GenAI Risk Rises as Cybersecurity Investments Lag Behind

A new survey finds that while organizations are rapidly adopting generative AI, many are falling behind on cybersecurity investments to protect against its risks. With threats like prompt injection, data leakage, and AI-powered phishing on the rise, security teams are sounding the alarm—but budgets aren’t keeping pace. ▶️ Read the full story here.

🔍 The Bigger Picture: We’re entering a phase where GenAI adoption is outpacing cyber readiness. Without parallel investment in security tools, policy, and training, organizations risk building innovation on a vulnerable foundation.

📢 Google Unveils New AI Features at I/O Conference

At its I/O 2025 event, Google showcased a wave of new AI features—from real-time translation and AI-generated summaries in Workspace to AI agents that help with planning, writing, and coding. Gemini AI is at the heart of it all, signaling Google’s full-scale push to integrate AI into everyday productivity. ▶️ Read the full story here.

🔍 The Bigger Picture: Google is turning AI into a default layer of your digital life. As AI becomes embedded in tools we use daily, the line between human and machine collaboration continues to blur—bringing both powerful efficiencies and new security considerations.

🛡️Signal Shares Tips for Truly Private Messaging

Signal, the encrypted messaging app trusted by privacy advocates, just released a guide to help users get the most out of its end-to-end encryption features. From enabling disappearing messages to turning off cloud backups, Signal emphasizes that privacy isn’t just built-in—it requires user action too. ▶️ Read the full story here.

🔍 The Bigger Picture: Even with strong encryption, privacy is a practice—not a setting. As messaging apps add more AI and cloud features, users must stay proactive to protect their conversations from unintended exposure..

🕵️‍♂️ Featured Insight: Why Encrypted Messaging Isn’t Always Private

End-to-end encryption is powerful—but it’s not bulletproof if users don’t apply privacy best practices. Apps like Signal offer strong protections, but metadata, cloud backups, and poor settings can still expose sensitive info.

What to watch out for:

• Cloud backups on iMessage and WhatsApp may store unencrypted message copies

• Notifications can leak message content on locked screens

• Screenshots and forwarded messages bypass encryption entirely

Why it’s dangerous:
Even if your messages are encrypted, careless habits can still leak information to bad actors, law enforcement, or third-party platforms.

How to fight back:

• Turn on disappearing messages for sensitive chats

• Disable cloud backups for private conversations

• Use apps like Signal or Session that minimize metadata collection

⚙️ TOOL OF THE WEEK

SimpleX Chat + ChatGPT = Metadata-Free Messaging + Privacy Clarity

SimpleX Chat + ChatGPT = Metadata-Free Messaging + Privacy Clarity

🛠️ Try this workflow:

Download SimpleX Chat — a messaging app with no phone number, no user ID, and no metadata tracking

Start a private chat using a temporary invite link

Unsure how it compares to Signal or WhatsApp? Paste this into ChatGPT:

💡 Great for anyone who wants true anonymity in communication—ideal for journalists, researchers, or just privacy-conscious users.

🎓 Cert Corner – Security+ Tip of the Week

🔐 End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)

Why it matters:
E2EE ensures that only the sender and intended recipient can read a message—not even the service provider can access the content. It’s a foundational privacy control in secure communications.

How it works:

• Messages are encrypted on the sender’s device and decrypted only on the receiver’s device

• Keys are generated locally and never shared with the messaging platform

• Even if a hacker intercepts the message in transit, it’s unreadable without the private key

Real-world example:
Apps like Signal and WhatsApp use E2EE so that your chats can’t be read by anyone else—not app developers, internet providers, or attackers on public Wi-Fi.

Quote of the Week

“Privacy isn’t about hiding—it’s about protecting your right to choose what you share."

Thanks for reading,

Nick Javaid-Founder ThinkLayer.ai

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