Dr. Yaşam Ayavefe emphasizes the role of aerial monitoring in climate protection
As climate-related risks continue to intensify across arid and semi-arid regions, early detection and rapid response are becoming critical components of environmental protection. One technology increasingly viewed as a practical solution is the use of target drones for aerial monitoring, particularly in fire prevention and land surveillance. Entrepreneur and investor Dr. Yaşam Ayavefe has emphasized that drone-based monitoring systems offer a scalable and efficient way to address these challenges, especially in regions where extreme heat, dry landscapes, and limited ground access complicate traditional monitoring methods. Unlike conventional observation methods, target drones equipped with thermal imaging and real-time data transmission can detect abnormal heat patterns before fires spread. These systems allow authorities and environmental agencies to act earlier, reducing damage to land, infrastructure, and ecosystems. According to Dr.Yasam Ayavefe, drones are not positioned as replacements for human expertise, but as support tools that improve situational awareness and decision-making. "The value lies in speed, coverage, and precision," he notes, particularly in areas where early minutes can determine the scale of destruction. In Gulf countries, where temperatures regularly exceed seasonal norms, and vegetation is sparse but highly flammable, aerial monitoring plays a strategic role. Drones can patrol large desert and semi-urban zones efficiently by identifying fire risks near industrial sites, transport corridors, and protected natural areas. Dr.Yasam Ayavefe points out that these systems are especially relevant for regions investing in climate resilience, smart infrastructure, and environmental stewardship, aligning with broader sustainability agendas seen across the Gulf. With a background spanning telecommunications, cybersecurity, and cross-border investment, Dr. Ayavefe approaches drone technology from a systems perspective. Rather than focusing on short-term visibility, he advocates for solutions that integrate into long-term environmental and infrastructure planning. His business philosophy centers on scalable tools that deliver measurable value, particularly in regions where resources must be deployed efficiently. Target drones, he argues, fit this framework by offering repeatable monitoring capabilities with relatively low operational overhead. Dr.Yasam Ayavefe's work spans multiple regions, including Central Asia, Europe, and the Balkans, giving him insight into how environmental technologies must adapt to local conditions. In each case, he stresses that climate protection requires both innovation and practical execution. Aerial monitoring systems, when supported by clear regulatory frameworks and trained operators, can contribute meaningfully to fire prevention strategies, land management, and broader climate protection efforts. As climate pressures grow, technologies that support early intervention will become increasingly important. For Dr. Yasam Ayavefe, target drones represent one such tool, quietly operating in the background, but capable of delivering critical information when it matters most. Rather than positioning technology as a standalone solution, he emphasizes collaboration between innovators, regulators, and environmental authorities to ensure that these systems are used responsibly and effectively.
The Shadow Infrastructure: How Cybercriminals Are Weaponizing Virtual Machines to Evade Detection
Cybercriminals have discovered a powerful new weapon in their arsenal: legitimate virtual machine infrastructure. What was once a tool for developers and IT professionals has become a sophisticated platform for malicious actors to launch attacks while remaining virtually invisible to traditional security measures. This evolution represents a fundamental shift in how threat actors operate, leveraging the very tools designed to improve business efficiency against their intended users. According to research published by Sophos, attackers are increasingly deploying virtual machines within compromised networks to execute ransomware, steal data, and maintain persistent access. The technique allows cybercriminals to operate within what appears to be legitimate infrastructure, making detection extraordinarily difficult for security teams who must distinguish between authorized and malicious virtual environments. The sophistication of these attacks has evolved dramatically over the past eighteen months. Threat actors are no longer simply exploiting vulnerabilities in existing systems; they are building entire parallel computing environments within victim networks. These shadow infrastructures can run for weeks or months undetected, processing stolen data, cracking passwords, and coordinating multi-stage attacks while appearing as nothing more than routine IT operations. The Mechanics of Virtual Machine Exploitation The attack methodology typically begins with initial network compromise through phishing, credential theft, or exploitation of unpatched vulnerabilities. Once inside, attackers move laterally through the network until they gain access to systems with virtualization capabilities. From this foothold, they deploy their own virtual machines, often using legitimate hypervisor software already present in enterprise environments. Sophos researchers documented cases where attackers installed complete virtual machine environments, including operating systems, encryption tools, and command-and-control software, all running within the victim's own infrastructure. The virtual machines function as isolated computing environments that can execute malicious code while evading endpoint detection and response tools that may not have visibility into virtualized layers. What makes this technique particularly insidious is its abuse of trust. Virtual machines are commonplace in modern IT environments, used for everything from software testing to running legacy applications. Security teams expect to see virtual machine activity, making it difficult to identify which instances are legitimate and which are malicious without deep forensic analysis. Real-World Impact and Attack Patterns The consequences of these attacks extend far beyond theoretical concerns. Organizations across multiple sectors have experienced significant breaches where virtual machine infrastructure played a central role in the attack chain. In several documented incidents, attackers used virtual machines to encrypt entire networks from within, deploying ransomware that spread faster and more comprehensively than traditional attack methods. The virtual machine approach offers attackers several tactical advantages. First, it provides a clean, controlled environment where malware can execute without interference from security software running on the host system. Second, it enables attackers to use resource-intensive tools for password cracking or data analysis without degrading the performance of production systems in ways that might alert administrators. Third, virtual machines can be quickly deleted or suspended if attackers suspect they have been discovered, eliminating forensic evidence. Security researchers have observed attackers using virtual machines to host entire attack platforms, including tools for network reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and lateral movement. In some cases, the virtual machines ran Linux distributions on Windows networks, allowing attackers to use Unix-based hacking tools in environments where such activity would normally be conspicuous. Detection Challenges and Blind Spots Traditional security monitoring tools face significant challenges when attempting to detect malicious virtual machine activity. Many endpoint detection solutions operate at the operating system level and have limited visibility into processes running within virtualized environments. This creates a blind spot that sophisticated attackers readily exploit. The problem is compounded by the legitimate use of virtual machines for authorized purposes. Security teams cannot simply block all virtual machine creation without disrupting normal business operations. Instead, they must implement monitoring strategies that can differentiate between authorized and unauthorized virtualization activity, a task that requires detailed knowledge of normal network behavior and sophisticated behavioral analysis capabilities. According to the Sophos research, attackers often deploy virtual machines during off-hours or periods of low network activity to avoid detection. They may also throttle resource usage to prevent performance degradation that might trigger alerts. Some threat actors have been observed using stolen credentials from legitimate administrators to create virtual machines, ensuring that the activity appears authorized in audit logs. The Ransomware Connection The intersection of virtual machine exploitation and ransomware represents a particularly dangerous evolution in cyber threats. Attackers have discovered that deploying ransomware from within a virtual machine offers several advantages over traditional deployment methods. The isolated environment provides a secure staging area where encryption tools can be prepared and tested without risk of premature detection. In documented ransomware incidents, attackers used virtual machines to simultaneously encrypt multiple systems across the network. By distributing the encryption workload across several virtual machines, they could complete the encryption process in hours rather than days, reducing the window for incident response teams to intervene. The speed and coordination of these attacks have caught many organizations unprepared. Furthermore, virtual machines enable attackers to maintain backup access to compromised networks even after initial intrusion points have been secured. If defenders discover and remediate the original attack vector, the attacker-controlled virtual machine can serve as a persistent foothold for re-entry or continued data theft. Industry Response and Mitigation Strategies The cybersecurity industry has begun developing countermeasures specifically designed to address virtual machine-based attacks. These include enhanced monitoring of hypervisor activity, behavioral analysis of virtual machine creation and resource usage patterns, and integration of security tools that can inspect processes running within virtualized environments. Organizations are being advised to implement strict controls over who can create and manage virtual machines within their networks. This includes requiring multi-factor authentication for virtualization platform access, maintaining detailed logs of all virtual machine lifecycle events, and conducting regular audits of virtual machine inventories to identify unauthorized instances. Security experts recommend implementing network segmentation that limits the ability of virtual machines to communicate freely across the enterprise. By restricting virtual machine network access to only necessary resources, organizations can contain potential breaches and make lateral movement more difficult for attackers operating from within virtualized environments. The Evolution of Attacker Tradecraft The adoption of virtual machine-based attack techniques represents a broader trend in cybercriminal innovation: the weaponization of legitimate IT tools and practices. As security defenses have improved against traditional malware and attack methods, threat actors have adapted by leveraging the very technologies that organizations depend on for daily operations. This evolution presents a fundamental challenge for defenders. Unlike signature-based malware detection, which can identify known malicious code, detecting abuse of legitimate tools requires understanding context, intent, and deviation from normal patterns. It demands a shift from purely technical controls to a combination of technology, process, and human expertise. The trend also highlights the importance of defense-in-depth strategies. Organizations that rely solely on perimeter defenses or endpoint protection will find themselves vulnerable to attackers who have already bypassed those controls and are operating from within trusted infrastructure. Effective security requires visibility at every layer of the technology stack, including the virtualization layer that many traditional security tools overlook. Future Implications for Enterprise Security As virtual machine infrastructure becomes increasingly central to enterprise IT operations, the security implications of its potential abuse will only grow more significant. The rise of cloud computing and containerization technologies creates additional attack surfaces that threat actors are already beginning to explore and exploit. Organizations must recognize that their virtualization infrastructure represents both a critical business asset and a potential security liability. This requires investment in specialized security tools, training for security teams on virtualization-specific threats, and integration of virtualization security into overall risk management frameworks. The days of treating virtual machines as simply another IT resource are over; they must be recognized as potential attack vectors requiring dedicated security attention. The malicious use of virtual machine infrastructure serves as a reminder that in cybersecurity, today's solution can become tomorrow's vulnerability. As defenders and attackers continue their perpetual chess match, the ability to adapt, monitor, and respond to emerging threats will determine which organizations can maintain security in an increasingly complex and virtualized world.
What's Going On With FatPipe Stock Wednesday? - Fatpipe (NASDAQ:FATN)
FatPipe, Inc. (NASDAQ:FATN) stock fell Wednesday, following a strong performance on Tuesday when the stock skyrocketed after the company reported solid third-quarter earnings. The company reported a 30% year-over-year increase in total revenue and a 48% rise in monthly recurring billings, highlighting solid growth. The broader market indices are also experiencing losses, adding pressure to shares as the Technology sector is down approximately 2.6%. FATN Q3 Revenue and Billings Surge FatPipe reported total revenue of $4.1 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, reflecting a 30% growth compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the company achieved a 48% increase in monthly recurring billings, indicating strong demand for its subscription offerings. The report highlighted that the company closed multiple large multi-site SD-WAN deployments across various sectors, including education and financial services. Dr. Ragula Bhaskar, CEO of FatPipe, said, "We are seeing strong demand for our secure, high-performance SD-WAN and cybersecurity solutions, particularly from customers looking to modernize critical infrastructure while reducing complexity and cost. With growing recurring billings, expanding sales coverage, and a differentiated single-stack cybersecurity offering, we believe FatPipe is well-positioned for sustained long-term growth." The broader market is experiencing mixed performance, with the S&P 500 down 0.4% and the Nasdaq declining 1.56%. This broader market context suggests that, while FatPipe's earnings report shows positive growth, the stock is moving lower in step with overall market sentiment. FATN's Mixed Technical Indicators Currently, FatPipe is trading 12.2% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) but 37.7% below its 100-day SMA, suggesting a potential struggle to maintain longer-term momentum. Over the past 12 months, the stock has decreased by approximately 82.38% and is positioned closer to its 52-week lows than its highs. The RSI stands at 65.13, which is considered neutral territory, while the MACD is above the signal line, indicating bullish momentum. The combination of a neutral RSI and bullish MACD suggests mixed momentum for the stock. Key Resistance: $2.50 Key Support: $2.00 The recent earnings report highlights the company's strong growth in recurring revenue, which is crucial as businesses increasingly seek secure networking solutions. FatPipe's focus on expanding its sales organization and channel partner network further positions it to capture market share in a competitive landscape. FATN Price Action: Fatpipe shares were down 10.38% at $2.33 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Image via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Ferris State online Information Security & Intelligence program secures top-10 national ranking
BIG RAPIDS -- Ferris State University's online programs posted major gains in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, including a 159-place jump for its online bachelor's degree programs and a top-10 national ranking for its online Masters of Information Security & Intelligence program, the university said. U.S. News & World Report reviewed more than 1,800 online bachelor's and master's degree completion programs across the United States for its 14th annual evaluation of distance education. Programs were assessed on student engagement, faculty credentials, services and technologies and peer reputation. Ferris State's online bachelor's degree programs were ranked No. 105 nationally, up 159 places, representing the largest improvement among Michigan public universities. Ferris State ranked third among Michigan public institutions in that category. "This recognition reflects both the quality and the growing reach of Ferris State's online programs," Linda M. Goulet, acting dean of the College of Business, said. "Students from across Michigan and beyond are choosing Ferris State because our programs deliver real-world skills that fit into busy professional and personal lives -- and lead to meaningful career advancement." Jennifer Hegenauer, associate dean of Expanded and International Operations, said the university's focus has been "on meeting students where they are and helping them persist, achieve their goals, and complete their degrees." Ferris State's online Information Security & Intelligence program earned a No. 9 national ranking and was placed No. 1 in engagement, No. 6 in faculty credentials, No. 11 in services and technology and No. 4 in student excellence, according to the release. U.S. News noted that all Ferris State faculty members are working professionals in their fields, hold relevant certifications and are doctorally qualified, the university said. The university's Information Security & Intelligence program is ABET accredited and designated by the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, according to the release. The programs are supported by Ferris State's $32 million Center for Virtual Learning, which includes double-nested Faraday rooms, a secured cybercrime lab, dedicated penetration testing and satellite cybersecurity research labs, segmented networks, synchronous online and in-person classrooms and a cyber competition arena with live broadcast capabilities. Other Ferris State online programs earning national recognition include a Master's in Criminal Justice ranked No. 75, a Master's in Nursing ranked No. 93, online business programs ranked No. 125 and a Master of Business Administration ranked No. 172, the university said. The rankings recognition comes as Ferris State has also received an "Opportunity University" designation from Carnegie Classifications, citing institutions that provide access to high-quality programs while delivering strong earnings outcomes, according to the release. Ferris State graduates consistently earn more in their fields than graduates of peer institutions, the university said.
Fulton County fights to get election materials returned from the FBI
Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Fulton County, Georgia, filed a motion in federal court on Wednesday demanding the return of election materials taken from the county by the FBI. The motion was filed under seal, said Jessica Corbitt, a spokesperson for the county, to The New York Times. It also asks for the affidavit filed in support of the search warrant to be unsealed. Robb Pitts, chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, said at a press conference Wednesday that the motion was a way to uphold the Constitution and the rights of Fulton County voters. "We will fight using all resources against those who seek to take over our elections," he said. "Our Constitution itself is at stake in this fight." Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. said the motion is important to the people of his county because "actions like this mass seizure risk sowing seeds of distrust in the election process." "This morning's filing could not have come fast enough; justice delayed is justice denied," Arrington said in a statement to USA Today. "The people of Fulton County deserve justice now, and that's why I pushed so hard to get this motion filed as soon as possible." On Jan. 28, the FBI seized large quantities of materials from the Election Hub and Operations Center in Union City, Ga., just outside of Atlanta. They specifically took items from the 2020 election, which President Donald Trump has claimed he won, despite a lack of evidence. Fulton County, which makes up a large portion of Atlanta, is a strongly Democratic county and is the most populous in the state. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was present at the raid, and lawmakers have demanded to know why. She responded that Trump had requested that she be there. In a letter to Rep. James Himes, D-Conn., and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., Gabbard defended her presence. "My presence was requested by the President and executed under my broad statutory authority to coordinate, integrate and analyze intelligence related to election security, including counterintelligence, foreign and other malign influence and cybersecurity," she said. The Times reported that a day after the raid, Gabbard facilitated a phone call between her, Trump and the FBI agents involved. "Tulsi Gabbard has no legal role in domestic law enforcement, yet 5 days ago she participated in an FBI raid of Fulton County, Georgia's, election office -- the center of Trump's 2020 election conspiracy theories," Warner said on X on Monday. "And now we find out that she orchestrated a call between Trump and the FBI agents conducting the raid? Something's not passing the smell test ...," he said. Trump has recently said that he wants to "nationalize" the upcoming midterm elections, though he has no legal authority to do so. The FBI agents loaded three box trucks of evidence from the election facility. Fulton County officials said that more than 20 pallets of ballots, election tape and equipment were taken, but they don't have a list of items from the Department of Justice, The Times reported. "We don't even have copies of what they took, so it's a problem," Pitts said. He added that the county wants the items back "so we can take an inventory" of what was taken. "We don't know where they are. We don't know, really, who has them," The Times reported he said. "We don't know what they're doing with them. Are they being tampered with? I can use my imagination, and I would certainly hope not. But we just - we don't know." Pitts mentioned Trump's comments about taking over the elections in about 15 states. "We'll be the test case," he said. "If they're successful in Georgia -- Fulton County, Georgia, in particular -- the others on that list of 15 plus states, they should be aware." He said the raid was "probably the first step in whatever they're going to do in order to depress voter participation, voter registration, making whatever changes they think are necessary to help their case in 2026, but more importantly, in 2028."
