OUR PICKSThe First Federal Cybersecurity Disaster of Trump 2.0 Has Arrived | Why RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Campaign Is Working | The Transformative Potential of AI in Intelligence Analysis, and more

RFK Jr. Is Supporting mRNA Research—Just Not for Vaccines  (Emily Mlin, Wired)
HHS is slashing hundreds of millions in funding for mRNA vaccines and infectious disease treatments, but leaving the door open to mRNA therapies for cancer and genetic conditions.

Why RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Campaign Is Working  (Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic)
The Trump administration’s COVID-revenge campaign has laid the groundwork for Kennedy’s larger agenda.

Harnessing the Transformative Potential of AI in Intelligence Analysis  (Rachel Bombach, Just Security)
In an era of extraordinary geopolitical volatility, the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) is confronting increasingly complex challenges that demand innovative technological solutions. Unprecedented amounts of data collection, the threats posed by great power competition, and the rapid transformation of regional security landscapes have heightened the need for advanced intelligence capabilities that go beyond traditional analytic methodologies.
At the same time, structural changes within the federal workforce under the Trump administration, including voluntary buyout programs and early retirements, have reduced the pool of experienced intelligence analysts, operators, and leaders. This evolving workforce dynamic increases the need for innovative solutions to maintain operational continuity and effectiveness, and to ensure the IC can fulfill its role of providing timely and relevant intelligence about the plans, intentions, and capabilities of our adversaries.      

The First Federal Cybersecurity Disaster of Trump 2.0 Has Arrived  (Lily Hay Newman, Wired)
The breach of the US Courts records system came to light more than a month after the attack was discovered. Details about what was exposed—and who’s responsible—remain unclear.

Christian Militants Are Using Instagram to Recruit—and Becoming Influencers in the Process  (Tess Owen, Wired)
An emerging guard of paramilitary activists are using social media and edgy aesthetics to build a new brand of anti-government, Christian nationalist militias.

Senator Rick Scott Should be Commended for the “PROTECT the Grid” Act (Tommy Waller, National Interest)
The new PROTECT the Grid Act currently under debate in Congress will definitely help to secure the United States’ power grid.

In Cybersecurity, People Are the Weak Point (Annie-Mei Forster and Saja English, The Strategist)
While cybersecurity professionals often focus on firewalls, encryption and software vulnerabilities, the real battleground is human psychology. While organisations remain fixated on digital defences, humans are the most reliable vulnerability in any system. That’s why statistics show that 98 percent of cyberattacks rely on social engineering.

Sinaloa Hack of FBI Phone Part of “Existential” Tech Surveillance Threat  (Luke Whiting, HSToday)
A recent report from the Department of Justice Inspector General warns that several recent compromises involving “ubiquitous technical surveillance”(UTS), the distributed collection and analysis of data, including call logs, phone geolocation data, and payment information have put agents and investigations in the cross-hairs of criminals and state actors.
Per the report, “the FBI is aware of prior and ongoing UTS compromises that have impacted FBI operations, threatened the safety of its sources, and are currently being used by adversaries to challenge the United States Government on a global scale. Some within the FBI and partner agencies like the CIA have described the threat as “existential.”