Digital business models

China now the top DDoS target, says Cloudflare

Cloudflare’s latest DDoS threat report reveals that business competitors initiate most known attacks. Of the customers who identified attackers, 63% blamed rivals, 21% pointed to state-linked actors, and 5% admitted self-inflicted disruptions caused by misconfigurations.

The Q2 report shows China as the most targeted country, followed by Brazil and Germany, while Ukraine, Singapore and Indonesia are listed among the top sources of DDoS traffic. Telecommunications, internet services and gaming are the industries most frequently targeted by attackers.

Cloudflare highlighted that the locations identified as sources often reflect the presence of botnets, proxies or VPNs, not the actual location of threat actors. Countries like the Netherlands appear high on the list due to favourable privacy laws and strong network infrastructure.

The company urged broader participation in its threat intelligence feed to help mitigate risks. Over 600 providers currently use Cloudflare’s data to remove abusive accounts and stop the spread of DDoS attacks across the internet.

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Satoshi Nakamoto becomes 11th richest person in the world

The pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, is now wealthier than Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Dell founder Michael Dell, with an estimated fortune exceeding $130 billion.

The rise in net worth follows Bitcoin’s surge to new all-time highs, gaining over 14% in the past month.

Satoshi’s fortune, believed to stem from 1.1 million BTC mined during Bitcoin’s earliest days, puts him just $12 billion shy of surpassing Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett, who once infamously likened Bitcoin to ‘rat poison.’

If Bitcoin’s price climbs slightly above $128,000, Satoshi will overtake Buffett on the global wealth list.

While the exact identity of Satoshi remains unknown, theories have pointed to developers such as Hal Finney and Adam Back, as well as public figures like Elon Musk.

None have been confirmed, and the wallets linked to Satoshi have never moved any funds, fuelling speculation he may no longer be alive, or is committed to never selling.

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The US House passes CLARITY, GENIUS and Anti-CBDC crypto bills

The US House of Representatives has passed three major cryptocurrency bills, marking a significant shift in regulatory momentum.

Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act and the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act narrowly passed along more partisan lines.

The CLARITY Act seeks to define a market structure for digital assets, while the GENIUS Act focuses on creating a framework for stablecoin issuance.

The controversial Anti-CBDC bill seeks to ban a central bank digital currency, citing Republican fears of surveillance and government overreach. Despite some internal party disagreements, the Republican-led push gained support from dozens of Democrats.

Crypto industry leaders hailed the votes as a major win for innovation, privacy, and individual financial freedoms. Trump’s influence was evident in what Republicans dubbed ‘crypto week,’ highlighting his promise to promote digital asset adoption if re-elected.

The GENIUS Act could be signed into law imminently, while the CLARITY and anti-CBDC bills now await Senate debate and potential amendments.

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France plans Bitcoin mining to use surplus nuclear energy

French lawmakers have proposed a pilot scheme to use excess nuclear energy for Bitcoin mining, potentially generating up to $150 million in annual revenue. The five-year plan would redirect surplus electricity towards mining operations, helping to stabilise the country’s energy grid.

Growing use of renewables such as wind and solar has caused frequent imbalances and overproduction on the grid. Mining centres located near nuclear plants would activate only when surplus power is available, providing a flexible solution without affecting consumer supply.

The scheme also aims to offset maintenance costs for France’s nuclear fleet.

Mining rigs generate significant heat that could be reused for district heating or agriculture, as seen in Finland. The French Council of State will monitor the pilot, with a full review after six months.

France joins a select group of countries exploring Bitcoin mining as a strategic way to manage electricity oversupply, including Pakistan, Belarus, and Texas in the US.

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How cultural heritage can go green through digital preservation

A Europe-wide survey has exposed how cultural heritage institutions (CHIs) protect humanity’s legacy digitally while unintentionally harming the environment.

Instead of focusing only on efficiency, the Europeana Climate Action Community recommends a shift towards environmentally sustainable and regenerative digital preservation.

Led by the Environmental Sustainability Practice Task Force, the survey collected input from 108 organisations across 24 EU countries. While 80% of CHIs recognise environmental responsibility, just 42% follow formal environmental strategies and a mere 14% measure carbon footprints.

Many maintain redundant data backups without assessing the ecological cost, and most lack policies for retiring digital assets responsibly.

The report suggests CHIs develop community-powered archives, adopt hardware recycling and repair, and prioritise sufficiency instead of maximising digital volume. Interviews with institutions such as the National Library of Finland and the POLIN Museum revealed good practices alongside common challenges.

With digital preservation increasingly essential, the Europeana Initiative calls for immediate action. By moving from isolated efficiency efforts to collective regeneration strategies, CHIs can protect cultural memory while reducing environmental impact for future generations.

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The CLARITY Act defines mature blockchain systems for US regulation

The CLARITY Act seeks to create a clear regulatory framework for digital assets in the US, introducing a ‘mature blockchain system‘ to distinguish commodities from securities.

According to the bill, a mature blockchain system must be free from control by any single person or group. It should also demonstrate decentralised governance, open participation, and transparent operations.

Using the Act’s criteria, an AI analysis conducted with ChatGPT assessed major blockchain networks’ governance models as of July 2025. Key factors considered included decentralisation of decision-making, validator independence, and whether any single entity retained upgrade control.

Based on this evaluation, networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, Dogecoin, Tezos, and Cosmos qualify as mature under the proposed legislation.

Some prominent blockchains, such as Solana, Cardano, Polkadot, and BNB Chain, remain under varying levels of central control and do not meet the maturity requirements.

The AI-driven assessment relies solely on publicly available information and serves as a reasoned interpretation rather than a formal regulatory ruling. Experts stress that legal decisions require human oversight and must account for changes in blockchain governance.

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Generative AI now powers 20% of new Steam games

Nearly 20 percent of video games released on Steam in 2025 include generative AI, according to a new report by Totally Human Media.

The report, based on data gathered from Steam, states that around 7,818 games currently disclose using generative AI. The figure represents roughly 7 percent of the platform’s entire catalogue. For games launched in 2025, nearly one in five incorporate AI tools or openly disclose doing so.

Compared to 2024, this marks a nearly 700 percent increase in generative AI adoption, reflecting a broader industry trend towards automation and machine-generated content.

Among the most prominent titles is My Summer Car, a vehicle simulation game with over 2.5 million copies sold. The developers disclosed that the game includes ‘some AI generated paintings found inside the main house’.

Valve, the company behind Steam, began requiring game developers to disclose AI use in January 2024. While the company did not comment on the findings, the policy has enabled public tracking of AI adoption across the platform.

Community reaction to the trend has been mixed. On Reddit, many users said they would automatically add AI-driven games to their ignore lists. One commenter wrote, ‘We need to tag them so they can be an ignored category.’ Others expressed disappointment in indie developers turning to generative tools over human artists.

Some users acknowledged the complexity of the issue. A typical comment noted that while AI usage in minor elements like UI assets might be acceptable, reliance on AI for core content raises questions about value and originality. One post read, ‘What am I paying for if it’s all AI? I agree with that sentiment.’

Steam’s Next Fest, which showcases upcoming releases, drew criticism from some players who said they lost interest in promising titles upon discovering their use of generative AI.

Despite user backlash, industry momentum continues to build. Many developers see AI as a means to streamline asset creation and reduce production costs, though concerns about quality, ethics, and employment remain central to the debate.

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Trojanised Telegram APKs target Android users with Janus exploit

A large Android malware campaign has been uncovered, distributing trojanised versions of Telegram Messenger via more than 600 malicious domains. The operation uses phishing infrastructure and evasion techniques to deceive users and deliver infected APK files.

Domains exploit typosquatting, with names like ‘teleqram’ and ‘apktelegram’, and mimic Telegram’s website using cloned visuals and QR code redirects. Users are sent to zifeiji[.]asia, which hosts a fake Telegram site offering APK downloads between 60MB and 70MB.

The malware targets Android versions 5.0 to 8.0, exploiting the Janus vulnerability and bypassing security via legacy signature schemes. After installation, it establishes persistent access using socket callbacks, enabling remote control.

It communicates via unencrypted HTTP and FTP, and uses Android’s MediaPlayer component to trigger background activity unnoticed. Once installed, it requests extensive permissions, including access to all locally stored data.

Domains involved include over 300 on .com, with many registered through Gname, suggesting a coordinated and resilient campaign structure.

Researchers also found a JavaScript tracker embedded at telegramt.net, which collects browser and device data and sends it to dszb77[.]com. The goal appears to be user profiling and behavioural analysis.

Experts warn that the campaign’s scale and technical sophistication pose a significant risk to users running outdated Android systems.

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Google expands AI tools in Search with new subscriber perks

Google has begun rolling out new AI features in Search, introducing AI-powered phone calling to help users gather business information instead of contacting places manually.

The service, free for everyone in the US, allows people to search for businesses and have Google’s AI check pricing and availability on their behalf.

Subscribers to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra receive additional exclusive capabilities. These include access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google’s most advanced AI model, which supports complex queries such as coding or financial analysis.

Users can enable Gemini 2.5 Pro through the AI Mode tab instead of relying on the default model. Google is also launching Deep Research tools through Deep Search for in-depth investigations related to work, studies, or major life decisions.

Rather than rolling everything out all at once, Google is phasing in the features gradually. AI-powered calling is now available to all Search users in the US, while Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Research are becoming available specifically to AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers.

With these updates, Google aims to position Search as more than a simple information tool by transforming it into an active digital assistant capable of handling everyday tasks and complex research instead of merely providing quick answers.

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US banks plan stablecoins as crypto rules evolve

Several large US banks, including Bank of America, Citibank, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan Chase, are developing or considering stablecoins as crypto-friendly regulations take shape.

Bank of America’s CEO Brian Moynihan confirmed ongoing work on a stablecoin but highlighted the need to understand client demand before full rollout. Similarly, Citibank and Morgan Stanley are assessing the landscape and potential use cases for their clients.

JPMorgan Chase has also expressed interest, despite its CEO’s previous scepticism towards Bitcoin.

The US Congress is advancing legislation to establish a clear regulatory framework for stablecoins. This progress reflects growing acceptance of digital assets and may encourage further integration with traditional finance.

Banks remain cautious but see stablecoins as a significant opportunity once legal clarity is achieved.

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