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The White House cleared vetted private firms to launch cyberattacks on foreign criminals, a first for US policy, as Germany moved to arm its spy agencies with hacking powers.
Latest developments: President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum on August 12 directing the National Coordination Center to let vetted private companies apply to run offensive operations against foreign cybercrime groups, the first time Washington has authorized the private sector to conduct cyberattacks, while Germany's cabinet approved a parallel overhaul empowering its spy agencies to hack foreign systems and sabotage adversaries' supply chains.
The US memo places private hack-back operations under government control and oversight, with contracts that may require a $1 million bond forfeited for noncompliance; Germany's bill marks the biggest rewrite of its postwar intelligence law, adding authority to feed false information to extremists inside the country.
Sources: Ars Technica Security · BleepingComputer · SecurityWeek · The Record · ↑ top
Latest developments: Dark Reading reports the exploitation of directory-traversal flaw CVE-2026-59310 in VMware vCenter's Syslog Server has grown into a global campaign, and warns that applying Broadcom's patch may not fully evict attackers who already deployed a reverse SSH tool for persistence.
The critical bug lets remote attackers execute arbitrary code on vCenter servers; administrators should patch immediately and hunt for reverse SSH implants and other persistence rather than assume the update alone remediates the intrusion.
Sources: Dark Reading · BleepingComputer · SecurityWeek · ↑ top
Latest developments: Threat actors began actively exploiting Microsoft SharePoint authentication-bypass flaw CVE-2026-55040 after Rapid7 published proof-of-concept code, and separate attackers hit Adobe Commerce and Magento flaw CVE-2026-71362 within hours of Adobe releasing its fix.
CVE-2026-55040, rated 9.1, lets attackers impersonate users to disclose and modify SharePoint files and shipped in Microsoft's July 2026 Patch Tuesday; the Adobe Commerce bug enables customer-account hijacking, and both demand urgent patching now that working exploits circulate.
Sources: The Hacker News · Help Net Security · SecurityWeek · ↑ top
Latest developments: Microsoft released patches for a Windows zero-day dubbed LegacyHive, disclosed after the July 2026 Patch Tuesday, a distinct flaw from the Lazarus-linked bug and the ShieldBreak privilege-escalation exploit already circulating.
LegacyHive adds to a crowded month of exploited Windows flaws; organizations should apply the out-of-band fix and prioritize hosts exposed to the earlier SYSTEM-level exploits.
Sources: BleepingComputer · ↑ top
Latest developments: Bruce Schneier reports the Iran-linked campaign against US water systems reached Minnesota and now spans at least seven states, while President Trump publicly rejected the Iran attribution and blamed Minnesota's government, calling the state grossly incompetent.
Investigators tie the intrusions to Iran targeting internet-exposed control systems at water utilities; attribution remains preliminary and no physical damage has surfaced, but the spread underscores exposure of small water and wastewater operators.
Sources: Schneier on Security · ↑ top
Latest developments: BleepingComputer detailed an Akira ransomware affiliate that rebooted a compromised machine into Safe Mode with Networking to knock out its endpoint detection and response tool, then stole data but failed to encrypt files.
The Safe Mode trick strips security agents that do not load in the minimal environment, a durable evasion technique defenders can blunt by restricting reboots and enforcing EDR tamper protection and Safe Mode boot controls.
Sources: BleepingComputer · ↑ top
Latest developments: The Treasury's August 13 sale of 30-year bonds cleared at the highest borrowing cost since 2001 as long-dated yields climbed on debt and inflation worries.
The U.S. Treasury sold 30-year bonds at yields last seen in 2001, with buyers demanding more to hold long-dated federal debt amid mounting public borrowing and persistently high inflation, a warning sign on the government's fiscal path. The same day the S&P 500 closed at a record high after a report of moderated wholesale inflation eased fears of a Federal Reserve rate move.
Sources: FT Markets · WSJ Markets · ↑ top
Tonight: Mostly Cloudy then Patchy Fog, low 67F.
Friday: Chance Rain Showers, high 82F.
Friday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, low 65F.
Latest developments: Wegmans broke ground August 13 on its first Pittsburgh-region store at the Cool Springs development in Cranberry Township.
Wegmans started construction August 13 on its first store in the Pittsburgh region, a location at the Cool Springs development in Cranberry Township, Butler County, expected to bring about 450 jobs.
Sources: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette · WPXI · ↑ top
Latest developments: The Pittsburgh AI-security firm Gray Swan AI said August 13 it quadrupled its footprint at Bakery Square and will double its workforce.
Gray Swan AI, a Pittsburgh artificial-intelligence security firm, quadrupled its office space at Bakery Square in the city's East End and pledged to double its headcount, a rare local expansion in the AI-safety niche.
Sources: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette · ↑ top
Latest developments: Sly Fox Brewing Company said August 13 it will close its Downtown Pittsburgh taphouse after Saturday, August 15.
Sly Fox Brewing Company will shut its Downtown Pittsburgh taphouse after Saturday, August 15, the brewer announced on social media.
Latest developments: Pennsylvania health officials said August 13 the state will keep its existing childhood immunization schedule despite President Trump's new executive order.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health will follow its existing childhood vaccine schedule, state officials said, declining to adopt President Trump's executive order that cuts the number of advised shots and decouples some combination vaccines. "We will follow the facts," officials said.
Sources: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette · TribLive · ↑ top
Latest developments: The University of Pittsburgh announced a policy barring electric scooters from parking or storage on all university property as students return.
The University of Pittsburgh will prohibit electric scooters from parking or storage on any university property, a new rule taking effect as students head back to the Oakland campus in under two weeks.
Latest developments: Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education opened expedited admissions to Howard University students after a mass unenrollment there.
Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education, with backing from Governor Josh Shapiro, is fast-tracking admissions for students who left Howard University in Washington, D.C., after a mass unenrollment.
Sources: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette · ↑ top
Latest developments: The Washington County Agricultural Fair released its entertainment and event schedule for its August 15-22 run.
The Washington County Agricultural Fair runs Saturday, August 15, through Saturday, August 22, at the Washington County Fairgrounds, with a newly announced lineup of entertainment and events.
Latest developments: Export borough set its annual Ethnic Food & Music Festival for Saturday, August 15.
Export's annual Ethnic Food & Music Festival runs noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, August 15, in the downtown area of Export, Westmoreland County.
Latest developments: NEXTpittsburgh's guide for the weekend of August 13-16 highlights Pittsburgh Restaurant Week and the Iron City Comedy Festival.
NEXTpittsburgh's guide for the weekend of August 13-16 flags Pittsburgh Restaurant Week's dining deals, the Iron City Comedy Festival, and Little Italy Days in Bloomfield among more than a dozen things to do around the region.
Sources: NEXTpittsburgh Events · ↑ top
Latest developments: The Steelers opened the preseason August 13 at Acrisure Stadium against Green Bay in Mike McCarthy's first game as head coach.
The Steelers began the preseason August 13 hosting the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium in Mike McCarthy's debut as head coach, a full-circle matchup against the club he and quarterback Aaron Rodgers won a Super Bowl with; the Post-Gazette flagged the backup-quarterback reps and roster edges worth watching.
Sources: Post-Gazette Steelers · ↑ top
Latest developments: The Post-Gazette reported defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio is emerging with a real shot at the Steelers' 53-man roster.
The Post-Gazette wrote that Gabriel Rubio, a stout run-defending lineman out of Notre Dame, has played well enough at camp to have a genuine chance to make the Steelers' 53-man roster.
Sources: Post-Gazette Steelers · ↑ top
Latest developments: The Pirates transferred Oneil Cruz's injury rehab assignment to Double-A Altoona, where he went hitless in his first game.
The Pirates moved Oneil Cruz's rehab assignment to their Double-A affiliate, the Altoona Curve, and the outfielder went hitless in his first game there as he works back from injury.
Sources: Post-Gazette Pirates · ↑ top
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