Cybersecurity Archives | Page 4 of 358 | Digital Watch Observatory

Binance Ai Pro brings advanced AI to trading

Binance has launched the Beta version of Binance Ai Pro, an advanced AI trading assistant built on the OpenClaw ecosystem. Available from 25 March 2026 at 07:00 UTC, the service can be activated via the Binance App on Android or through the Binance web homepage, with iOS support coming soon.

The platform offers one-click activation, automatic cloud setup, and integration with multiple AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Qwen, MiniMax, and Kimi. Users receive a dedicated Binance Ai Pro Account, isolated from their main account to minimise operational risks.

Funds can be manually transferred to the AI account for trading, asset monitoring, and strategy execution, covering spot and perpetual contracts, leveraged borrowing, market analysis, token distribution queries, and custom strategies.

Beta users will pay $9.99 per month, with a 7-day free trial. Activation grants 5 million usage credits each month for accessing advanced AI models, with automatic fallback to basic models once credits are exhausted.

Security measures ensure that AI API keys have no withdrawal permissions and operate within strict, authorised scopes.

Binance plans to expand the platform with additional credits, enriched Binance Skills, and user-customisable third-party AI tools. The company warns that AI trading carries risks and urges users to trade responsibly while giving feedback to enhance the platform.

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EU and Australia deepen strategic partnership through trade and security agreements

The European Commission and Australia have announced the adoption of a Security and Defence Partnership alongside the conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement.

They have also agreed to launch formal negotiations for Australia’s association with Horizon Europe, the European Union’s research and innovation funding programme.

The Security and Defence Partnership establishes a framework for cooperation on shared strategic priorities. It includes coordination on crisis management, maritime security, cybersecurity, and countering hybrid threats and foreign information manipulation.

A partnership that also includes cooperation on emerging and disruptive technologies, including AI, as well as space security, non-proliferation, and disarmament.

The free trade agreement provides for the removal of over 99% of tariffs on the EU goods exports to Australia and expands access to services, government procurement, and investment opportunities.

It includes provisions on data flows that prohibit data localisation requirements and supports supply chain resilience through improved access to critical raw materials.

The EU exports are expected to increase by up to 33% over the next decade.

The agreement incorporates commitments on trade and sustainable development, including labour rights, environmental standards, and climate obligations aligned with the Paris Agreement.

The negotiated texts will undergo the EU internal procedures before submission to the Council for signature and conclusion, followed by European Parliament consent and ratification by Australia before entry into force.

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AI-EFFECT builds EU testing facility for AI in critical energy infrastructure

As Europe moves towards its climate-neutrality goals, integrating AI into energy systems is being presented as a way to improve efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. The EU-funded AI-EFFECT project is developing a European testing and experimentation facility (TEF) to support the development and adoption of AI solutions for the energy industry while ensuring safety, reliability, and compliance with EU regulations.

The TEF is described as a virtual network linking existing laboratories and computing resources across several EU countries. It is designed to provide standardised testing environments, risk and certification workflows, and replicable methods for developing, testing, and validating AI applications for critical energy infrastructures under diverse, real-world conditions.

The facility operates through four national nodes in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Portugal, each focused on a different set of energy challenges. In Denmark, the node led by the Technical University of Denmark is testing AI in virtual and physical multi-energy systems, including coordination between electric power grid operations and district heating systems in the Triangle Region in Jutland and on the island of Bornholm.

In the Netherlands, the node at Delft University of Technology is extending the university’s ‘control room of the future’ with AI capabilities to address grid congestion as renewable generation increases.

In Portugal, the node led by INESC TEC is developing a trusted local energy data space intended to address privacy concerns and connectivity gaps through secure, consent-based energy data sharing. The AI-EFFECT project says consumers and prosumers will be able to manage data rights and permissions in line with EU regulations while working with AI-driven service providers on co-creation and testing.

In Germany, the Fraunhofer-led node is focused on AI for power distribution systems and is developing a near-realistic cyber-physical model to benchmark AI performance in congestion management and distributed energy resource integration against traditional engineering approaches.

Alberto Dognini, project coordinator of EPRI Europe, Ireland, wrote in an Enlit news item: ‘Together, these four nodes form the backbone of AI-EFFECT’s mission to make AI a trusted partner in Europe’s energy transition.’ He added: ‘From optimising multi-energy systems to enabling secure data sharing and improving grid resilience, these nodes will accelerate innovation while reducing risk for operators and consumers alike.’

AI-EFFECT is also sharing its work through public-facing initiatives, including the EPRI Current Podcast. In the episode ‘Exploring the AI-EFFECT on Europe’s Energy Future’, participants discuss the architecture and building blocks supporting distributed nodes across multiple countries and examine how the TEF could shape the future of Europe’s energy systems.

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Europol-backed operation shuts down thousands of dark web fraud sites

A global law enforcement operation supported by Europol has led to the shutdown of more than 373,000 dark web websites linked to fraudulent activity and the advertisement of child sexual abuse material.

The operation, known as ‘Operation Alice’, was launched on 9 March 2026 under the leadership of German authorities, with participation from 23 countries. The investigation, which began in 2021, initially targeted a dark web platform referred to as ‘Alice with Violence CP’.

According to Europol, investigators identified a single operator responsible for managing a network of hundreds of thousands of onion domains. These websites advertised child sexual abuse material and cybercrime-as-a-service offerings, including access to stolen financial data and systems.

Authorities state that the services were fraudulent, designed to extract payments without delivering the advertised material.

The operation has so far resulted in the identification of 440 customers worldwide, with further investigations ongoing against more than 100 individuals. Law enforcement agencies also seized 105 servers and multiple electronic devices during the coordinated action.

Europol provided analytical support, facilitated information exchange, and assisted in tracing cryptocurrency transactions linked to the network.

Authorities also reported that measures were taken throughout the investigation to identify and protect children at risk. An international arrest warrant has been issued for the suspected operator, who is reported to have generated significant profits through the scheme.

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Sora strengthens AI video safety through consent and traceability controls

OpenAI has outlined a safety framework for Sora that embeds protections into how AI-generated video content is created, shared, and managed.

The system introduces visible and invisible provenance signals, including C2PA metadata and watermarks, designed to ensure that generated media can be identified and traced.

The framework emphasises consent and control. Users can generate video content from images of real individuals only after confirming they have permission, while the ‘characters’ feature enables controlled use of personal likeness, with the ability to revoke access at any time.

Additional safeguards apply to content involving minors or young-looking individuals, with stricter moderation rules and enforced watermarking.

Safety mechanisms operate across the entire lifecycle of content. Generation is subject to layered filtering that assesses prompts and outputs for harmful material, including sexual content, self-harm promotion, and illegal activity.

These automated systems are complemented by human review and continuous testing to address emerging risks linked to increasingly realistic video and audio outputs.

The system also introduces protections specific to audio and user interaction. Generated speech is analysed for policy violations, and attempts to replicate the style of living artists or existing works are restricted.

Users of Sora retain control over their content through reporting tools, sharing settings, and the ability to remove material, reflecting a broader approach that aligns AI-generated media with safety, transparency, and accountability standards.

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Australian regulator warns AI companions expose children to serious online risks

The eSafety Commissioner has reported that AI companion chatbots are failing to adequately protect children from harmful content, following a transparency review of services including Character.AI, Nomi, Chai, and Chub AI.

According to the report, these services did not implement robust safeguards against exposure to sexually explicit material or the generation of child sexual exploitation and abuse content.

The findings also indicate that most platforms relied on self-declared age verification and did not consistently monitor inputs or outputs across all AI models used.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that AI companions, often presented as sources of emotional or social support, are increasingly used by children but may expose them to harmful interactions.

She noted that none of the reviewed services had ‘meaningful age checks’ in place and highlighted concerns about the absence of safeguards related to self-harm and suicide content.

The report further identifies that several platforms in Australia did not refer users to crisis or mental health support services when harmful interactions were detected.

It also notes gaps in monitoring for unlawful content and limited investment in trust and safety staffing, with some providers reporting no dedicated moderation personnel.

The findings follow the implementation of Australia’s Age-Restricted Material Codes, which require online services, including AI chatbots, to prevent access to age-inappropriate content and provide appropriate safety measures.

These obligations complement existing Unlawful Material Codes and Standards, with non-compliance potentially leading to civil penalties.

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NVIDIA introduces infrastructure-level security model for autonomous AI agents

OpenShell, an open-source runtime introduced by NVIDIA, is designed to support the secure deployment of autonomous AI agents within enterprise environments.

According to NVIDIA, OpenShell applies security controls at the infrastructure level rather than within the model or application layer. The runtime ensures that each agent operates inside an isolated sandbox, where system-level policies define and enforce permissions, resource access, and operational constraints.

The company states that such an approach separates agent behaviour from policy enforcement, preventing agents from overriding security controls or accessing restricted data.

OpenShell enables organisations to define and monitor a unified policy layer governing how autonomous systems interact with files, tools, and enterprise workflows.

Additionally, OpenShell forms part of the NVIDIA Agent Toolkit and is complemented by NemoClaw, a reference stack designed to support the deployment of continuously operating AI assistants.

NVIDIA indicates that the system can run across cloud, on-premises, and local computing environments, while maintaining consistent policy enforcement.

The company also reports collaboration with industry partners, including Cisco, CrowdStrike, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Security, to align security practices for AI agent deployment. Both OpenShell and NemoClaw are currently in early preview.

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Licence revocations hit unregistered crypto firms in Canada

Canada has increased crypto oversight, revoking registrations for nearly three dozen firms due to compliance failures. The move follows investigative reporting that uncovered widespread irregularities in the sector.

The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada removed 23 companies in one week, adding to previous actions against about a dozen other crypto firms.

Officials described the shift as part of a broader effort to address risks tied to virtual currencies, including fraud and money laundering.

Findings from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ investigation highlighted clusters of crypto businesses operating without proper registration, particularly in Toronto.

Many of these services reportedly focused on converting digital assets into cash, raising concerns about gaps in oversight and compliance with anti-money laundering rules.

Authorities also flagged suspicious transaction patterns, including activity linked to wallets allegedly associated with Iran-backed groups. While regulators have promised further action, analysts warn that delayed enforcement and structural weaknesses may continue to expose the system to illicit financial flows.

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UK pushes platforms to tackle AI abuse and online violence against women

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has called on online service providers to strengthen measures against digital harms targeting women and girls, as part of a commitment to halve such violence within a decade.

In a letter published on 23 March 2026, Liz Kendall outlined expectations for platforms operating under the Online Safety Act.

The letter states that the government has strengthened criminal law and regulatory frameworks, including new offences related to harmful pornographic practices and intimate image abuse.

It confirms that sharing or threatening to share sexually explicit deepfakes without consent constitutes a criminal offence, while the non-consensual creation of such content has also been criminalised and is being designated as a priority offence under the Act.

Further measures include amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to ban so-called ‘nudification’ tools and extend illegal content duties to AI chatbots.

The government is also introducing a requirement for platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, with a focus on reducing repeated reporting burdens for victims.

The Secretary of State urged companies to implement recommendations from Ofcom’s guidance on online safety for women and girls, including risk assessments, stronger privacy settings, and limits on the visibility of harmful content.

Platforms are expected to comply by the end of the year, with progress to be monitored.

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AI added to St Helens council strategic risk register

In the UK, the St Helens Council has added AI and digital disruption to its strategic risk register as it seeks to strengthen governance and oversight. The change reflects growing concern about how emerging technologies could affect operations and services.

The updated register, now featuring 12 strategic risks, was presented ahead of the audit and governance committee meeting. UK officials said effective risk management is vital to meeting the council’s objectives and mitigating potential challenges.

AI and digital disruption were cited for the first time alongside risks linked to extreme weather and community cohesion. The council noted that ethical, data privacy and workforce confidence issues are among the challenges associated with integrating AI into public services.

Leaders said other risks, including cybersecurity threats and budget pressures, remain under review. The move comes as local authorities across the UK weigh the impacts of new technologies on service delivery and strategic planning.

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