How to integrate AI into modern SOC workflows
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly being introduced into security operations, but many practitioners still struggle to turn early experiments into consistent operational value. This is because SOCs are implementing AI without a deliberate approach to operational integration. Some teams treat this as a shortcut for broken processes. Some people try to apply machine learning to […]
Mustang Panda uses signed kernel-mode rootkit to load TONESHELL backdoor
December 30, 2026Ravi LakshmananMalware/Cyber Espionage A Chinese hacker group known as Mustang Panda utilized a previously undocumented kernel-mode rootkit driver to deliver a new variant of a backdoor called TONESHELL in a cyberattack detected targeting unspecified organizations in Asia in mid-2025. The findings, published by Kaspersky Lab, observed new backdoor variants in cyberespionage operations by […]
Meta acquired Manus, the AI startup everyone was talking about.
Mark Zuckerberg has struck again. Meta Platforms acquires Singapore-based AI startup Manus. Manus has been the talk of Silicon Valley since it was brought to life in the spring with a highly slick demo video that went viral. The clip showed an AI agent that can screen job applicants, plan vacations, analyze stock portfolios, and […]
Social media follower counts are more important than ever, creator economy executives say
As social media becomes increasingly reliant on algorithmic feeds, creators are navigating a new normal. Just because you post something doesn’t mean your followers will see it. “I think 2025 was the year that algorithms completely took over, so followers became completely irrelevant,” LTK CEO Amber Venz Box told TechCrunch. This isn’t new to creators […]
2025 was the year AI did a mood check
Money was not an issue for the AI industry in early 2025. In late 2025, a mood check crept in. OpenAI raised $40 billion at a $300 billion valuation. Safe Superintelligence and Thinking Machine Labs raised a separate $2 billion seed round before shipping a single product. Even first-time founders are raising money on a […]
Why your power grid needs more software
One of the nicest comments people made about the power grid was, “There’s nothing.” Grids work best when they fade into the background. That obscurity has changed in recent years, as fires in California and freezes in Texas have heightened awareness of the power grid. But it wasn’t until 2025 that concerns about the power […]
How to use new ChatGPT app integrations like DoorDash, Spotify, Uber, and more
OpenAI offers app integration with ChatGPT, allowing you to connect your account directly to ChatGPT and ask your assistant to take action. For example, when you integrate with Spotify, you can tell it to create personalized playlists that appear in the Spotify app. To get started, make sure you’re logged in to ChatGPT. Then, enter […]
A new fentanyl vaccine is entering human trials — here’s how it works
A vaccine to block the effects of fentanyl, including overdose, is expected to enter human trials in the coming months, possibly leading to the first-ever active treatment for opioid use disorder. Initial trials will focus on evaluating the safety of the vaccine, which was originally developed with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. The […]
32 Top Enterprise Technology Startups in Disrupt Startup Battlefield
TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield pitch contest attracts thousands of applicants each year. These entries will be narrowed down to the top 200, and the top 20 will compete on the big stage to win the Startup Battlefield Cup and $100,000 in prize money. However, the remaining 180 startups all surprised us in their respective categories and […]
MongoDB Attacks, Wallet Breaches, Android Spyware, Insider Crime & More
Dec 29, 2026Ravie LakshmananHacking News / Cybersecurity Last week’s cyber news in 2025 was not about one big incident. It was about many small cracks opening at the same time. Tools people trust every day behave in unexpected ways. Old flaws resurfaced. New ones were used almost immediately. A common theme ran through it all […]