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- Weekly Cloud Info #W01 - 2025
Weekly Cloud Info #W01 - 2025
Hi!
Happy new year all!
Dive into the latest AI & cloud updates, and key security stories in our first issue of the year. Stay informed and inspired!
Have a great read. ☕
📰 Top picks of the week
Google Launches Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking for Enhanced AI Reasoning
Google has launched Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, a new AI model aimed at improving reasoning and problem-solving by breaking down complex questions into smaller tasks. The model offers explanations alongside answers, demonstrating its thought process, and handles multimodal data. Despite its promising capabilities, it is still in the experimental stage and may have limitations, as seen in a recent test. The release comes as competition in the AI reasoning space intensifies with rivals like OpenAI and Alibaba developing similar models.
Google Introduces "AI Mode" for Enhanced Search Experience
Google is set to introduce a new "AI Mode" for its search engine, which will allow users to access a chatbot-like interface. This feature will be available from the top of the search results page, offering links to related webpages and prompting follow-up questions. The move reflects Google's response to increased competition in AI-driven search, especially from tools like ChatGPT. A beta version of the AI Mode has already been detected in the Google app.
OpenAI Launches o3, Its Next-Gen Reasoning Model, Approaching AGI
OpenAI launched o3, its latest reasoning model, during its �shipmas� event, claiming it approaches AGI under specific conditions. The model family includes o3 and a smaller version, o3-mini, with a preview available for safety researchers now. OpenAI aims to release o3-mini by the end of January, while safety testing is underway due to risks identified in previous models. The new model utilizes a technique called "deliberative alignment" to enhance safety and reliability in complex tasks.
Alibaba Cloud Introduces QVQ Model with 70.3% Score in Visual Reasoning
Alibaba Cloud has launched QVQ-72B-Preview, an open-sourced model that enhances visual reasoning, achieving 70.3% on the MMMU benchmark. It excels in multimodal tasks, surpassing its predecessor in mathematical and complex problem-solving. Despite some limitations in multi-step reasoning, QVQ is available for experimentation on platforms like Hugging Face and GitHub. This follows the recent release of its QwQ model with 32 billion parameters, highlighting Alibaba�s advancements in AI.
npm Compromise: Rspack Packages Targeted with Malware, Vant Also Affected
Rspack's npm packages, rspack/core and rspack/cli, were compromised in a supply chain attack, leading to the distribution of cryptocurrency mining malware. Versions 1.1.7 were removed after an unauthorized actor published them, with the latest safe version now at 1.1.8. The attack also affected another npm package, vant. Developers encourage stricter package manager safeguards to prevent such incidents.
AWS Security Alert: EC2 Grouper Hackers Target AWS Tools with Compromised Credentials
The hacker group "EC2 Grouper" is exploiting AWS tools and compromised credentials to attack cloud environments. They mainly use PowerShell and distinctive naming conventions for security groups. Analysts believe their goal is resource hijacking, complicating detection efforts for security teams. Experts recommend enhanced security measures, including Continuous Security Monitoring and anomaly detection.
AWS Adds IPv6 Support to Application Discovery Service for Enhanced Cloud Migration
AWS Application Discovery Service now supports IPv6 endpoints, enhancing cloud migration by allowing customers to discover on-premises server inventory using IPv6 addresses. This new feature includes dual-stack domains, maintaining compatibility with existing IPv4 endpoints. The change addresses the growing need for more IP addresses due to the rise of mobile apps and IoT. The new domains are accessible from any AWS Region where ADS is available.
AWS: Amazon Aurora Adds Support for PostgreSQL Versions 12.22-16.6
Amazon Aurora now supports PostgreSQL versions 16.6, 15.10, 14.15, 13.18, and 12.22, released by the PostgreSQL community on November 21, 2024. This update includes product improvements, bug fixes, and Aurora-specific enhancements. Standard support for Aurora PostgreSQL 12 ends on February 28, 2025, urging users to upgrade. The updates are available in all commercial AWS regions except China.
AWS EKS Now Offers Programmatic Access to Kubernetes Version Availability
Amazon EKS now allows programmatic access to Kubernetes version availability, making it easier to select and discover versions for cluster creation or upgrades. Kubernetes has three minor releases annually, with EKS providing 14 months of standard support followed by 12 months of extended support. This new feature is available across all commercial AWS regions and the AWS GovCloud (US) Regions. Users can access version metadata including support status and dates via the EKS user guide and API specification.
AWS ECR Introduces Registry Policy v2 for Enhanced Permission Management
Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR) has launched registry policy v2, which now manages IAM permissions for all ECR API actions. This update simplifies permission control across ECR private registries, enhancing security and efficiency. Customers can easily migrate from registry policy v1 to v2 using the management console or ECR API. The new policy is available in all AWS commercial regions.
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