got alarming but not quite surprising news out of the State Department. An unknown person used artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacting at least three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of the United States Congress. That's according to a State Department cable obtained by NBC News. The cable was first reported by the Washington Post. It is um so what's the problem? Well, Michael, that this is going to keep that this is going to keep happening. It is going ...

OpenAI tightens the screws on security to keep away prying eyes | TechCrunch https://t.co/t6U2Ie6Abt ...

$8.69B btc wallet gets compromised same week ETFs pull $769M.security is an afterthought. ...

Previously on Hot Money. I don't know. It's a kind of almost like a a Sharon Stone moment from Basic Instinct, you know, the plot of Basic Instinct where she uh she murders her husband, but uh uh but that's also the plot of the book she's written.So, it couldn't possibly be true. Do you know about this life-sized Trump figure in the office and his in Marshall's office and his um altar of of Russian officers caps and shanka kind of Yeah. Yeah.All those heads. Yeah. I think the biggest tragedy of Yan Masale i ...

Business Strategy & Sponsorship - Ledger is doubling down on sports, with 30% of its business in the US, making it the most important market for the company [2] - Ledger's sponsorship of the San Antonio Spurs aims to boost education and sales on both consumer and enterprise levels [3] - The Spurs sponsorship aligns with Ledger's values of humility and hard work, while also providing air coverage and a connection to France [4][5] - Ledger views going public as a means to raise money and fulfill its destiny, not as an end goal in itself [22] - Ledger aims to build a great company with secure and easy-to-use products, targeting the mass market [21][22] Crypto Regulation & Security - The CEO believes US regulation of crypto is a feature, protecting both citizens and businesses, while Europe may have regulated too fast, potentially hindering business [7] - Regulation can create hurdles for smaller companies, protecting larger businesses [8] - Ledger emphasizes the importance of security for digital private property, comparing it to home security [13][14] - Crypto crime is traceable, and users need tools to protect their assets [16][14] Future of Crypto & Wallets - The future is bright for crypto, with everything being built on public blockchains, requiring wallets for private keys and interaction [11] - Ledger believes everyone will need a wallet to hold digital private property as everything becomes tokenized [10][11] - Ledger is focused on providing tools that are easy to use and have backups to ensure access to assets [21]

Core Viewpoint - Cisco Systems is expected to report strong third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, driven by improved demand in networking and security products, despite facing some macroeconomic challenges [1][3][5]. Financial Expectations - Cisco anticipates third-quarter revenues between $13.9 billion and $14.1 billion, with non-GAAP earnings expected between 90 and 92 cents per share [1]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is $14.05 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 10.58%, while the earnings consensus is steady at 91 cents per share, indicating a growth of 3.41% year-over-year [2]. Key Growth Drivers - Improved demand for networking products, particularly in switching, enterprise routing, and industrial networking applications, is expected to benefit Cisco's results [3]. - The networking revenue estimate for the fiscal third quarter is $6.76 billion, indicating a 3.6% year-over-year growth [4]. - Cisco's security revenue is estimated at $2.195 billion, showing a significant year-over-year growth of 68.3%, driven by strong demand for solutions like XDR and Secure Access [4][5]. Market Performance - Cisco shares have gained 1% year-to-date, outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector's decline of 8.5% and the Computer Networking industry's return of 0.8% [6]. - However, Cisco's stock is considered to have a stretched valuation, with a forward 12-month P/S ratio of 4.08X, higher than the industry average of 3.89X [9]. Strategic Initiatives - Cisco's investments in AI, cloud, and security are expected to drive growth, with AI infrastructure orders exceeding $700 million in the first half of fiscal 2025 [12]. - The company is leveraging AI across its portfolio, including the launch of the Renewals Agent, an AI-driven solution, and enhancing customer experience through Agentic capabilities [13]. - Cisco's security business is benefiting from strong demand for Cisco Secure Access and XDR, with both solutions gaining over 1,000 customers in the past year [14]. Partnerships and Collaborations - Cisco's partnerships with major companies like Meta Platforms, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and ServiceNow are enhancing its market position [15]. - Collaboration with NVIDIA is expanding Cisco's data center infrastructure portfolio, while the partnership with ServiceNow integrates AI-driven security solutions [16][17]. Conclusion - Cisco's near-term results are expected to benefit from a robust networking and security business, supported by a strong partner ecosystem, despite facing tariff-related and macroeconomic challenges [18].

Summary of Extreme Networks (EXTR) FY Conference Call - May 09, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Extreme Networks (EXTR) - **Industry**: Networking technology Key Financial Performance - **Quarterly Performance**: Achieved sequential revenue growth, bucking typical seasonal trends, with strong bookings performance, the best in the last six quarters [4][5] - **Cash Flow**: Strong operational cash flow of $30 million, with a healthy non-GAAP earnings of $0.21 per share [6] - **Fourth Quarter Guidance**: Projecting to reach $300 million in revenue at the midpoint of guidance, indicating improved scale and bookings [7] Geographic and Segment Performance - **Government Sector**: Strong performance in government spending, particularly in Europe and Asia Pacific, with limited exposure to federal risks in the U.S. [10][11] - **Europe**: Notable recovery in spending, with expectations for sustained growth due to increased military investments amid geopolitical tensions [14][15][16] - **Education Sector**: E-Rate program remains unaffected by federal spending cuts, with strong bookings driven by the uncertainty surrounding competitors [25][26][27] Competitive Landscape - **Tariff Management**: Implementing various mitigation strategies to manage potential tariff impacts, with limited exposure of approximately $1.5 million expected in the fourth quarter [20][21] - **Competitor Pricing**: Awareness of potential price increases from competitors like Juniper and Cisco, with a readiness to adjust pricing accordingly [23][24] - **Market Dynamics**: Favorable competitive environment due to challenges faced by larger competitors like HP and Juniper, and Cisco's struggles with integration and licensing complexity [71][76][82] Product and Technology Developments - **Platform One**: Introduction of a unified platform that integrates AI, security, and cloud management, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency [90][91][110] - **AI Integration**: Focus on bringing advanced AI capabilities to networking, differentiating from competitors by offering automation and improved network management [66][68] - **Channel Strategy**: Strengthening relationships with channel partners and expanding managed service provider (MSP) offerings, with a goal to increase the number of MSPs to 75 by year-end [35][92] Future Outlook - **Gross Margin Targets**: Aiming for gross margins of 64-66%, with improvements expected from a shift towards subscription and recurring revenue models [99][100] - **Inventory Management**: Plans to normalize inventory levels to around $80 million over the next few quarters, with a focus on balancing raw materials and finished goods [55][57] - **Market Share Growth**: Anticipating growth in subscription revenue through bundled offerings and private offers for large customers [93][94] Conclusion - **Investor Message**: The company is on track for consistent growth, with excitement surrounding the launch of Platform One and its potential to differentiate Extreme Networks in the competitive landscape [114][115]