Technology

• Apple may be developing a dedicated gaming app for iOS, macOS and more
• The app will contain things like achievements, leaderboards and messages
• It could be announced at WWDC in June

For years, Apple has been trying to convince the world that it’s taking gaming seriously, and with the popularity of IOS gaming and the appearance of AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 on macOS, there’s some truth to the company’s assertion.

Just in case you needed more convincing, there’s a new rumor from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman that Apple will soon launch a dedicated gaming app in iOS 19 to woo players to its platforms. As a Mac-owning gamer, I'm cautiously optimistic about the rumors – even if we still need more affordable hardware and games before it gets anywhere close to being a Windows competitor.

If you missed the news, the app will apparently “serve as a launcher for titles and centralize in-game achievements, leaderboards, communications and other activity,” Gurman said, adding that it will also feature “editorial content from Apple about new titles, offer access to the App Store’s game section and promote [Apple] Arcade.” It’s expected to be revealed on iOS, macOS, iPadOS and tvOS as soon as Apple’s WWDC 2025 event on June 9.

The move makes sense – after all, the iPhone is a phenomenally popular gaming platform, and announcing a move like this at WWDC could help to cement the popularity of iOS 19 before it’s even out the door. Apple might also be hoping that it will tempt more gamers to switch from Windows to the Cupertino firm’s platforms – but on this point, I’m not entirely convinced.

Destination of choice for gamers

(Image credit: Apple)

This app might work well in iOS 19, where gaming tends to be a little more casual than on desktop computers. But things might look very different on macOS.

As a gamer who also owns a Mac, I’ve been encouraged over the last few years by Apple’s strides in the gaming world. It’s nowhere near parity with Windows yet, but the situation today is much better than it was just a few years ago.

For a long time, the problem was the chicken-and-egg nature of Mac gaming. Gamers didn’t want to switch to macOS due to the lack of games, and developers didn’t want to bring games to the Mac due to the lack of players. That’s slowly starting to change, with big-name titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Baldur’s Gate 3 helping to dispel the idea that the Mac is a gaming wasteland.

However, the impact of a dedicated gaming app will likely be limited. Beyond my contention that gamers care more about hardware and game availability than launcher apps, Gurman is also skeptical, saying that “testers of the software say it probably won’t change the perception among players and makers of high-end titles.”

Any advance for gaming on Apple’s platforms is welcome in my eyes, and this app could help by making gaming more prominent among users of iOS and macOS. But what’s really needed – on the Mac at least – is a greater number of attention-grabbing titles and more affordable access to components that offer exceptional gaming performance.

Until that happens, Windows will always be the destination of choice for gamers.

You might also like

• Apple might be close to launching a dedicated hub for gaming on the Mac, iPhone, and iPad
• Turns out, people don’t really want console games on iPhone – but I think that misses the point
• Best Mac games 2025: the best Apple-friendly gaming experiences you can get

A new report shows a sharp increase in peak electricity demand, leading to blackout concerns in multiple states. Here's how experts say you can prepare.

DIY types, take note, the updated Self Service Repair Store provides iPad owners a whole new world of options.

• 1-bit Rainbow is offering the tiniest classic Mac on the market
• It has a two-inch display and is powered by a Pico Zero Raspberry Pi
• You can buy a fully assembled unit for just $59

You might have heard the phrase “small form-factor PC” to describe computers that are smaller than the average rig, but someone has just taken the SFFPC concept to a whole new level with a working Mac that features a display measuring just two inches across.

Appropriately dubbed the Pico-Mac-Nano, this tiny computer from 1-bit Rainbow features a 3D printed chassis that faithfully recreates the classic Macintosh look from the 1980s, albeit on a minute scale.

On the inside, the device is powered by a Pico Zero Raspberry Pi, while it packs in a two-inch 480p display for somewhat uncomfortable reading, plus 512MB of memory, a microSD card slot for storage, and a three-volt CR2 battery. It runs the MicroMac 128K emulator, which provides the vintage Mac operating system flavor. That means it’s a fully working computer, although whether it’s actually practical is another matter.

You can buy the fully assembled Pico-Mac-Nano for a mere $59 (around £44 / AU$92) – so much for the Apple tax. Alternatively, 1-bit Rainbow has supplied the 3D printing files if you want to print your own case and flash a regular Pico Raspberry Pi yourself.

There’s even a special Collectors Edition of the Pico-Mac-Nano that comes in a small-scale replica of Apple’s original ‘Picasso’ Macintosh shipping box. This version will set you back a modest $78 (or about £58 / AU$122).

A true small form-factor Mac

(Image credit: 1-bit Rainbow)

As someone who loves and owns both a SFFPC and a Mac, I’m always keeping an eye out for fascinating projects that can bridge the gap between both worlds.

This device, though, might be taking it a little too far even for me. I can’t imagine I’d be able to run many of the best Mac games on it – never mind “can it run Crysis?,” perhaps we should be asking “can it run Chess?”

Still, there’s no doubt that this product is an incredible achievement and shows just what can be done with modern hardware and software. Whether or not you want to 3D print it yourself, you’ll still be getting your hands on a neat little project that makes a faithful nod to the Macs of old.

So, if the miniscule M4 Mac mini isn’t quite small enough for you, perhaps the Pico-Mac-Nano will do the trick. Just don’t expect it to handle DeepSeek R1’s large language model any time soon.

You might also like

• Best mini PC of 2025: we benchmarked the top mini computers for every budget
• Apple Mac mini (M4, 2024) review: smaller, faster, better
• Apple's M4 Mac mini might be one of the best Macs ever, but it has a serious issue that needs fixing right now

Apple's flagship line dominated first quarter sales, with Samsung close on its heels.

Call us biased, but we believe our rigorous, objective TV reviews are the best on the planet. Here's how we nail the details.

• Researchers found a website spoofing Bitdefender antivirus
• The site delivers a remote access trojan
• Crooks are using it to steal people's money

One of the best antivirus programs out there is being abused in a new campaign delivering the dangerous VenomRAT Remote Access Trojan (RAT).

Cybersecurity researchers Domaintools recently posted an in-depth analysis of the malicious operation after they spotted a malicious domain called “bitdefender-download[.]com”, which leads to a website titled “DOWNLOAD FOR WINDOWS”.

Aside from a few subtle differences, the website looks seemingly identical to the legitimate Bitdefender download web page: “There are subtle differences between them such as the legitimate page using the word “free” in several places whereas the spoofed version does not,” it was explained.

VenomRAT

The landing page has a “Download for Windows” button, which triggers a file download from an Amazon S3 bucket.

The bundled executable is named “StoreInstaller.exe”, and was found to contain malware configurations associated with VenomRAT, Domaintools further explained. It also contained code associated with open source post-exploitation framework SilentTrinity and StormKitty stealer.

VenomRAT is a lightweight RAT that cybercriminals use to gain control over compromised Windows systems. It enables the theft of login credentials, and allows threat actors to log keystrokes, access webcams, and run additional commands, remotely.

In this case, Domaintools says the goal was to steal people’s cryptocurrency and then sell the access to a different threat actor, saying there is “clear intent to target individuals for financial gain by compromising their credentials, crypto wallets, and potentially selling access to their systems.”

The researchers also found that the campaign overlaps, both in time and infrastructure, to other malicious operations in which banks and “generic IT services” were being impersonated. The Armenian IDBank, and the Royal Bank of Canada, are some of the companies being mentioned in the report.

As usual, the best way to minimize these threats is to be careful when clicking on links in emails and social media messages, and only download software from legitimate sources.

You might also like

• Criminals are using a virtual hard disk image file to host and distribute dangerous malware
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

• Google Photos is celebrating its 10th birthday
• New editing tools are coming to Android and iOS
• Users will also be able to share photos via QR code

Google Photos has now been with us for 10 years, and Google is marking the occasion by redesigning the app's photo editor, and adding some of the AI-powered trickery that was previously exclusive to the best Pixel phones.

The editor revamp collects together some key features while adding new ones: choose to edit a photo and you'll see a number of suggested enhancements pop up. Tap on someone or something in an image, and even more suggestions appear, such as the option to move the selection somewhere else in the picture, or blur the background behind it.

Tools that have previously been exclusive to the Google Pixel 9 series are now going to be available for everyone. They include Auto Frame for getting suggested crops for a shot, and Reimagine, which works like a mini AI image generator to let you introduce new elements or edit existing ones with text prompts.

Other examples provided by Google include getting suggestions as to how to enhance a particular area of a photo, and changing the look of the sky using the Reimagine tool – so you can turn a cloudy day into a sunny one, if you want to. The redesigned editor reaches Android next month, with iOS following "later this year".

Easier sharing

You can view your photos and videos based on where they were taken (Image credit: Future)

Away from the redesigned editor, the Google Photos apps are also making it easier to share photos with other people. You'll now be able to do this using a QR code – so you can just pass the code on to other people or post it publicly for anyone to use.

Google has also used the occasion to share some tips and tricks for using its photos app. These aren't new but you might not have been aware of them: like the way you can tap Places on the Collections tab to see your photos spread out across locations, and focus on pictures and videos from particular spots.

Another feature highlighted by Google is the way you can use natural language in searches, whether it's "me in a blue shirt" or "at the beach" – and Google's AI will find what you're looking for. Just tap the Search button down in the lower right corner, then put your query in at the top.

According to Google, since its launch 10 years ago, more than 9 trillion photos and videos have been stored on the service, and more than 1.5 billion people are using it monthly – making 210 edits each month between them. Personally though, I think it's still a shame Google took away unlimited storage for Pixel owners.

You might also like

• New Google Photos features to look out for
• Google Pixel 10 details appear in fresh leaks
• Add some Ultra HDR magic in Google Photos

Ground control lost contact with the spacecraft which broke apart after spinning out of control and reentering earth's atmosphere.

• MathWorks confirmed suffering a ransomware attack
• It is bringing systems online but the process is taking time
• No threat actors have yet claimed responsibility

MathWorks, a prominent mathematical computing software developer, has confirmed suffering a ransomware attack that crippled its operations.

In an announcement published on a dedicated status page, the company said the attack happened almost two weeks ago, and it still hasn’t been fully remedied. The company did start to tentatively bring operations back online.

“MathWorks experienced a ransomware attack. We have notified federal law enforcement of this matter. The attack affected our IT systems,” the status page reads. “Some of our online applications used by customers became unavailable, and certain internal systems used by staff became unavailable, beginning on Sunday, May 18. We have brought many of these systems back online and are continuing to bring other systems back online with the assistance of cybersecurity experts.”

Negotiations ongoing?

The newest update, posted on May 27, says MATLAB Answers, Cloud Center, and File Exchange, have been restored for existing users. The latter is operating “in a degraded state with file viewing and GitHub sync not yet enabled.”

MathWorks is best known for MATLAB and Simulink, two popular solutions used worldwide for data analysis, simulation, and model-based design in engineering and scientific applications, with its products used by more than 100,000 organizations and more than 5 million customers across the world.

At press time, there was no information about the perpetrators, as no threat actors have yet claimed responsibility for the attack, and crucial details are still missing.

We don’t know who the threat actors are, or if they stole any sensitive company or customer data from MathWorks’ systems, as is the usual practice with ransomware attacks.

One of the possibilities is that the attackers are currently negotiating with the company, which is why the details are being kept hidden.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• DragonForce ransomware hacks SimpleHelp RMM tool to attack MSPs
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

Manuel Pellegrini's Andalusians take on Enzo Maresca's west Londoners in this showpiece showdown in Wrocław, Poland.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2: key information

- No release date confirmed yet
- Announcement could be made at Netflix Tudum 2025
- Production began in September 2024 and wrapped in May 2025
- Main cast set to return from season 1
- New cast additions revealed in November 2024 and Mat 2025
- Story will reportedly feature a time jump
- Its Nickelodeon animated TV namesake holds the key to where its plot will go next
- A third and final season is now in production

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 could be released on Netflix sooner than any of us think. Indeed, with filming wrapped in May and the possibility of a launch date announcement being made Netflix Tudum 2025 on May 31, we could be reunited with Aang and company before the end of the year.

Before Netflix's live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon's animated classic returns to our screens, what do we know about it? Below, we've rounded up the latest information on Avatar season 2, including our prediction about when it'll be released, its confirmed cast, story specifics, and more.

Full spoilers follow for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1. Possible spoilers are also discussed for the show's sophomore season.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 release date prediction

The Avatar will return. AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Seasons 2 & 3. Only on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/sUnY5w6JgfMarch 6, 2024

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 doesn't have a release date yet. However, we've known it's been on the way for a while now. Indeed, Netflix renewed the hit fantasy show for two more seasons last March.

Principal photography began in September 2024 and officially wrapped in May 2025. Now, we've just got to wait for post-production to be completed before one of the best Netflix shows' second season is available to stream.

So, when do we think it'll be released? A release date of late 2025 to early 2026 isn't out of the question, especially with filming having been completed. Will we get more details – or, whisper it quietly, an actual launch date reveal – at Netflix Tudum 2025? That would be enough to make us shout "Yip yip!"

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 trailer: is there one?

Prepare yourselves for season 2's official teaser, whenever it'll be released (Image credit: Netflix)

A trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 hasn't made its debut yet. Once one is released, we'll update this section.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 cast: confirmed and rumored

Commander Zhao's return in season 2 seems unlikely (Image credit: Netflix)

Full spoilers follow for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1.

Here's the confirmed cast for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 so far:

• Gordon Cormier as Aang
• Kiawentiio as Katara
• Ian Ousley as Sokka
• Dallas Liu as Zuko
• Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai
• Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Zuko
• Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula
• Miya Cech as Toph
• Chin Han as Long Feng
• Justin Chien as King Kuei
• Amanda Zhao as Joo Dee
• Crystal Yu as Lady Beifong
• Kelemete Misipeka as The Boulder
• Hoa Xuande as Professor Zei
• Lourdes Faberes as General Sung
• Rekha Sharma as Amita
• Madison hu as Fei
• Dichen Lachman as Yangchen
• Dolly De Leon as Lo and Li
• Lily Gao as Ursa
• Terry Chen as Jeong Jeong
• Jon Jon Briones as Piandao
• Tantoo Cardinal as Hama

The first seven actors will reprise their respective roles from the series' first outing. Everyone else from Cech onwards, though, is new to the show.

Speaking of Cech, she was cast as fan-favorite character Toph in November 2024. For the uninitiated, she's an extremely powerful Earthbender, who'll accompany Aang and company on their quest to stop the Fire Nation's attempts to become this world's tyrannical rulers.

We have our Toph!! Please welcome Miya Cech to Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/p7V7akclraSeptember 20, 2024

There have been plenty more cast reveals since Cech was added to the show's roster, too. Last November, eight more actors were confirmed to appear, including Justin Chien as King Kuei, aka the Earth Kingdom's current ruler, and Crystal Yu as Lady Beifong – the latter being Toph's mom.

A post shared by Avatar: The Last Airbender (@avatarnetflix)

A photo posted by on

Then, to celebrate the end of filming on season 2, Netflix unveiled another seven cast additions. The most notable name among this contingent is Dichen Lachman, who some viewers will recognize as Gemma Scout/Ms Casey from the hugely successful Apple TV+ series Severance. She'll be playing Yangchen in Avatar season 2.

A post shared by Avatar: The Last Airbender (@avatarnetflix)

A photo posted by on

For Commander Zhao (Ken Leung), he appears to meet his demise in the season 1 finale following a battle with Zuko, who unleashes his fire powers upon him. Asked by RadioTimes.com about his potential return, Leung said, “In the original, we do know what happens to him – he ends up in the Fog of Lost Souls in the spirit world. As this is a re-imagining, I don’t know how that part of it will be re-imagined, if it will be, so I’m in the same boat as you!”

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 story speculation

Suki and Sokka will continue to support Aang in battle (Image credit: Netflix)

Major spoilers follow for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1. Potential season 2 spoilers also follow.

When it comes to the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series, there’s certainly a storyline and timeline for Netfli'sx adaptation to follow. One of the biggest issues that Netflix’s version faces, though, is that the original took place across the same 12-month period.

By keeping the same cast in this remake, season 1 showrunner Albert Kim had to allow for the actors to grow up on screen. Given they'll have aged up since the first season was released, a narrative tweak was needed in the form of including a time jump, as Kim previously confirmed in a chat with Entertainment Weekly (EW).

How does this impact the arrival of Sozin’s Comet, aka the celestial object that depicts the passage of time in the original show? Kim added: "We removed that particular ticking clock from our show for now because we couldn’t know exactly how old our actors would be for the subsequent seasons."

Season 1's mid-credits scene revealed Sozin’s Comet would be part of the story moving forward, though, so it'll be interesting to see how its inclusion factors into the time jump that's been introduced in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2.

Aang will be older than the last time we saw them (Image credit: Netflix)

Elsewhere, in conversation with Netflix's in-house Tudum, website, executive producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani revealed a bit more about what viewers can expect next time around.

"We’re going to challenge our characters with more complex and nuanced obstacles as they navigate a more tactile world," the pair teased. "Just as the animated series matured and progressed, the live- action will also take these characters and worlds, and grow them."

The show's exploration of more mature themes won't be a surprise to anyone who watched Netflix's remake and/or the original.

Where the former is concerned, Aang and the Waterbenders successfully repelled the Fire Nation's attack on the Northern Water Tribe at Agna Qel’a. Unfortunately, the Fire Nation simultaneously attacked the Earthbenders in the city of Omashu and were successful in defeating those defending their tribal stronghold.

This sets the plot up nicely for the Earthbending focus of season 2, which matches the original series. More training, more harnessing of skills, and more battles for Aang and company are certainly on the cards, then.

"I thought it was really clever of the writers to end season 1 in that way, because you want to get a sense that the universe of the show is expanding with every season," Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Zuko and Azula’s ruthless father, Fire Lord Ozai, told Tudum. "And they really did a good job of that with that cliff-hanger and also created a sense of urgency and time."

What's next for Zuko (center) and his allies? (Image credit: Netflix)

There’s also the escalating tension between Zuko and Azula as they continue their complicated family dynamic. Azula took the city of Omashu and its King Bumi captive, while an injured Zuko fled from the battle in the North. Zuko is one of the most fascinating characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and, while long-time fans know what lies in store for him in future seasons, it'll be no less intriguing to see him evolve as an individual.

And what of Aang’s face-to-face with the aforementioned pair's father and ruler of the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Ozai?

"Always leave the audience wanting more," Lee teased. "I just had chills seeing Lizzy as Azula. You’ve got King Bumi in shackles, and it’s just like, ‘Oh, there’s so many cliff-hangers.’ I was like, ‘Oh, I want to shoot season 2 [and] 3 right now.'"

Unfortunately for Kim, he hasn't done that, with Boylan and Rassani assuming the reins as co-showrunners. It'll be equally interesting, then, to see if Avatar: The Last Airbender seasons 2 and 3 are better (or worse) than what's come before. Speaking of the show's third season...

Has Avatar: The Last Airbender been renewed for a third season?

That’s a wrap on Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2!The time of Sozin’s comet draws near. Season 3 is now in production! pic.twitter.com/Esx3ZOOGAqMay 20, 2025

It has. As we mentioned earlier, Netflix renewed Avatar: The Last Airbender for two more seasons last March. As the above X/Twitter post reveals, season 3 has entered full production as of May 2025, too.

With season 2 taking around six months to film, its sequel could take a similar amount of time. If that's the case, principal photography could wrap on the series' final installment before the end of 2025. That could allow Netflix to release seasons 2 and 3 within close proximity of one another, or ensure season 3 arrives no later than a year after Avatar season 2's launch. In short: Avatar: The Last Airbender could be done and dusted as a Netflix TV Original by the end of 2026.

For more Netflix TV-based coverage, read our guides on One Piece season 2, Stranger Things season 5, Wednesday season 2, and Squid Game season 3.

• ExpressVPN's mobile applications just recieved a major redesign
• This major update comes only a few days after the provider released its new AircoveOS v5.3
• Both upgrades promise to deliver faster and smoother performances

ExpressVPN now promises an even better experience for users after releasing some major updates on some of its applications.

The first to undergo a revamp has been its router with a built-in VPN, Aircove. The AircoveOS v5.3 update unveiled on May 22, 2025, now brings a more intuitive design to better manage all its flagging features and settings.

Only a few days later, ExpressVPN has now also launched a completely redesigned version of its mobile apps. The ethos is the same, though – make the VPN "faster, smarter, and more user-friendly across both platforms," explains the provider.

ExpressVPN's new mobile apps

Despite being one of the best VPN services thanks to its reliable performance and easy-to-use applications, the ExpressVPN team has decided to make the experience for mobile users even better.

Both its iOS and Android VPN apps now offer a cleaner and faster design (see image below) to make the overall experience more intuitive.

This includes a new built-in speed test tool that allows users to check how the VPN server they're connected to performs in real-time, and discover which may be the fastest choice. This could be advantageous for those who use ExpressVPN as a streaming or gaming VPN.

The redesign also includes a new map view for the very first time, helping more visual users get a sense of where they're connected, especially when they need to change location often.

A new server map view (on the right) and speed test (on the left) both aim to help users choose the best server for their needs. (Image credit: ExpressVPN)

TechRadar needs you! We want to know what you think about the world of VPNs. Whether you're a novice or a VPN pro, we want to hear your thoughts. Don't worry, though, your responses are completely anonymous, and it takes less than five minutes to complete!

To take part, click the link below: https://futurenet.questionpro.eu/tr-vpn

With this update, ExpressVPN's Smart Location – a feature which connects you to the best server location automatically – also promises to be even "smarter."

"It uses speed, latency, and distance to suggest the best servers for you, plus you’ll see the top 3-5 fastest locations at the top of your list," the provider explains in a blog post.

Lastly, iPhone VPN users now have the option to pick OpenVPN as their chosen protocol, in addition to the provider's very own Lightway and IKEv2.

"Lightway is still our go-to protocol for speed, reliability, and security, but we know one size doesn’t fit all. Adding OpenVPN to iOS gives you more flexibility and control," said the provider.

The team started to roll out this update on May 27 and ensured it would become available for all users by May 30.

ExpressVPN AircoveOS v5.3

The revamp of both Aircove and Aircove Go has a simple goal – strengthening the core infrastructure to make the user experience more stable and easier.

"Whether you’re streaming, managing multiple devices, or setting up your router for the first time, you’ll spend less time troubleshooting and more time enjoying the internet safely," said the provider in its official announcement.

To achieve this, the team implemented a series of technical fixes, including updating some key system components like the Linux kernel and Wi-Fi drivers, as well as improving internal hardware component management. You can find the full technical details here.

What you can expect, though, is a faster experience when setting up your Device Group choices, thanks to less scrolling required and the ease of setting up the VPN location directly when creating a device group.

Managing groups got easier, too, thanks to improved drag-and-drop capabilities and a new dropdown option. The provider explains that these changes would be especially advantageous on mobile and tablets.

Helpful setup tips and smoother animations would also make it easier for new VPN router users to get started.

Enhancements to Wi-Fi Link and parental controls are also among the new batches of releases coming for Aircove users, so stay tuned.

You might also like

• ExpressVPN's latest upgrade to Lightway hopes to create "the VPN protocol of the future"
• The perception of lifetime VPN deals has changed, but are they really just "a true Ponzi scheme"?
• Is the internet ready for the "biggest security threat of all time"?

• Microsoft spots fake Entra pages being distributed in phishing emails
• The attacks targeted organizations in the West, mostly in critical infrastructure
• The goal was to gather intelligence for the Russo-Ukrainian conflict

Russian hacking campaigns, part of the country’s wider war effort against Ukraine, are getting more aggressive, security researchers from Microsoft have claimed, after they spotted a change in how a specific threat actor, called Void Blizzard, is running its operations.

Void Blizzard, also known as Laundry Bear, would usually buy login credentials off the dark web and use them to gain access to their targets’ IT infrastructure. Once inside, the hackers would exfiltrate emails, sensitive files, and business data, and look for means to continue moving laterally throughout the organization.

However, in recent times, the group has switched from buying login credentials into stealing them itself, and to do that it started spoofing Microsoft Entra login pages.

NATO in the crosshairs

Microsoft Entra is a comprehensive identity and network access solution that many organizations use to secure access to their digital resources across both cloud and on-prem. Void Blizzard would create fake pages using typosquatted domains and then distribute them to the victims using spear phishing and similar methods.

The victims are mostly small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) located in the West, as the campaign “disproportionately” targets organizations in Ukraine and NATO member states, Microsoft says, suggesting it is actually part of Russia’s war on Ukraine, and is designed to collect intelligence from critical sectors.

That being said, the majority of the victims are in government, defense, transportation, media, NGO, and healthcare.

In some instances, the hackers targeted education, telecommunications, and law enforcement agencies, as well, with more than 20 NGOs in Europe and North America targeted.

“Void Blizzard primarily targets NATO member states and Ukraine. Many of the compromised organizations overlap with past—or, in some cases, concurrent—targeting by other well-known Russian state actors, including Forest Blizzard, Midnight Blizzard, and Secret Blizzard,” Microsoft concluded.

“This intersection suggests shared espionage and intelligence collection interests assigned to the parent organizations of these threat actors.”

You might also like

• Global Russian hacking campaign steals data from government agencies
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

It was just a glimpse, two 8-second Veo 3 videos, but as with so many life-altering things, I'll never forget my first time generating synchronized audio and video with one deftly crafted prompt.

I'm currently running Google AI Pro, the $19.99 a month account that gives you access to the Gemini 2.5 Pro model and, more importantly, a limited trial of Veo 3 video generation.

Veo 3 is the tipping-point level of generative video creation that, for the first time, makes it possible to create videos with dialogue, background noises and sound effects, all synced to the action.

While I understood that my Veo 3 access might be limited, I wasn't sure how many videos I could generate with the new model. The answer, it seems, is exactly two. If I want unlimited access, I can switch to Google AI Ultra for an eye-watering $249.99 a month (there's a three-month deal for $124.99 a month). And Veo 3 is currently US-only.

Since Veo 3 launched at Google I/O 2025, my TikTok feed has been filled with these incredible and often quite realistic AI clips. Some look like infomercials or commercials, others are just impossible, like a woman interviewing a smiling man who is clearly on fire.

I was torn between creating realism, hyper-realism, and something fantastic. In the end, I built a prompt in the Gemini 2.5 Pro window that supports video creation that was a mix of sci-fi, drama, and whimsy.

Writing inside the prompt window, though, turned out to be a mistake because I accidentally hit return before fully fleshing out my idea, and suddenly Veo 3 was busy generating my video.

This was my first prompt:

"Bill and Jessica live in a log cabin built on the surface of Mars. Bill emerges from the cabin to find jessica fighting a martian using nothing but a stuffed animal.

Bill screams at Jessica: What are you doing?

Jessica: This damn martian wants our land and he can't have it."

As you can see, there isn't much detail, and as easy as it is to generate a video in Veo 3 (and the audio-free Veo 2), you'll get a better result by including more detail and dialogue. Veo 3 will not have the characters say anything you didn't script. In this case, because I hit return too soon, Jessica's dialogue is cut off and I didn't get to polish my prompt.

Even so, Veo 3 took the scant details and in roughly 5 minutes created a striking piece of video. Take a look (sound up for the full effect).

It's far from perfect. Bill doesn't actually speak his line, though we hear it from off-camera. Jessica's scream (or is it the Martian's?) also comes from somewhere off camera.

There's an unfortunate sound effect that might be coming from Bill, and that I did not script. Also, I don't know why Jessica speaks her lines directly to camera.

Again, I assume that had I directed who she should be talking to, Veo 3 might have made a different choice.

Still, there are so many more subtle things that are impressive. Veo 3 gets the setting right; notice the reddish overcast of Mars daylight. The Martian is terrifying. I'm more impressed, though, by the sound effects like the sound of the cabin door, footfalls on the Martian soil, and the sound of the stuffed animal hitting the Martian's chest.

Take 2

For my second prompt, I wrote and edited it outside of Gemini. I did my best to set the scene, describe the characters, and delineate the dialogue and any sound effects. Here's the prompt:

The scene is a lush forest with sunlight streaming in from overhead. We hear the shrieks of pterodactyls in the background and the sound of leaves swaying in a light breeze.

A Tyrannosaurus is carefully painting a large canvas that depicts a colorful image of a man about to be destroyed by an asteroid.

The Tyrannosaurus is quietly singing to himself, “Pink Pony Club, I’m gonna keep on dancing at the...”

A Velociraptor wanders over and asks, “Why are you painting that?”

The Tyrannosaurus: “The AI made me do it.”

The Velociraptor backs away in horror and says, “The what?!!”

As you can see, I was, in part, inspired by some of the self-referential Veo 3 videos I'd been seeing on TikTok where the characters break the fourth wall and mention they're AIs in a video. While my detail work mostly paid off, Veo did make a number of questionable choices.

I don't know why it chose to dress the T-Rex but neglected to give him a paintbrush, or why the character in the painting looks like some sort of 1970s kid detective. And while Gemini clearly knows a thing or two about what dinosaurs look like, it got the relative sizes of the T-Rex and Velociraptor all wrong. I was also disappointed that instead of "shrieks of pterodactyls," I got a static image of pterodactyls and the sound of birdsong in the background.

The dialogue sync is mostly good, though I was hoping for more emoting from the velociraptor.

Overall, it took me a few minutes to write these prompts and another 3-to-5 minutes for Veo 3 to generate each video. I believe that if I spent more time painting a detailed picture, even writing a whole short story, I might get an even better result.

I'd let you know for sure, but I just ran my brief trial dry. If you plan on attending a couple of Veo 3 videos, here are my core tips:

• Write your prompt outside of Gemini
• Choose your topics carefully
• Spell out every detail, from the look of the characters to the scene
• Detail every action, or Veo 3 will make something up or have a character doing nothing
• Spell out the dialogue so it's clear.
• Describe the emotion behind dialogue delivery
• Include details on background noises
• Include sound effect descriptions if you desire specific sounds
• Each video is 8 seconds maximum. Plan accordingly
• Try creating multiple videos that continue a storyline, but keep descriptions consistent

Good luck with your Veo 3 test drives. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

You might also like

• Google I/O 2025 as it happened: AI Search, Veo, Flow ...
• The 13 biggest announcements from Google I/O 2025
• Google's Veo 3 marks the end of AI video's 'silent era'

• Nintendo's list of compatible Switch games for Switch 2 has been updated
• The company has identified well over 100 games with start-up issues
• The vast majority should still work without issue on the new system

The list of Nintendo Switch 2 games that could have compatibility issues at launch has been updated by the company.

Nintendo's compatibility page has links to three PDFs. These highlight 115 games "with start up issues on Nintendo Switch 2," 46 games that successfully start up but may have some compatibility issues, and finally 49 games that have issues "planned to be addressed at launch or shortly after."

Furthermore, Nintendo has highlighted software that outright cannot be used on Nintendo Switch 2. These include Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit, as well as video apps including Crunchyroll, Niconico, Abema, and Hulu. The comics and manga app InkyPen will also be unusable. It remains to be seen if these apps will receive dedicated Switch 2 versions in the future.

Lastly, a bunch of original Nintendo Switch games will require the use of that console's Joy-Con controllers, and presumably won't be compatible with the Joy-Con 2. These are as follows:

• Ring Fit Adventure
• 1-2 Switch
• Everybody 1-2 Switch!
• Game Builder Garage
• Nintendo Switch Sports
• WarioWare: Move It!
• Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit
• Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 02: Robot Kit
• Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 03: Vehicle Kit

So far, Nintendo has tested well over 15,000 Nintendo Switch games for Nintendo Switch 2. The vast majority, around 99% of Nintendo games and 65% of third-party games, have no compatibility issues.

For everything else, the issues are at least being investigated by Nintendo, and it should be fair to expect most Switch 1 games to work just fine on Switch 2 by the end of 2025.

You might also like...

• Check your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order ASAP, as some retailers are reportedly cancelling them
• PowerA reveals new line of Nintendo Switch 2 accessories including a wired controller with Hall effect thumbsticks
• The Nintendo Switch 2 has been spotted at retailers ahead of its June release - but the reported stock numbers aren't huge

• Anthropic is rolling out a new voice mode for its AI chatbot Claude
• You can use it to search Google Calendar and Gmail on a paid plan
• Voice mode will also be available on the free tier, but with usage limitations

Claude, the popular AI chatbot from Anthropic, is rolling out a voice mode to all its mobile app users. Whilst still in beta, the new voice mode will be in English and accessible for users on all current plans, including the free plan.

Voice mode with Claude works just like voice mode in Gemini or ChatGPT. In fact, you tap on an icon that looks pretty much identical to the Gemini Live icon to activate it.

Once voice mode is activated, you just start talking to Claude to hear its voice responses. As it talks, it displays its key points on screen, which enables you to seamlessly switch between text and voice within the same conversation.

You get five different Claude voices to choose from, according to the Claude voice mode documentation, and you can change between them at any time by simply going to Settings, then Voice Preferences.

Hey Claude

You can get a preview of how voice mode will work in Claude thanks to a handy video Anthropic has posted on X.com:

We're rolling out voice mode in beta on mobile.Try starting a voice conversation and asking Claude to summarize your calendar or search your docs. pic.twitter.com/xVo5VHiCEbMay 27, 2025

The video demonstrates how, by simply talking to Claude (even while brushing your teeth) you can get the AI to check your calendar, search through your Gmail inbox or Google Drive, and even draft an email for you.

This kind of ability moves Claude firmly into the role of a digital assistant however it’s worth noting that Gmail and Google Calendar integrations are only available on Claude’s paid plans, which start at $20 (around £16 / AU$32)for a Pro account, and go up to $200 (around £148 / AU$311) a month for Max 20x.

Usage limits

You don’t get unlimited access to voice conversations in Claude. Each conversation counts towards your regular usage limits based on your subscription plan.

Free users of Claude can expect approximately 20-30 voice messages before reaching session limits, while paid plans have significantly higher limits.

Voice mode is a timely upgrade to Claude, which was lagging behind its rivals, ChatGPT and Gemini, by not providing a voice mode. Anthropic has also just updated Claude's LLM to Claude Opus 4.0 and Claude Sonnet 4.0. Opus 4.0 is a powerful AI model that excels at coding, while Sonnet is a lightweight model designed for regular use and a big improvement on the previous Sonnet 3.7 model.

You might also like...

• ChatGPT can write like you - here's how you can get AI to match your style and tone
• Why don’t AI companies talk about energy usage?
• Opera rethinks the role of the browser with Neon, the first AI agentic web browser that will do tasks for you

• Lilo and Stitch fans are raging about the changes made to the story's ending
• The live-action remake's final scene is completely different from the animated classic
• Viewers are heading to Disney+ to watch the original movie and its sequels amid the controversy

Disney's live-action remake of Lilo and Stitch might be breaking records at the global box office, but it's also breaking long-time fans' hearts over the unnecessary change to the story's ending.

Following its release last Friday (May 23), one of 2025's most anticipated new movies set a new record for the largest four-day Memorial Day weekend in the US. Indeed, according to an official press release from The Walt Disney Company, Lilo and Stitch's reimagining earned over $182 million stateside and $361 million worldwide across its opening weekend.

It's not all good news for the rambunctious but lovable blue alien and his Hawaiian counterpart, though. Despite also earning a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, some viewers have hit out at Disney for altering the film's final scene – a creative decision that's infuriated some who adored the 2002 animated original.

Full spoilers immediately follow for 2002 and 2025's Lilo and Stitch.

"Ohana means family", unless your sister wants to pursue her own career on the other side of the US (Image credit: Disney)

In the original, the film ends with Stitch remaining on Earth with Lilo and her older sister Nani. That's because, according to an adoption form that the pair signed at an animal shelter that was housing Lilo (he was presumed to be a dog at the time), Nani and Lilo legally own him.

However, the live-action remake upends that heart-warming ending. Instead of staying with Stitch and her younger sibling and rebuilding their family home, Nani heads off to the University of California to study marine biology. Meanwhile, Lilo and Stitch are taken in by David and Tutu, with the latter duo becoming the former pair's guardians.

Why has this alteration enraged fans? Because, in some viewers' eyes, Lilo and Stitch's most recognizable line of dialogue – "Ohana means family" – and, by proxy, the film's primary theme, is completely ruined by the fact that Nani leaves her sister and Stitch behind to study on the other side of North America.

Indeed, numerous irked fans have taken to Reddit to express their frustration and exasperation over the unwelcome change. "I’m happy Nani got her ending," Parmesan_Pirate119 wrote, "But it felt forced and untrue to the original spirit of the film."

Comment from r/disney

"This was not a Lilo & Stitch story, this was a Nani story," an annoyed TownIdiot25 said. "And, as a Nani story, I don’t like how they completely changed the ending when it comes to the guardianship-of-Lilo situation."

"In the end, they actually have Nani give Lilo up to the neighbors (...though nani gives lilo up to state first) and go to college instead, which feels completely wrong and out of character," spider-man2401 added. The most frustrated reaction that I've seen, though, comes from noakai, who wrote: "Nani agreeing to give custody of Lilo to the state and then Lilo going to live with other people so Nani could go to California for college is so amazingly stupid I can't believe they went with it."

This quartet is a mere snapshot of fans vexed by the change, but there are some who have defended the remake's final sequence. For example, MrChiquitaBananaRN said: "The ending will be the big divide – Ohana IS family, but Ohana is also found family (i.e. Stitch). So, Lilo telling Nani to 'go to the marines' and Nani actually doing it, while Lilo has her new support system there, I think it works."

2002's Lilo and Stitch movie is the most popular film on Disney+ in the US and UK right now (Image credit: Disney+)

Regardless of what people think of Lilo and Stitch's modified ending, there's one unmistakable positive impact that the remake has had: it's caused an uptick in the number of people watching the original and its sequels on Disney+.

Indeed, in the UK, viewers have flocked to one of the world's best streaming services to watch the 2002 animated movie and its sibling films. At the time of publication, Lilo and Stitch is the number one movie on Disney+ UK, with Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch has a Glitch placing at number two. Stitch! The Movie and Leroy and Stitch find themselves at numbers five and six, respectively.

It's a similar story in the US, with Lilo and Stitch sitting atop of the most-streamed movies list and Stitch! The Movie ranked at number two. Leroy and Stitch is in fifth position, too.

Will these flicks have staying power on Disney+? Probably not. They've likely seen a surge in viewership off the back of the remake's release and the controversy surrounding its ending. Nevertheless, it's interesting to see how well these animated films are performing on Disney's primary streamer. Maybe 2002's Lilo and Stitch deserves a spot on our best Disney+ movies list!

You might also like

• These are the best Disney+ shows you can stream today
• See how much it costs to sign up to the platform by reading our Disney+ price guide
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day reportedly set to feature one of the first Avengers in a big role, but I hope it's not true for two huge reasons

The cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, with new threats and solutions appearing every day. But the rate of change in the past two years, intensified by the mass implementation of AI, has seen meteoric growth in the number of cyber-attacks. Unfortunately for businesses and their IT security teams, AI-driven attacks are becoming more sophisticated, and businesses must rethink their security strategies to stay resilient in the face of changing cyber threats.

Accelerating security and networking enhancements will continue to take center stage for UK organizations in 2025, but added complexity can slow enterprises down. Adding simplicity as a key vector for networking and security posture optimization is key to successful, secure connectivity strategies for the year ahead.

The growing threat of AI-powered attacks

In today’s threat landscape, cybercriminals are leveraging artificial intelligence to orchestrate attacks with unprecedented speed and accuracy. AI’s capability to identify vulnerabilities, craft hyper-realistic phishing scams, and execute complex malware campaigns is increasing the difficulty of threat detection and mitigation. One of the most concerning trends is the rise of “deep phishing” attacks, where AI-generated deepfake content is used to impersonate trusted individuals and deceive employees into revealing sensitive information.

Cyber breaches are already a top concern for organizations, downtime prevention and data protection taking center stage, but what is more unsettling is not being aware when a breach occurs. The longer an attacker remains in the system - intruder dwell times can range from several weeks to months and even over a year - the more costly and damaging these “silent breaches” become. Being unable to identify when a breach took place means that restoring systems to a safe version is much harder.

To counteract these risks, organizations need to deploy security tools capable of recognizing behavioral anomalies and responding in real time to potential breaches.

AI cyber defense - the other side of the cybersecurity coin

As the advent of AI presents new security challenges, it also offers us the tools to strengthen cyber defenses. AI-based networking assistants and correlation engines are gaining traction, providing advanced capabilities in real-time threat detection and response.

The potential for human-supported with various degrees of AI autonomy for secure networking deployments is being explored, which could change how enterprises approach security and networking. By leaning into AI-led penetration testing, automated vulnerability mitigation, and self-healing network infrastructure AI is revolutionizing security strategies.

With intuitive AI tools, security teams can gain deeper insights into vulnerabilities and rapidly address potential threats. This will be particularly crucial as UK businesses face a growing cybersecurity skills gap, requiring intelligent automation to bridge expertise shortages and upskill quickly. In 2025, we will see more businesses will turn to AI-driven security intelligence tools that allow teams to query complex security data using natural language interfaces.

The democratization of security intelligence through intuitive AI tools will empower non-experts to play an active role in cyber threat mitigation. This shift will be instrumental in fostering a culture of shared responsibility between IT and security teams, enhancing collaboration and improving overall security outcomes.

The shift from prevention to incident response

While traditional security strategies have focused on threat prevention, 2025 will also see a distinct shift towards rapid incident response. Companies will do well to prioritize detecting and containing breaches to augment preventive measures, increasingly allocating budget resources to solutions that enable swift incident identification and response.

This shift reflects an understanding that breaches cannot always be prevented, and in reality, should be expected. Instead, mitigating their impact through rapid detection and containment will be the key to minimizing damage.

One development that is representing this shift is the adoption of self-healing security systems. These AI-powered systems can autonomously detect, analyze, and respond to threats, significantly reducing response times and mitigating damage.

Indeed, using machine learning, self-healing networks can dynamically adjust a company’s cybersecurity measures based on real-time risk assessments. This self-healing security will be a game-changer, as automated incident response will enable businesses to bolster their security teams and protect their assets. AI and human partnerships can help businesses strengthen their overall resilience when facing a cyber-attack.

So, what’s next for businesses navigating the threat landscape?

As cyber threats become more advanced, businesses must embrace a holistic approach to security, that can introduce simplicity for observability, control, management and response. Consolidating cyber defense, network and data management, and operational resilience into a single, integrated platform will help organizations navigate the increasingly turbulent threat landscape efficiently.

This access to and complete visibility over these systems and tools means that teams can identify risks and opportunities as a passive activity, and invest time into value-driving initiatives, as opposed to combing through multiple applications for status updates.

Ultimately, 2025 will be the year where more AI-driven corporate security strategies move from theory to practice. Organizations that proactively adapt to these emerging trends will be better equipped to withstand the ever-evolving challenges of the digital age. For businesses, staying ahead of the curve will require embracing automation, strengthening incident response capabilities, and continuing to hold security as an organizational priority.

We've featured the best encryption software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Security researchers spot new campaign targeting Docker instances
• The attack deploys a cloud crypto miner, and a worm for further propagation
• The miner generates the Dero currency

Hackers are building a botnet out of misconfigured Docker API instances and using it to mine the Dero cryptocurrency, experts have warned.

Security researchers from Kaspersky reported finding a “container zombie outbreak” that started with an exposed Docker API.

“This led to the running containers being compromised and new ones being created not only to hijack the victim’s resources for cryptocurrency mining but also to launch external attacks to propagate to other networks,” they explained.

Negotiations ongoing?

In this zombie outbreak, the “patient zero” is a misconfigured API that’s left open to the internet. There, the attackers deploy a piece of malware disguised as ‘nginx’, a high-performance, open-source web server and reverse proxy server.

The malware scans for vulnerable instances and infects them, and then creates new malicious containers and forces existing ones to mine Dero. At the same time, it continues to spread to other systems.

This is a two-step process, Kaspersky explains. Nginx is the propagation tool that scans for new victims, with the miner being a cloud-based solution. Both components are written in Golang, which makes them rather difficult to detect.

Kaspersky also says that unlike traditional cryptojacking campaigns, this one doesn’t rely on a command & control (C2) server, but instead spreads autonomously, like a worm.

Users running Docker should check their API settings, and make sure it’s not exposed to the internet. Furthermore, they should fortify their login credentials, and perform regular security audits and monitoring.

While cybercriminals usually hijack servers to mine Monero with the XMRig, this is not the first time researchers spotted Dero. According to The Hacker News, CrowdStrike saw Kubernetes clusters being targeted back in March 2023, and a subsequent iteration of the same campaign was spotted by Wiz in June 2024.

Similar to Monero, Dero is also a privacy-focused Layer 1 blockchain, built to support decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.

Via The Hacker News

You might also like

• New cryptojacking attacks target uncommon AWS instances
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers