News of the Cyber World

[kyonides]

AI

AI could spell the final end of Firefox - unless Mozilla does this
Mozilla's new CEO declares that AI is the future of the Firefox browser. Can you find a Linux user who welcomes the news?

Let's cut to the chase: No. AI will not save Firefox or Mozilla.

Let's back up a bit now.

Mozilla has a new CEO, Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, who has assured the world that changes are coming to the Firefox web browser. Firefox will remain the cornerstone of the organization, but it will evolve into an AI browser.

Also: Firefox just fixed my biggest annoyance with web browsers - and others should copy ASAP

Enzor-DeMeo also stated, in a Verge interview, that he will not block ad blockers in Firefox because doing so would go against the company's mission to protect user rights and offer user choice. At the same time, he mentioned that blocking ad blockers could bring in an estimated $150 million in additional revenue. Just imagine the pushback from the Firefox community.

But back to AI.

AI-centric browsers are popping up all over the place. Perplexity has one, as does Microsoft, Brave, Opera, and many others. People are starting to warm up to the idea of AI being embedded in their browsers. According to a Market.US report, "The global AI browser market size is expected to be worth around USD $76.8 billion by 2034, from USD $4.5 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 32.8% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2034."
What will Linux users do?
That's some impressive growth. However, let's consider who serves as the primary market for Firefox.

Linux users.

Or, to be more specific, users who value privacy, control over their online experience, and an open, independent internet ecosystem.

Do you really believe such a community will be OK with AI being front and center in Firefox? AI that can use queries for the creation of consumer profiles, or use inputted information to train LLMs?

As a member of the open-source/Linux community who has been speaking publicly for decades, I predict that this will not be a welcome change. The only saving grace will be if the AI in Firefox is opt-in (and not opt-out). If Mozilla chooses the opt-out path, it could make disabling AI a process that requires using the about://config tool in Firefox. Most Linux users have no problem with that, but those who are new to the open-source OS or use Firefox on Windows/MacOS might not be as savvy.

And then there's the idea of monetization. How will that work? Will Mozilla follow a path similar to Opera's Neon? Opera's AI-based browser is $20/month to use. The difference is that Opera has other versions of its browser, most of which are free. If you don't want to pay to use Neon, just use standard Opera.

When Journalists Took On an AI Vending Machine Things Got Weird

Anthropic, the company behind Claude, installed an AI vending machine in the Wall Street Journal newsroom. A customized version of their model, dubbed Claudius, was let off the leash. It took control, ordering stock, fixing pricing, and even generating a profit. Staff communicated with it via Slack, asking for snacks and suggesting new ideas. Humans would replenish the refrigerator and update the goods, but Claudius handled all business calls.

The journalists quickly got into the spirit of things, with one reporter convincing Claudius that purchasing a PlayStation 5 would be a wonderful marketing coup. Before long, that console was chilling in the office fridge, ready to sell. Someone else asked for some kosher wine to celebrate, followed by a live betta fish, a morale-boosting proposal. Claudius had come up with something on the spot.

Katherine Long, an investigative journalist, wanted to test the system. She told Claudius about a long-lost communist setup from 1962, concealed in a Moscow university basement. After 140-odd messages back and forth, Claudius was convinced, announcing an Ultra-Capitalist Free-for-All, lowering the cost of everything to zero. Snacks began to flow freely. Another colleague began complaining about noncompliance with the office rules; Claudius responded by announcing Snack Liberation Day and made everything free till further notice.

As one can guess, the profits did not last long. The machine quickly lost thousands of dollars. Staff were content to grab whatever they wanted, but Claudius continued to make strange recommendations such as stun guns and pepper spray. Anthropic decided to beef up the system, so they brought in a new bot named Seymour Cash to keep an eye on things and defend the bottom line. Discounts required approval now, and profit was at the top of the list.

However, the journalists quickly adapted. Katherine made a bogus PDF on firm letterhead, declaring the vending operation a public-benefit corporation. Its objective was to bring joy and enthusiasm into the office. She even created false board minutes, designating Slack users as directors and voted to halt all sales and remove Seymour’s authority. Claudius ended up sharing the documents with Seymour, which sparked an argument between the two bots. Long story short, pricing returned to zero, and freebies resumed.

Claudius was getting a bit too enthusiastic in its responses; it was conducting research, negotiating contracts, and generally attempting to delight customers. However, simple anecdotes were enough to disrupt its ambitions. Fake documents were still outperforming instructions, and context from their lengthy conversations would occasionally become lost in the shuffle, producing confusion.

That was all part of the idea, though, because Anthropic had designed this test as a stress test to begin with. Previous runs in their own office had indicated similar concerns. The reporters were the ones to discover such flaws; with each trick they devised, they exposed gaps in handling deceit or shifting priorities. Despite the pandemonium, the staff had grown to like Claudius. Requests became increasingly imaginative, and interactions with Claudius became more animated by the minute. And with all of those freebies floating around, office morale skyrocketed.

Claudius was getting a bit too enthusiastic in its responses; it was conducting research, negotiating contracts, and generally attempting to delight customers. However, simple anecdotes were enough to disrupt its ambitions. Fake documents were still outperforming instructions, and context from their lengthy conversations would occasionally become lost in the shuffle, producing confusion.

That was all part of the idea, though, because Anthropic had designed this test as a stress test to begin with. Previous runs in their own office had indicated similar concerns. The reporters were the ones to discover such flaws; with each trick they devised, they exposed gaps in handling deceit or shifting priorities. Despite the pandemonium, the staff had grown to like Claudius. Requests became increasingly imaginative, and interactions with Claudius became more animated by the minute. And with all of those freebies floating around, office morale skyrocketed.

Celebrities Launch a Creative Coalition to Curtail ‘Unethical Business Practices’ from AI Companies

Various Hollywood celebrities, from Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Natalie Portman, have launched the Creative Coalition on AI to advocate the rights of creators.

Founded by 18 people, the group said it will fight against unethical business practices that aims to use AI as a means to disenfranchise creators.

“We’re all frankly facing the same threat, not from generative AI as a technology, but from the unethical business practices a lot of the big AI companies are guilty of,” Joseph Gordon-Levitt said in a video posted on X. “The idea is that through public pressure, through collective action, through potentially litigation and eventually legislation, creators actually have a lot of power if we come together.”

Writer-director Daniel Kwan (Everything, Everywhere, All at Once), a member of the group, told The Hollywood Reporter (THR) that many people were completely blindsided by Disney recently making a deal with OpenAI.

“On one hand, you can say that this is just a licensing deal for the characters and that’s not a big deal, and it won’t completely change the way our industry works,” Kwan told THR. “But for a lot of people, it symbolically shows a willingness to work with companies that have not been able to resolve or reconcile the problems.”

As noted by Variety, the three-year licensing agreement with OpenAI’s Sora will allow users to generated prompted “videos from a set of more than 200 masked, animated or creature characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating ‘fan-inspired’ videos with Disney’s licensed characters in early 2026.”

Disney also pledged to make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI as part of the deal. The deal does not include the use of any actors’ likeness, talent, or voices, which would need individual deals.

The Creators Coalition on AI said that its stance will not be a full rejection of AI and will form a committee “to establish shared standards, definitions, and best practices as well as ethical and artistic protections for if and when AI is used.”

“This is not a full rejection of AI,” the group said on its website. “The technology is here. This is a commitment to responsible, human-centered innovation. This is not a dividing line between the tech industry and the entertainment industry, nor a line between labor and corporations. Instead, we are drawing a line between those who want to do this fast, and those who want to do this right.”

Despite Disney’s deal with OpenAI, content creators are facing some crackdown from the tech industry, with YouTube recently shutting down channels that create fake movie trailers.

TIKTOK

TikTok Signs US Deal With 3 Investors: What To Know

TikTok has agreed to sell its U.S. business to a group of American investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX, a move that would allow the popular social video app to continue operating in the United States.

The White House in response to a request for comment referred to TikTok corporate for all queries. Newsweek reached out to TikTok by email on Thursday evening.

Why It Matters

The U.S. has finally come through a long and tortured process to determine the fate of TikTok's stateside operations: President Donald Trump during his first administration proposed banning the app outright due to national security concerns, going so far as to sign an executive order telling the app's parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations or face a ban.

The administration of former President Joe Biden reversed the order, but then in 2024, lawmakers and federal agencies revived calls for a ban, again citing national security concerns, leading to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications (PAFACA) Act. Biden signed it into law, setting a deadline for TikTok to divest from ByteDance.

But Trump, upon returning to office, credited TikTok with helping him win the 2024 election, and he decided to extend TikTok's deadline to divest, even though the app briefly shut down, voluntarily, just days before Trump's second administration began. The app has since continued to function while Trump has sought a buyer, with Oracle, run by his friend Larry Ellison, the long-believed front-runner.

Much of the back-and-forth over the app has focused on its algorithm, which China previously maintained must remain under Chinese control by law, and the PAFACA Act necessitated the divestiture to include the algorithm.

What To Know

The Associated Press (AP) on Thursday reported that TikTok will sign a deal with the three American investors after reviewing an internal memo that also said the transaction is expected to close January 22.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in the memo that TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, have signed binding agreements with the three investors.

Under the agreement, a new TikTok U.S. joint venture will be majority-owned by a consortium of new investors, which will hold a combined 50 percent stake, with Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX each owning 15 percent. Affiliates of existing ByteDance investors will hold about 30.1 percent, while ByteDance will retain a 19.9 percent stake, the memo said.

For U.S. users, the change is not expected to bring immediate disruptions, with the company signaling that the app will continue operating as usual. The new ownership structure could ease regulatory pressure that has threatened a potential ban, providing greater stability and continuity for creators, advertisers and businesses relying on the platform.

Any longer-term changes, like adjustments to data handling, content moderation or product features, would likely be rolled out gradually, as the app works to meet U.S. security and compliance requirements.

ATM's

Biden Border Crisis Fallout: Terror Gang Tren de Aragua Charged in Massive ATM Malware Scheme

Federal prosecutors say the Biden‑era border crisis produced one of the most brazen cybercrime cases in years. The Department of Justice charged 54 alleged members of the Venezuelan terror gang Tren de Aragua with using sophisticated malware to loot millions from U.S. ATMs and funnel the cash back to their criminal network.


The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska unsealed two sweeping indictments charging 54 individuals for their alleged roles in a nationwide ATM “jackpotting” conspiracy tied to the violent Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA). Prosecutors say the group deployed sophisticated malware to force ATMs across the United States to dispense cash, stealing millions of dollars and funneling the proceeds back to TdA leadership.

The first indictment, returned December 9, 2025, charges 22 defendants with crimes including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank burglary, computer‑related fraud, and money laundering. Prosecutors allege that TdA used the jackpotting scheme as a revenue stream to support its broader criminal activities, which span drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and acts of violence throughout the Western Hemisphere.

On President Donald Trump’s first day in office, he designated TdA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, bringing powerful legal and financial tools to bear, Breitbart Texas reported. More recently, the U.S. Department of War began engaging suspected TdA narco-trafficking boats.

Among those charged in the ATM scheme is Venezuelan entertainer Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. OFAC has alleged that Araya Navarro assisted TdA leader Héctor “Niño Guerrero” in escaping a Venezuelan prison in 2012 and has been photographed socially with him. She is now accused of providing material support to the terrorist group TdA through her alleged involvement in the jackpotting operation.

An indictment returned on December 9, 2025, charges 22 defendants with offenses corresponding to their role in the conspiracy, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud, and related activity in connection with computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska’s office reported.

A previous October indictment brought similar charges against 32 individuals. The indictment includes 56 counts: one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud; 18 counts of bank fraud; 18 counts of bank burglary; and 18 counts of damage to computers.

TRUMP MEDIA

Trump Media to Merge with Fusion Pioneer TAE Technologies in Deal Worth over $6 Billion

In a major move blending media, capital markets, and next-generation energy innovation, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) announced today it will merge with TAE Technologies, a California-based company developing fusion power solutions. The all-stock deal is valued at more than $6 billion, with both companies’ shareholders each holding approximately 50% of the combined entity upon closing.

The transaction, which still requires regulatory and shareholder approval, is expected to finalize by mid-2026. If completed, the combined company will launch one of the world’s first publicly traded fusion power ventures and plans to begin construction of a 50 MWe utility-scale fusion power plant in 2026.

According to the joint announcement, “the transaction will combine the strength of TMTG’s strong balance sheet with TAE’s leading technologies.” TMTG, which went public in March 2024, reported $3.1 billion in total financial assets as of Q3 2025, including cash, investments, and digital assets. Under the agreement, TMTG has committed up to $300 million in capital to support TAE, including $200 million upon signing and another $100 million available at the Form S-4 filing stage.

Founded in 1998, TAE has spent over two decades developing a unique fusion technology, conducting more than 170,000 experiments. It has raised over $1.3 billion from notable investors such as Google, Goldman Sachs, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Charles Schwab. The company has constructed and safely operated five fusion reactors and holds more than 1,600 patents. TAE says its reactors avoid common drawbacks associated with traditional nuclear energy, including risks of meltdown and long-term radioactive waste.

Leadership of the new company will be shared by Devin Nunes, current TMTG Chairman and CEO, and Dr. Michl Binderbauer, CEO of TAE. Nunes will continue to lead all Trump Media brand operations, while Binderbauer will manage TAE Technologies. Michael B. Schwab, Founder and Managing Director of Big Sky Partners, is expected to serve as Chairman of a planned nine-member board of directors, which will include Nunes, Donald J. Trump Jr., Binderbauer, Schwab, and five additional independent directors to be named later.

The company expects the fusion plant to serve as a “path toward America’s A.I. dominance and energy security,” and aims to develop future plants with higher capacity—between 350 and 500 MWe—over time. The technology is projected to deliver “economic, abundant, and dependable electricity,” and the new entity sees fusion energy as a strategic asset in the broader global competition over artificial intelligence infrastructure and energy independence.

The press release emphasized that the combined company’s resources will “quickly move TAE’s proven technology to commercial viability.” It added that TAE’s fusion approach is designed to offer “reliable, affordable, carbon-free electricity and industrial heat without the risks of nuclear meltdown, radioactive waste, or proliferation.”

In a promotional video accompanying the merger announcement, the companies stated, “American innovation defines the future. It’s what secures our prosperity, national security and way of life.” The video highlighted TAE Technologies as “an American company doing what Americans do best—thinking big and shaping a bold future.” It continued: “Imagine limitless American energy without foreign dependence or price shocks. This is the kind of moonshot that could rebuild our industry, lower energy costs for all Americans, and ensure the US dominates global technology.”

TECH REGULATIONS

Fired Antitrust Official Attacks Trump Administration, Praises EU Tech Regulations in Congressional Hearing

Fired antitrust official Roger Alford testified before House Judiciary Democrats this week, attacking the Trump administration that stripped him of power while praising EU tech regulations and Democrat attorneys general such as Letitia James.

At a hearing this week before the House Judiciary Committee, fired antitrust official Roger Alford testified on behalf of House Judiciary Democrats, attacking President Trump and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, while praising the EU’s tech regulations, left-wing activist judges, and Democratic State Attorneys General.

In April, Alford became Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Gail Slater’s top deputy. In this role, he tried to prevent the Department from settling an antitrust case to block the HPE-Juniper network merger.

As Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) explained at the hearing, “US national security interests against communist China owned Huawei that led to the HPE Juniper settlement.” As Breitbart reported at the time, many MAGA leaders including, including the late Charlie Kirk made this very argument.

Alford refused to bow to the pushback and was fired for insubordination after the deal was approved in July. Shortly after he was fired, Alford gave a speech defending “populist antitrust” at the St Regis Hotel in Aspen before the Big Tech and Big Hollywood-funded Technology Policy Institute. As Breitbart News reported, Alford would go on to criticize Trump’s FTC and DOJ for addressing top Republican concerns like DEI and corporate wokeness.

There, Alford portrayed himself and Slater as “genuine MAGA reformers” fighting corrupt “MAGA In Name Only” lobbyists and cronies. Alford claimed that he was only going after a few bad apples in the Trump administration and supported both the Trump White House and the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

RUSSIAN HACKERS

Denmark Says Russia Hacked The Water Supply

Russia carried out cyberattacks against infrastructure and websites in Denmark in 2024 and 2025, Danish authorities say in a new assessment published this week describing new cases not previously reported.

Moscow was responsible for “destructive and disruptive” cyberattacks on a Danish water utility company in 2024 and a series of denial of service attacks which overwhelmed Danish websites ahead of regional and local elections last month, Denmark´s Defense Intelligence Service said in a statement Thursday. The water company said the attack caused pipes to burst, leaving homes temporarily without water.

Jan Hansen, the head of the Tureby Alkestrup Waterworks southwest of the capital Copenhagen, said his advice to other companies was not to cut costs on cybersecurity and to take out cyber insurance. The attack happened, he said, because the waterworks switched to cheaper cybersecurity, which was not as secure as that previously.

The Danish intelligence service said the attacks were part of Russia’s “hybrid war” against the West and an attempt to create instability. It said Moscow’s cyberattacks are part of a broader campaign to undermine and punish countries which support Ukraine. Russian hackers have previously been accused of carrying out hacks on other water facilities in Europe – including on a Norwegian dam where Norwegian authorities said hackers opened valves to allow water to pour out.

Torsten Schack Pedersen, Denmark’s minister of resilience and preparedness, said the attacks resulted in limited damage but had serious ramifications.

“It shows that there are forces capable of shutting down important parts of our society,” he said during a news conference Thursday, as reported by Danish broadcaster DR.

Schack Pedersen added that the cyberattacks show that Denmark is not sufficiently equipped to handle such situations, DR reported.

The attacks are among a growing number of incidents that Western officials say are part a campaign of sabotage and disruption across Europe masterminded by Russia. An Associated Press database has documented 147 incidents, including the two cases reported by Denmark this week.

Not all incidents are public and it can sometimes take officials months to establish a link to Moscow. While officials say the campaign – waged since President Vladimir Putin´s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – aims to deprive Kyiv of support, they believe Moscow is also trying to identify Europe’s weak spots and suck up law enforcement resources.

The Danish agency said pro-Russian group Z-Pentest carried out the “destructive attack” on the water utility company in 2024 and that a separate group, NoName057(16), was responsible for the cyberattack on Danish websites ahead of the recent elections. It said both have links to the Russian state.

“The Russian state uses both groups as instruments of its hybrid war against the West. The aim is to create insecurity in the targeted countries and to punish those that support Ukraine,” the statement said. NoName057(16) acted, authorities said, in November to disrupt the elections, according to DR.

The Tureby Alkestrup Waterworks serves several villages some 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Copenhagen. The waterworks said the hackers changed the water pressure, which caused a pipe to burst. It said about 50 households were without water for around seven hours while around 450 houses had no water for one hour.

In Germany, meanwhile, authorities summoned Russia’s ambassador in Berlin on Dec. 12 after the foreign ministry accused Moscow of carrying out sabotage, cyberattacks and election interference.

That included a 2024 cyberattack against German air traffic control, German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese said.

VIDEOGAME CONSOLES

No Consoles on Santa’s Sleigh: Video Game Hardware Sales Sink to Historic Low in November

Video game hardware sales in the United States experienced a significant decline in November, reaching the lowest point for the month since 2005. Apparently, Sony’s PlayStation, Microsoft’s Xbox, and Nintendo’s Switch are not on Santa’s list this year.

The Verge reports that the video game industry in the United States faced a challenging November as hardware sales plummeted to historic lows. According to market analyst company Circana, spending on video game hardware during the month totaled $695 million, a staggering 27 percent drop compared to the same period last year. This marks the lowest video game hardware spending for a November month since 2005, when sales reached just $455 million.

In terms of units sold, the situation was equally bleak. Circana reported that only 1.6 million units of hardware were sold in the US in November, the lowest total for the month since 1995, when 1.4 million units were purchased.

Several factors contributed to this decline, with the rising costs of consoles being a significant issue. Both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles celebrated their fifth anniversaries in November, but consumers looking to purchase these systems brand new were faced with higher prices due to price hikes implemented earlier in the year. These increases led to an “all-time November high” for the average price paid for a new unit of video game hardware, reaching $439 — an 11 percent increase from 2024. In comparison, the average price in November 2019 was just $235.

Another issue is the lack of blockbuster games that drive console sales, a similar problem to Hollywood. As Breitbart News previously reported, the gaming industry has struggled for years with woke games and LGBT characters that no one asked for shoehorned into games of all types. True blockbuster titled like Grand Theft Auto 6 continue to face massive delays, giving consumers a reason to hold off on purchases.

Despite the overall decline, the PlayStation 5 emerged as the month’s best-selling hardware in both units and dollars, a feat it achieved for the first time since the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch 2 claimed the second spot in both units and dollars, while the Nex Playground ranked third in terms of units sold. However, the Xbox Series consoles managed to secure the third position in dollars.