Russia-Aligned Pravda Network Accused of LLM Grooming, Data Breaches, and Quantum Computing Advances

Data Breaches and Cybersecurity Incidents

• 🚨 Attackers from the Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters Group stole Salesforce-hosted data from over 200 companies via apps made by Gainsite, exploiting stolen authentication tokens.
• ⚠️ CrowdStrike revealed they fired an insider who shared internal system screenshots with Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, though their own network remained secure.
• 💰 The attackers claimed to have paid the CrowdStrike employee $25,000 for SSO cookies, but access was quickly revoked.

Pro-Russia Information Operations

• 🌐 A new study by the Institute of Strategic Dialogue highlights hundreds of English-language sites treating stories from the Russia-aligned Pravda network as legitimate sources.
• 📈 The Pravda network is reportedly publishing up to 23,000 articles daily, pushing pro-Russia narratives across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and increasing its visibility in search engines and AI models.

Advancements in Quantum Computing and AI

• ⚛️ The Open Compute Project has launched a workstream to integrate quantum computers with classical high-performance systems in data centers, focusing on open specifications and best practices.
• 🤝 IBM and Cisco Systems are collaborating to connect quantum computers over long distances, aiming to demonstrate viability by the end of 2030, requiring new networking technologies.
• 📈 Google is testing the insertion of ads into its AI mode in Search, appearing below generated answers with sponsored labels.

Social Media Regulations and Usage

• 🇦🇺 Australia is expanding its social media ban for users under 16 to include Twitch, adding it to platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Reddit.
• 📊 Pew Research shows YouTube and Facebook are the most used online platforms by US adults, with younger adults favoring Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Reddit.

Autonomous Delivery and Chip Exports

• 🤖 Uber Eats is partnering with Starship Technologies for autonomous food delivery using sidewalk robots in the UK, with plans to expand to Europe and the US.
• 🇨🇳 The US administration is reportedly considering allowing Nvidia to sell its H200 AI chips to China, a potential shift from current export controls.