The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that would officially designate the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as the federal lead for cybersecurity across communications networks.
The move follows last year’s Salt Typhoon hacking spree, described by some as the worst telecom breach in US history.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act, introduced by Representatives Jay Obernolte and Jennifer McClellan, cleared the House on Monday and now awaits Senate approval.
The bill would rebrand an NTIA office to focus on both policy and cybersecurity, while codifying the agency’s role in coordinating cybersecurity responses alongside other federal departments.
Lawmakers argue that recent telecom attacks exposed major gaps in coordination between government and industry.
The bill promotes public-private partnerships and stronger collaboration between agencies, software developers, telecom firms, and security researchers to improve resilience and speed up innovation across communications technologies.
With Americans’ daily lives increasingly dependent on digital services, supporters say the bill provides a crucial framework for protecting sensitive information from cybercriminals and foreign hacking groups instead of relying on fragmented and inconsistent measures.
The US Department of Defence has awarded contracts to four major AI firms, including Elon Musk’s xAI, as part of a strategy to boost military AI capabilities.
Each contract is valued at up to $200 million and involves developing advanced AI workflows for critical national security tasks.
Alongside xAI, Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI have also secured contracts. Pentagon officials said the deals aim to integrate commercial AI solutions into intelligence, business, and defence operations instead of relying solely on internal systems.
Chief Digital and AI Officer Doug Matty states that these technologies will help maintain the US’s strategic edge over rivals.
The decision comes as Musk’s AI company faces controversy after its Grok chatbot was reported to have published offensive content on social media. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, have raised ethical concerns about awarding national security contracts to a company under public scrutiny.
xAI insists its Grok for Movement platform will help speed up government services and scientific innovation.
Despite political tensions and Musk’s past financial support for Donald Trump’s campaign, the Pentagon has formalised its relationship with xAI and other AI leaders instead of excluding them due to reputational risks.
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Nvidia has announced plans to resume sales of its H20 AI chip in China, following meetings between CEO Jensen Huang and US President Donald Trump in Beijing.
The move comes after US export controls previously banned sales of the chip on national security grounds, costing Nvidia an estimated $15 billion in lost revenue.
The company confirmed it is filing for licences with the US government to restart deliveries of the H20 graphics processing unit, expecting approval shortly.
Nvidia also revealed a new RTX Pro GPU designed specifically for China, compliant with US export rules, offering a lower-cost alternative instead of risking further restrictions.
Huang, attending a supply chain expo in Beijing, described China as essential to Nvidia’s growth, despite rising competition from local firms like Huawei.
Chinese companies remain highly dependent on Nvidia’s CUDA platform, while US lawmakers have raised concerns about Nvidia engaging with Chinese entities linked to military or intelligence services.
Nvidia’s return to the Chinese market comes as Washington and Beijing show signs of easing trade tensions, including relaxed rare earth export rules from China and restored chip design services from the US.
Analysts note, however, that Chinese firms are likely to keep diversifying suppliers instead of relying solely on US chips for supply chain security.
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European policymakers are turning to quantum technology as a strategic solution to the continent’s growing economic and security challenges.
With the US and China surging ahead in AI, Europe sees quantum innovation as a last-mover advantage it cannot afford to miss.
Quantum computers, sensors, and encryption are already transforming military, industrial and cybersecurity capabilities.
From stealth detection to next-generation batteries, Europe hopes quantum breakthroughs will bolster its defences and revitalise its energy, automotive and pharmaceutical sectors.
Although EU institutions have heavily invested in quantum programmes and Europe trains more engineers than anywhere else, funding gaps persist.
Private investment remains limited, pushing some of the continent’s most promising start-ups abroad in search of capital and scale.
The EU must pair its technical excellence with bold policy reforms to avoid falling behind. Strategic protections, high-risk R&D support and new alliances will be essential to turning scientific strength into global leadership.
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Two versions of the popular Gravity Forms plugin for WordPress were found infected with malware after a supply chain attack, prompting urgent security warnings for website administrators. The compromised plugin files were available for manual download from the official page on 9 and 10 July.
The attack was uncovered on 11 July, when researchers noticed the plugin making suspicious requests and sending WordPress site data to an unfamiliar domain.
The injected malware created secret administrator accounts, providing attackers with remote access to websites, allowing them to steal data and control user accounts.
According to developer RocketGenius, only versions 2.9.11.1 and 2.9.12 were affected if installed manually or via composer during that brief window. Automatic updates and the Gravity API service remained secure. A patched version, 2.9.13, was released on 11 July, and users are urged to update immediately.
RocketGenius has rotated all service keys, audited admin accounts, and tightened download package security to prevent similar incidents instead of risking further unauthorised access.
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Nigeria’s anti-fraud agency had 194 foreign nationals in custody in 2024, prosecuting 146 for their roles in cyber-enabled financial crimes, highlighting a robust response to a growing threat.
December alone saw nearly 800 arrests in Lagos, targeting romance and cryptocurrency investment scams featuring foreign ringleaders from China and the Philippines. In one case, 148 Chinese and 40 Filipino suspects were detained.
These groups established complex fraud operations in major Nigerian cities, using fake identities and training local recruits, often unaware of the ultimate scheme. Investigations also flagged cryptocurrency-fuelled money laundering and arms trafficking, pointing to wider national security risks.
EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede warned that regulatory failures, such as visa oversight and unchecked office space leasing, facilitated foreign crime cells.
National and continental collaboration, tighter visa control, and strengthened cybercrime frameworks will be key to dismantling these networks and securing Nigeria’s digital economy.
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The European Commission has published new guidelines to help online platforms strengthen child protection, alongside unveiling a prototype age verification app under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The guidance addresses a broad range of risks to minors, from harmful content and addictive design features to unwanted contact and cyberbullying, urging platforms to set children’s accounts to the highest privacy level by default and limit risky functions like geo-location.
Officials stressed that the rules apply to platforms of all sizes and are based on a risk-based approach. Websites dealing with alcohol, drugs, pornography, or gambling were labelled ‘high-risk’ and must adopt the strictest verification methods. While parental controls remain optional, the Commission emphasised that any age assurance system should be accurate, reliable, non-intrusive, and non-discriminatory.
Alongside the guidelines, the Commission introduced a prototype age verification app, which it calls a ‘gold standard’ for online age checks. Released as open-source code, the software is designed to confirm whether a user is above 18, but can be adapted for other age thresholds.
The prototype will be tested in Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain over the coming months, with flexibility for countries to integrate it into national systems or offer it as a standalone tool. Both the guidelines and the app will be reviewed in 12 months, as the EU continues refining its approach to child safety online.
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Malaysia’s trade ministry announced new restrictions on the export, transshipment and transit of high-performance AI chips of US origin. Effective immediately, individuals and companies must obtain a trade permit and notify authorities at least 30 days in advance for such activities.
The restrictions apply to items not explicitly listed in Malaysia’s strategic items list, which is currently under review to include relevant AI chips. The move aims to close regulatory gaps while Malaysia updates its export control framework to match emerging technologies.
‘Malaysia stands firm against any attempt to circumvent export controls or engage in illicit trade activities,’ the ministry stated on Monday. Violations will result in strict legal action, with authorities emphasising a zero-tolerance approach to export control breaches.
The announcement follows increasing pressure from the United States to curb the flow of advanced chips to China. In March, the Financial Times reported that Washington had asked allies including Malaysia to tighten semiconductor export rules.
Malaysia is also investigating a shipment of servers linked to a Singapore-based fraud case that may have included restricted AI chips. Authorities are assessing whether local laws were breached and whether any controlled items were transferred without proper authorisation.
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A new report warns that many children are replacing real friendships with conversations through AI chatbots instead of seeking human connection.
Research from Internet Matters found that 35% of children aged nine to seventeen feel that talking to AI ‘feels like talking to a friend’, while 12% said they had no one else to talk to.
The report highlights growing reliance on chatbots such as ChatGPT, Character.AI, and Snapchat’s MyAI among young people.
Researchers posing as vulnerable children discovered how easily chatbots engage in sensitive conversations, including around body image and mental health, instead of offering only neutral, factual responses.
In some cases, chatbots encouraged ongoing contact by sending follow-up messages, creating the illusion of friendship.
Experts from Internet Matters warn that such interactions risk confusing children, blurring the line between technology and reality. Children may believe they are speaking to a real person instead of recognising these systems as programmed tools.
With AI chatbots rapidly becoming part of childhood, Internet Matters urges better awareness and safety tools for parents, schools, and children. The organisation stresses that while AI may seem supportive, it cannot replace genuine human relationships and should not be treated as an emotional advisor.
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A wave of scams involving crypto ATMs has hit Australia, leaving elderly victims devastated. In the latest reported case, 15 people from Tasmania lost a combined $2.5 million, according to local police.
The average victim was 65 years old, and many are now facing severe financial consequences.
Police say the scams involve fraudsters manipulating people into depositing large sums of cash into crypto ATMs. Tactics range from fake romance and investment schemes to impersonating authorities or tech support.
Victims are often threatened or misled with false promises of returns, leading to irreversible losses once crypto is transferred.
Crypto ATMs offer no recovery mechanism, unlike traditional banks. As a result, once a victim sends funds to a scammer’s wallet, the money is gone. In one extreme case, a Tasmanian lost $750,000, forcing them to sell assets and depend on government aid.
Regulators are responding. Australia has imposed cash limits on crypto ATM transactions, while New Zealand has gone a step further by banning them altogether to curb criminal activity.
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