In Episode 34 of IT SPARC Cast, John and Lou dive deep into a week of automation, acceleration, and AI gone awry. TLS certificates are about to live shorter lives than ever before—forcing IT pros into a race toward automation. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s newest models are hallucinating more than ever, raising red flags for enterprises relying on AI accuracy. Plus, quantum messaging gets real, Shadow AI rises in the workplace, and CVE data shows just how fast attackers are moving. It’s a high-speed look at the risks and rewards of tech evolution.

📰 News Bytes

01:10 - TLS Certificate Lifespan Will Shrink to 47 Days

•CA Browser Forum shortens TLS cert lifespan from 1 year to 47 days

•Apple pushes for shorter lifespans to keep up with evolving threat landscapes

•TLS 1.3 and rapid crypto changes drive this shift—are you ready to adapt?

•https://it.slashdot.org/story/25/04/19/1745216/cabrowser-forum-votes-for-47-day-cert-durations-by-2029 

08:20 - New OpenAI Models Show Rising Hallucination Rates

•GPT o3 and o4 mini show a 33-48% hallucination rate in responses

•More claims per response = more chances for errors

•AI won’t replace you, but misusing it could get you fired

•Share your AI hallucination horror stories with the show

•https://slashdot.org/story/25/04/18/2323216/openai-puzzled-as-new-models-show-rising-hallucination-rates 

14:21 - Quantum Messages Over a Traditional Network

•Toshiba Europe sends quantum-encrypted messages over standard fiber

•Quantum key-breaking is close—prepare your infrastructure

•This could be the future of secure, post-quantum communication

•https://www.wsj.com/science/in-a-first-scientists-sent-quantum-messages-a-record-distance-over-a-traditional-network-9124412f?mod=hp_listb_pos1 

20:51 - Half of Workers Use Unapproved AI Tools

•Shadow AI is the new Shadow IT: 50% of workers use unapproved AI daily

•46% would continue even if banned—ease of use trumps policy

•IT must offer secure, flexible AI options to stay in control

•One-size-fits-all tools won’t cut it—tailor AI to user needs

•https://www.securityweek.com/the-shadow-ai-surge-study-finds-50-of-workers-use-unapproved-ai-tools/ 

27:41 -🛡️ CVE of the Week - 28% of CVEs Have Exploits Within 24 Hours

•159 CVEs exploited in Q1 2025, 28.3% within 24 hours of disclosure

•Top targets: CMS, edge devices, OS, open source, and server software

•Vendors most affected: Microsoft, VMware, CyberPower, Litespeed, TOTOLINK

•You have hours, not days, to respond—are you fast enough?

•https://thehackernews.com/2025/04/159-cves-exploited-in-q1-2025-283.html 

34:06 - 📬 Mail Bag & Wrap Up

•Listener Tim inspires an upcoming Deep Dive: “What to Recommend Instead of TP-Link”

•Future episode: nerd knobs vs plug-and-play vs mom-proof gear

•Feedback? Email [email protected] or comment @itsparccast on X or YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.