Tuesday☕️

Feb 6, 2024 • 5 min read

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U.S. Middle East Strikes:

Yesterday, around 3:30 PM Sanaa time, U.S. Central Command forces launched defensive operations targeting two unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) with explosives, operated by the Houthi forces. These USVs, found in areas under Houthi control within Yemen, were assessed as posing a direct and immediate danger to both U.S. Navy ships and civilian shipping operations in the vicinity.
Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) are sophisticated maritime platforms that operate on the surface of the water without an onboard human crew. They serve a multitude of purposes, ranging from surveillance and reconnaissance to environmental monitoring and oceanographic data collection. Beyond these applications, USVs are also capable of being outfitted with weaponry, making them effective tools for maritime security and defense operations.
This capability allows for the remote execution of offensive and defensive tasks, such as anti-ship warfare, harbor defense, and the delivery of precision strikes against surface targets. The integration of weaponry into USVs represents a significant evolution in naval warfare, offering a blend of stealth, endurance, and precision in executing combat missions. This incident underscores the ongoing tensions and escalations in the Middle East.

AnyDesk Cyberattack:

AnyDesk, a company that provides software for remotely accessing computers, recently confirmed it was hacked. This attack disrupted their operations for almost a week and forced the company to take significant security measures, such as resetting passwords and revoking old security certificates. AnyDesk is widely used by IT professionals and has over 170,000 customers, including big names like Comcast and Samsung. However, it's also known that hackers sometimes use AnyDesk for malicious purposes.
The U.S. cybersecurity agency had previously warned about such risks. The issue came to light when AnyDesk replaced its security certificates, hinting at a problem. Later, the company admitted to finding signs of a security breach but did not give specifics about what happened. They've taken steps to secure their systems, including introducing a new security certificate for their software. Despite the breach, AnyDesk assures users that their systems are safe and urges them to update to the latest version of the software.

Palantir Earnings:

Palantir reported adjusted earnings of 8 cents per share, aligning with forecasts, and a fourth-quarter revenue of $608.4 million, which surpassed the expected $602.4 million. Year over year, for the quarter ending December 31, 2023, Palantir's revenue surged by 20% to $608.4 million from $508.6 million, and the net income rose to $93.4 million, or 4 cents per share, up from $30.9 million, or 1 cent per share, compared to the same period the previous year.
In his letter to shareholders, CEO Alex Karp highlighted the company's significant expansion and growth, driven by the unrelenting demand for large language models in the U.S. He noted that Palantir had conducted nearly 600 pilot projects with its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) in 2023, a substantial increase from fewer than 100 in 2022. Looking ahead, Palantir expects revenue between $612 million and $616 million for the first quarter and has set its full-year revenue guidance at $2.65 billion to $2.67 billion.

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