Open Data Institute

The Netherlands has cancelled its use of Microsoft 365 and switched to open-source alternatives. The move reflects a growing push by governments to reduce dependence on proprietary software from US tech companies, driven by concerns over digital sovereignty, data privacy and vendor lock-in. It adds the Netherlands to a list of European institutions rethinking their reliance on Microsoft products.

Penn State has opened a contest inviting examples of innovative applications of artificial intelligence in research. The competition seeks to highlight creative ways researchers are using AI tools, from data analysis to study design. Details on judging criteria, prizes and deadlines were not included in the announcement, but the initiative signals growing institutional interest in showcasing responsible, cutting-edge AI practices across academic disciplines.

Open data is back in focus as a topic of public explanation: the idea that datasets held by governments and public institutions should be freely available for anyone to access, reuse and redistribute. The renewed attention reflects ongoing debates about transparency, civic technology and how open datasets can support research, journalism and new applications.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russian forces captured 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) of Ukrainian territory in September, echoing claims by his generals. The Institute for the Study of War, which tracks front-line changes using geolocated open-source data, said Russia's actual gains were significantly smaller, casting doubt on the Kremlin's figures.

CFTC data shows leveraged funds reduced their Bitcoin futures short positions by 5,300 BTC-equivalent in the week to September 29. However, long positions also shrank during the same period, and total open interest across Bitcoin futures contracts fell 13.3%. Analysts are weighing whether the reduction in shorts signals bullish sentiment among leveraged traders or simply a broad pullback from futures markets, with falling open interest suggesting overall deleveraging rather than a clear directional bet.

Kaseya has introduced a framework aimed at strengthening digital resilience in higher education IT. The initiative addresses how universities and colleges can better prepare for cyber threats, outages and operational disruptions. Higher education remains a frequent target for attacks given its mix of open networks and sensitive research data, and the framework offers institutions a structured approach to improving security and continuity.

Danish police have opened an investigation into a data breach at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), with a separate GDPR probe also underway. The dual-track response signals regulators treat the incident as a potentially serious data protection failure, and attention is now on what data was exposed and who was responsible.

The Open Data Institute is hosting a free webinar titled 'Better interventions: AI chatbots must not be the new social media', part of its Data-Centric AI series. A panel of experts will discuss how to investigate AI systems for systemic risks and put early oversight in place, drawing comparisons with the harms that went unchecked during the rise of social media platforms.

The Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure has reported a security compromise involving two chained vulnerabilities in the open-source ticketing system Zammad. The attack combined session hijacking, remote code execution, privilege escalation and data exfiltration, showing how separate flaws in a single service can be combined into a full intrusion path. Security professionals are circulating the report as a case study in chained exploits and the importance of patching interconnected components.

Flagstar Bank is drawing attention for its decision to keep its AI agents cut off from the open internet. The approach is being discussed as an example of how financial institutions are limiting AI tools to internal data and tasks, reducing risks around data leaks, errors and security breaches when deploying agentic systems in banking.