Cayosoft Launches Guardian Protector, the First Free, Always-On Threat Detection for Active Directory and Entra ID

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 16, 2025 by itnerd

Cayosoft today introduces Cayosoft Guardian Protector, the industry’s only free, always-on solution that delivers real-time threat detection, proactive alerts, resolution guidance, and change history for complex Microsoft hybrid identity environments. Unlike other free solutions that offer point-in-time scans without alerts, Cayosoft Guardian Protector offers administrators and security teams continuous, real-time visibility and control across Active Directory (AD), Entra ID, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft Exchange Online.

More than 90% of large enterprises run Microsoft Active Directory and Entra ID, making them prime targets for ransomware and insider attacks. As seasoned AD engineers retire, IT teams are left with fewer resources to monitor the growing complexity. Meanwhile, the attack surface keeps expanding into Teams, Intune, and Exchange Online, creating blind spots attackers exploit. Most tools can’t keep up, offering partial visibility, delayed alerts, or costly licenses. Cayosoft Guardian Protector closes that gap.

Alongside Guardian Protector, Cayosoft is also introducing two powerful new resources to help the IT and security community stay ahead of attackers. The Cayosoft Guardian Reddit Community gives admins, security architects, and engineers a dedicated forum to collaborate, share expertise, and solve problems together. The Cayosoft Threat Directory delivers continuously updated intelligence on hybrid identity attack techniques and detection patterns. 

Together with Guardian Protector, these resources create a more powerful, comprehensive defense, blending real-time detection with community expertise and actionable intelligence. IT and security teams gain not only the tools to stop threats as they happen, but also the shared knowledge and foresight to stay ahead of whatever comes next.

Cayosoft Guardian Protector key benefits and features include:

  • Spot Threats Instantly. Detect risky, suspect changes as they happen with real-time detection and alerts: privilege escalations, dormant account activations, Group Policy tampering, and more.
  • See Every Change. Continuous Monitoring across AD, Entra ID, Intune, Teams, and Exchange Online gives unprecedented visibility of every change, resulting in fewer blind spots, faster investigations, and more substantial alignment of compliance across your identity infrastructure. 
  • Unlimited Coverage. Monitor every change of every identity object, every second without caps or license restrictions. 

Download Caysoft Guardian Protector for free.

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Review: 2025 Ford Expedition King Ranch – Part 3

Posted in Products with tags on October 16, 2025 by itnerd

The tech In the Ford Expedition is something that Ford Canada was eager to have me try. And I now get why. Even though most cars are rolling computers, Ford has created a pretty compelling package of tech for drivers to leverage.

I’m going to start with the boring stuff before I get to the really cool stuff that you want to read about.

Safety: The Expedition comes with the usual safety systems such as Reverse Brake Assist, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Pedestrian Protection and Dynamic Brake Support, and an array of sensors and cameras to keep you safe. That’s along with this handy feature:

Besides blind spot monitoring, when you hit the turn signal, the cameras on the mirrors get displayed on the 24″ screen. Top marks for Ford thinking of coming up with this feature.

Ford BlueCruise: Ford BlueCruise enables hands-free highway driving that helps make driving easier and more enjoyable. Let BlueCruise accelerate, brake, and handle curves, all with the touch of a button. It can even help you change lanes hands-free. I tried this about a year ago on the Mustang Mach-E but that was a very limited test. Having tried it off and on for a week on the Expedition in a variety of traffic scenarios, I can say that this is a handy feature to have. I will say that you really need to get your seating position right and be wearing the right sunglasses to make BlueCruise work properly. I say that because the system is meant to be a driver aid which means that you are required to keep your eyes on the road at all times. If you don’t, or the system can figure out if you are paying attention to the road, it gets very unhappy.

Having said that I tried it out on open roads as well as rush hour traffic. The latter is where I found myself having to jump in and take control on three occasions due to people trying to cut in front of me on the 401 or the QEW which are two of Greater Toronto’s busier highways. Could BlueCruise have handed that scenario on its own? I have no clue and I wasn’t about to find out as that might have gotten expensive.

The flip side is that on open highways the system worked flawlessly. While I wasn’t able to use on the entire drive from Toronto to Owen Sound to do hiking, I was able to use it on the first quarter of the drive out, and the last quarter of the drive back which made life a bit easier given that it was a 2 hour drive each way. The reason why I wasn’t able to use it for the full two hour drive is that this system only works on physically divided highways. Thus if you’re expecting this system to work on the school run on city streets, that’s not going to happen. If you want to go into the weeds on BlueCruise, this review that I did a year ago will help you. But keep in mind that between the time that I wrote that review to the present day, it’s gotten better and in my mind is worth having. It’s available as a one time purchase that is tied to the car, or as a yearly or monthly subscription.

Bang & Olufsen Sound System: I will just give you the specs. This vehicle came with Bang & Olufsen sound system with 22 Speakers including a Subwoofer. And my wife who is a classically trained pianist summed it up this way:

“Every musical note is crisp and clear. There is no distortion. And there is perfect clarity when it comes to vocals. Ford nailed this stereo.”

Clearly this sound system impressed my wife. It will impress you too as I can confirm that this is an amazing sound system.

Ford Digital Experience: Now this is where things really get interesting. While this vehicle does come with wireless Apple CarPlay (which is one of the better implementations of CarPlay that I have seen lately) and Android Auto, Ford also included the Ford Digital Experience which is based on Android Automotive. But with a lot of work put in by Ford to make it unique. For starters, it has 5G connectivity that allows you to not only get WiFi inside the vehicle, but you can roam in Canada and the US without an issue. Speaking of WiFi, you know that I had to do a speed test. The best speeds that I got was 56.3 Mbps down and 78.9 Mbps up. Before anyone says “my home Internet is faster than that”, consider that I did this in suburban Toronto and I might have gotten faster speeds someplace else. Also, these speeds are fast enough to allow three people to stream a 4K HDR show on Netflix and have speed for others left over to surf the Internet. I base that on this article that I researched a couple of years ago. In short, kids on their iPads on a long road trip will be just fine watching K-Pop Demon Hunters or something like that leaving mommy and daddy in peace.

Next up is the fact that it has the Google Play Store embedded in the system. While the apps are tailored for Android Automotive, which means that the apps that you want like Netflix might not be present. There’s plenty of apps for you to choose from. And you can use your existing Google account to download apps. This gets followed up by Google assistant that allows you to not only navigate using Google Maps, but it allows you to change the cabin temperature, or turn on the heated or cooled seats. All by using your voice. I guess that this segues into the fact that everything is driven from the screen and there are not many physical buttons other than some steering wheel controls that incorporate a touch pad as well as a physical press.

Normally, the fact that this vehicle lacks a lot of physical buttons would usually earn Ford some critical commentary from me as that forces people to do everything in via the screen which is tough to do at highway speed for example. But with the Ford Digital Experience, I really can’t criticize them too much. The standard stuff that you would need to do while driving can be done by voice. On top of that, Ford simply didn’t bolt this on and do the minimum work required to call it an infotainment system. They clearly worked hard to create a cohesive system that made the driving experience better and not worse. While I am not 100% sold on giving up on Apple CarPlay for this, Ford has made a compelling argument to at least consider doing so seriously. Your Ford dealer can guide you through what your subscription options are.

Fun Fact: A lot of Canadians worked to create this. So kudos to them as they have come up with something that left me impressed.

So I’ve come to the end of this review of the 2025 Ford Expedition King Ranch. While I am not the target audience for this vehicle, those who are will find a vehicle that is very capable, as well as offering a lot in terms of carrying people or storage. The interior in the vehicle that I drove this past week is top shelf. And the tech is amazing. While I did complain about the lack of buttons being a problem for me as I could not adjust HVAC controls while driving, that was it for the complaints. Ford has really knocked it out of the park with the Expedition.

Now this version of the Expedition is worth $109,955. Not cheap by any means. But Ford has versions that start at $84,815. And they have trims for every use case possible in between. Besides, the target audience for this vehicle will have no problem spending this kind of cash to get a vehicle like this. So I suspect that Ford will have no problem moving the Expedition off dealer lots.

Before I go, I should point out that a lot of the stuff that you’ve seen in this review is either in or coming to vehicles that are at price points that most of us would buy. So you can expect to see things like the Ford Digital Experience, and Blue Cruise popping up in Escapes and Explorers soon…. If they haven’t already. And that’s a very good thing for Ford buyers at all price points.

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The Wall Street Journal Reports That Criminals Made More Than $1 Billion From Text Scams

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 16, 2025 by itnerd

The Wall Street Journal reported today on a billion-dollar scam that is linked to gift card fraud. 

That’s scary.

As the 2025 holiday shopping season approaches, an alliance of leading retailers, card networks, and law enforcement agencies has launched a nationwide social media campaign to combat the alarming surge in gift card fraud. The campaign, led by the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance (GCFPA), aims to educate, empower, and protect consumers during the busiest shopping time of the year.

From October 1 through December 25, holiday shoppers will see daily tips and information on the latest scams on LinkedIn and Instagram platforms, spotlighting the tactics scammers use and steps every consumer can take to avoid falling victim. This collaborative effort marks a landmark partnership among industry giants, national and state retail associations, and public safety organizations, all dedicated to protecting the public from gift card-related crimes.

How to Get Involved

Consumers are encouraged to follow the RILA Communities Foundation on LinkedIn and @ProtectMyGiftCard on Instagram for daily tips and updates throughout the campaign. For more information or to report a scam, contact local law enforcement, state attorney general’s offices, or visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website. 

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Attackers Register 13,000 Domains Leverage Cloudflare in ClickFix Attacks 

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 16, 2025 by itnerd

Researchers have uncovered a surge in a new “ClickFix” browser-based malware campaign with more than 13,000 unique domain registrations luring users into executing malicious commands. The attack uses compromised hosting, including a portion behind Cloudflare, to deliver payloads using deceptive benign web prompts.

More details can be found here: https://www.aitmfeed.com/blog/blog-1/tracking-clickfix-infrastructure-4

Davit Asatryan, VP of Research at Spin.AI, provided the following comments:

“Attackers registering 13,000 unique domains shows how fast traditional static domain lists fall behind. We need behavioral domain analysis to detect threats in real time, not after the fact. This is another reminder that browser security deserves as much attention as endpoint protection.”

This is yet another example of threat actors evolving to evade attempts to stop them. That means that defenders need to re-double their efforts to catch up at all costs.

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MANGO Pwned Via A Third Party Breach

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 15, 2025 by itnerd

Spanish fashion retailer MANGO has notified its customers of a data breach in which one of its external marketing services vendors suffered unauthorized access to certain customer data.

Roger Grimes, CISO Advisor at cybersecurity company KnowBe4, provided the following comments:

“Even the limited leak of only some personally identifying information can be of use to scammers. The hackers could craft a phishing message related to MANGO, and because the potential victim does have some sort of existing relationship with MANGO, any well-crafted phishing message is more likely to be successful than if it were some broad, generic type of phishing campaign. Every bit of information you give a scammer about someone can be used to craft a more realistic phishing message.”

“As an impacted customer, I’m concerned with not only my stolen information being used against me in some way, but also, if I want to remain a MANGO customer, in being reassured it won’t happen again. Has MANGO been able to figure out how it happened at the marketing supplier? Was it social engineering (very likely), unpatched software or firmware, or some other type of hacking attack? Because if they don’t know how the compromise happened, they can’t as easily take steps to ensure it won’t happen again. As a customer, I want to be reassured that MANGO knows how the hack of my information happened and what steps they have taken to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Re

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F5 Has Apparently Been Pwned By The Chinese

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 15, 2025 by itnerd

F5 has disclosed that it was the target of a state-sponsored cyberattack, likely linked to Chinese threat actors, with attackers exfiltrating files that included BIG-IP source code and vulnerability information.

It’s unclear how long the hackers maintained access, but the company confirmed that they stole source code, vulnerability data, and some configuration and implementation details for a limited number of customers.

“Through this access, certain files were exfiltrated, some of which contained certain portions of the Company’s BIG-IP source code and information about undisclosed vulnerabilities that it was working on in BIG-IP,” the company states.

Despite this critical exposure of undisclosed flaws, F5 says there’s no evidence that the attackers leveraged the information in actual attacks, such as exploiting the undisclosed flaw against systems. The company also states that it has not seen evidence that the private information has been disclosed.

F5 claims that the threat actors’ access to the BIG-IP environment did not compromise its software supply chain or result in any suspicious code modifications.

This includes its platforms that contain customer data, such as its CRM, financial, support case management, or iHealth systems. Furthermore, other products and platforms managed by the company are not compromised, including NGINX, F5 Distributed Cloud Services, or Silverline systems’ source code.

Will Baxter, Field CISO, Team Cymru had this comment:

“This is another reminder that the modern attack surface extends deep into the software development lifecycle. Threat groups targeting source code repositories and build environments are seeking long-term intelligence value—understanding how security controls operate from the inside. Visibility into outbound connections, threat actor command-and-control infrastructure, and unusual data exfiltration patterns is key to identifying this activity early. Combining external threat intelligence with internal telemetry gives defenders the context needed to detect and contain these advanced intrusions.”

If I were a F5 customer, I’d be kind of nervous right now. Because there’s no telling what this threat actor can do with the data that they stole. Other than the fact that whatever they do with that data, it won’t be good for anyone.

UPDATE: Cybercrime expert and VP of Cyber Risk for HITRUST, Tom Kellermann offers up this comment:

“This is the first stage of a supply chain campaign designed to compromise trust in digital infrastructure. Rogue nation-state actors consistently show us how successful and well-resourced they are. Once adversaries gain access at the application layer, they’re not just stealing data but embedding themselves for command and control. F5 customers must immediately enhance detection and response at the application layer through ADR. Supply chain attacks have become the preferred tactic of modern cyber warfare. We need to start treating third-party risk as a national security issue.”

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Video call app Huddle01 exposes user IPs, emails tied to crypto wallet addresses

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 15, 2025 by itnerd

The Cybernews research team has recently discovered that a decentralized video call app, Huddle01, was leaking real-time user logs through an exposed instance of Kafka Broker. No authentication, no encryption, or other access controls were used to protect the data, meaning that any third party could access it.

The exposed data included:

  • Usernames (sometimes real names);
  • Email addresses;
  • Crypto wallet addresses (Huddle01 supports a wide array of wallets that operate on different blockchains (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.);
  • Detailed activity data: which users joined specific calls, participants in each call, country, time, date, duration of the calls, etc.
  • Other identifiers.

The leak was discovered on August 26th, 2025. Cybernews responsibly disclosed the data leak to the company. However, it did not respond to the initial disclosure and subsequent attempts. After one month, the exposed server remained accessible. It’s unclear how many other third parties might have accessed the data.

For more information on this, here’s the full report:

https://cybernews.com/security/video-call-app-huddle01-leaks-sensitive-user-data

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KAYAK brings Conversational AI powered by ChatGPT to the world of travel

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 15, 2025 by itnerd

KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, today launched AI Mode, a natural-language search experience that combines KAYAK’s data with ChatGPT to deliver smarter, contextual results, right from the home page. KAYAK is the first major travel site to let users plan complete trips by typing questions directly into a search box.

How to Use AI Mode

  • Click the “AI Mode” icon on KAYAK from your desktop or mobile browser to get started.
  • Type travel-related questions the way you’d say them to another person.
  • Get real-time results as KAYAK compares the latest information and prices from hundreds of travel providers.
  • Discover, compare, and book flights, hotels and cars—all in one place.

Travel Demand Heats Up for the Holidays
The debut of KAYAK AI Mode comes at the perfect moment for holiday travel planning, as KAYAK data shows that mid-October through early November is the prime window for scoring the best holiday travel deals.

Prompt your Way to Holiday Savings with KAYAK
To help the AI-curious, KAYAK suggests these festive, holiday-themed prompts to reveal instantly actionable trip ideas – whether it’s a snow-globe-worthy village or a New Year’s Eve bash. Try one in AI Mode or come up with your own to see where it takes you:

  • NYC hotels within a half mile of Rockefeller Center for one night, Dec. 23rd
  • Cheapest Caribbean destinations for a 7-day trip
  • Rent a car from ORD with room for 6 people + lots of Christmas presents and payment at pickup
  • Flights from BOS to London for 2 adults, 2 kids, and a baby, Dec. 20 – Dec. 27
  • How much would Kevin McCallister’s New York experience cost?
  • I want to party for NYE – where should I go?
  • You’re in a Hallmark movie. Find me a quintessential winter village for under $600 for flight and hotel.

For tips on writing the best travel prompts, visit KAYAK’s blog.

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WestJet and TELUS unite rewards programs

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 15, 2025 by itnerd

WestJet and TELUS, two of Canada’s most trusted and iconic brands, have linked their loyalty programs to deliver industry-leading value and flexibility to their members. Starting today, WestJet Rewards and TELUS Rewards members who link their accounts can earn, transfer and redeem points across the programs, unlocking exclusive travel and connectivity benefits. They will also automatically receive WestJet seat selection vouchers and TELUS Roaming Passes, helping them travel comfortably and stay connected. 

The linked loyalty platforms means members who link their accounts can:

  • earn WestJet points on their TELUS bills;
  • redeem WestJet points towards their TELUS services and the TELUS Rewards catalogue; and 
  • convert their TELUS Rewards points into WestJet points, unlocking flights, vacation packages and more through the new WestJet Rewards eStore.

As an added bonus, members who link their accounts before November 30, 2025 will receive a free entry into a contest to win an all-inclusive WestJet vacation for two to Mexico.

Both TELUS and WestJet launched transformed rewards programs in 2025, redefining customer loyalty with enhanced member recognition and value. TELUS unveiled the most comprehensive transformation of TELUS Rewards in the program’s history, now engaging customers from coast-to-coast with a revolutionary tier-based system that rewards customers based on the number of products and services they have, unlocking elevated status and exclusive perks at every level. WestJet announced the most significant enhancements to WestJet Rewards in the program’s 15-year history, making it easier than ever for members to earn and redeem points and save on flights, vacations or enhanced travel experiences.

Currently, WestJet Rewards members can enjoy WestJet Wi-Fi, presented by TELUS, delivering high-speed internet on more than 100 of WestJet’s narrowbody fleet, letting guests stream video, work and stay connected. By the end of 2025, WestJet expects the entire narrowbody fleet in scope will be outfitted with this fast and free Wi-Fi.

WestJet Rewards and TELUS Rewards members can link their accounts today at either westjet.com/telusrewards or telus.com/my-rewards. For full contest terms and conditions please click here.

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Saviynt Unveils Major AI Capabilities for Identity Security

Posted in Commentary with tags on October 15, 2025 by itnerd

Saviynt, the leader in AI-powered identity security solutions, today unveiled groundbreaking advancements to its platform that redefine how enterprises manage and secure identities in the AI era. These new enhancements address two of the most pressing challenges facing enterprises today: the inability to onboard and govern all applications; and the lack of secure management for all identities – human and non-human, including AI agents.

Saviynt’s new AI-driven capabilities address these long standing challenges by accelerating and simplifying application onboarding, enabling all apps to be managed from a single, unified identity security platform, and extending Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM) to include every identity – human, non-human and AI agent – to help organizations strengthen their overall security posture.

Onboard All Applications with Agentic AI

Comprehensive application onboarding has long been one of the biggest roadblocks to realizing the full value of an identity security program. In fact, a Ponemon study found that 49% of organizations don’t even track how many disconnected apps they have – creating dangerous visibility gaps and expanding the attack surface.

Saviynt’s new Agentic AI Onboarding for Applications solves this challenge by harnessing agentic AI to accelerate and simplify the integration of both connected and disconnected applications across hybrid environments. The result is that every application – no matter where it resides – can now be seamlessly onboarded, governed, and secured under a single identity platform.

Secure All Identities — Human, Non-Human, and AI

As artificial intelligence transforms how enterprises operate, identity ecosystems are expanding at an unprecedented pace. Non-human identities and AI agents now outnumber human identities by more than 82 to 1, underscoring their explosive growth and the urgent need for stronger governance and control.

While AI agents are fueling major productivity gains, they also introduce a new class of identities that widens the attack surface. Most organizations lack the visibility and oversight to manage them effectively, leaving hidden risks across critical systems.

Saviynt is addressing this challenge head-on by extending its Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM) capabilities to cover all identities – human, non-human, and AI. These enhancements empower enterprises to confidently adopt AI while maintaining full visibility, governance, and compliance.

New capabilities include:

  • Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM) for AI Agents: Provides comprehensive visibility, governance, and audit readiness for AI agents and their core components – such as MCP servers and tools – through simplified discovery, prioritized risk insights, and integrated access maps enriched with signals from leading security solutions like CrowdStrike.
  • ISPM for Non-Human Identities (NHI): Enhanced NHI capabilities now include a unified inventory for all NHIs, their access policies, and detected violations, with support for one-click remediation.

Built for an AI-Driven Future

Together, these AI-driven capabilities enable unified identity security across all environments, simplifying application onboarding and extending protection to every identity.

Saviynt’s AI-powered platform seamlessly integrates identity governance, application governance, privileged access management, and security posture management for all identities. With the addition of AI-native capabilities, organizations can proactively reduce risk, accelerate decision-making, and enhance operational agility.

By unifying human and non-human identity security under a single platform, Saviynt empowers enterprises to achieve true Zero Trust at scale and ensure continuous compliance in today’s AI-driven world.

For more information on Saviynt’s AI-powered identity security platform, read the new blog. Saviynt will also showcase these new capabilities during its 2025 UNLOCK Roadshow, taking place in six cities around the world over the next two months.

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