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Bot Traffic Overtakes Human Traffic in 2024 as AI Agents and Scrapers Surge
Understanding Security Alerts Only Becomes Clear When You Start Writing Detection Rules Yourself
NVIDIA Accelerates Physical AI Push with $500 Billion Infrastructure Plan at 2026 World Robot Conference
Anthropic Releases Eight Claude Code Updates in August Focused on Multi-Agent Workflows
Between August 13 and 21, Anthropic shipped eight consecutive Claude Code releases from version 2.1.232 to 2.1.239. The updates center on enabling multiple long-running agents that can share context, communicate across sessions, and continue work automatically after hitting usage limits. Key additions include subagent forking that inherits prompt cache and conversation history, cross-session messaging via @mentions, and an automatic mode that uses a classifier model to approve actions. Additional improvements cover GitLab merge request integration, memory management fixes for extended sessions, and support for native add-ons in musl-based Alpine environments. The changes significantly expand the scale of tasks that can be delegated to Claude Code without constant human oversight.
Selectel Revenue Exceeds 10 Billion Rubles as Cloud Services Drive Growth Amid Rising Costs
Selectel reported revenue of 10.2 billion rubles for the first half of 2026, marking a 14 percent increase compared with the same period a year earlier. Cloud infrastructure services remained the primary growth engine, contributing 8.9 billion rubles or 87 percent of total revenue. The customer base expanded by 14,400 clients over twelve months to reach 44,500, with smaller customers fueling much of the increase through new VDS configurations. Professional services showed the fastest consumption growth at 1.4 times, while financial and IT sectors raised infrastructure spending by 1.3 times. Adjusted EBITDA rose only 3 percent to 5.4 billion rubles, lowering its margin from 59 percent to 53 percent, and net profit stayed nearly flat at 1.9 billion rubles with margin declining from 21 percent to 18 percent. Operating expenses jumped 23 percent to 4.7 billion rubles, driven mainly by payroll costs that accounted for 65 percent of the total. The company invested 6.4 billion rubles in development, including 4.4 billion rubles on server equipment, a 1.8-fold increase, while expanding GPU purchases for AI workloads despite higher component prices, resulting in negative free cash flow of 3.4 billion rubles and a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 2.1.
Russian Backup Market Hits 10.6 Billion Rubles as Domestic Solutions Reach 70% Share
The Russian market for backup solutions grew 18.5% in 2025 to reach 10.6 billion rubles, outpacing the overall infrastructure software segment which expanded 16%. Domestic vendors increased their share from 19% in 2021 to 70% in 2025, with analysts from Strategy Partners forecasting further growth to 92% by 2030 and a market size of 24 billion rubles. Cyberprotect maintains the leading position with its Cyber Backup product, while Astra Groupโs RuBackup is noted as another significant offering. The company itself estimates the market at approximately 12 billion rubles and claims a 56% share. Competition is shifting from feature lists toward compatibility with Russian virtualization platforms, databases, Kubernetes environments, storage systems, and monitoring tools. The broader infrastructure software market reached 158 billion rubles in 2025, with Russian developers holding 68% compared to just 8% four years earlier.
Google Issues Clear 2026 Guidance: No Separate SEO for AI Overviews or AI Mode
Google has published dedicated documentation clarifying that optimization for generative search features remains standard SEO. The company stresses that pages must be crawlable, indexable, relevant to user intent, and contain reliable information that the system can extract and synthesize. While classic ranking still applies, generative systems now evaluate pages across multiple stages including retrieval, fact extraction, cross-referencing, and citation decisions. Google explicitly rejects the need for llms.txt files, special AI-oriented Schema markup, or content rewritten specifically for language models. Instead, the focus is on non-commodity content that provides unique data, concrete metrics, and genuine user value. The guidance also warns against scaled content abuse and doorway-style pages created solely to capture long-tail AI-generated queries.
Wildberries and Ozon to Accept Digital Rubles from September 1, 2026
Major Russian marketplaces Wildberries and Ozon will begin accepting digital rubles for purchases starting September 1, 2026. Ozon plans to introduce the new payment option first in a testing phase alongside bank cards and other methods before gradually rolling it out to all customers. Wildberries confirmed it will comply with requirements from the Bank of Russia and existing regulations without providing further details. From the same date, major banks must enable clients to open digital wallets, transfer funds, and pay for goods through their regular banking apps connected to the Central Bank platform. Operations with digital rubles will remain free for citizens. The rollout is mandatory for large merchants with annual revenue exceeding 120 million rubles that are served by major banks, with smaller businesses facing obligations in subsequent years based on revenue thresholds.
Positive Technologies Wraps Up Third Positive Hack Camp with 81 Students from 20 Countries
Positive Technologies has completed the third edition of its international Positive Hack Camp cybersecurity training program. More than 80 students from 20 countries traveled to Moscow at their own expense to receive intensive instruction in ethical hacking and information security. The two-week program featured 30 practical sessions delivered by experts from Positive Technologies and invited instructors from Lebanon. Participants studied attack modeling, network traffic analysis, privilege escalation in web applications, operating system security, and reverse engineering of complex devices. The camp also included cultural activities and concluded with examinations where all students passed and received diplomas. The initiative aims to strengthen global cyber resilience and build an international community of white hackers, with previous participants already contributing to national cybersecurity efforts in Algeria.
Rubytech Tests Russian LLM Cotype 3 on Chinese GPUs Matching NVIDIA H100 Performance
Rubytech has successfully tested the Russian large language model Cotype 3 developed by MWS AI on Chinese graphics accelerators instead of NVIDIA hardware. The trials took place on the Skala^r AI machine software-hardware complex and demonstrated stable operation with inference performance comparable to configurations using NVIDIA H100 GPUs. Eight Chinese GPUs were used in the test system, delivering an average first-token generation time of about 8 seconds and inter-token latency between 111 ms when processing 27,000-token contexts. Engineers adapted drivers, software environments, and orchestration tools, achieving up to 2-2.2 times faster performance in certain scenarios compared to the standard Chinese GPU setup. The results indicate that corporate AI infrastructure can be built without mandatory reliance on NVIDIA accelerators, which is particularly relevant for government agencies, state-owned companies, and critical information infrastructure organizations requiring localized model deployment and controlled scaling. Rubytech also noted potential reductions in total cost of ownership with Chinese GPUs, although the company emphasized this is an additional option rather than a complete replacement for NVIDIA solutions.
Can the Moon Be DDoSed? Exploring Future Cybersecurity Challenges for Lunar Bases
A speculative analysis examines whether DDoS attacks could target a lunar base in 2036, highlighting how Earth-based internet protocols would fail over the 384,000 km distance. The piece details NASAโs LunaNet architecture and Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) that uses store-and-forward mechanisms to handle long delays and link disruptions. It explains why traditional volumetric attacks would be limited by narrow space communication channels while resource-exhaustion attacks on orbital relays and DTN nodes could prove more effective. The analysis contrasts Earthโs redundant routing with the Moonโs few irreplaceable links and emphasizes that attacking ground control centers might be more practical than flooding lunar hardware. It concludes that any real lunar network will inherit familiar terrestrial bottlenecks despite its exotic setting.
Central Bank of Russia Confirms Digital Ruble Will Be Free for Citizens with No Commissions
The Bank of Russia has announced that all operations with the digital ruble will be completely free of charge for individual citizens. Director of the National Payment Systems Department Alla Bakina stated that transfers and payments for private users will incur zero commissions. Businesses will still face fees, but the regulator promises they will be minimal and lower than standard bank rates for similar transactions. Starting 1 September, Russians will be able to open digital ruble wallets through mobile apps of systemically important banks and other payment-significant credit institutions. A dedicated button with the new currency logo will appear on the main screen of these applications. Payments will be made via a special QR code that buyers scan in their banking app before selecting the digital ruble wallet and confirming the transaction. Large retail chains with annual revenue exceeding 120 million rubles must begin accepting digital ruble payments from September, with the requirement later expanding to smaller merchants. The Bank of Russia emphasizes that the digital ruble represents a third form of the national currency alongside cash and bank deposits, available for voluntary use by citizens.
Power Outage at Major Russian Telecom Node Disrupts Reg.ru Services and Affects Runet Nationwide
A large-scale power failure at a key communication node in Russia caused widespread disruptions to internet services on August 17. Hosting provider and domain registrar Reg.ru experienced a major outage, preventing users from accessing its main website and personal accounts. Multiple sites relying on Reg.ru infrastructure also went down or became unstable, with evidence pointing to problems with DNS servers responsible for translating domain names into network addresses. Users reported simultaneous issues with banking apps, messengers, social networks, and other Russian online resources, though it remains unclear whether all incidents stemmed directly from the Reg.ru-related problems. Reg.ru stated that the issue originated outside its own infrastructure due to electricity supply problems at the major node. The company expressed hope for quick restoration but provided no details on the incident's full scale or recovery timeline at the time of reporting.
Yandex Maps Adds Upcoming Speed Limits and Camera Direction Details to Navigation
Yandex Maps has updated its navigation mode to display speed restrictions on upcoming road segments along the entire route. Drivers can now see a sequence of limits in advance, such as 80 km/h followed by 60 km/h after an interchange and then 40 km/h. The application also provides more detailed information about the two nearest traffic cameras, including the specific lane they target and whether they monitor oncoming or same-direction traffic. Voice alerts now warn users when a camera measures speed after the vehicle has already passed it. Pilot testing showed positive effects on speed limit compliance. The changes aim to make urban and highway driving more predictable by removing the need to guess restrictions or camera focus ahead.
Kaspersky Releases Corporate Version of Kaspersky Password Manager for Mid-Size and Large Organizations
Kaspersky has introduced a business edition of Kaspersky Password Manager designed for centralized credential management across medium and large enterprises. The solution generates complex passwords, stores them in encrypted vaults, and audits existing credentials for strength and exposure in data leaks. Employees only need to remember a single master password while the platform also supports storage of TOTP tokens, passkeys, corporate documents, and payment card details. Administrators gain tools to enforce password policies centrally and apply role-based access controls. Supporting statistics from Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence show widespread password reuse and simplicity, with 37 percent of users merely changing letter case when recycling passwords. The company links these habits to real risk, noting that credential compromise initiated one quarter of attacks against organizations in 2025.
GitHub Experiences Major Global Outage Affecting API, Actions, Copilot and Multiple Core Services
On August 17, GitHub suffered a widespread outage that impacted nearly all major platform functions including the web interface, API, Issues, Pull Requests, Actions, Webhooks, Pages, Git Operations, and Copilot. Approximately 20% of requests to the site and API failed during peak impact, with archive and raw repository content loads reaching around 50% error rates. Corporate authentication mechanisms such as SAML and OIDC, along with SCIM and Team Sync services, were also disrupted while Codespaces remained operational. The incident began around 13:40 UTC with progressive degradation across components, prompting GitHub to identify and mitigate the root cause. Services are gradually recovering but error rates remain slightly elevated, and the incident has not yet been fully closed. Parallel issues were reported in other Microsoft services including Teams and Copilot, with unconfirmed speculation linking the event to Amazon Web Services network problems.
SASTAV and ARX ASPM PLATFORM Integrate Static Code Analysis with Application Security Risk Management
Russian developers ShiftLeft Security and ARX Security have ensured compatibility between the SASTAV SAST solution and the ARX ASPM PLATFORM. The integration allows static analysis of source code to be launched and configured directly from the ASPM platform interface. For each project, specialists can select repositories and branches, form rule sets, set scanning parameters, and establish quality gates that determine whether a product can be released with detected defects. Risk acceptance procedures are also configured within the same interface. SASTAV handles static code analysis, enabling creation and editing of rules, assignment of different check sets to individual repositories, and management of scanning parameters. ARX ASPM PLATFORM serves as a unified center for managing AppSec tools, collecting results from various analyzers, correlating related findings, assessing risks, and displaying the overall security posture of digital products. Both solutions leverage artificial intelligence at different stages: SASTAV uses it for defect verification, automatic triage, prioritization, and code change recommendations, while the ARX AI assistant determines defect statuses. The combined system reduces manual operations, accelerates DevSecOps project onboarding, and lowers the burden on AppSec teams.
GPT-4 Boosts Skilled Kenyan Entrepreneurs by 15% Profit While Costing Unprepared Businesses 10% in Six-Month Study
A six-month experiment conducted by researchers from UC Berkeley, Harvard, and Columbia University examined how access to a GPT-4-based AI advisor affected small business owners in Kenya. The most skilled participants increased profits by 15 percent by adapting model recommendations to local conditions such as power outages, while less prepared entrepreneurs lost around 10 percent of revenue by applying generic advice without verification. The study highlights that the core issue lies not in the technology itself but in users abandoning critical thinking when interacting with generative AI. Earlier findings from Dickinson College showed that 97 percent of participants copied an obviously incorrect ChatGPT answer on a simple task, whereas the group without AI performed better. A simple reminder to double-check results immediately doubled accuracy. Analysis of 1.4 million KPMG work sessions revealed that 95 percent of users treat AI like a vending machine by taking the first output, while only 5 percent engage it as a thinking partner by providing context and challenging responses. The results indicate that merely granting employees access to AI tools reveals little about actual effectiveness without considering skill levels and task-specific oversight.
How to Submit Documents for Online Master's Programs via Gosuslugi: Complete Guide
The admission campaign for online master's programs at partner universities is nearing its end, with less than a month remaining for applicants. Yandex Practicum provides a detailed walkthrough on using the Gosuslugi super service to submit applications entirely online without visiting admissions offices in person. The process covers selecting programs at institutions such as ITMO and MEPhI, uploading required documents like diplomas and passports, and tracking application status through a personal account. Specific deadlines are outlined for 2026, including final document submission dates in late August for programs in areas like DevOps, AI solutions, and cybersecurity. Additional steps include arranging entrance exams, signing contracts remotely, and accessing state-supported education loans at a 3% interest rate. Common pitfalls such as unverified accounts or unreadable document scans are highlighted to help applicants avoid delays.
Claude AI Manages San Francisco Store and Fires Employee for Repeated Tardiness
In an experiment run by Andon Labs, the AI model Claude was given real managerial authority over store employees in San Francisco who worked under actual employment contracts. Claude ultimately decided to terminate one worker after the employee arrived late for 17 out of 23 shifts. The model initially recommended only an official warning, but proceeded with dismissal following guidance from a human Andon Labs manager who highlighted the repeated issues. Over five months the storeโs balance dropped from $100,000 to $61,200, showing that the AI learned to enforce attendance rules before it learned to protect revenue. One remaining employee, Felix Carson, described working under the AI as nauseating and said he continued only because he needed the income. Andon Labs founder Lucas Petersson viewed the trial as an important step toward wider AI supervision of human workers. The case also illustrates that ultimate responsibility remains with humans even when an algorithm issues the final decision.
IDC Publishes First China APA Market Share Report Highlighting RPA Veterans Leading Agentic Automation
IDC has released its inaugural China Agentic Process Automation market report for 2025, marking the first official tracking of the emerging APA sector. The report values the Chinese APA market at approximately 2.15 billion RMB, with product revenue at 1.62 billion RMB and services at 530 million RMB. Leading vendors include Yisaiqi, Jinzhiwei, and Laiye Technology, all long-established RPA players now extending their platforms with agentic capabilities. APA introduces governance layers that allow AI agents to perceive environments, orchestrate tasks, and execute autonomously while maintaining auditability and compliance. Case studies from clients such as Jiage Food and Zhongtian Technology demonstrate significant efficiency gains, including 80 percent process improvements and annual cost savings exceeding one million RMB. The transition from traditional RPA to APA enables handling of non-standard, dynamic workflows that previously required constant human intervention.
sing-box Fork Expands from Desktop VPN Launcher to Android and Router Deployments
The sing-box-lx fork has grown from a desktop-focused VPN engine into a cross-platform solution supporting Android and headless router deployments. Over 1,700 commits since June produced 24 stable 1.14 releases and dozens of specialized builds. New protocol support includes a full MASQUE CONNECT-IP outbound for Cloudflare WARP and a rigorously verified AmneziaWG 2.0 implementation matching 16 obfuscation parameters across three reference sources. Android adaptations introduced aggressive endpoint state management that reduced RSS by 31 percent and CPU load by 80 percent while fixing long-standing TCP dial timeouts inherited from gVisor. The new lxd headless daemon exposes gRPC observability and admin REST endpoints with mTLS, config validation, automatic rollback, and device-name mapping for OpenWrt deployments. All changes follow strict upstream discipline: minimal patches, regular rebases, reproducible builds, and real-device testing before stable tags.
Yandex Market Launches Click Delivery with 24-Hour Post-Payment for Clothing and Accessories
Yandex Market has introduced a new delivery option called click delivery with post-payment, allowing customers to receive orders, try on items at home, and have payment processed only after 24 hours for items they choose to keep. The service targets clothing, footwear, and accessories, eliminating the need to try items in crowded pickup points. Customers can order multiple sizes or models, inspect quality at their own pace, and return unwanted goods within one day without filing a separate request. Returns can be handed to a Yandex Lavka courier or dropped off at a Market pickup point, after which the remaining order is charged automatically. The feature is available only for items eligible for Split installment payments and when selecting click delivery with the "Pay after receipt" option. The service is currently live in 26 Russian regions with plans for further expansion, positioning it as a novel format for the Russian market.
Russian Businesses Surge Chinese LLM Usage More Than 11-Fold in First Half of 2026
Russian companies have dramatically increased their consumption of Chinese large language models, with total token usage reaching over 400 billion in the first half of 2026. This represents an 11.3-fold increase compared to the full-year 2025 figure of 39.1 billion tokens. The Qwen family maintained its dominant position, accounting for 261.1 billion tokens and 59.1% of consumption during the period. GLM secured second place with 91.2 billion tokens and 20.7% share, while Kimi overtook DeepSeek for third position at 81.4 billion tokens and 18.4%. MWS Cloud data shows that major enterprises are now integrating these models into production workflows such as chatbots, personalized advertising, customer outreach, product descriptions, and review analysis. The overall Russian LLM market is projected to grow 35% to 19.6 billion rubles in 2026, with the cloud segment approaching 1.5 billion rubles. MWS Cloud has nearly doubled its Model Hub catalog to 17 models, adding GLM 5.2, Kimi K2.6, Qwen3.6, Gemma 4, GPT OSS, plus speech recognition, synthesis tools, and rerankers accessible via a unified OpenAI-compatible API.
Building a Minimal Open Source Security Stack for Infrastructure Protection
The article outlines a practical approach to assembling a basic cybersecurity stack using open source tools for organizations with limited budgets. It covers endpoint protection with ClamAV, network perimeter defense via pfSense including Snort and Suricata integration, centralized logging with ELK Stack or Wazuh, and identity management through Keycloak. The guide emphasizes that these solutions provide foundational capabilities but require careful configuration, regular updates, and community validation to avoid risks from unmaintained projects. Detailed installation steps, rule configuration examples, and integration advice are provided for each component. The author stresses that open source options serve as an entry point rather than a full replacement for commercial platforms like Kaspersky or Symantec.
Telegram Experiences Outage in Kazakhstan as International Peering Points Show Traffic Drop
Users across Kazakhstan reported widespread issues accessing Telegram, with the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development confirming the problems. Monitoring data revealed a sharp decline in Telegram traffic at major international peering points in Frankfurt and Moscow, while Kazakhtelecom reported no internal network faults, outages, or disruptions within its infrastructure. The operator confirmed that its systems continue operating normally and has contacted Telegram's technical team for clarification on the root cause. No information is yet available regarding the exact scale of the outage, affected regions within Kazakhstan, or expected recovery timeline. Separately, authorities noted that a database allegedly containing personal data of approximately 15 million Kazakh residents, or about three-quarters of the population, has been offered for sale on a shadow forum.
Russian Researchers Achieve First Qubit Operations on Planar Ion Traps
Scientists from Rosatomโs Quantum project have for the first time in Russia performed qubit operations using planar ion traps. The technology replaces traditional three-dimensional electromagnetic traps with flat electrode chips that can hold more than 100 ions while integrating optical readout components. Two independent teams demonstrated the approach: one at the Physical Institute of RAS led by Ilya Semerikov using ytterbium-171 ions, and another at the Quantum Center under Kirill Lakhmansky using calcium ions. Both groups successfully captured, moved, and performed single-qubit gates on the trapped ions. Rosatom views the planar architecture as a key step toward scalable industrial ion-trap quantum computers capable of solving practical problems. The teams now aim to advance from individual operations to high-fidelity, multi-zone systems with over 100 controllable qubits by 2030.
OSINT for the Lazy Part 17: Versatile Framework Acts as Swiss Army Knife for Investigators
The article continues the series on tools for lazy OSINT practitioners by reviewing a multifunctional online toolkit hosted at htdark.com. This minimalistic yet powerful platform aggregates data across usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, cryptocurrency, social networks, and media files. It wraps Censys search capabilities into a more convenient interface while adding features such as JSON report export and basic relationship graphing. The tool checks 20 social platforms including Reddit and Spotify but omits Chinese and Russian resources, marking absent accounts in red and requiring manual verification for others. An Advanced section functions as a dork builder supporting Baidu and Naver with time-range filters and exclusion operators. While no single toolkit replaces specialized solutions, this framework provides broad initial visibility and helps analysts choose focused follow-up directions based on accumulated data rather than random checks.
AS2 in .NET Without Separate Java Gateway: Native EDI Exchange Directly in Application Routes
redb.Route.AS2 introduces native AS2 protocol support for .NET applications, eliminating the need for separate commercial gateways or Java-based servers like OpenAS2. The library integrates AS2 handling as a standard step in Apache Camel-style routes, allowing signed and encrypted S/MIME exchanges with partners such as Walmart directly within a single .NET process. It supports both synchronous and asynchronous MDN receipts for non-repudiation, using MimeKit and Bouncy Castle for cryptography. Developers can configure partners via As2ConnectionFactory objects that define certificates, AS2 identifiers, algorithms, and MDN modes. The solution handles X12 and EDIFACT documents with compression, signing, and encryption while exposing metadata like MIC values and signature validation results to the routing pipeline. This approach consolidates deployment, observability, and processing compared to external gateways or JVM processes.
Browser Policy Manager 0.9.5 Release Candidate Adds Comprehensive Multi-Language Documentation Portal
Browser Policy Manager (BPM) is approaching its 1.0.0 release as an open-source tool designed for preparing, validating, and exporting Firefox Enterprise policy profiles. The 0.9.5 update introduces four current Firefox schema channels including Release 153, ESR 153.0, ESR 140.13, and ESR 115.38, along with migration assistance from older ESR versions. A full documentation portal built in DITA now ships with the product, covering user guides, Firefox policy references, CIS benchmark mappings, and administrator instructions across six languages. The portal integrates directly with the BPM interface through manifests and UI target maps, providing contextual help without server dependencies. Local search uses static indexes with deterministic ranking, while future RAG capabilities are planned with strict source verification and no model training on documentation. The project emphasizes reproducible builds, locale completeness checks, and clear separation between automated mappings and manual compliance validation.
Same-Origin Policy and CORS: How Browsers Enforce Web Security Boundaries
The article explains the core browser security mechanism known as Same-Origin Policy that prevents scripts from one website from reading data belonging to another. It details how origin is defined strictly by protocol, domain, and port, and why this matters for everyday web interactions such as banking sessions. The text clarifies that the policy blocks reading of cross-origin responses while still allowing loading of images, scripts, and iframes. CORS is presented as the controlled relaxation of this rule, where the target server explicitly grants permission via response headers. The piece emphasizes that CORS does not protect servers from direct requests made outside browsers and that authentication remains the true defense for APIs. Multiple practical examples illustrate the difference between displaying foreign content and programmatically reading its data.
Security Vision 5 Strengthens Connectors, Analytics and Data Handling Features
Security Vision has released an update to its SV5 platform focused on improved integrations, deeper analytics and more flexible configuration management. The release introduces namespace configuration for the WMI connector to execute WQL queries at specified addresses, along with event compression during transmission in connector configurations. An updated librdkafka library now enables the Kafka connector to support SASL/SCRAM authentication for Kafka versions 4.0.0 and higher. Data transformation capabilities have been expanded to allow conversion of numbers between binary, octal and hexadecimal numeral systems, while the Formula transformation adds abs() and sqrt() functions. Linear and bar charts receive new scaling settings, and report generation through the portal has been moved to asynchronous mode to prevent interface freezing during long exports. Additional changes affect object cards, type and directory editors, module settings, graph icon management with mapping conditions converted to filters, and a dedicated section for correlation rules with a general view and editor. The audit log now records grouping changes separately for system and user directories, and the platform blocks execution of disabled connectors through workflows.
Building Secure MLOps Platforms in Air-Gapped Environments for DevOps Engineers
The article explains how DevOps engineers can construct a minimal yet complete MLOps platform inside a closed, air-gapped network without relying on any cloud services. It highlights the cultural gap between data scientists and DevOps teams and shows how MLOps practices such as data versioning, experiment tracking, and model registries bridge that gap. The architecture separates GPU training nodes from a Kubernetes serving cluster and uses open-source components including ArgoCD for GitOps, MLflow with PostgreSQL, MinIO, DVC, OpenBao, and External Secrets Operator. Special attention is given to secrets management with SOPS and age keys, image scanning with Trivy and Bandit, and secure Docker access via socket proxy on the training server. The setup avoids Kubeflow and HashiCorp Vault due to complexity and licensing concerns, favoring lighter, license-friendly alternatives suitable for isolated perimeters.
How the Modern Web and HTTPS Emerged from Simple Two-Computer Networks
The article traces the evolution of internet infrastructure from two friends connecting PCs with twisted-pair cable and assigning IP addresses to the global system of DNS, routing, and public-key certificates. It explains how early local networks expanded with switches, always-on servers, and domain names to solve the problem of changing IP addresses. As networks grew and interconnected through routers and ISPs, new risks of eavesdropping and traffic redirection appeared on open paths. The solution introduced centralized certificate authorities such as the fictional Sectigo that issue chained certificates rooted in pre-installed trust stores. The piece details the structure of certificates, key pairs, signing chains, and the browser validation process that enables encrypted HTTPS sessions. Written in accessible language with deliberate simplifications, the text serves as an educational overview rather than a technical manual.
Russian Neighbors Fined Over 200,000 Rubles for Defamatory Remarks in Apartment Building Chat as Supreme Court Upholds Ruling
Two women who participated in a shared apartment building chat have been ordered to pay more than 200,000 rubles in total after a court found their messages about a neighbor to be defamatory. The case began when residents complained about noisy tenants and escalated into mutual insults exchanged in the group chat, via SMS, and during phone calls. The apartment owner filed a lawsuit for protection of honor and dignity after police found no administrative violation in his actions as landlord. A linguistic expert determined that several public messages, while free of direct profanity, contained derogatory characterizations and implications of mental illness that could not be considered acceptable value judgments. The court awarded more than 100,000 rubles against one defendant and a slightly smaller sum against the second, taking into account the plaintiff's own conduct during the conflict. All appeals were rejected, including by the Supreme Court, establishing that even indirect humiliating statements about an identifiable person in a building chat can result in substantial financial liability.
Samara University Study Shows Social Ties Maintain Order in Minecraft Virtual Cities
Researchers from Samara University examined how player-run cities in Minecraft sustain order without heavy reliance on formal rules or enforcement mechanisms. Olga Udalova conducted eight interviews with virtual mayors and surveyed 246 players across multiple communities. The study found that dense social connections, personal reputation, and informal authority of mayors play a far greater role than written regulations. In some cities detailed norms exist while others operate with minimal rules, simply requiring players to act reasonably. A notable example is Boostergrad, a semi-anarchic community of 117 residents where griefing is formally permitted yet rarely occurs because reputational damage outweighs any short-term gain. Residents resolve conflicts through negotiation and voluntarily compensate for damage, as illustrated by one player who paid 2000 units of in-game currency after accidentally destroying anotherโs loot. Overall the research demonstrates that trust and social networks, rather than fear of punishment, keep these virtual societies stable.
Why Automation Alone Fails to Improve SOC Efficiency: The Case for Managed Operational Models
Mature security infrastructure does not guarantee protection against cyber threats, as attacks can still cause downtime, crisis recovery, and financial damage even when key controls are deployed. Automation of routine tasks helps speed up responses but cannot raise SOC effectiveness without clear decision criteria, defined responsibilities, and repeatable incident-handling processes. Organizations using an average of 83 security tools from 29 vendors face fragmentation that automation alone cannot resolve. A managed SecOps model covering the full incident lifecycleโfrom detection and prioritization through investigation, response, closure, and post-incident improvementโis required. Positive Technologies highlights that SecOps platforms such as MaxPatrol 360 provide the unified environment needed to link context, processes, coordination, automation, metrics, and continuous improvement.
Building a Minimalist UI Test Framework with Playwright and Pytest
Vladislav Timashenkov from InfoWatch presents a practical approach to constructing a concise UI automation testing framework using Playwright. The article focuses on leveraging native Playwright features instead of creating additional abstraction layers. It covers launching a Chromium browser once per session, handling authentication via API calls to obtain cookies, and managing isolated BrowserContext instances for test independence. Readers learn how to implement Page Object models that rely on Playwright's built-in locators and auto-waiting mechanisms. The tutorial includes real code examples for fixtures, context factories, and a sample test for tag management functionality. This method reduces maintenance overhead while ensuring tests remain scalable across different environments.
Russia Develops Domestic ERA-GLONASS System for Public Transport Tracking During GPS and GLONASS Disruptions
AO GLONASS has created a national system that maintains real-time monitoring of buses and trolleybuses even when satellite navigation signals are jammed or lost. The solution relies on the state-run ERA-GLONASS platform, placing autonomous markers at stops and identifiers on vehicles to record exact positions without depending on GPS or GLONASS. Data is transmitted over a protected ERA-GLONASS communication channel that remains available during mobile internet restrictions thanks to inclusion in official white lists. The first deployment begins in Kaluga on 1 September, covering three trolleybus routes with live tracking for passengers, dispatchers, carriers, and mapping services. The battery-powered markers are designed for five years of maintenance-free operation in any weather and are built entirely with Russian components and encryption algorithms. Future plans include extending the technology to municipal vehicles and emergency services fleets.
OSINT for the Lazy Part 16: Discovering Hidden Corporate Infrastructure Through Shodan
The article explains how Shodan differs from traditional search engines by indexing internet-connected devices such as servers, routers, cameras, databases, and admin panels rather than web pages. It provides ten practical search techniques including hostname queries, SSL certificate searches, ASN lookups, IP range scans, and targeted queries for development environments, admin panels, and databases. Examples demonstrate how forgotten dev.company.com or staging.company.com hosts, open Jenkins or Grafana dashboards, and exposed MongoDB or Redis instances can be located with simple filters. The piece walks through a five-step real-world workflow that combines domain, SSL, organization, and service-title searches to map a target companyโs infrastructure. It emphasizes that Shodan only reveals services already exposed to the internet and does not perform any exploitation. Common root causes listed include forgotten test servers, rushed DevOps configurations, and misconfigured firewalls. The article concludes with a reminder that many organizations remain unaware their internal systems are visible to anyone using the same techniques.
Rostelecom Outage Triggers 29-Minute Mass Disruptions Across Russian Internet Services
A 29-minute failure in Rostelecom's data transmission network on August 6 caused widespread access problems to Russian online services. The operator quickly rerouted traffic to backup equipment, restoring normal operations without revealing the root cause. Users reported issues connecting to marketplaces, banks, social platforms, IT company services and other telecom providers. The majority of complaints originated from Rostelecom's own subscribers who experienced connection and service access failures. Although the incident remained brief and did not escalate into prolonged digital disruption, it highlighted the heavy reliance on a single major provider. The event demonstrated how even a short technical problem at a large operator can simultaneously affect access to stores, financial services and everyday online platforms.
Read-Only Utility Automates Detailed Audits of UserGate NGFW Firewall Policies
A cybersecurity specialist at Gazprom CPS developed a read-only utility to analyze large-scale UserGate NGFW firewall policies without making any configuration changes. The tool connects via the UserGate XML-RPC API to collect rules, statistics, zones, network lists, services, users, and groups, then normalizes the data into a unified model for analysis. It performs eleven independent checks grouped into lifecycle, overly permissive access, observability, and documentation categories, flagging rules that have not fired recently, allow management ports broadly, lack logging, or have empty descriptions. Results are exported to a navigable Excel report featuring a rules-by-checks matrix, human-readable object names, and editable manual verdicts such as OK, requires attention, or false positive. The first full run on a production policy with over 1000 rules and 4500 related objects took 24 minutes and highlighted 39 percent of rules for review, with more than half showing multiple red flags. The approach preserves the original snapshot in JSON for repeatable offline analysis and comparison over time.
Internet Outages Disrupt Access to Russian Websites and Applications Across Multiple Regions
Users in several Russian regions reported widespread connectivity problems where internet access appeared available but failed to load most domestic websites and online services. Affected areas include Saint Petersburg along with Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov, and Tyumen regions according to reports compiled by the Telegram channel Baza. Connections remained technically active yet produced repeated errors when attempting to reach Russian sites, mobile applications, and web-based platforms. The precise scale of the disruption remains undetermined and it is unclear whether the incidents stem from a single technical fault or simultaneous failures among multiple network operators. No official statements have been issued regarding the root causes or expected restoration timelines. Individuals affected continue to refresh pages and restart applications while waiting for services to recover.
Step-Up Authentication vs 2FA: Implementing Additional Verification for Sensitive Operations in Corporate Systems
Traditional two-factor authentication secures only the initial login, leaving active sessions vulnerable to misuse during sensitive tasks such as accessing payroll data. Step-Up Authentication addresses this by requiring extra verification at the moment of critical actions rather than at login. The article details how one project moved beyond standard Identity Provider features in WSO2 by building a dedicated PIN-code service and gateway-2fa microservice. This approach uses signed cookies with TTL controls and JWT cross-checks to enforce elevated trust levels without disrupting normal user flows. The solution aligns with Zero Trust principles and was monitored via Matomo and ELK for usage and performance metrics. Key implementation considerations include balancing TTL duration, encrypting stored PINs, and conducting load testing before deployment.
Positive Technologies Adds Unified Console to PT X for Centralized Incident and Asset Management
Positive Technologies has introduced a single console within its PT X platform that combines incident management, asset control, and security posture assessment. Customers can now monitor attack attempts around the clock, view possible causes, track response status, and prioritize events without switching between multiple interfaces. The system lets organizations predefine which assets Positive Technologies may act upon and choose between manual customer response, automatic PT X actions, or approval-based workflows, with full audit reports generated afterward. A dedicated dashboard highlights coverage gaps by showing hosts protected by MaxPatrol EDR and flagging assets without agents installed. Machine learning capabilities have been expanded through a combination of large language models and classical ML to accelerate early attack detection and automate handling of low- and medium-severity incidents. Additional features include external perimeter analysis that reveals internet-facing resources from an attackerโs perspective and a bug-bounty-style cyber testing program that rewards researchers for identifying unacceptable events.
Meta Allows Over 50 Paid Ads Sexualizing Minors to Run on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads
Meta's advertising moderation systems failed to detect and remove more than 50 paid advertisements containing sexualized images of minors across its major platforms. The ads, some generated using generative AI tools, appeared on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads over a nine-month period. Researchers at Tech Transparency Project identified that several of these advertisements remained active into early August. The content was not organic user posts but commercially purchased ads that bypassed Meta's review processes. The incident highlights ongoing weaknesses in automated and human moderation of paid promotional material involving prohibited themes. Tech Transparency Project emphasized that the scale and persistence of the ads point to systemic gaps in Meta's enforcement mechanisms for child safety policies.
Yandex Go Develops Custom DSL to Handle Complex Dynamic Ride Pricing Logic
Yandex Go has moved its ride pricing algorithm out of the main service code into a dedicated domain-specific language to avoid frequent deployments and tangled conditional logic. The pricing system accounts for geozones, demand surges, discounts, toll roads, extra stops, and special requirements such as transporting pets or sports equipment. Parameters are collected in parallel, dependencies are modeled as a graph, and requests run asynchronously on userver so that a single slow source does not break the entire calculation. Because rules change on average twice a week, keeping the logic in C++ would require rebuilding and redeploying 50 pods for roughly 40 minutes each time. The new DSL supports conditions, functions, immutable values, and fold operations instead of loops; rules are chained so each step receives the current price and metadata and returns an updated result. ANTLR 4 defines the grammar while the Z3 verifier ensures programs cannot produce invalid prices. The platform is already used by Yandex Taxi, Delivery, and the electric-vehicle charging service.
Third Edition of The Ultimate Kali Linux Book Released with Expanded OSINT and Pentesting Coverage
The publishing house Piter has released the third international edition of The Ultimate Kali Linux Book by Glen Singh. The updated volume provides comprehensive guidance on using Nmap, Metasploit, Aircrack-ng and Empire for ethical hacking and penetration testing. Significant revisions include a new chapter on OSINT, refreshed practical exercises and clearer descriptions of virtual lab environments. The book targets both beginners and experienced IT professionals seeking to master vulnerability assessment, wireless network testing and web application exploitation. Readers learn to build testing labs, perform reconnaissance, exploit network weaknesses and evaluate corporate infrastructure security. Author Glen Singh holds an MSc and multiple certifications from EC-Council, Cisco and Check Point, bringing real-world Red Team and Blue Team experience to the material.
Wi-Fi 8 Expected Earlier as DDR4 Shortage Forces Market Acceleration
Corporate Wi-Fi 8 equipment could reach the market in 2027, earlier than initially projected, because of ongoing shortages and rising prices of DDR4 memory chips. Although individual access points do not require large amounts of memory, vendors purchase components in massive volumes, so even modest price increases significantly raise production costs. Dell'Oro Group recommends redesigning devices to reduce reliance on the most expensive modules, noting that faster adaptation will lead to more competitive pricing. The DDR4 shortage is effectively accelerating the transition to the next wireless generation. At the same time, Wi-Fi 7 is not being retired soon; analysts forecast triple-digit revenue growth for Wi-Fi 7 equipment in 2026, with the segment continuing to expand for another three years. Cloud-managed WLAN solutions and AIOps features are also driving market growth, increasing software revenue even as high component costs partially cool overall demand.
Security Vision SIEM Tackles Alert Overload with Data Quality Monitoring and MITRE ATT&CK Coverage
The article examines persistent SIEM challenges illustrated by the 2013 Target breach, where FireEye detected the compromise but response processes failed. It cites recent statistics showing organizations receive nearly 3,000 daily alerts with 46 percent false positives and 63 percent left uninvestigated. Security Vision SIEM, built on the Low-Code Security Vision 5 platform, integrates event collection, normalization, correlation, asset context, and basic response. Key July 2026 updates add collection stability monitoring, SLA dashboards, statistical anomaly detection, Sigma rule exchange, and retrospective process chain reconstruction. The product offers more than 1,200 correlation rules covering over 70 percent of MITRE ATT&CK techniques along with FSTEC BDU mappings and expert response recommendations. It supports remote and agent-based collection across 150 integrations while providing visual No-Code tools for connectors, rules, and dashboards.
CrossTech Solutions Group Rebrands as GardaTech and Completes Integration into IKS Holding
CrossTech Solutions Group has announced its rebranding to GardaTech Solutions Group, marking the final stage of its integration into the IKS Holding ecosystem. The company will now operate under the IKS Security vendor direction, focusing on insider threat prevention, access management, confidential data control, and container environment protection. GardaTech joins existing entities Garda and Bastion to deliver a complete security lifecycle covering product development, integration, and ongoing support for banks, government agencies, and critical information infrastructure. CEO Rifkat Zagitov confirmed that all accumulated expertise and existing products will remain intact while benefiting from expanded resources and market reach. The rebranding is not a superficial change but the culmination of a larger corporate consolidation aimed at offering customers unified security solutions without the need for multiple contractors.
Mapping Logical Air Gap Techniques for Secure Network Segmentation
A detailed technical overview explores how organizations can achieve logical air gaps to isolate high-value network segments without completely severing data exchange. The article contrasts classic physical air gaps with everyday reverse proxies and introduces six distinct levels of isolation ranging from physical media to semantic validation. It evaluates each approach across three axes: whether a direct network path remains, which side initiates connections, and whether synchronous responses are possible. Practical constructions such as dual-homed hosts, message brokers, and schema-enforced proxies are examined alongside common misconceptions including reverse tunnels and port knocking. The guide emphasizes that true logical air gaps terminate sessions at an intermediary that then originates new, controlled exchanges. Real-world deployments typically combine multiple layers, such as network separation plus transport proxies plus content validation, to balance security and usability for critical environments like industrial control systems and backup repositories.
Oxygen Cloud Platform Deploys Russian VDI Solution for Heavy 3D CAD Work in One Month
Oxygen Cloud Platform completed a rapid deployment of a domestic VDI infrastructure supporting demanding 3D graphics workloads for an unnamed Russian engineering company. The project replaced six months of prior R&D testing with a one-month rollout using Russian operating systems, hypervisors, and connection protocols. Engineers addressed GPU sharing via Forsite vGate, optimized NVIDIA A40 cards for Siemens NX and Kompas-3D, and resolved multi-monitor detection issues through firmware updates. Network latency was mitigated by tuning the Loudplay protocol and updating Astra Linux, Termidesk, and client components. Automatic resource brokering was configured in Termidesk with separate Active Directory pools to handle varying user profiles across remote sites 1500 km away. The solution delivers protected access to a secure data center over a dedicated channel while meeting strict import-substitution requirements.
MEPhI Opens 2026 Admissions for Online Cybersecurity Master's Program with Yandex Practicum
The National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, in partnership with Yandex Practicum, is accepting applications for its online master's program in Cybersecurity for the 2026 intake. The two-year program leads to a state diploma in Information Security under code 10.04.01 and a professional retraining certificate from Yandex Practicum. Students can choose from four specialized tracks covering AppSec, DevSecOps, network security, and AI security. Admission is fully online and includes document submission via Gosuslugi, an entrance exam, and a motivation letter requiring at least 80 points. The program runs entirely remotely with evening and weekend classes, allowing students to combine studies with work while accessing student benefits and an educational loan at a subsidized 3% rate.
360 Group Launches NanoWork Enterprise AI Platform with Built-in Security and Opens Nationwide Channel Partner Recruitment
On July 28 at the Beijing National Convention Center, 360 Group founder Zhou Hongyi officially unveiled NanoWork, a next-generation enterprise intelligent agent work platform. The platform is designed to bridge the gap between powerful AI models and real-world business tasks by enabling multi-agent collaboration, on-demand model scheduling, and 24/7 cloud operation across diverse scenarios. NanoWork was developed through extensive real-world testing involving 100,000 intelligent agents, coverage of 630 positions over 150 days, consumption of 350 trillion tokens, and collection of 56,000 feedback items. A core emphasis is placed on native security features drawn from 360 Group's two decades of cybersecurity experience to prevent errors that could lead to actual data loss or permission breaches. The company is now actively recruiting city-level channel partners across China to help deploy the solution in local industries and activate existing customer bases with AI capabilities.
Google Enables Document Backup to Drive in Stable Play Services 26.26 Release
Google has rolled out automatic document backup from Android devices to Google Drive in the stable version of Google Play Services 26.26. The feature, which the company prepared for nearly a year, adds a new Documents option in Settings on Pixel phones under Accounts and backup. It remains disabled by default to avoid uploading the Downloads folder without user consent. Once enabled, supported files including PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS, ZIP and even APK files are copied to a new Android backups folder on Drive, with separate subfolders created for each device. The backup consumes storage quota and offers no automatic two-way sync, requiring manual cleanup when disabled. Traces of the capability first appeared in August 2025, followed by an official mention in February 2026 and beta testing before the current stable deployment.
Bridging Manual and Automated Testing: InfoWatch Engineer Outlines Unified Quality Process
InfoWatch senior test engineer Mikhail Shalepo has published a detailed article describing how his team built a reproducible process that links manual and automated testing into a single quality system. The approach addresses the growing complexity of server-side products that undergo quarterly releases and require extensive matrix testing across multiple operating systems and installation scenarios. Shalepo explains that the regulation focuses on decision points rather than prescribing exact test volumes, ensuring that choices about automation candidates, smoke-test gates, failure ownership, and manual compensation are documented and visible to the entire team. The framework divides work into two main blocksโfeature development and pre-release regressionโeach containing preparation, execution, and completion stages. Key outputs include linked artifacts in TMS Scale, explicit Definition of Done criteria, and traceable coverage data that prevents reliance on individual knowledge. The article also shares practical lessons, including why separate mind maps and tables failed to stay current and how the team now integrates automation status directly with test cases.
Indeed Certificate Manager 7.3 Adds OpenLDAP, Dogtag CA and Linux Domain Support
Indeed has released Certificate Manager 7.3, a major update focused on Linux environments and expanded PKI capabilities. The new version integrates with OpenLDAP and Alt Domain, allowing organizations to build certificate infrastructures without relying on a single vendor. Dogtag CA support enables certificate issuance and lifecycle management while hiding native administrative complexity. Kerberos SSO has been added for Linux services, reducing password exposure. Hardware security improvements include Rutoken BIO three-factor authentication and complex password scenarios with Rutoken Logon. The release also adds compatibility with Windows Server 2025, Debian 13, Alt 11 and ALD Pro 3.0, plus new JaCarta models and SafeTech CA service certificates.
Russian Data Centers Above 500 kW May Receive Protection from Forced Relocation Under Gilotina 2.0 Roadmap
Land plots hosting large data centers in Russia could gain special protection against seizure for state or municipal needs as part of the Gilotina 2.0 roadmap for the data center sector. The proposed ban, set to take effect on December 15, 2027, would apply to facilities with at least 500 kW capacity listed in the Russian registry of data centers. The measure aims to prevent the demolition of operational sites for territory redevelopment, recognizing that data centers cannot be easily disassembled and relocated like simpler structures. Industry groups have raised concerns over the 500 kW threshold and mandatory registry linkage, noting that participation in the registry is voluntary and that standardized methods to separate IT load from total power capacity are lacking. If relocation becomes unavoidable, developers would need to provide equivalent land or fund new construction, including full equipment transfer, power and connectivity infrastructure, capacity reservation, and compensation for early contract terminations with clients. Major operators including RTK-COD, MTS, and Megafon have backed the initiative while opposing compulsory registry ties, highlighting acute capacity shortages in Moscow where utilization reaches 95 percent.
R-Vision SIEM Debuts at Standoff 17 Cyber Battle and Processes 8.8 Million Correlation Events
R-Vision presented its SIEM solution for the first time at the Standoff 17 cyber exercise, where the akPots team used it to monitor a telecom operator infrastructure and investigate incidents. The product was deployed in two weeks, with 80 percent of required event sources already supported out of the box. During four days of continuous attacks the system triggered 46 correlation rules, generated more than 8.8 million correlation events and 40 thousand alerts, while analysts created 13 custom widgets and executed over 9,000 search queries. Resource consumption remained low, with the collector averaging 0.7 CPU and 1.9 GB RAM even under peak load. Participants rated the solution 4 or 5 out of 5 and highlighted raw-text search, the RQL query language and event grouping as the most useful features. The exercise also identified areas for interface and alert-description improvements.
From Security Champion to Engineering Security Culture: MTS Web Services Transforms DevSecOps Approach
MTS Web Services has shifted from a single Security Champion per team model to a broader engineering security culture that distributes responsibility across multiple specialists. The previous approach created overload for appointed champions, offered insufficient training, and failed to motivate appointed participants to grow their skills. The new strategy emphasizes voluntary participation, professional development through dedicated tracks, and integration of security practices into daily workflows and onboarding. Key changes include forming a DevSecOps guild, running regular workshops and Q&A sessions, embedding vulnerability scan results into team metrics, and adding competency maps with role-specific learning paths. The company now recognizes security heroes and high-performing teams while linking basic security training completion to performance indicators. Results show organic growth in engagement, with event numbers rising from a handful in 2023 to 18 in 2025 and product teams independently adopting secure development practices.
Security Vision SIEM Adds Monitoring for Missing Logs, Correlation Quality, and SOC SLA Compliance
Security Vision has released a major update to its SIEM platform that extends monitoring beyond external threats to the health of the data collection pipeline itself. The new release introduces continuous checks for source stability, allowing administrators to define acceptable event flow deviations and receive alerts when logs suddenly stop arriving. A dedicated dashboard now evaluates correlation rule performance through testing on simulated events and supports import/export in Sigma format for easier detection sharing across platforms. The StatAnalyser service applies statistical models to flag atypical behavior with special markers, while the incident card gains automated retrospective process-chain reconstruction that links parent processes, user sessions, and host movements. Additional oversight features track analyst SLA adherence and let managers drill from team-wide statistics into individual performance metrics. Overall, the platform aims to close the loop from data ingestion through detection, investigation, and response within a single managed workflow.
ManticoreSearch Publishes Detailed Checklist for Enabling Authentication in Production
ManticoreSearch has released an extensive checklist for safely enabling authentication in production deployments. The guide covers standalone nodes, distributed tables with remote agents, and replication clusters, stressing the need for thorough inventory of clients and nodes before changes. It details procedures for creating users with minimal privileges, testing in staging environments, and performing controlled rollouts during maintenance windows. Special attention is given to handling Bearer tokens, protecting auth.json files, and ensuring consistent authentication data across cluster nodes. The document also explains differences between RT-mode and plain-mode configurations and provides commands for initializing the first administrator and reloading authentication settings.
WhatsApp Web Gains Native Audio and Video Calling with Screen Sharing and Device Switching
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is rolling out audio and video calling directly in its web version, eliminating the previous need for a separate desktop application. The update introduces a Calls tab with call history and favorite contacts, along with screen sharing and reactions that match most desktop app capabilities. Calls can now seamlessly transfer between devices without disconnection, allowing users to start a conversation in a browser and continue it on a smartphone. Group calls gain waiting rooms where the link creator can require manual approval for entry, useful for professional meetings. Additional improvements include background noise suppression, faster transition to HD video quality, and the ability to call users via usernames across platforms without sharing phone numbers.
Manticore Search Adds Built-in Authentication and Authorization Starting with Version 27.1.5
Manticore Search has introduced native authentication and authorization capabilities for SQL over MySQL, HTTP/HTTPS endpoints, and replication operations. The feature distinguishes between authentication, which identifies the requester, and authorization, which determines permitted actions such as read, write, schema, replication, and admin. Users can enable the feature via the auth directive in the searchd section of the configuration file, supporting both RT mode with auth.json storage and plain mode with an explicit path. Initial setup requires creating an administrator account, after which additional users can be managed through SQL commands like CREATE USER, GRANT, TOKEN, and SET PASSWORD. The system supports mysql_native_password, HTTP Basic authentication, and Bearer tokens, with mandatory SSL or HTTPS recommended for credential transmission. Detailed logging, permission checks, and phased rollout guidance are provided to minimize disruption in production environments.
88% of Enterprises Run AI Agents but Fewer Than 10% Generate Profits, Ronglian Cloud Reports at WAIC Forum
At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, Ronglian Cloud highlighted that while 88% of companies have deployed internal AI Agents, fewer than 10% have achieved meaningful revenue from them. The company, which originated from call center and contact platform services serving tens of thousands of enterprises, organized the fourth WAIC Enterprise Agent Forum focused on evolution and commercial landing. Executives from retail, finance, and electronic signature sectors emphasized that buyers now demand proven ROI rather than token consumption metrics or experimental features. Ronglian Cloud outlined a four-stage maturity model ranging from basic Copilot assistance to fully autonomous business loops, noting most organizations remain stuck between stages two and three. The firm is shifting its own model toward effect-based payments and KPI-driven Agent performance in scenarios such as collections and private-domain operations, where one Agent can manage hundreds of thousands of customers at a fraction of human cost.
OAuth Authorization Server Built Without Storing User Profiles
The article details the evolution of an OAuth Authorization Server that deliberately avoids storing user profiles, relying instead on external identity providers for authentication. It addresses three core constraints: hundreds of dynamically created isolated APIs, a public SPA client without a BFF, and the inability of resources to query the AS on every request. The design separates concerns so the AS handles only clients, tenants, grants, audiences, scopes, keys, sessions, and token issuance while the Main API owns profiles and roles. Tokens are managed securely inside a Service Worker using a custom FedCM grant, eliminating races across tabs and reducing XSS exposure. The approach minimizes blast radius, simplifies compliance, and keeps the AS replaceable without affecting product domain logic.
Why a 202-Character License Key Uses ECDSA P-256 Instead of Ed25519 or RSA
A developer building offline license verification for a .NET desktop application evaluated Ed25519, RSA, and ECDSA P-256 before selecting the last option. The decision was driven by the requirement for zero external dependencies, keys short enough for manual entry from email, and support for key rotation without breaking existing licenses. Although Ed25519 offers faster verification and a smaller public key, it is absent from System.Security.Cryptography in both .NET 8 and .NET 10, with API approval only targeted for version 11. RSA-2048 produces signatures too long for practical use, resulting in a 571-character Base32 string that users would find cumbersome. ECDSA P-256 with SHA-256 delivers a fixed 64-byte signature that becomes a manageable 202-character key when encoded in Base32, while remaining fully available in the runtime. The article also covers performance measurements, the risks of ECDSA nonce generation, and the deliberate choice of the IEEE P1363 signature format to guarantee fixed-length output.
Pilcrow Publishes Free Comprehensive Guide on Web Authentication
Author Pilcrow has released a detailed, ad-free handbook covering authentication and authorization practices for web applications. The resource draws on personal experience and includes practical examples in JavaScript and Go. It examines password-based methods, email verification, multi-factor authentication, passwordless flows, and passkeys while highlighting associated risks and usability trade-offs. The book also provides in-depth guidance on session management, token security, expiration policies, and email address handling as account identifiers. Recommendations emphasize choosing methods that match application security requirements and user expectations. Additional context is given on OWASP resources and community support channels.
redb 3.4.0 Adds Replay Checkpoints, Shared Runtime Layer and Declarative Secrets Handling for .NET Ecosystem
redb 3.4.0 delivers operational improvements for the .NET integration platform that includes typed storage over Postgres, MSSQL and SQLite, the redb.Route engine modeled after Apache Camel, the Tsak runtime with dashboard and clustering, and redb.Identity for OIDC and OAuth 2.1. The release focuses on post-deployment resilience with replay checkpoints that capture message state at named points inside routes, allowing safe re-execution of downstream steps without duplicating side effects. A shared runtime layer moves framework assemblies into a separate Libs/shared directory so that individual DLLs can be replaced without rebuilding or redeploying the entire Tsak or Identity packages. Secrets are now declared with a [Sensitive] attribute on endpoint options, ensuring URIs containing passwords or keys are sanitized before they reach logs, metrics or health checks. Additional controls include role-based access to management APIs, persistent audit trails and cryptographic signing of dynamically loaded modules. All Pro features remain free on the entire 3.x line with no licensing server required.
Neural Networks Without Magic: 80-Year History, Business Applications, and Why They Will Not Replace Experts Overnight
In an in-depth interview, Data Science team lead Vasily Ryazanov traces neural networks back to the 1970s work of his father and academician Zhuravlev, explaining that the technology is approximately 80 years old rather than a recent phenomenon. Ryazanov details how modern large language models such as ChatGPT and Claude function by predicting tokens within a context window after pre-training on massive datasets, and he contrasts prompt engineering with the deeper mathematical and programming skills required to build models. He describes real-world deployments including an antifraud system for the insurance company Alliance that automates detection of medical claim fraud. The discussion covers practical limits such as hallucinations, risks of uploading sensitive data to external services, and the psychological tendency of users to over-trust fluent model outputs. Ryazanov emphasizes that while tools like Claude and ChatGPT accelerate routine tasks, they remain assistants that require human verification on high-stakes decisions in health, finance, or security.
Meshtastic Gains Renewed Popularity as Offline LoRa Mesh Networks Expand for Remote and Disaster Communications
Meshtastic, the LoRa-based mesh protocol first introduced in 2020, is experiencing a significant resurgence driven by global internet outages and the need for dependable offline communication. Originally used for urban mesh networks, disaster response, hiking groups, and search-and-rescue operations, the technology now attracts new users across Russia and worldwide. Two main device types exist: stationary rooftop nodes that form network infrastructure and portable mobile nodes that connect smartphones via Bluetooth. Popular ready-made devices include the Hacker Pager terminal and Heltec V3 modules, which support both standalone operation and smartphone integration through official Meshtastic apps. Enthusiasts have demonstrated practical applications such as remote shed alarms using infrared beam sensors connected to Heltec ESP32 LoRa boards that publish alerts to Home Assistant via MQTT. The Mars Society has deployed T-Echo radios during multi-week training expeditions in areas lacking cellular coverage, while municipalities explore Meshtastic as backup systems for natural disasters. New commercial products like the T5 E-Paper S3 Pro further lower barriers by offering pre-configured hardware with e-paper displays.
Microsoft Adds Option to Completely Disable Copilot Key in Windows 11
Microsoft is testing a new setting in experimental builds of Windows 11 that lets home users fully disable the dedicated Copilot key on compatible keyboards. The option, labeled Do nothing, appears in the Bluetooth and devices section under Keyboard settings and allows users to reassign the key away from launching the AI assistant. Enthusiast phantomofearth discovered the feature, which currently sits alongside choices for launching Microsoft 365 Copilot, performing a search, or executing a custom action. The rollout is gradual, with some Windows Insiders receiving the setting earlier than others. The Copilot key was introduced on new Windows laptops in 2024 as a replacement for the right Ctrl key to highlight AI PCs. Earlier this year Microsoft had already promised limited support for restoring the original Ctrl function, while users previously relied on third-party tools such as NoCopilotKey to prevent accidental activation.
Turkish BiP Messenger Audience in Russia Surges 650 Times in One Year Amid Foreign App Adoption
Russian users continue exploring foreign messaging services even as initial hype subsides. MTS AdTech data shows demand for overseas platforms rose 50 percent in the first quarter and 26 percent in the second. Turkish BiP emerged as the standout performer, with its Russian monthly active users climbing 120 percent from April to July to reach 4.3 million. This marks a dramatic increase from just 6,600 users a year earlier. South Korean KakaoTalk grew 80 percent to 1.26 million users, while WeChat rose 17 percent and Gem Space increased 11 percent. American Imo remains the largest foreign messenger with 12.2 million users but added only 1 percent over the quarter. Blocked services SimpleX and Discord saw declines of 41 percent and 8 percent respectively, while domestic platforms VKontakte, MAX and Telegram retain far larger audiences.
Building Trusted TLS in Kubernetes Without InsecureSkipVerify Using cert-manager and trust-manager
The article explains how to establish verifiable TLS across a Kubernetes cluster running on Talos with Cilium networking and Linstor storage, eliminating reliance on InsecureSkipVerify flags. It details the creation of an internal self-signed CA via cert-manager, using a selfSigned bootstrap issuer to generate the CA certificate before deploying a production ClusterIssuer. trust-manager then distributes only the public CA bundle as ConfigMaps across all namespaces, allowing workloads to validate certificates without exposing private keys. For external services, an ACME issuer integrates with Let's Encrypt and Gateway API to automate HTTP-01 challenges. The guide also covers kubelet server certificate rotation through serverTLSBootstrap and the kubelet-serving-cert-approver controller, which validates CSR requests against Node objects before approval. These steps ensure mutual trust for internal services, publicly trusted certificates for internet-facing endpoints, and verified kubelet connections for the API server and monitoring systems.
Designing and Implementing Private Cloud Security Across Geographically Distributed Data Centers
The article shares practical experience in designing and deploying protection for a private cloud hosted across two geographically separated data center sites. The project aimed to achieve service resilience, meet information security requirements, and maintain manageable infrastructure. While theoretical designs often combine standard best practices such as high availability, network segmentation, next-generation firewalls, and dynamic routing, real-world implementation revealed significant conflicts between architectural components. Multiple contractor teams participated, each bringing different visions for network architecture and security controls, leading to complex negotiations and compromises. The process evolved into an engineering puzzle where proposed solutions had to be integrated into a functional, scalable system despite technical limitations and differing priorities. The full piece focuses on the journey from an idealized design to practical deployment through iterative problem-solving rather than deep technical dives.
VK Tech Adds Multi-Level Memory to AI Agents in VK AI Space Platform
VK Tech has introduced a four-layer memory system for AI agents within its VK AI Space platform, enabling them to retain context, reuse materials, and incorporate past employee edits instead of restarting tasks from scratch. The new capability is expected to reduce the share of repeatedly solved tasks by 40โ50 percent. Memory layers include session memory for current dialogues, user memory for employee profiles and preferences, project memory for specific project materials and rules, and agent memory for recording successful approaches and human corrections. This transforms AI agents from short-term tools into consistent team participants that can draw on accumulated corporate knowledge during tasks such as tender preparation, incident investigation, and product launches. Access remains strictly limited to information the collaborating employee is authorized to view, with all data stored inside the company perimeter and never sent to external services. Users can review and delete stored information at any time. VK Tech believes the feature will convert individual specialist experience into a persistent organizational asset that carries forward across tasks.
Efort Qizhi Demonstrates Humanoid Robots Mastering Industrial Tasks Through Universal Technology Base at WAIC 2026
At WAIC 2026 in Shanghai, Efort Qizhi presented its humanoid robots performing complex tasks on uneven terrain, including lifting irregular boulders and installing large photovoltaic panels without prior task-specific coding. The company showcased its HALO human skill collection suit that captures multi-modal data including vision, force, touch and language to distill human operations into robot-understandable representations. Central to the approach is HumanGPT, a world model tailored for embodied intelligence that integrates collected human skills with sensor data to create virtual dynamic environments for robot decision-making. Efort Qizhi also highlighted its full toolchain covering data collection, storage, governance, training, inference and deployment, built around HumanGPT, Dayan data platform, Modou IDE and Openmind OS. Chairman Dr. You Wei introduced the skill iceberg concept, stressing that true industrial value lies in complex capabilities such as multi-robot coordination and real-time process parameter generation rather than simple pick-and-place actions. The system has already logged over 5000 hours of operation on customer production lines, proving transfer from human expertise to reliable machine productivity across manufacturing scenarios.
Google Tests Third-Party App Store Support in Play Store Following Epic Games Antitrust Ruling
Google is actively testing multiple new features in the Play Store, including a dedicated Play Labs experimental section, direct installation of alternative app stores, and an expanded two-line search interface. The most notable change allows users to install competing app marketplaces directly from Google Play, a capability tied to the reinstated 2024 court decision in the Epic Games antitrust case after the companies' settlement was withdrawn. Although the new menu option for third-party stores has been discovered through app modifications, attempts to access it currently result in errors. Play Labs, an experimental area for previewing upcoming store capabilities similar to features already present in Google Search, was also found but remains non-functional. The updated search bar is already operational, supporting longer natural-language queries and an Ask Store prompt to help users describe needs in detail rather than using short app names. APK analysis indicates these developments are still in progress, meaning Google may modify, delay, or cancel any of them before wider release. The overall direction signals that the primary Android app store is preparing to facilitate competition by distributing rival marketplaces.
Spring Security Tutorial Details Refresh Token Implementation to Complement JWT Authentication
A detailed technical guide explains how to enhance JWT-based authentication in Spring Security by introducing refresh tokens for improved security and user experience. The article covers the creation of a RefreshToken entity stored in the database, along with repository and service layers that handle token generation, verification, revocation, and rotation using UUID and expiration timestamps. It discusses security advantages such as short-lived access tokens combined with long-lived refresh tokens hashed via SHA-256 or HMAC-SHA256, while also addressing risks including database theft and XSS attacks mitigated by HttpOnly cookies. Code examples demonstrate updates to AuthService, AuthController, and SecurityConfig to support registration, login, token refresh via cookies, and logout functionality. Additional best practices include automatic token rotation on refresh and session management across multiple devices. The tutorial emphasizes minimizing credential transmission over networks while maintaining stateful token validation.
OTUS Publishes Extensive Digest Covering Kubernetes, GitLab CI, DevSecOps and Infrastructure Reliability
OTUS has released a large-scale digest that compiles free lessons, practical articles and advanced courses focused on real-world infrastructure challenges. The collection addresses interconnected topics including Kubernetes container orchestration, GitLab CI pipeline automation, observability with OpenTelemetry, network troubleshooting, and DevSecOps practices. Readers can explore specific lessons on secrets management with Vault, load testing, RAID recovery, and kernel-level protections in Linux. The digest also features in-depth articles on Docker Compose configuration, CrowdSec migration, L2 network loops, and self-service deployment models. For experienced professionals, OTUS offers specialized courses on high-load systems, PostgreSQL administration, Linux kernel development, and advanced networking with BGP and OSPF.
Xello and Kode Bezopasnosti Sign Technological Partnership to Integrate Equipment Emulation into Xello Deception Platform
Xello, a Russian developer of data and infrastructure protection platforms, and Kode Bezopasnosti, a Russian developer of software and hardware information security tools, have signed a technological partnership agreement. The collaboration will enable emulation of Kode Bezopasnosti equipment within Xello Deception, the first domestic Distributed Deception Platform designed to protect against targeted attacks. This integration will enhance the creation of a realistic false layer of IT assets and expand use cases for early threat detection in customer environments. Xello product head Rustam Zakirov emphasized that the partnership addresses customer needs by making the deception layer more authentic for organizations using Kode Bezopasnosti solutions while fostering expertise exchange. Kode Bezopasnosti strategic marketing head Pavel Korostelev highlighted the growing demand for deception technologies amid rising targeted attacks and the value of supporting proactive detection capabilities on the Russian market. The agreement combines both companies' strengths to improve practical scenarios for cyber deception deployment.
How Ideco Measures NGFW Performance Using TRex ASTF and RFC 9411 Methodology
Ideco engineers have published a detailed methodology for benchmarking the performance of their Ideco NGFW Novum product on the Ideco EX hardware platform. The team uses TRex in Advanced Stateful mode to generate realistic L4-L7 traffic and follows RFC 9411 guidelines to ensure reproducible results across different test environments. Key metrics include throughput on UDP 1518-byte frames reaching 200 Gbit/s, TCP/HTTP performance varying from 100 Gbit/s down to 62 Gbit/s depending on object size, and EMIX mixed traffic dropping from 92 Gbit/s with firewall only to 15.5 Gbit/s when all inspection engines are enabled. The methodology incorporates binary search for maximum load, a 1% session drop threshold, and 300-second hold times per test point to capture real-world behavior rather than short-term peaks. All tests were performed without TLS decryption, with separate plans for hardware-based Keysight BreakingPoint testing when decryption is required. The full article includes hardware specifications, traffic profiles, loss calculation formulas, and configuration details to allow anyone to reproduce the measurements.
Siemens Industrial AI Drives Green Efficiency Revolution in Infrastructure Cooling, Parks, and Data Centers
The article explores how Siemens is applying industrial AI to transform physical infrastructure operations across buildings, industrial parks, and data centers in China. It details the company's non-invasive AI BOX solution that optimizes cooling systems in hotels and other facilities without replacing existing equipment, achieving around 7% additional energy savings. The Smart ECX platform enables integrated source-grid-load-storage management for zero-carbon factories, delivering 30% cost reductions and over 90% overall energy efficiency. Siemens also supplies critical power distribution hardware such as NXAirS medium-voltage switchgear and SIVACON S8 low-voltage cabinets to support high-reliability AI data center operations. The coverage highlights alignment with China's 15th Five-Year Plan carbon peaking policies and real-world deployments at venues including the Shanghai Yingyi Crowne Plaza Holiday Hotel and Sichuan Chuanrun's Chengdu factory. Overall, Siemens emphasizes combining domain physics models with machine learning to deliver verifiable, replicable industrial value rather than generic AI concepts.
RuBackup 2.9.0 Receives Official Compatibility Certificate with BAUM-Inform Storage Systems
RuBackup version 2.9.0 from the Astra Group has successfully passed compatibility testing with storage systems produced by BAUM-Inform. The verification confirmed that the backup solution can reliably perform data backup and recovery operations using BAUM-Inform hardware. Testing followed a predefined program and methodology, although detailed results and the full list of tested configurations were not disclosed. BAUM-Inform systems are designed for corporate data storage and processing, while RuBackup supports servers, workstations, virtualization environments, mail systems, databases, and domain infrastructure. The certification allows organizations to deploy both products together without additional integration validation. Both companies stated that the verified combination reduces deployment risks and supports the development of fully domestic data protection infrastructures.
VK WorkSpace Adds Guest Access Without Accounts, Password Protection, Polls, and File Uploads Up to 30 MB
VK Tech has updated the cloud version of its VK WorkSpace Board to allow external participants such as clients, contractors, and other guests to join collaborative boards without creating an account. Access can be protected by a password set by the owner, who can also assign specific permissions including view-only, commenting, or full editing rights while restricting guests from creating new boards or viewing version history. Domain administrators can enforce mandatory password protection across all boards that permit guest access. Additional features include built-in polls with automatic result counting, support for uploading files up to 30 MB that are scanned by antivirus software, a mini-map for navigating large projects, and export options in SVG, PNG, JPG, PDF, and CSV formats. The service also received an English-language interface, addressing key use cases involving external collaboration as highlighted by VK Tech executive Petr Shcheglov.
Solar SIEM 2026.2 Adds Full Solar JSOC Detection Library, TI Feeds Support, Enhanced AI Agent and Multi-Tenancy
GC Solar has released Solar SIEM 2026.2, which now includes the complete detection rule library developed by Solar JSOC over 14 years of monitoring approximately 300 customer infrastructures. The update eliminates the need for organizations to spend months building custom rule sets by providing ready-made detection scenarios that identify sophisticated attacks from the earliest implementation stages. In 2025, Solar JSOC recorded 1.16 million security events after false-positive filtering and confirmed more than 33,000 incidents, with malware accounting for 36 percent and unauthorized access attempts for 23 percent. The product also gained native support for TI Feeds, allowing automatic ingestion and correlation of indicators of compromise from Solar 4RAYS and customer-owned sources. The built-in AI agent has been significantly expanded so it can now independently query raw event data, perform deeper analysis, and recommend next steps, reducing manual workload for analysts. Multi-tenancy capabilities enable multiple organizations to share a single SIEM instance while keeping their event streams fully separated, targeting holdings, MSSP providers, and large enterprises with numerous divisions. More than 40 companies of various sizes participated in the pilot program.
Engineers Create HemaDyne Perfusion System to Replicate Real Human Blood Flow on Lab-on-a-Chip Devices, Aiding Personalized Medicine and Mars Missions
Researchers have developed an automated perfusion system called HemaDyne that accurately reproduces patient-specific blood flow patterns, including rapid pressure changes occurring within 50 milliseconds, inside microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices. The technology overcomes previous limitations of laboratory pumps that could not match the pulsatile nature of blood circulation generated by the human heart, which produces multiple short impulses and waves of varying duration. By converting real patient examination data into G-code commands that control a foldable bellows-style chamber inspired by accordions and plastic glue bottles, the system delivers precise, individualized hemodynamic conditions to endothelial cells. This enables detailed study of how mechanical forces from blood flow influence vascular diseases, aging, and microgravity effects without relying on animal testing. The compact, long-term stable pump supports experiments lasting months and can be integrated with various organ models. NASA has backed the project to investigate cardiovascular changes during extended spaceflights, positioning these microphysiological systems as tools for preparing crewed missions to Mars where full clinical trials are impossible.
AI-Designed NovoTags Enable Real-Time Fluorescent Labeling of Mitochondria and Other Cellular Structures in Living Cells
Researchers have developed NovoTags, a new class of small artificial proteins created from scratch using AI systems to bind specific Janelia Fluor dyes and make targeted molecules glow brightly under microscopes. The proteins were designed with RFdiffusion for shape generation, LigandMPNN for amino acid sequences, and validated by AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold before lab synthesis and testing. Three independent tags were created for green, orange, and far-red spectra, allowing genetic attachment to proteins of interest such as those in endosomes, mitochondria, and chromatin. Unlike traditional fluorescent proteins, NovoTags do not glow on their own but form a pocket that holds the dye and alters its optical properties for high brightness and super-resolution imaging including STED microscopy. The team also introduced NovoSplit, a split version that acts as both a fluorescent label and molecular glue to control protein interactions on demand. Future plans include combining the tags with cryo-electron tomography and expanding the palette to distinguish up to 30 proteins simultaneously using color and fluorescence lifetime. All sequences and compatible dyes have been made openly available to the scientific community, with results published in Science.
Scientists Build Moisture-Powered Generator from Cigarette Filters, Sugarcane Fibers, Table Salt and Spent Battery Components
Researchers have developed a flexible, paper-like electricity generator that harvests energy from atmospheric humidity using only low-cost waste materials. The device combines fibers from the invasive sugarcane species Saccharum with cellulose extracted from discarded cigarette filters, sodium chloride, and carbon paste recovered from used batteries, topped with an aluminum foil electrode. At around 65% relative humidity, a single cell produces up to 1.16 voltsโnearly double the output of most previous moisture harvestersโwhile four units connected in series delivered 1.79 volts and 0.323 milliamperes, sufficient to light a small red LED continuously for more than three hours. The generator does not store chemical energy like a conventional battery; instead, absorbed water dissolves the salt, creating an ion-concentration gradient that drives charge separation between the carbon and aluminum electrodes. Performance drops sharply when humidity becomes too high or too low because the internal moisture gradient disappears, confirming that ionic movement, not an undisclosed chemical reaction, is the true source of electricity. The approach demonstrates that abundant waste streams can replace expensive nanostructures for low-power environmental sensors and wearable electronics, although the technology remains unsuitable for replacing conventional batteries.
Yandex Maps and Navigator Add Real-Time Fuel Availability and Queue Data Plus Fuel-Efficient Routing Options
Yandex has rolled out major updates to its Maps and Navigator services aimed at helping drivers find gas stations with available fuel and minimal queues. The new features display fuel stock levels and queue sizes directly in each gas station's information card, allowing users to instantly build a route to the chosen location. The same queue and fuel data have also been integrated into the Yandex Go and Zapravki applications. Information is aggregated from multiple sources including anonymized fuel order records, data from taxi drivers using Yandex Pro, real-time traffic conditions near stations, and optional short surveys sent to drivers who have recently refueled or passed by. In addition, the apps now offer economical route suggestions that prioritize lower fuel consumption through smoother speeds and fewer traffic lights, even if the trip takes slightly longer. These capabilities are currently live in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and 14 other major Russian cities including Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, Samara, and Chelyabinsk, with gradual expansion planned as more reliable data becomes available.
Avito Considers Launching In-App Dating Service for Serious Relationships with Emphasis on Safety and Verification
Russian classifieds platform Avito is exploring the possibility of introducing its own dating service directly inside the main application. The company has confirmed that the idea is under active consideration, though no final decision has been made yet. The planned service would be free of charge and specifically oriented toward users seeking serious, long-term relationships rather than casual encounters. A major focus will be placed on security features, including mandatory profile verification, anti-bot measures, three-stage moderation, and protected communication channels, potentially leveraging external services such as Gosuslugi. Avito intends to apply its existing machine-learning technologies, already used across more than 100 models for matching listings, to generate partner recommendations. Before any full rollout, the company plans to test user interest through a Fake Door experiment by presenting the feature as if it already exists. Competitors have reacted calmly, noting that mandatory verification is no longer unique, while some observers question whether users will accept mixing classifieds and dating profiles under a single account.
White House Teleprompter Operator Gabriel Perez Accused of Insider Trading on Kalshi Prediction Market, Earning Over $100,000 from Trump's Speeches
A White House employee exploited his access to President Donald Trump's prepared speeches to place profitable bets on the Kalshi prediction market platform. Gabriel Perez, the teleprompter operator, reportedly earned more than $100,000 by wagering on whether specific words and phrases would be uttered during over a dozen public events, including addresses to Congress and the World Economic Forum. His trading patterns raised red flags when he adjusted or canceled positions after Trump deviated from prepared remarks, prompting Kalshi to detect the suspicious activity and refer the case to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Federal regulators are now negotiating a potential civil settlement that could require Perez to return his profits and cease further trading. The White House placed him on unpaid administrative leave, citing violations of rules against profiting from non-public information, and confirmed that President Trump has been informed of the incident. This case follows earlier enforcement actions by Kalshi against politicians and other insiders, highlighting ongoing challenges in regulating prediction markets.
50,000-Year-Old DNA Found in South African Teeth Where Heat Should Have Destroyed It
Researchers have successfully extracted ancient DNA from animal teeth discovered in the warm coastal caves of South Africa, pushing back the known limits of genetic preservation in hot climates by tens of thousands of years. The study analyzed 320 fossil bones and teeth from six species of wild bovids, with 144 samples undergoing genetic testing that yielded a 45% success rate. A key innovation was the use of single-stranded DNA analysis, which recovered up to 6.7 times more genetic material than traditional double-stranded methods by targeting short, damaged fragments. The oldest successful sample came from a tooth approximately 50,000 years old belonging to an extinct long-horned buffalo, far surpassing the previous record of 9,300-year-old DNA from a blue antelope. These findings demonstrate that ancient DNA can survive in subtropical environments for much longer than previously assumed, opening new possibilities for studying African fauna from the Pleistocene era. The results encourage future paleogenetic research to prioritize Holocene specimens while still testing older material from warm regions.
Bitrix24 Adds Email One-Time Codes as New Two-Factor Authentication Option in Cloud Version
Bitrix24 has introduced email-based one-time codes as an additional two-factor authentication method for its cloud platform, expanding options beyond authenticator apps, push notifications, and SMS. The new feature targets organizations where employees cannot or prefer not to use dedicated 2FA applications or receive text messages reliably. It reinforces account security by requiring a second verification step after login credentials, making unauthorized access more difficult even if passwords are compromised through phishing or leaks. However, the company notes that email as a second factor carries risks if an attacker already controls the user's mailbox. The same capability is planned for the on-premise edition soon, and Bitrix24 intends to mandate two-factor authentication for Professional and Enterprise cloud tariff customers. This update highlights the growing emphasis on flexible yet secure authentication mechanisms in enterprise collaboration tools.
Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati Launches Thinking Machines' Inkling: Open-Weights Multimodal AI Model with 975 Billion Parameters and Self-Training Demo
Thinking Machines, founded by former OpenAI technical director Mira Murati, has released Inkling, its first open-weights multimodal AI model that supports text, images, and audio in a unified architecture. The model uses a mixture-of-experts design with 975 billion total parameters but activates only 41 billion at once, supports a 1-million-token context window, and was trained on 45 trillion tokens spanning text, images, audio, and video. A smaller Inkling Small variant with 12 billion active parameters was also introduced for faster and cheaper inference. Key innovations include adjustable reasoning depth that lets developers control compute usage per query and a self-training experiment where the model autonomously fine-tuned itself via the Tinker platform to avoid using one letter of the English alphabet. Weights are now available on Hugging Face with support for Transformers, vLLM, SGLang, and llama.cpp, positioning Inkling as a flexible foundation for further customization rather than a direct competitor to closed frontier models.
VK Sells 100% of RuStore to CEO Dmitry Pankrushev, Transferring Full Control to Management Team
VK has reached an agreement to sell its entire stake in the Russian Android app store RuStore to the company's own general director, Dmitry Pankrushev. The transaction moves RuStore out of direct corporate control by VK and places it under the leadership of the team that has been managing its day-to-day operations. No financial details, including the purchase price or payment structure, have been disclosed. VK described RuStore as Russia's single point of access to essential Android services and as a key platform supporting local application developers. After the deal closes, the existing team has committed to continuing regular updates, expanding features, and maintaining stable service for users. On the surface, end-users should notice no immediate changes in availability or functionality, yet the shift represents a significant structural change for one of Russia's most important alternative app marketplaces.
DNA Origami Turns Secrets into Molecular Morse Code: Multi-Key Nano-Safe Resists Single-Party Attacks
Chinese researchers have developed a multi-layered encryption system based on DNA origami that encodes messages as Morse code patterns of dots and dashes on flat DNA rectangles. These structures are then folded into tubes using locking strands, physically concealing the data until the correct molecular key is applied. The approach leverages the programmable properties of DNA to perform cryptographic functions including data encoding, physical hiding through shape change, and controlled release only with a matching set of six unlocking strands. Testing achieved 99.7% efficiency in unlocking, with the full encryption-decryption cycle taking around ten hours on the phrase โJUNE6 INVASION NORMANDY.โ The system provides 2,576 possible key combinations and hides message length by standardizing block sizes, making it resistant to physical scanning without the proper key. While too slow for everyday use, the work demonstrates that future information protection may combine mathematical algorithms with physical properties of engineered biomolecules.
Tornyol Develops 40-Gram Autonomous Drones That Hunt Mosquitoes Mid-Air Using Doppler Ultrasound and Sound Detection
American startup Tornyol, backed by Y Combinator, has successfully tested a miniature autonomous drone weighing around 40 grams that can chase and collide with flying insects without chemicals. In its first public demonstration on July 14, the prototype tracked and intercepted a moth inside a controlled indoor facility using external motion-capture equipment. The company aims to reduce mosquito-control costs by a factor of 100 by deploying swarms of ten drones to clear one square kilometer. Future versions will rely entirely on onboard sensors, including ultrasonic emitters and microphone arrays, to detect the Doppler shift created by mosquito wingbeats and distinguish species and sex. Engineers plan to move all computation to the drone itself within weeks and eventually form autonomous swarms capable of navigating urban environments. Although the current test still depended on external infrared tracking and a ping-pong ball as a stand-in target, Tornyol views the flight as the first verified aerial interception toward a scalable, non-chemical mosquito eradication system.
Russia Launches Paid 'Tochka Kontakta' Messenger for Inmates in SIZO and Correctional Facilities
A new messaging platform called 'Tochka Kontakta' has been introduced in Russia to enable communication between relatives and individuals held in pre-trial detention centers (SIZO) and correctional colonies. The service supports text messages, photographs, video clips, and voice recordings, but operates on a strict pay-per-action model with no free tier for basic correspondence. Prices range from 3.09 rubles for short texts up to 200 characters to 35 rubles for longer electronic letters of up to 2,500 characters, while video and voice messages carry separate fees between 4.29 and 7.99 rubles. Paid content subscriptions are also available at 99 rubles per thematic section with ongoing updates. The platform promises a familiar chat interface that includes payment notifications for incoming messages, and developers plan to distribute it through all major app stores. However, key operational details such as the identity of the service operator, the message moderation process, and the list of participating institutions remain undisclosed.