While Ben is on vacation this week, Dave welcomes back Ethan Cook to the show. On today’s episode, Ethan breaks down former President Trump’s recently released AI action plan, highlighting key priorities and what it could mean for the future of U.S. tech policy. Dave takes a closer look at the growing bipartisan support for AI regulation in Congress, exploring how lawmakers from both parties are approaching concerns around transparency, accountability, and national security as AI capabilities continue to evolve. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Complete our annual ⁠⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠⁠ before August 31. Links to today's stories: ⁠AIGOV president donald j. trump Trump administration to supercharge AI sales to allies, loosen environmental rules Poll finds bipartisan agreement on a key issue: Regulating AI ⁠Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠ covers the Trump administration’s newly released AI blueprint, which aims to supercharge U.S. AI exports to allies, fast-track data center construction by loosening environmental rules, and establish a single federal regulatory standard. The plan, which replaces Biden-era restrictions, is designed to maintain America’s edge over China in the AI arms race and includes executive orders targeting export controls, environmental regulations, and perceived political bias in AI systems.Ask ChatGPT ⁠⁠⁠Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ben's story is on the looming expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA 2015), a widely supported but currently stalled law that enables cyber threat data sharing between the private sector and government, now at risk of lapsing by September 30 due to congressional inaction and conflicting priorities. Dave’s got the story of how a Georgia court's AI-fueled legal blunder has sparked growing concern that overworked judges nationwide could increasingly miss fake citations generated by AI, prompting urgent calls for better tech training, oversight, and ethical guidance to safeguard the integrity of the U.S. justice system. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Complete our annual ⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠ before August 31. Links to today's stories: Time’s running out on a key cyber info-sharing law It’s “frighteningly likely” many US courts will overlook AI errors, expert says ⁠Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's ⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠ covers a major cyber espionage campaign exploiting a zero-day flaw in Microsoft’s SharePoint server software, compromising about 100 organizations—mostly in the U.S. and Germany—including government entities. Researchers warn that thousands more servers could be at risk, and while Microsoft has issued patches, experts stress that full remediation requires more than just updating software, as a China-linked threat actor may be behind the ongoing intrusions. ⁠Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we are joined by Gary Barlet, former Federal CIO and Air Force Cyber Operations Officer and current Public Sector CTO at Illumio, to discuss how this approach to cybersecurity leaves some states much more at risk than others. Ben has the story of a Virginia case relating to reverse key word searches. Dave's got a highly unusual move by the DOJ against Maryland’s district courts. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Complete our annual ⁠audience survey⁠ before August 31. Links to today's stories: ⁠EFF Tells Virginia Court That Constitutional Privacy Protections Forbid Cops from Finding out Everyone Who Searched for a Keyword DOJ launches unusual lawsuit against entire federal district court in Maryland ⁠Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's ⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠ covers BNPL apps and the privacy issues they found associated with them. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Dave and Ben welcome back N2K’s own ⁠⁠Ethan Cook⁠⁠ for our latest policy deep dive segment. As our lead analyst, Ethan shares his knowledge of law, privacy, and surveillance on the latest policy developments shaping the cybersecurity and legal landscape. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Complete our annual ⁠audience survey⁠ before August 31. Policy Deep Dive In this Caveat Policy Deep Dive, our conversation and analysis revolve around preemption. Recently, Congress attempted to use preemption as a justification to pass a moratorium that would have overridden all current state AI legislation and prevented any new state AI bills from being passed. While the measure failed, this action is representative of a growing debate over how the government should regulate AI. Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠ covers how the U.S. SEC has issued new guidance on crypto-based exchange-traded products, signaling the start of a broader regulatory framework that could accelerate the approval of dozens of crypto ETFs, including those tied to Solana, XRP, and even meme coins. While full rule changes are still in development, the guidance marks a shift in the agency’s stance under Republican leadership and could significantly streamline the listing process for new crypto products. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ben discusses some major Supreme Court decisions from the just concluded 2025 term. Dave's got the story of a license plate reader company dialing back access after media reports reveal potential oversharing. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Links to today's stories: CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ET AL. v. CASA, INC., ET AL. ON APPLICATION FOR PARTIAL STAY Flock Removes States From National Lookup Tool After ICE and Abortion Searches Revealed ⁠Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠ covers two major U.S. Supreme Court rulings that may shape the future of digital policy. The Court upheld both the FCC’s authority to fund the Universal Service Fund—preserving billions for internet access in underserved communities—and a Texas law requiring age verification for adult content, sparking renewed debate over online privacy, free speech, and regulatory reach. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Dave and Ben sit down with Andy Boyd, former Director of the CIA’s Center for Cyber Intelligence (CCI) and now an operating partner at AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm focused on national security and aerospace. With decades of experience leading cyber operations at one of the most secretive U.S. intelligence agencies, Andy shares candid insights on the state of offensive cyber operations in the United States. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  ⁠Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week's Caveat Briefing covers a contentious move in Congress as the Senate parliamentarian ruled that a provision banning state regulation of AI for 10 years can remain in President Trump’s tax and spending bill. The decision allows the measure—which ties AI regulation to federal broadband funding access—to proceed under budget reconciliation, despite bipartisan skepticism and growing concerns over federal overreach into states' rights. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please enjoy this encore of Caveat. Camille Stewart Gloster, Former Deputy National Cyber Director at the White House, is sharing a retrospective of her public service career. Ben discusses a new lawsuit in Illinois challenging automatic license plate readers. Dave's got the story of an AI hotline between the US and China. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Links to the stories: ⁠Illinois' use of cameras that read license plates amounts to 'dragnet surveillance,' lawsuit alleges⁠ ⁠The U.S. and China Need an AI Incidents Hotline⁠ Caveat Briefing A companion weekly newsletter is available CyberWire Pro members on the CyberWire's website. If you are a member, make sure you subscribe to receive our weekly wrap-up of privacy, policy, and research news, focused on incidents, techniques, tips, compliance, rights, trends, threats, policy, and influence ops delivered to you inbox each Thursday. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Dave and Ben welcome back N2K’s own ⁠⁠⁠Ethan Cook⁠⁠⁠ for our latest policy deep dive segment. As our lead analyst, Ethan shares his knowledge of law, privacy, and surveillance on the latest policy developments shaping the cybersecurity and legal landscape. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Policy Deep Dive In this Caveat Policy Deep Dive, our conversation and analysis revisits antitrust policy. Throughout this conversation, we break down how President Trump has pursued one of the most aggressive initial antitrust policies in decades. Since taking office, the FTC and DOJ have continued to pursue many of the antitrust cases that the former Biden administration was pursuing targeting many Big Tech companies. However, these cases are not minor as in each of the cases, the Trump administration is actively pursuing major company breakups. Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠ covers how Italy has cut ties with the Israeli spyware firm, Paragon after revelations that its technology was used to surveil government critics, including journalists and migrant rescue workers, sparking political outrage. A parliamentary report confirmed that Italian intelligence services had first paused, then terminated use of the spyware, though the timeline of the decision remains disputed. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Ben’s got the story of Texas becoming the second—and largest—state to pass a law requiring Apple and Google to verify users' ages on app stores and get parental consent before kids and teens can download apps or make purchases, signaling a broader push toward stricter online age checks. Dave dives into the story of President Trump’s 2026 budget proposal, which calls for slashing over 1,000 jobs at CISA and cutting the agency’s budget by nearly half a billion dollars, raising bipartisan concerns about the future of federal cybersecurity programs. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Links to stories: ⁠Trump budget proposal would slash more than 1,000 CISA jobs A new Texas law mandates age checks on phones. It may be just the start. ⁠Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠ is on how a federal judge is weighing less aggressive remedies in the U.S. antitrust case against Google, suggesting limited data sharing and conditional changes to its deals with Apple rather than the sweeping 10-year plan proposed by regulators. The judge also noted that emerging AI tools like ChatGPT could disrupt traditional search, raising questions about how future competitors should factor into the case. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Ben’s got the story of a federal judge rejecting Google and Character.AI’s claim that their chatbot’s messages are protected free speech, allowing a wrongful death lawsuit over a teen’s suicide linked to the chatbot to move forward. Dave’s story is on the growing challenges of assigning legal and financial responsibility when autonomous AI agents, increasingly deployed by tech giants like Google and Microsoft, make costly mistakes due to miscommunication or errors in multi-agent systems. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Links to stories: Judge rejects claim chatbots have free speech in suit over teen’s death Who’s to Blame When AI Agents Screw Up? Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠ is on Texas Governor Greg Abbott signing a law that requires Apple and Google to enforce age verification and parental consent for app downloads and in-app purchases by users under 18, effective January 1. While child safety groups support the law as necessary for protecting kids, Apple and Google oppose it citing privacy concerns and potential legal challenges, suggesting instead more targeted age data sharing with apps that truly need it. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Ben covers growing backlash to a federal proposal that would block states from enforcing their own AI laws for the next decade—a move critics call unconstitutional and a gift to Big Tech. Meanwhile, Dave unpacks the newly signed Take It Down Act, which criminalizes the distribution of nonconsensual intimate images, including AI deepfakes, and requires platforms to remove them within 48 hours. While the law has broad support, civil liberties groups warn it could lead to censorship, selective enforcement, and false hope for victims. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Links to stories: Trump signs the Take It Down Act into law On AI Policy, Congress Shouldn’t Cut States Off at the Knees Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠⁠N2K Pro⁠⁠ members on ⁠⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠ is on how the U.S. and UAE have signed a landmark agreement allowing the UAE to build the largest AI campus outside the U.S., easing previous export restrictions and marking a strategic shift to deepen U.S.-UAE tech ties while managing national security concerns and maintaining trade relations with China. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠⁠Caveat Briefing⁠⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Dave and Ben welcome back N2K’s own ⁠⁠⁠Ethan Cook⁠⁠⁠ for our latest policy deep dive segment. As our lead analyst, Ethan shares his knowledge of law, privacy, and surveillance on the latest policy developments shaping the cybersecurity and legal landscape. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an audience survey! Let us know how we are doing! Policy Deep Dive In this Caveat Policy Deep Dive, our conversation and analysis revolve around critical infrastructure policy. Throughout this conversation, we break down how critical infrastructure policy has evolved over the past fifteen years and what policies have been behind some of these advancements. Some key topics focused on during this conversation center on some of the centralization of infrastructure management policies, the creation of CISA, and how the second Trump administration is changing the federal government's approach when managing critical infrastructure. Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠N2K Pro⁠ members on ⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠ a new bill that is gaining traction in Congress where Senators Merkley and Kennedy are looking to limit the TSA's facial scanning program. This law comes after the DHS announced an audit regarding how the TSA has used this technology. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ben and Dave tackle two major policy stories making headlines. Ben unpacks the Fourth Circuit’s long-awaited ruling in United States v. Chatrie, where the court failed to reach a majority decision on whether geofence warrants violate the Fourth Amendment. Instead, the panel affirmed the lower court’s decision based solely on the good-faith exception, leaving key constitutional questions unanswered. Then, Dave covers the latest twist in the Epic Games v. Apple saga: a federal judge ruled that Apple willfully defied a court order to open up iOS app payment options—referring the company and a senior executive for potential criminal investigation. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an ⁠audience survey⁠! Let us know how we are doing! Links related to our show this week: ⁠The Fourth Circuit's Geofencing Case Ends Not With a Bang But A Whimper Apple violated court’s order to loosen app store rules, judge says Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠N2K Pro⁠ members on ⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠ covers the story of how a proposed bipartisan U.S. law aims to crack down on semiconductor chip smuggling by mandating location-tracking technology, while President Trump’s 2026 budget proposes major cuts to CISA’s cybersecurity efforts, signaling shifting federal priorities amid growing concerns over national security and tech competition with China. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please enjoy this encore episode of Caveat. This week on Caveat, Dave and Ben welcome back N2K’s own ⁠⁠⁠Ethan Cook⁠⁠⁠ for our latest policy deep dive segment. As our lead analyst, Ethan shares his knowledge of law, privacy, and surveillance on the latest policy developments shaping the cybersecurity and legal landscape. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an ⁠audience survey⁠! Let us know how we are doing! Policy Deep Dive In this Caveat Policy ⁠Deep Dive⁠, we turn our focus to the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) policy. This month, the Caveat team delves into the key issues shaping political discourse around AI, exploring state-led initiatives, the lack of significant federal action, and the critical areas that still require stronger oversight, offering an in-depth analysis of AI legislation, the varied approaches across states, and the pressing challenges that demand federal attention. Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to ⁠N2K Pro⁠ members on ⁠N2K CyberWire's⁠ website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠ covers the story of the ⁠Paris AI summit⁠, where French President Emmanuel Macron and EU digital chief Henna Virkkunen announced plans to reduce regulatory barriers to support AI innovation. The summit highlighted the growing pressure on Europe to adopt a lighter regulatory touch in order to remain competitive with the U.S. and China, while also addressing concerns about potential risks and the impact on workers as AI continues to evolve. Curious about the details? Head over to the ⁠Caveat Briefing⁠ for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to ⁠caveat@thecyberwire.com⁠. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are joined by Avani Desai, CEO of Schellman, who is talking about what we can expect now that Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is in effect. Ben’s got the story of how a federal judge ruled that Google broke antitrust laws to maintain its dominance in online advertising, marking the second major legal blow in a year that could lead to a dramatic restructuring of the tech giant. Dave’s got the story of a Nevada judge who ruled that "tower dumps"—grabbing cell tower data on thousands of people at once—are unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment… but still let the cops use the data this time because they acted in good faith. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an audience survey! Let us know how we are doing! Links related to our show this week: Google Broke the Law to Keep Its Advertising Monopoly, a Judge Rules Judge Rules Blanket Search of Cell Tower Data Unconstitutional Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s Caveat Briefing covers the story of Google losing its second major antitrust case, escalating U.S.-China trade tensions impacting chipmakers, a new probe into 23andMe’s data handling, and a lawsuit against Discord for child safety concerns—highlighting growing scrutiny of tech giants across legal, regulatory, and geopolitical fronts. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Caveat, Dave and Ben welcome back N2K’s own ⁠⁠⁠Ethan Cook⁠⁠⁠ for our latest policy deep dive segment. As our lead analyst, Ethan shares his knowledge of law, privacy, and surveillance on the latest policy developments shaping the cybersecurity and legal landscape. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an audience survey! Let us know how we are doing! Policy Deep Dive In this Caveat Policy Deep Dive, our conversation and analysis revolves around US cybersecurity policy. Throughout this conversation, we break down the Trump administration's efforts to reassess the US's cybersecurity policies. Some key talking points revolve around pivoting the nation's international focus to prioritize the Pacific region as well as domestic efforts to place cybersecurity responsibilities in the hands of state governments rather than federal agencies. Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s Caveat Briefing covers the story of the FTC officially kicking off its antitrust lawsuit against Meta, and how it accusing the tech giant of monopolizing the social media market through a “buy-or-bury” strategy, with high-profile witnesses like Mark Zuckerberg set to testify as the agency attempts to unwind years-old acquisitions. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got something special for you this week! We are excited to share our very first Caveat Live event. Host Ben Yelin recently headed to the FBI and KU Cybersecurity Conference at the University of Kansas for a live session of Caveat. During the episode, Ben covered the importance of public/private partnerships with Dr. Perry Alexander. Ben and Professor John Symons spoke about the philosophical issues in AI and how those should impact policy decisions. Be sure to tune in for some great conversations. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an audience survey! Let us know how we are doing! Links related to our show this week: FBI and KU Cybersecurity Conference Guest Dr. Perry Alexander, University of Kansas Guest John Symons, University of Kansas Review Essay: Social and Political Aspects of the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Journal of Moral Philosophy Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s Caveat Briefing covers the story of the firing of the NSA Director. Read about the firing as well as the other moves the administration has made to reduce the federal governments cyber defense programs and capabilities. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we are joined by Daniel Barber, CEO and Co-Founder of DataGrail, to discuss why data privacy should matter to companies in 2025. Ben has the story of a California lawmaker’s proposal to regulate kids’ use of AI companions. Dave's got the story of a reporter's 300 mile trek through rural Virginia in search of license plate readers. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an audience survey! Let us know how we are doing! Links to the stories: Kids are talking to ‘AI companions.’ Lawmakers want to regulate that. I drove 300 miles in rural Virginia, then asked police to send me their public surveillance footage of my car. Here’s what I learned. You're Being Tracked Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s Caveat Briefing covers the story of why election officials and lawmakers are fearful that U.S. elections will be less secure after the Trump administration cut funding for federal election security programs, halting CISA’s support and forcing states to find alternative resources amid growing concerns about cyber and physical threats. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we are joined by Tara Wisniewski, EVP for Advocacy, Global Markets and Member Engagement at ISC2 discussing their work on "Navigating Global Transitions: Cybersecurity's Role Amid Political Change?" Ben and Dave both tackle the questionable and potentially illegal use of Signal by high level Trump officials after a text message got sent to the wrong person. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an audience survey! Let us know how we are doing! Links to the stories: The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s Caveat Briefing covers the story of European lawmakers urging the Commission to accelerate efforts on a "Chips Act 2.0" to boost AI chip investments and address technological gaps. In a letter signed by 54 lawmakers, they criticized the slow progress of the original 2023 Chips Act and warned that Europe must strengthen its semiconductor industry to remain competitive amid growing geopolitical tensions. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we are joined by David Wiseman, Vice President of Secure Communications at BlackBerry, discussing making CISA's encrypted communications guidelines actionable. Ben's got the story of the UK’s Online Safety Act kicking in, with Big Tech companies like Musk’s X facing massive fines and potential shutdowns for failing to remove harmful content, despite Musk’s hopes that Trump will intervene to water it down. Dave's got the story of a surveillance success for law enforcement in Baltimore and a new-to-me forensics tool. While this show covers legal topics, and Ben is a lawyer, the views expressed do not constitute legal advice. For official legal advice on any of the topics we cover, please contact your attorney.  Please take a moment to fill out an audience survey! Let us know how we are doing! Links to the stories: UK online safety law Musk hates kicks in today, and so far, Trump can’t stop it Meet Berla, the little-known company that can pull smartphone data from your car Orin Kerr Twitter Get the weekly Caveat Briefing delivered to your inbox. Like what you heard? Be sure to check out and subscribe to our Caveat Briefing, a weekly newsletter available exclusively to N2K Pro members on N2K CyberWire's website. N2K Pro members receive our Thursday wrap-up covering the latest in privacy, policy, and research news, including incidents, techniques, compliance, trends, and more. This week’s Caveat Briefing covers the story of the White House’s unprecedented involvement in the sale of TikTok’s U.S. assets, with Vice President JD Vance overseeing the auction. As multiple bidders, including high-profile investors, navigate a complex and fluid process, the deal faces significant hurdles, including Beijing's influence and the looming threat of TikTok’s U.S. shutdown if a deal isn't finalized by April 5. Curious about the details? Head over to the Caveat Briefing for the full scoop and additional compelling stories. Got a question you'd like us to answer on our show? You can send your audio file to caveat@thecyberwire.com. Hope to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices