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A step beyond the Kill ChainInterested in an upcoming conference?Interested in Next-Gen Cyber AI? With an ever evolving world, the only option for the ambitious secpro is to stay ahead of the game. Check out our upcoming conference with big names like Mark Simos, Nikhil Kumar, and Katie Paxton-Fear, who have a lot to say about the way they are overcoming new problems with AI and supporting others following their paths!Check it out on Eventbrite!#212: See ya, CKC!A step beyond the Kill ChainWelcome to another_secpro!This week, we're reflecting on the CKC and giving you a handy, printable short guide on the various rungs on the ladder. It's something to help new recruits and non-specialists understand your now mature position - a difficult task on some days!Also, check out our news and academic reviews sections to stretch your skills and check your mental chops!Check out _secpro premiumIf you want more, you know what you need to do: sign up to the premium and get access to everything we have on offer. Click the link above to visit our Substack and sign up there!Cheers!Austin MillerEditor-in-ChiefThis week's articleReflecting on the Cyber Kill ChainWhen we talk about “actions on objectives” in cybersecurity, we’re talking about the part of an attack where the intruder finally tries to get what they came for. It’s the payoff stage. They’ve already found a way in, moved through the network, and positioned themselves to strike. At this point, the attacker shifts from preparation to execution. This is where the real damage happens: data gets stolen, systems get destroyed, or resources get used for the attacker’s purposes.Read the rest here!Interested in our Next-Gen AI Conference?If you're looking forward to our upcoming conference or just want a little insight into who these industry-leading speakers are, here's a little bio on two of our closest collaborators: Mark Simos and Nikhil Kumar.Introducing Mark SimosMark Simos is Lead Cybersecurity Architect for Microsoft where he leads the development of cybersecurity reference architectures, best practices, reference strategies, prescriptive roadmaps, CISO workshops, and other guidance to secure organizations in the digital age.Check out the conference on Eventbrite!Introducing Nikhil KumarNikhil is an industry expert and thought leader in Digital Transformation, Zero Trust and InfoSec, AI, Cloud Computing, APIs and SOA, with a passion for applying technology in an actionable manner. An entrepreneur with over 20 years experience, he is known as a servant leader able to create amazing solutions and bridge people, process, business and technology.Check out the conference on Eventbrite!News BytesUK Telecom Incurs Major Data Theft via Warlock Ransomware: On August 12, Colt Technology Services (UK telecom provider) experienced a cyberattack tied to the Warlock ransomware group. The company had to take internal systems offline—such as its Colt Online customer portal and Voice API platform—after attackers exploited a SharePoint vulnerability (CVE-2025-53770) to extract cryptographic keys and exfiltrate several hundred gigabytes of sensitive data, including financial records, employee salaries, and network diagrams. The stolen data was listed for sale on a Russian Tor forum. The breach highlights urgent needs for improved patch management and security protocols in critical infrastructure sectors.Businesses Urged to Adopt a New Cyber Defense Playbook Amid AI Strains: A commentary urging businesses to revamp their approach to cybersecurity due to compounding challenges: burnout among security professionals, AI-driven threats, and geopolitical risks (notably around Taiwan and China). It advocates for C-level involvement, better staffing, education, and legislation like Japan’s Active Cyber Defense laws, which expand pre-emptive responses and public-private sharing.Report: We’ve Entered the "AI Hacking Era"—Both Offense and Defense: Recent findings suggest both cyber defenders and attackers are increasingly deploying AI tools—from automating social engineering and vulnerability scanning to coding support. Google and CrowdStrike utilize AI for vulnerability detection and response; a startup, Xbow, even climbed the HackerOne leaderboard using AI. However, critics highlight concerns over low-quality reports and lack of novel vulnerability discovery. Russian hackers reportedly embed AI in malware to autonomously exfiltrate sensitive data from Ukrainian networks.Australia Seen as Complacent in Cybersecurity — Alert Issued by Malcolm Turnbull: Former PM Malcolm Turnbull condemned Australia’s lax cybersecurity posture. He cited research from Semperis showing that nearly half of cyberattacks occur on under-staffed weekends or holidays. Business leaders and regulators are treating attacks as routine costs, and major institutions delayed basic security measures like MFA. The report also noted frequent ransom and physical threat demands. Turnbull stressed cyber risk must become an executive-level priority.Murky Panda Escalates Cloud & Telecom Intrusions: The China-linked cyber espionage group Murky Panda (aka Silk Typhoon) has intensified attacks targeting the cloud and telecom sector. They abuse trusted cloud relationships and rapidly weaponize N-day and zero-day vulnerabilities, exploiting internet-facing appliances to breach networks across North American government, technology, academic, legal, and professional service sectors."Ramp and Dump" Phishing—Targeting Brokerage Accounts in a New Scheme: KrebsOnSecurity reports that cybercriminals are deploying phishing kits that convert stolen card data into mobile wallet compromises, pivoting to manipulate penny stocks. Attackers use multiple compromised brokerage accounts to inflate stock prices, then sell off shares once values rise—without needing to generate public hype. The FBI is actively investigating this new "ramp and dump" method.This week's academiaThe significance of artificial intelligence in zero trust technologies: a comprehensive review (Deepa Ajish): Peer-reviewed survey that maps how AI techniques—such as behavioral analytics, continuous authentication, and federated/edge learning—augment core Zero Trust tenets (“never trust, always verify”). It reviews recent literature and outlines open challenges (ethics, drift, governance) for deploying AI across ZT policy decision and enforcement points. Journal of Electrical Systems and Information Technology, vol. 11, article 30.A novel and secure artificial intelligence enabled zero trust intrusion detection in industrial internet of things architecture (Asif Ali Laghari; Abdullah Ayub Khan; Amel Ksibi; Fahima Hajjej; Natalia Kryvinska; Ahmad Almadhor; Mohamad Afendee Mohamed; Shtwai Alsubai; et al.) Proposes and evaluates an AI-enabled Zero Trust intrusion-detection architecture for IIoT. Uses ML/DL (including federated approaches) to support continuous verification and micro-segmented control in industrial networks, reporting high detection efficacy with resource trade-offs between ML and DL models. Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio), vol. 15, article 26843.Developing an AI-Powered Zero-Trust Cybersecurity Framework for Malware Prevention in Nuclear Power Plants (Sajedul Talukder; Palash Kumar Bhowmik; Piyush Sabharwall; Syed Bahauddin Alam): U.S. Department of Energy/Idaho National Laboratory technical paper proposing an AI-driven Zero Trust model (with host intrusion prevention, user-behavior analytics, and network segmentation) tailored to nuclear plant operational networks. It argues for continuous authentication/authorization and AI-assisted prevention to defeat advanced malware (post-Stuxnet threat model).Idaho National Laboratory (PDF).*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none}sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0} @media (max-width: 100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width: 100%;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}}

Google levels up AI devices - explore new tools built for business. AI_Distilled #109: What’s New in AI This Week This week, the tech world is buzzing with a new generation of AI. Google is putting Gemini everywhere, from your home to your phone, while Meta freezes hiring amidst a major AI restructuring. Plus, find out how General Motorsis entering the AI race. Let’sget started! LLM Expert Insights, Packt 📈LATEST DEVELOPMENT Google Unveils "Gemini for Home" to Replace Google Assistant Google is replacingGoogle Assistant withGemini for Home, a new AI assistant powered by its advanced Gemini models. This new system offers more powerful, hands-freeassistancewith complex tasks, from playing specific songs to coordinating smart home devices and providing expert help with tasks like cooking or troubleshooting. TheGemini Livefeature allows for natural, continuous conversation without needing to say "Hey Google" repeatedly. Meta Restructures Its AI Division (Again)andFreezes AI Hiring Meta Platforms restructured its AI groupinto four teams—focusing on superintelligence, consumer products, AI infrastructure, and long-term research—to better leverage its investment in AI talent. Furthermore, in a major corporate move,Meta has announced ahiring freezeforitsAIdivision. The decision comes after a period of intense investment in the AI sector and isreportedly aimedat re-evaluating the spiraling costs associated with its AI division. The AI-Powered Pixel Is Here Google'snew Pixel 10 phones are packed with AI featuresdriven by the Tensor G5 chip. The phones offer a personal assistant that understands context across your apps, real-time voice translation for calls, and an AI-powered camera that can guide you through tasks byhighlighting themon your screen. You also get enhanced features fornote-taking, writing, and making music. $9 Billion AI Data Center Planned for Oklahoma Google is investing a staggering$9 billionto expand its AI and cloud infrastructure in Oklahoma. The investment includes building a new data center campus and expanding an existing one, creating thousands of jobs. This move, part of a larger push by Google and other tech giants to dominate the AI market,also includes a$1 billioncommitment toAmericaneducational programsto prepare the workforce for the future of AI. 📈HIDDEN GEMS - AI TOOLS Over the last month, several AI tools and platform updates have launched, expanding capabilities in research, education, SEO, and productivity. The table below highlights some of the most significant releases and their potential use cases. STORM Description: A hybrid writing tool combining LLMs and retrieval to auto-generate structured, citation-rich content like Wikipedia-style entries. Use Cases: Generating structured, reference-backed content, Writing reports and internal explainers, Organizing information hierarchically from multiple sources Webpage: https://storm.genie.stanford.edu/ ValidatorAI Description: AI-powered idea-validation tool that evaluates business concepts instantly—providing feedback on strengths, weaknesses, and market potential. Use Cases: Pre-assessing client ideas and strategies before investment of time/resources; quickly validating pitches or product concepts during strategy sessions. Webpage: https://validatorai.com/ Xavier AI Description: Described as the world’s first AI strategy consultant, Xavier AI uses a proprietary reasoning engine designed specifically for business scenarios. Use Cases: Rapidly producing data‑backed business strategies or proposals, Conducting competitive or market landscape assessments. Webpage: https://www.xavier.ai/ Levity AI Description: No-code automation platform that uses AI to process unstructured data - such as PDFs, emails, and images - into structured outputs and workflows. Use Cases: Automating manual data tasks like categorizing client survey responses, extracting info from documents, or routing content based on criteria (e.g., sentiment, tags). Webpage: https://levity.ai/ The 16 hour AI challenge: Learn AI, build Products & Earn $10K/Month Join Outskill's 16-Hour AI Sprint this weekend (usually for $895) and become the AI expert companies are desperately hiring – not firing. Date: Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM - 7 PM. Register Now for Free EXPERT INSIGHTS From the Packt Bookshelf: Building AI Agents with LLMs, RAG, and Knowledge Graphs, Salvatore Raieli and Gabriele Luculano In their book Building AI Agents with LLMs, RAG, and Knowledge Graphs, SalvatoreRaieli and Gabriele Luculano argue that advanced RAG techniques can strengthen every stage of the pipeline — from data ingestion and indexing to retrieval and generation. This not only addresses many of the shortcomings of naïve RAG but also gives practitioners greater control over how knowledge is surfaced and used. Read the full article on Substack → Built something cool? Tell us. Whether it's a scrappy prototype or a production-grade agent, we want to hear how you're putting generative AI to work. Drop us your story at nimishad@packtpub.com or reply to this email, and you could get featured in an upcoming issue of AI_Distilled. 📢 If your company is interested in reaching an audience of developers and, technical professionals, and decision makers, you may want toadvertise with us. If you have any comments or feedback, just reply back to this email. Thanks for reading and have a great day! That’s a wrap for this week’s edition of AI_Distilled 🧠⚙️ We would love to know what you thought—your feedback helps us keep leveling up. 👉 Drop your rating here Thanks for reading, The AI_Distilled Team (Curated by humans. Powered by curiosity.) *{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none}sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0} @media (max-width: 100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width: 100%;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}}