WASHINGTON (AP) — On the same day it invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russia disabled thousands of satellite modems across Ukraine and other European countries, aiming to disrupt communications. A new AI-assisted tool aims to help close that kind of vulnerability amid concerns about continued Russian aggression and newer Iranian threats to cyber infrastructure.

The cybersecurity company Atalanta has released “Argo” — a product that includes the technology that was instrumental in securing Viasat's satellite communications network after the Russian hacking attack. Industry experts say it presents a new capability for those trying to defend critical systems in the emerging cyberwarfare theater.

Atalanta’s leaders say the new technology relies on what it calls “software understanding,” combining complex mathematics along with artificial intelligence technology to create the first commercially available system that can analyze software and internet-connected systems for vulnerabilities in a more comprehensive manner.

The conflicts in both Ukraine and Iran have highlighted the danger that hackers can pose to everyday life. This summer several government agencies have warned that Iranian hackers have been targeting water and wastewater systems, among other critical infrastructure.

“The tools and techniques of yesterday do not scale for today and ‘software understanding’ is going to be the path forward for anyone building a system of consequence for the United States,” Atalanta CEO and co-founder Anjana Rajan told The Associated Press.

Viasat’s chief of cyber strategy, Nick Saunders, said the new technology not only ensures that the Viasat network is hardened against future attacks but produces the math that backs up that claim. “We have built over the past year, working with Atalanta ...

a capability where we can start to develop an understanding of how our systems are more resilient against attacks,” Saunders said. Atalanta's technology has also been tapped to work on the Genesis Mission — the Department of Energy’s effort to create autonomous nuclear reactors.

Greg Shannon, the chief cybersecurity scientist at the government’s Idaho National Laboratory, said the kind of technology that Atalanta is making available will likely eventually become the standard for testing any new capability. “In a decade or two, I would expect it to be just part of the standard development tool kits,” Shannon added.

Shannon noted that the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, or DARPA, has been investing billions in this technology for a couple of decades. This investment helped create the demand for a system like Argo. DARPA is the military’s cutting-edge research office, which also helped pioneer technologies such as the internet and stealth aircraft.

“They’ve probably invested well over $2 billion in various programs to advance formal methods ... and we’re finally seeing them start to come to fruition,” Shannon said. Last year, Emil Michael, the Pentagon’s chief technology officer, told a DARPA software conference in a prerecorded address that he saw the mathematics underpinning Atalanta's technology as the future of the military and he wanted it to “become the DoD’s gold standard" for cybersecurity.

Advertisement Middle East Crisis US-Iran War Live: US weighs troop pullback from Gulf following damage in Iran war, report says New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 19, 2026 02:00 IST US-Iran War Live Updates: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that no talks with Iran were taking place or scheduled, while insisting that the Strait of Hormuz remained open.

"There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated," Trump said on Truth Social.

Iran, however, maintained that the waterway would remain closed until Washington met conditions under an interim deal signed in June, including lifting the blockade on Iranian ports, removing oil sanctions, unfreezing Iranian assets and ending military operations.

The conflicting claims came as Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy, said on Monday that US-Iran contacts were "probably more robust than it's maybe ever been". Meanwhile, the UAE said it detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran, which it assessed were targeting "maritime traffic".

Both missiles fell into the sea, according to the UAE Defence Ministry. Iran did not immediately comment. The incident was reported as a 60-day window for US-Iran peace talks expired without a breakthrough, raising fears of renewed escalation and further disruption to shipping through Hormuz.

The UAE had also recently accused Iran of attacking ADNOC vessels transiting the strait, although Tehran has not claimed responsibility. Follow indiatoday.in for live updates....Read More (Photo: X/@CENTCOM) 2 Aug 19, 2026 02:00 IST US Iran war: US weighs troop pullback from Gulf after Iran war damage, report says The US Defense Department is considering reducing its military presence in the Persian Gulf after its bases and facilities sustained damage during the war with Iran, The Washington Post reports.

The conflict has given Washington a “once-in-a-generation chance” to reassess its long-term military footprint in the Gulf, according to the report. One option under consideration is moving some US troops and military facilities further west, including to Jordan and Israel.

American refuelling aircraft have been stationed in Israel during the war. Aug 19, 2026 01:59 IST Middle East crisis: Here's what happened so far - US-Iran talks: Trump said no talks with Iran are underway or scheduled. - Trump on Hormuz: He said the Strait of Hormuz is open and operating, while the US naval blockade remains in force.

- Iran’s position: Top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Hormuz will remain closed until US demands under the June interim deal are met. - Iran’s demands: Tehran wants the US to lift the blockade on its ports, remove oil sanctions, unfreeze Iranian assets and end military operations.

- Kushner’s account: Jared Kushner said on Monday that US-Iran contacts were “probably more robust than it’s maybe ever been.” - Talks stalled: A senior Iranian official said Tehran would shift to a “fully offensive” military posture as efforts to reach a permanent deal have stalled.

- UAE missile alert: The UAE said it detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran. - Missiles fell at sea: The UAE Defence Ministry said both missiles fell into the sea and were assessed to have been targeting “maritime traffic.” - No Iranian claim: Iran has not immediately commented on the UAE's missile allegation.

- 60-day window expires: The missile incident followed the expiry of a 60-day window for US-Iran peace talks on Monday without a breakthrough. - UAE all-clear: The UAE earlier told residents the situation was safe and asked them to resume normal activities after the missile warning.

- ADNOC vessels: The UAE has accused Iran of attacking its state-owned ADNOC vessels transiting Hormuz. Iran has not claimed responsibility for those attacks.

Cyberattacks on water facilities test US defenses, reveal gaps Over two days in late July, water supply managers from Georgia to South Dakota saw their screens go dark and their controls go haywire. Hackers gained access to dozens of water utilities around the country, according to state and federal officials.

They infiltrated computer systems, seizing control of equipment that prevents flooding and tap water contamination for hundreds of thousands of Americans. The FBI confirmed July 30 that cyber attackers hit water and wastewater utility companies in seven states.

The bureau did not comment on the actors behind the attacks. Early investigations indicate that U.S. officials believe Iran may be responsible, according to media reports. For those familiar with America’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities, the attacks were not a surprise.

The country’s critical infrastructure, particularly water providers in rural areas, has long been vulnerable to cyberattacks. Foreign adversaries have attacked before, but federal and some state authorities have been slow to equip these utilities with the resources and training they need to protect themselves.

Why We Wrote This A spate of cyberattacks on water utilities across the United States last month were resolved quickly. Yet the incidents underscore weaknesses, particularly in small or rural towns with fewer resources to protect infrastructure. Some trade groups are calling for minimum cybersecurity requirements.

In one sense, the water utility cyberattacks highlight improvements in America’s cybersecurity defenses. The warnings arrived quickly and no serious damage was done. At the same time, the volume of successful attacks illustrates the vulnerabilities that remain and could be expanding.

“Utilities were able to notice the attack quickly, take action quickly, and there were no dire consequences,” says Cynthia Finley, director of regulatory affairs at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, a lobbying group. But, she adds, “we’re concerned about more sophisticated cyberattacks.

… It will be a constant challenge to keep up with the evolving threat.” Locked out of computer systems Four days before the attacks began, seven federal agencies updated a cybersecurity advisory raising alarms about “ongoing Iranian-affiliated cyber targeting” of “U.

S. critical infrastructure sectors.” The advisory cautioned that hackers were trying to access internet-connected devices controlling equipment used by that critical infrastructure. According to a separate advisory by the FBI following the late-July attacks, hackers accessed those devices remotely and then changed IP addresses and passwords, effectively locking the utilities out of their own computer systems.

“Operational effects reported to the FBI have included loss of pressure and flooding,” the agency said. “Pressure loss in water systems could potentially allow untreated ground water to seep into pipes.” The FBI did not respond to questions, referring only to that statement.

According to reports, water utilities in at least 12 states were hacked – a larger number than the FBI has confirmed – including more than 30 in Minnesota. For Karleen Kos – CEO of the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, a trade group – the attacks caused a variety of issues.

Some operators stopped being able to see what was happening in their water systems; some lost automated control over some equipment and had to switch to manual controls; for others, some controls began acting oddly, like a caps lock command getting stuck on a keyboard.

“People started to notice anomalies that didn’t make sense, so they shut the equipment down, rebooted it, and did something to correct what they were seeing,” she says. Nobody’s drinking water was threatened, she adds. Other utilities in the state took manual control of equipment they could no longer control through computer systems.

The U.S. has had other near misses. In 2024, several small Texas towns had their water utilities targeted by Russia-linked hackers, including one town where hackers caused a water storage tank to overflow for nearly 45 minutes. In 2013, Iranian hackers took control of a small dam 20 miles north of New York City.

While the hackers gained access to the dam’s computer systems, they were unable to move its sluice gates. Smaller utilities targeted The cyberattacks last month were broader in their geographical scope than past hacks but still relatively low-tech, according to experts.

The hackers seem to have successfully targeted specific, internet-connected equipment that also had weak password protection. “These were opportunistic [attacks], which is in keeping with what we’ve seen [from] Iran,” says Tahira Mammen, an AI security expert at the RAND Corporation.

Other recent cyberattacks on U.S. water infrastructure have largely fit the same profile and have targeted smaller utilities that are understaffed and underfunded. Water infrastructure in general has only recently been computerized, so operators are often inexperienced in basic cybersecurity practices.

Many smaller utilities can’t afford to hire dedicated cybersecurity teams. Federally-funded training and improvements on this front are all voluntary, and many smaller utilities don’t know they exist or don’t have the resources to access them. Nearly 90% of public water utilities in the U.

S. serve fewer than 10,000 people, according to a National Conference of State Legislatures report in 2022. Some water industry groups are now pushing Congress to enact minimum cybersecurity requirements. On Aug. 5, the American Water Works Association sent a letter to congressional leaders calling on lawmakers to pass a number of bills related to cybersecurity funding for water utilities.

The same day, the head of the National Association of Water Companies issued a similar statement, adding that “the absence of uniform cybersecurity standards leaves too many systems vulnerable.” Some organizations oppose such requirements, however, especially given the pace at which cyber threats are evolving.

Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency should prioritize increasing education and funding for programs that already exist, says Ms. Finley at NACWA. That “is a more practical solution than regulatory requirements, which will take years to develop,” she adds.

Cuts to federal cyber defense department Amid this changing landscape, America’s leading cyber defense department, which works to protect U.S. infrastructure, has been getting downsized and defunded by the Trump administration. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has lost roughly one-third of its workforce, about 1,000 employees, since January 2025 through a combination of layoffs, buyouts, and early retirements.

The administration’s 2027 budget proposes a $707 million cut to the agency. The cuts “eliminat[e] weaponization and waste,” the White House says in the budget. The agency has not had a permanent director since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.

That turmoil didn’t prevent the agency from responding effectively to July’s major cyberattack on U.S. water infrastructure, and cyber experts are optimistic that the half-dozen agencies overseeing the country’s cyber defense are able to protect its critical infrastructure.

“We’re in a moment of strong investment in cybersecurity,” through other federal and private investment, says Ms. Mammen, who previously served as head of the NSA’s Artificial Intelligence Security Center. “We have the technology to be in front of the problem, we just need to apply the technology appropriately.

Pentagon Weighing Permanent Smaller US Presence In Gulf (Just Don't Call It Retreat)

Already US officials have signaled they may just abandon hard-hit bases in the Middle East altogether, in the wake of Iran's retaliation as a result of Operation Epic Fury, and a conflict that's dragged on for nearly six months.

On Tuesday The Washington Post reviews the damage control underway, as the Pentagon 'evaluates' its future military footprint. All of this is framed as if Washington has a choice and full control over the matter, when it seems that all along the Trump administration was woefully underestimating what an Iranian response would look like.

"The Pentagon is evaluating its military footprint in the Middle East in an early sign of the Iran war’s potential to transform the U.S. presence in the region, according to eight people, including officials and others familiar with the matter," Washington Post writes. Air Force file image

"One of the key areas the Defense Department is assessing is whether to pull back troops from the Persian Gulf, where America’s large overseas military bases have been battered by months of Iranian strikes, two people familiar with the ongoing analysis said," it adds, further calling this a "once-in-a-generation" chance for the Pentagon to alter its presence in the region.

The whole thing is being reported as if the 'smart people' are in the room and in control, and also as if the US hegemon in the region didn't already take a massive reputational hit following 'forever wars' and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over 20 years after the initial invasions, the Taliban remains in firm control of Kabul and Afghanistan, and Shiite pro-Iranian politicians run Baghdad.

And now a half-year into a war where the response should have been entirely anticipated (having been predicted by years and decades of Persian Gulf war-gaming and intelligence papers), this is where things stand:

“The war really did highlight the vulnerability ... of U.S. forces in the region,” said Michael Ratney, a former diplomat who served as the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the deputy chief of mission in Qatar.

Moving troops and equipment further west to Jordan, Israel or the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia could help alleviate some of the pressure, he argued, while noting the added distance wasn’t a “perfect solution to this problem.”

Iran has already demonstrated it can strike faraway targets in Jordan and Israel. Last month an Iranian attack on Jordan killed four U.S. service members.

Anyone with eyes to see knows that this is already happening. For months at this point, dozens of US refueling aircraft have clogged up Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport, for just one example.

For smarter and more legitimate analysis, one can turn to Amerikanets, which one month ago was chronicling Tehran's successful campaign of 'debasification':

The broad picture of the Iranian air war in this phase has been a steady wave of concentrated missile and drone strikes sweeping its way across the region. In contrast to the previous hot phase of the war, in which Iran targeted bases across the entire theater simultaneously, this wave started with the targets close to Iranian shores, and has progressed steadily to the Israeli border. After destroying much of the radar network protecting regional US Axis bases in the previous hot phase of the war, Iranian planners have prioritized targeting fuel storage, drone hangers, refueling tankers, and barracks.

The American response has been to pull assets back ever further from Iran, to bases in Israel and Jordan. We’ll call this process debasification. Iran’s debasification strategy takes advantage of the inherent asymmetry between the vastly different force structure and capabilities of Iranian rocket forces and US Axis air forces.

A concluding section predicted the dilemma laid out in WaPo concerning a grand Pentagon evaluation of its force posture in the Middle East:

By all available evidence, the Iranian debasification campaign appears to be working. The US force in the region is likely incapable of generating the same combat power in its air operations against Iran as it could when the war started, and things are trending ever further in a negative direction. Even worse, there’s no clear solution on the horizon. The most obvious lever for American planners to pull is to accept more casualties and losses of personnel and airframes, but this is an unprecedented step the modern incarnation of the US military has never faced.

"The Iranian debasification campaign appears to be working. The US force in the region is likely incapable of generating the same combat power in its air operations against Iran as it could when the war started, and things are trending ever further in a negative direction.… — Alex Shams (@alexshams_) July 21, 2026 What's worse is that the Iranians know all of this full well - and probably earlier than the Western public - and they smell blood in the water. Hence, this week they've been strongly signaling a new 'offensive' military posture, and have vowed to hit harder in whatever next waves of conflict come.

So will the US rebuild bases battered by Iranian strikes? Well, Tehran is now saying that in essence it won't let that happen. The WaPo article operates under the illusory assumption that US planners have some big array of options set before them, when increasingly American forces are in obvious retreat and no one can do anything about it. Also, what happened to Pete Hegseth's rah rah Epic Fury press briefings on all the 'winning' and chest-thumping? It's been a while.

Tyler Durden Tue, 08/18/2026 - 15:25