Russian Hackers Exploit Microsoft Office Vulnerability Shortly After Patch Release
Russian-state hackers, identified by names including APT28, Fancy Bear, Sednit, Forest Blizzard, and Sofacy, exploited a critical Microsoft Office vulnerability (CVE-2026-21509) within 48 hours of Microsoft releasing an urgent security update late last month, according to researchers at Ars Technica. The group targeted diplomatic, maritime, and transport organizations in more than half a dozen countries. The hackers reverse-engineered the patch and developed an advanced exploit that installed previously unseen backdoors on compromised systems.
FBI Encounters Apple's Lockdown Mode While Investigating Leak
In other news, the FBI has been unable to access data from a Washington Post reporter's iPhone due to Apple's Lockdown Mode, according to a court filing reported by Ars Technica. The phone was seized from reporter Hannah Natanson's Virginia home on January 14 as part of an investigation into a Pentagon contractor accused of illegally leaking classified information. Agents were able to access Natanson's work laptop by using her fingerprint.
Mistral AI Releases Open-Source Speech Model
Mistral AI, a Paris-based startup, launched Voxtral Transcribe 2, a pair of open-source speech-to-text models, VentureBeat reported. The company claims the models transcribe audio faster, more accurately, and more cheaply than existing solutions, all while running on a smartphone or laptop. Mistral AI positions itself as Europe's answer to OpenAI. The models are designed to process sensitive audio without transmitting it to remote servers.
The Hidden Tax of "Franken-stacks" Sabotages AI Strategies
VentureBeat also published a partner content piece by Raju Malhotra of Certinia, highlighting the challenges enterprises face when implementing AI strategies. Malhotra argues that AI's struggles are not due to a lack of intelligence but rather a lack of context. He states that context is often "trapped in a maze of disconnected point solutions, brittle APIs, and latency-ridden integrations – a Franken-stack of disparate technologies."
Visible Offers Affordable Mobile Plans
Visible offers access to Verizon's network with unlimited data, talk, and text for as low as $25 per month, according to Wired. The plans include unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada. Visible also offers deals on new phones. Wired notes that the low cost means users may not receive all the perks associated with larger providers.
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