Today’s headlines highlight significant advancements in internet infrastructure, including Mastodon’s new quote post protections and SK Hynix’s readiness for HBM4 production, boosting next-gen GPU performance. Meanwhile, the UK MoD’s £400 million Google Cloud deal aims to enhance national security through secure, AI-driven digital infrastructure.
▶️ Internet Infrastructure
Mastodon Launches Secure Quote Posts with Customizable Permissions
Mastodon adds quote post feature with protections to prevent misuse, allowing users to control quoting permissions, visibility, and post management, supporting responsible discussion expansion.
- Mastodon introduces quote posts with safety controls, launching next week on servers like mastodon.online and mastodon.social
- Users can set quoting permissions to “Anyone,” “Followers only,” or “Just me,” and control visibility with options including “quiet public”
- Users can override default quote settings per post and manage quote permissions after posting, including removing quotes or blocking users
Anthropic’s Web Crawlers Outpace Referral Traffic, Raising Ethical Concerns
Cloudflare data reveals Anthropic’s AI crawlers dominate web scraping with high crawl-to-refer ratios, impacting web costs and raising ethical concerns about data extraction without proportional traffic sharing.
- Anthropic’s crawlers significantly outpace referral traffic sent to websites, as shown by Cloudflare’s crawl-to-refer ratio data.
- In early September, Anthropic’s ratio was markedly higher than other AI companies, indicating heavy web crawling with minimal web traffic return.
- Anthropic claims it cannot confirm the ratios and highlights that its web search feature for Claude AI is increasing referral traffic.
Gemini Debuts on Nasdaq with $425M Raise and $3.3B Valuation
Gemini, the Winklevoss-founded crypto exchange, debuted on Nasdaq with a 14% rise after raising $425 million, valuing it at $3.3 billion, despite reporting $159 million net loss in 2024.
- Gemini, founded by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss in 2014, raised $425 million in an IPO, valuing the company at approximately $3.3 billion.
- Shares opened at $37.01 on Nasdaq, 32% above the IPO price of $28, and traded as high as $45.89, closing at $32, a 14.3% increase.
- Gemini held over $21 billion in assets as of July 2025, posted a net loss of $159 million in 2024, and lost $283 million in the first half of 2025; it offers a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, crypto rewards credit cards, and custody services.
UK MoD Signs £400M Google Cloud Deal for Secure Digital and Defense Innovation
The UK MoD awarded Google a £400M contract for sovereign cloud infrastructure, integrating AI, cybersecurity, and secure communication to enhance UK-US security cooperation and digital resilience.
- UK Ministry of Defence signed a £400 million ($540 million) contract with Google Cloud for secure UK cloud services supporting security and analytics workloads
- The deal includes sovereign datacenters in the UK, AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, and secure information sharing between UK partners to enhance UK-US communication links
- The MoD aims to create a digitally integrated, resilient, and secure network, aligning with the Strategic Defence Review and supporting innovation at a wartime pace
- Google has committed inward investment and will recruit a UK-based specialist team to manage the technology
- The agreement aims to develop secret tech for national security, with Defence Secretary John Healey emphasizing its role in countering adversaries and building world-leading secure tech
HybridPetya Bypasses Secure Boot Using CVE‑2024‑7344 and Acts as a Proof-of-Concept Ransomware
HybridPetya demonstrates UEFI Secure Boot bypass via CVE‑2024‑7344, encrypts NTFS MFT, and installs malicious EFI applications, highlighting ongoing threats despite no active widespread deployment.
- HybridPetya exploits a patched UEFI vulnerability (CVE‑2024‑7344) to bypass Secure Boot on unrevoked Windows systems, acting as a bootkit.
- The malware can install malicious EFI applications, encrypt the NTFS Master File Table (MFT), and display fake CHKDSK messages, similar to Petya/NotPetya.
- It functions as ransomware with a decryption key derivation method, and has not been observed in the wild; code appears to be a proof-of-concept.
Campus Laundry Jailbreak Exposes IoT Security Risks and Student Frustration
A jailbreak attack on campus laundry machines caused free usage for students, with management refusing to cover costs, amid rising IoT security threats and frequent equipment outages.
- Over 1,250 University of Amsterdam students affected by a jailbreak attack on Spinozacampus laundry machines, which tampered with all five digital payment systems in July.
- The attack allowed students to wash clothes for free; the management company Duwo has not restored the payment system and refuses to cover costs.
- The campus’s ten analog laundry machines are frequently out of service, forcing students to use nearby facilities; concerns about lice infestation have arisen due to the closure.
- Duwo states it needs income from machine usage to maintain affordable laundry services, citing the machines are purchased by the management.
- The attack highlights rising IoT security threats, with IoT attacks increasing 92% in 2022 and 124% in 2024, primarily targeting cameras in critical sectors, amid broader cybersecurity concerns.
openSUSE to Remove bcachefs Support in Kernel 6.17
openSUSE will remove bcachefs support in kernel 6.17, following Linus Torvalds’ decision to make it externally maintained, impacting users relying on in-kernel support for bcachefs.
- openSUSE will disable bcachefs support in the next kernel version, with no new code included in kernel 6.17 RC5
- Linus Torvalds announced bcachefs is now “externally maintained,” not part of the main Linux kernel tree
- openSUSE’s kernel maintainers confirmed removal of bcachefs from kernel 6.17, advising users to follow upstream maintenance guidelines
SK Hynix Ready for Mass Production of HBM4 to Power Next-Gen High-Speed GPUs
SK Hynix completed HBM4 development and is preparing for mass production, enabling next-gen GPUs like Nvidia’s Rubin and AMD’s MI400 to achieve over 10 Gb/s speed and up to 20 TB/s bandwidth.
- SK Hynix announced completion of HBM4 development and readiness for high-volume production as of September 12, 2025
- HBM4 modules will feature 2,048 I/O terminals, doubling HBM3e, and achieve over 10 Gb/s operating speed, exceeding JEDEC standards
- Transition to HBM4 will significantly increase bandwidth, with Nvidia’s Rubin GPUs reaching 13 TB/s and AMD’s MI400-series approaching 20 TB/s bandwidth, with capacities up to 432 GB
▶️ Open Source
Microkernel Alternatives to Linux: Managarm, Asterinas, and Xous
Managarm, Asterinas, and Xous exemplify microkernel alternatives to Linux, supporting modern architectures, Rust-based design, Linux compatibility, and shipping hardware, highlighting diverse approaches in OS development.
- Managarm, Asterinas, and Xous are three alternative microkernels demonstrating viable options outside Linux.
- Managarm supports asynchronous operations, runs on x86-64, Arm64, RISC-V, and supports Linux binaries, SMP, ACPI, NVMe, virtualization, and GUI layers.
- Asterinas is a Rust-based kernel employing a framekernel architecture with OS services in Safe Rust, supporting Linux ABI; Xous is a Rust microkernel with shipping hardware (Precursor) focusing on security and custom applications.
▶️ Management and Leadership
Opendoor Chairman Criticizes Remote Work and DEI for Culture Issues
Keith Rabois announced Opendoor has 1,400 employees but only needs 200, citing remote work and DEI as causes of a “broken” culture; stock up 470% YTD.
- Opendoor’s chairman Keith Rabois states the company has 1,400 employees but only needs 200, calling the workforce “bloated”
- Rabois criticizes remote work and DEI efforts, claiming they contributed to a “broken” culture and inefficiency
- Opendoor’s stock has increased 470% year-to-date, partly driven by board reappointments and new CEO Kaz Nejatian
Tesla Approves $1 Trillion Incentive Plan Amid Outside Venture Support
Tesla’s board approved a $1 trillion incentive plan for Musk to meet key milestones; Denholm highlights his outside ventures boost Tesla, while concerns about his political activities remain.
- Tesla’s board approved a $1 trillion performance-based compensation package for Elon Musk to achieve 12 operational milestones, including an $8.5 trillion valuation and 12 million cars sold over a decade.
- Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm states Musk’s outside ventures, such as SpaceX, Neuralink, xAI, and Musk Foundation, positively influence Tesla by motivating him and providing resource benefits.
- The company’s concerns focus on Musk’s political involvement; Tesla seeks assurances that his political activities will wind down, though Denholm emphasizes his right to political expression as a private citizen.
Keith Rabois Plans 85% Job Cuts at Opendoor to Cut Costs
Keith Rabois, Opendoor’s chairman, announced an 85% workforce reduction to fix cash burn, citing a “bloated” workforce and remote work culture; Nejatian to start in person Monday.
- Keith Rabois, Opendoor’s new chairman, states the company needs to cut up to 85% of its workforce to address its cost structure.
- Rabois returned to Opendoor following the appointment of former Shopify executive Kaz Nejatian as CEO.
- Current headcount is approximately 1,400 employees; Rabois believes only about 200 are necessary.
US Treasury Targets Bitcoin Privacy Tools in Expanded Patriot Act
The Treasury plans to expand the Patriot Act to criminalize Bitcoin privacy tools like CoinJoin and atomic swaps, threatening user privacy and security, and undermining self-custody.
- The U.S. Treasury is expanding the Patriot Act to target Bitcoin self-custody practices, including banning CoinJoin, atomic swaps, single address use, and transaction timing delays.
- Proposed guidelines would flag users employing these privacy tools as suspicious, reject transactions touching these methods, and potentially lead to criminal charges.
- The measures aim to undermine financial privacy, increase security risks by discouraging best practices, and restrict the use of Bitcoin for law-abiding citizens, representing an attack on digital privacy rights.
OIG Finds CISA Awarded $1.41M in Unallowable Payments Amid Poor Oversight
The OIG reports CISA’s Cyber Incentive program, initiated in 2015, improperly awarded over $1.41 million to ineligible employees due to poor oversight, risking cybersecurity protection.
- The Office of Inspector General (OIG) found CISA approved over $1.41 million in unallowable back payments to 348 employees from FY2020-2024, with individual payments between $21,000 and $25,000 annually
- 1,401 out of 3,220 employees received cybersecurity retention incentives in a single pay period last year, including 240 support staff not directly involved in cybersecurity
- The program lacked proper eligibility restrictions, record-keeping, and monitoring controls, with CISA’s HR department spreading responsibilities across multiple units, leading to systemic fraud, waste, and abuse
CISA Seeks Greater Control Over CVE Program Amid Privatization Debates
CISA aims to assert long-term control over the CVE vulnerability identification program through a new vision, amid debates over privatization, funding, and governance, risking program stability.
- CISA released a “vision” document on September 12, 2025, seeking increased control over the global CVE program.
- The document emphasizes transitioning CVE to a “quality era” under government stewardship, citing risks of privatization and conflicts of interest.
- CISA nearly let the CVE program lapse in early 2025, extending MITRE’s contract until March 2026; the CVE board and MITRE oppose privatization efforts.
EU Approves Microsoft’s Concessions on Teams Bundling After Five-Year Investigation
EU approved Microsoft’s five-year concessions on Teams bundling, allowing choice and API access, avoiding fines, and ending investigation sparked by Slack’s antitrust complaint.
- EU regulators approved Microsoft’s concessions on Teams bundling after a five-year investigation initiated by Slack’s 2020 complaint
- Microsoft pledged to allow customers to purchase Microsoft 365 without Teams at a lower price or pay extra to include it, and to open APIs and improve data portability
- Concessions are valid for seven years, with interoperability and data portability commitments lasting ten years; case closed without fines
Most Fortune 500 Companies Use AI to Enhance Support Without Replacing Humans
Gartner’s study indicates most Fortune 500 firms will retain human support staff, using AI to augment rather than replace, emphasizing the ongoing need for human involvement in customer service.
- Gartner survey of Fortune 500 companies shows only 11% plan to reduce staff due to AI, while 54% intend to use AI to enhance engagement without layoffs
- No major corporations anticipate replacing all support staff with bots by 2028; some are rehiring staff after initial AI layoffs
- Experts highlight that AI cannot fully replace human agents due to handling complex, critical, or emotionally sensitive issues; human oversight remains essential
Government IT Manager Lacks Basic Command-Line Skills, Highlights Tech Gaps
An IT manager with no command-line knowledge required support for VPN issues, highlighting gaps in technical skills among managers promoted from non-IT roles at a government agency.
- An IT manager at a large tax office was unfamiliar with command-line tools and traceroute, requiring tech support for basic network troubleshooting.
- The manager, promoted from phone services, believed managers only oversee people and did not need technical knowledge.
- The support call involved the manager blaming the technician for VPN connection issues, and the technician demonstrating the importance of command-line skills for troubleshooting.
▶️ Technology
Qwen3-Next Boosts LLM Efficiency with Hybrid Attention and Ultra-Sparse MoE
Qwen3-Next advances large language models with hybrid attention, ultra-sparse MoE, and multi-token prediction, delivering high efficiency and performance comparable to larger models, especially in long-context scenarios.
- Qwen3-Next introduces hybrid attention (Gated DeltaNet + standard attention), sparse MoE activating only 3.7% of parameters, and multi-token prediction for efficiency.
- The 80B-parameter Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Base model achieves performance comparable to Qwen3-32B while using less than 10% of training GPU hours; inference throughput exceeds 10x over 32K tokens.
- Post-trained variants, Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Instruct and Qwen3-Next-80B-A3B-Thinking, improve stability and performance, with the instruct version matching larger models in long-context tasks (up to 256K tokens), and the thinking version outperforming higher-cost models on reasoning benchmarks.
Apple’s Senior AI Executive Robby Walker Exits Amid Siri Delays
Apple’s senior AI executive Robby Walker is leaving, following his role overseeing Siri and reporting to John Giannandrea, amid delays in AI feature updates and leadership restructuring.
- Robby Walker, senior AI executive at Apple, is leaving the company, according to sources.
- Previously in charge of Siri until early 2025, oversight shifted to software chief Craig Federighi after delays in Siri updates.
- Walker reported directly to AI chief John Giannandrea; his departure marks a significant change in Apple’s AI leadership.
Sony Unveils 2025 Bravia OLED and QLED TVs with Peak Brightness Over 2,600 Nits
Sony’s 2025 lineup includes the premium Bravia 8 II OLED and Bravia 9 QLED, delivering peak brightness from 1,560 to over 2,600 nits, with advanced backlighting and processing for high-end image quality.
- Sony’s flagship OLED for 2025 is the Bravia 8 II OLED 4K TV, available in 55- and 65-inch sizes, with a peak brightness of 1,560 nits and HDR support including Dolby Vision
- The Bravia 9 QLED 4K TV features Mini LED backlighting with local dimming, reaching over 2,600 nits peak brightness, offering high contrast and brightness suitable for bright rooms
- Sony’s midrange Bravia 7 QLED 4K TV uses Mini LED with local dimming, peaks at under 2,000 nits, and offers good contrast but narrower viewing angles and fewer HDMI 2.1 ports
OpenAI Restructures to Pursue Full Stack AI Strategy with Microsoft Deal
OpenAI is nearing resolution of its dispute with Microsoft, restructuring to pursue a full stack AI strategy involving chips, data centers, models, and applications, requiring substantial funding and infrastructure development.
- OpenAI signed a memorandum of understanding to resolve its dispute with Microsoft, enabling a new corporate structure to issue traditional equity and facilitate funding.
- The restructuring aims to support OpenAI’s “full stack” strategy, encompassing ownership and operation of all AI development components, including chips, data centers, and software applications.
- The company is developing its own chips, designing data centers, and creating AI-powered software, targeting to compete with Google’s integrated AI ecosystem.
- OpenAI plans to build its own data centers in the future, moving beyond reliance on cloud providers, to gain greater infrastructure control.
- The startup has established a leading AI model, GPT-5, and offers APIs used by approximately 4 million developers.
- OpenAI is expanding distribution through new gadgets, a web browser, and consumer-facing products, including a recently acquired startup for over $6 billion.
- The company has roughly 5 million paid seats for ChatGPT business products and aims to develop a comprehensive suite of AI applications similar to Google’s ecosystem.
- To realize its full stack ambitions, OpenAI requires significant funding, talent, and infrastructure, with recent moves aimed at increasing investment opportunities, including potential $10 billion from SoftBank.
US Official Prioritizes AI Race Over Climate Change with Gas Power Push
US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum advocates for boosting natural gas turbines to win the AI arms race, deeming it more urgent than climate change mitigation amid current energy policies.
- US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated that winning the AI arms race is more critical than addressing climate change, advocating for increased natural gas turbine use.
- Burgum, a former software executive, emphasized that climate change is “solvable” but losing the AI race poses an existential threat, calling for immediate power deployment.
- The US government under the Trump administration prioritizes AI dominance over renewable energy, with policies favoring fossil fuel infrastructure for AI data centers, despite global warming exceeding 1°C and projections of 2.7°C to 3°C warming by 2100.