of the Innovation: L4S Standard

At the heart of Comcast’s initiative is the adoption of the Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput (L4S) standard. L4S is an emerging internet standard designed to combat bufferbloat, a common issue where network buffers accumulate too much data, leading to increased latency. Unlike traditional methods that might sacrifice throughput for lower latency, L4S promises to deliver both high throughput and low latency.

• How L4S Works: L4S introduces a new way of marking packets with an explicit congestion notification (ECN) signal, allowing networks to quickly react to congestion. When network nodes detect congestion, they can inform the endpoints to reduce their sending rate before queues build up, thus maintaining low latency even under high load conditions.
• Comcast’s Implementation: Comcast has begun rolling out this technology across select markets, initially targeting applications like FaceTime on Apple devices, gaming via Nvidia’s GeForce Now, and Valve’s Steam platform. This strategic choice of applications showcases the technology’s immediate impact on areas where latency is a critical performance metric.

Technical Execution and Challenges

• Deployment Scale: The deployment involves both hardware and software upgrades. Comcast is adapting its DOCSIS gateways (models like XB6, XB7, XB8) and the virtual cable modem termination system (vCMTS) to support L4S. The challenge here is not just in the implementation but ensuring that this upgrade can be scaled nationwide without disrupting existing services.
• Compatibility and Ecosystem: For L4S to have a significant impact, it requires an ecosystem where both the network infrastructure and the end-user devices support the standard. Apple’s inclusion of L4S support in iOS, macOS, and other platforms is a pivotal move, encouraging a broader adoption across developer communities.
• Network Performance Metrics: Comcast claims a reduction in “working latency” by about 75%, which under normal home use conditions translates to a significant improvement in user experience. However, measuring and ensuring consistent performance across diverse network conditions remains a complex task.

Strategic Implications for Networking Executives

• Competitive Differentiation: In a market where speed metrics like download/upload speeds have plateaued in terms of consumer perception, latency reduction offers a fresh battleground. Comcast’s move could pressure competitors to either adopt similar technologies or innovate in other performance aspects.
• Impact on Application Development: Developers of latency-sensitive applications, from gaming to VR and AR, now have a compelling reason to optimize for L4S. This could lead to a new wave of application features that leverage ultra-low latency for real-time interactions.
• Network Infrastructure Evolution: This initiative signals a shift towards networks designed for specific application needs rather than generic throughput. Networking executives must now consider how their infrastructure can support such specialized standards, potentially leading to investments in new hardware or partnerships with tech leaders like Apple or Nvidia.
• Customer Expectations: With Comcast setting a new benchmark for latency, customer expectations will inevitably rise across the board. Networking execs will need to recalibrate service level agreements (SLAs) and possibly rebrand or reposition their services to highlight latency performance.

The Broader Industry Impact

• Adoption Across Providers: If Comcast’s trials prove successful, we might see a domino effect where other ISPs adopt L4S to stay competitive. This could lead to a standardized, high-performance internet experience, beneficial for the entire ecosystem.
• Application and Content Providers: Companies like Meta, Valve, and Nvidia are not just partners in this initiative but are also poised to benefit directly. Their applications can deliver enhanced experiences, potentially driving user engagement and retention.
• Regulatory Considerations: As networks become more specialized, regulatory bodies might need to revisit how they define and measure internet service quality, possibly leading to new standards or certifications focused on latency.

More Than a Technical Upgrade

Comcast’s latency reduction initiative is more than a technical upgrade; it’s a strategic move that could influence the future direction of internet services. For networking executives, the message is clear: the race for performance now includes latency as a critical differentiator. This development invites a reevaluation of network strategies, from infrastructure investments to partnerships with application developers, all aimed at delivering not just faster, but more responsive internet experiences.

As we witness this evolution, the implications extend beyond Comcast and its collaborators, setting a new standard for what consumers expect from their internet service providers. The challenge for the industry will be to keep pace with these expectations while navigating the complexities of implementing such sophisticated network optimizations on a grand scale.

AI’s Role in Network Management

AI has become more than just a futuristic concept; it’s now central to how networks operate at an enterprise level. Companies like Cisco are harnessing AI not only for predictive maintenance but for comprehensive network optimization. Networks can now adapt autonomously to traffic patterns, bolster security protocols, and predict capacity demands.

For example, AI can analyze usage to ensure bandwidth is managed effectively during peak times, keeping critical applications running smoothly without human intervention. This shift from reactive to proactive management allows engineers to focus on strategic projects, using AI to gain previously unattainable insights.

For those leading enterprise networks, integrating these AI systems into existing infrastructures while aligning them with business objectives is a major challenge. It’s about creating networks that learn, adapt, and protect, turning vast amounts of data into strategic intelligence.

The Edge Computing Revolution

Edge computing is changing the game for enterprises by decentralizing data processing. With the rapid increase in IoT devices across various industries—from manufacturing requiring real-time analytics for machinery upkeep to retail needing personalized customer experiences—processing data at the edge isn’t just beneficial; it’s essential. This reduces latency, saves bandwidth, and enhances data privacy by keeping information close to where it’s generated.

For enterprise networks, this means rethinking architecture. Edge devices must be as robust, secure, and manageable as traditional data centers. Engineers are now tasked with creating ecosystems where edge nodes are part of a cohesive, secure network, capable of handling complex data workflows without security or performance compromises. The challenge is scaling this model globally while maintaining consistency and control.

Looking Beyond 5G: 6G and Wi-Fi 7

While 5G networks are still being optimized for enterprise use, discussions about 6G are already underway, promising to leverage terahertz frequencies for ultra-low latency and massive data throughput. Though still in research, 6G could pave the way for new business models, from fully autonomous supply chains to immersive telepresence for remote work. Wi-Fi 7, meanwhile, is more immediate, offering significant improvements in speed, capacity, and reliability in high-density environments.

Enterprise network leaders need to plan for these technologies, not just upgrading from current systems but also considering how these advancements can drive business innovation. This includes reevaluating network design, spectrum management, and security protocols to leverage these new capabilities fully.

SD-WAN and Cloud Integration

Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN) are crucial for enterprises looking to connect their diverse digital environments. The evolution here is towards deeper integration with cloud services, providing not just connectivity but an extension of enterprise infrastructure into the cloud. This allows for dynamic policy management, optimized application performance, and enhanced security across hybrid environments.

Mastering cloud orchestration is key for network engineers, ensuring network policies are consistently applied across varied environments, from on-premises to multi-cloud setups.

Security as the Backbone of Networking

In a world where network boundaries are increasingly blurred, security must be at the core of enterprise networking. The introduction of security cloud strategies integrates network security at every touchpoint, using AI for threat detection, anomaly identification, and automated response. This holistic approach is vital for securing modern enterprises’ vast, interconnected systems.

Networking leaders must now see security not as an afterthought but as an intrinsic part of network design, ensuring every step forward in connectivity is matched by a step forward in protection.

The Human Factor and Sustainability

Despite technological leaps, human elements remain crucial. Continuous education and adaptation are necessary for network engineers to keep up with advancements, with interactive, gamified learning platforms becoming part of professional development. There’s also a strong push towards sustainability. Networks are being redesigned with energy efficiency in mind, from optimizing data center operations to choosing eco-friendly networking hardware. Those at the helm of networking are now stewards of sustainability, balancing technological advancement with environmental responsibility.

In this new era, enterprise networking engineers and leaders are not just keeping pace with technology but are leveraging it for strategic business advantage. The integration of AI, strategic use of edge computing, anticipation of 6G, and a relentless focus on security are transforming enterprise networks into agile, secure, and sustainable infrastructures. This period demands technical skills and visionary leadership, where networks are seen as critical assets in achieving business objectives.

In an online document, Microsoft says unlicensed accounts within an organization—while common—pose a significant security risk.

As an IT administrator, you might encounter situations where some of your users have unmanaged and unlicensed OneDrive accounts within your organization. Unlicensed OneDrive accounts can pose security and compliance risks, as well as create confusion and duplication of files.

As a result, the company says such accounts will be archived and become inaccessible, beginning in early 2025.

Beginning January 27, 2025, any OneDrive user account that has been unlicensed for longer than 90 days becomes inaccessible to admins and end users. The unlicensed account is automatically archived, viewable via admin tools, but remains inaccessible until administrators take action on them.”

Unfortunately, IT admins may not know how to properly track unlicensed OneDrive account, since they’re not associated with a valid account by default. Unlicensed accounts can also appear for a number of reasons, including an expired license, or an account that was never assigned a license.

Microsoft does provide a way for admins to identify unlicensed accounts so they can take the necessary steps before the deadline.

You can identify unlicensed OneDrive accounts using the SharePoint admin center to generate reports on unlicensed accounts. The following steps show how to use the SharePoint admin center to generate a report of unlicensed OneDrive accounts:

• Sign in to the SharePoint admin center with your work or school account.
• Go to Reports and select User reports.
• Under OneDrive usage, select Unlicensed users.
• You can download the report as a CSV file.
• Starting January 2025, an interactive UI will be available. You can select a username to view the details.

The report shows the username, email address, account type, and last activity date of each unlicensed OneDrive account.

Once unlicensed accounts have been identified, a license can be assigned to them, they can be deleted, or they can be proactively archived before the deadline.