In Case You Missed It: Intel Deal Brings Shareholder Woes, CISOs Uncomfortable With Liability, M&A Is a Springboard to Modernization

Intel continued to dominate the news last week as the government made good delivery of $5.7 billion of the nearly $10 billion it’s investing in the semiconductor maker. And new research shows that banks are using mergers and acquisitions as a launchpad to modernization.

Intel Receives $5.7 Billion from Federal Government, Warns Shareholders of Changes

At first blush the federal government’s nearly $10 billion contribution to Intel might seem like a win-win—the chipmaker gets much-needed funding and the U.S. eventually makes bank on its investment. That’s certainly the way the White House and its supporters are touting it.  And the agreement seemingly dovetails nicely with President Trump’s stated intention to support American companies and manufacture chips within the U.S. But shareholders may see their voting power diluted by the government’s equity stake. And it is uncertain if the White House will try to exert influence on Intel’s business.

CISOs Worry About Liability for Security Failures

CISOs continue to be concerned that as their responsibilities grow and they have become more responsible for the security of their companies—and how their organizations respond and remediate incidents—they aren’t adequately protected from liability. They also understand their elevated roles are increasingly making them a target of attackers and are looking for ways to protect themselves.

70% of Banks Pursue M&A as a Launchpad for Modernization

Seventy percent of banking leaders have completed or attempted a merger or acquisition in the past year, and many are using those deals as a springboard for modernization. New research from Exploring M&A trends and challenges in banking, fielded  in April 2025 by TechStudio^™, an Energize Marketing^® company, and FIS^® shows that M&A is no longer just a growth tactic. It has become a strategic lever for integrating proven technologies, boosting efficiency, and delivering seamless digital experiences. To extract the most value, banking and IT leaders plan to leverage technology that extends legacy systems and enables new digital services. Regardless of the growth strategy, banks cannot afford to treat modernization as an afterthought. The survey findings show it should be built into the deal from the start.

Tech Companies Pressed by China to Execute Cyberespionage Campaigns Come Up Short

Salt Typhoon’s cyberespionage campaign may have been more expansive than previously reported, according to an alert issued last week, but there is reason to believe that China, whose Communist Party likely backed the hackers behind the attack, may have torpedoed their own efforts by using domestic technology companies to execute the attacks. The enabling companies by and large failed an FBI official told CyberScoop. “This investigation, and that of our partners, are exposing that the use of these enabling companies by the CCP is a failure,” said Jason Bilnoski, deputy assistant director in the FBI’s cyber division.

Voting Rights Group Warns of Election Interference by Federal Government

The Brennan Center for Justice has warned that the Trump administration and its counterparts in the states are likely gearing up to attack U.S. election integrity. In a report, the organization said agencies that would typically safeguard elections may interfere in the process of elections. The group’s findings came after an assessment of what President Trump and his aides have said and done publicly, denouncing mail-in ballots, purging voter rolls, questioning voter machines, and perhaps intimidating voters with a military presence.