Technology

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Gen Z gamers spend nearly $700 a year on new games and subscriptions. And they're looking forward to the new Switch model the most.

• The Garmin Vivoactive 6 has been officially revealed
• It looks very similar to the Vivoactive 5, but some spec upgrades offer improvements
• It comes after heavy criticism from Garmin users over the new Conenct+ premium tier

Garmin has revealed the Garmin Vivoactive 6, an affordable smartwatch with a new smart-wake alarm functionality and access to features from more premium Garmin watches, such as Running Dynamics. It's priced at £279.99 (around $360 / AU$580; exact US and AU pricing are TBC).

Garmin’s Vivoactive line is full of sporty, value-orientated watches pitched at the Apple Watch crowd, and the Garmin Vivoactive 5 sits pretty as our current ‘best-value’ pick on our list of the best Garmin watches.

The Vivoactive 6 watch looks very similar to the Garmin Vivoactive 5, with a plastic casing, aluminum bezel, two buttons instead of the usual five-button configuration found on more premium Garmins, an AMOLED screen and a silicone strap.

Just like the Vivoactive 5, the Vivoactive 6 sports up to 11 days of battery life. It shares the dimensions and 1.2-inch screen with the Vivoactive 5, although Garmin has made some changes.

Among the upgrade highlights is a ‘smart alarm’ feature that can wake you at the optimum time during a sleep phase – a features that's new to Garmin, and one we've wanted on Garmins for years – along with daily suggested walking workouts along the lines of its running ones.

As mentioned above, the Vivoactive 6 also has access to Garmin’s advanced Running Dynamics metrics, which the Vivoactive 5 didn't have.

According to a Garmin press release, users "can also download a robust selection of step-by-step workouts for strength, HIIT, yoga, Pilates, mobility and more through Garmin Connect.

"They can also access Garmin Coach running and strength training plans – several of which adapt daily based on performance, recovery and health metrics to help users prepare for their next race, train for a milestone or improve overall fitness."

A wheelchair mode that tracks pushes, and which was one of the best modes introduced on the Vivoactive 5, is also included.

The Vivoactive 6 is available in four snappy-looking color combos: Black/Slate, Bone/Lunar Gold, Jasper Green and Pink Dawn.

Analysis: Garmin is moving the news cycle on

The Garmin Vivoactive 5 (Image credit: Future)

The Garmin Vivoactive 6 seems like a great watch, especially given that it's cheaper than many of its contemporaries from Apple and Samsung. After all, we loved the Vivoactive 5, and there's no indication that this is anything other than an improvement, albeit an iterative one.

However, I can't help feeling that the timeline for this launch may have been pushed up. In the last few days the news cycle has been dominated by the backlash against Garmin for releasing Garmin Connect+, a new paid-for premium tier with AI features that's available separately to the free Garmin Connect app.

Users have taken to social media to complain about paying for a very expensive watch only to then have new features locked behind an additional subscription. Justifiably or not, they fear new features being introduced to Connect+ at the expense of the app’s free version, until the subscription effectively becomes essential in order to get the most out of your watch.

A well-received new budget device from Garmin would help to move the news cycle on, although user ire is unlikely to be easily assuaged in the short term.

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• ChatGPT 4o's impressive image generation is now available for free
• It's fantastic for editing images as well as generating new ones
• There's a daily limit for free users which can be quite infuriating

ChatGPT's viral 4o image generation features are now available to everyone for free, albeit with some limits that can make the new AI tool a little infuriating.

Announced by OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, on X, the new native image generation has taken the world by storm thanks to its impressive ability to create images far better than Dall-E (the previous model used by ChatGPT) ever could.

You might've seen the controversy surrounding the image generation tool's blatant copy of Studio Ghibli-style anime over the last week, but if not we've covered the drama at length here.

In this article, I'm going to show you three ways to use ChatGPT 4o's image generation that aren't following the anime recreation trend.

Why only three you might ask? Well, unfortunately, the daily limit for free users is only three image generations, so it only felt fitting to limit the ideas just like OpenAI has limited the use of the tool.

chatgpt image gen now rolled out to all free users!April 1, 2025

1. Change the background Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)

ChatGPT's image generation is very impressive when it comes to replacing the background of your images. In the first example above, I uploaded an image of my French Bulldog, Kermit, and asked 4o to "change the background to the beach."

Like magic, Kermit was now on the beach, although you can tell there have been slight modifications to his likeness. For example, in the original photo, he had a pimple under his mouth, which is now completely removed.

ChatGPT 4o's image generation is very good at determining the outline of a subject and creating a realistic background to match. While I've not yet tried Galaxy AI's version of background editing, from my testing with ChatGPT I can't imagine a better AI background editor is available for free on the market.

After taking Kermit to the beach, I thought I'd try recreating his namesake's iconic opening scene of the 1979 Muppet Movie. In the movie, Kermit the Frog sits on a log in a swamp playing the banjo.

While Kermit the Dog can't play the banjo, ChatGPT managed to take the source material and edit the background so Kermit was indeed on a log in a swamp. Pretty cool!

2. Use a reference to generate a new image

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)

ChatGPT 4o's image generation is also very good at using a source image to create anything you can imagine.

After feeding the AI tool multiple images of my dog, I asked "Can you imagine a french bulldog riding a skateboard while dressed as a frog?"

After waiting about 20 seconds, yes the image generation can be pretty slow, I had an excellent image of a French Bulldog that looks like my boy Kermit, in a frog costume riding a skateboard.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice his back paws only have three digits, but I guess ChatGPT thought the dog costume should mimic an amphibian rather than have enough space to be comfortable for the mammal inside.

Unfortunately for ChatGPT, a frog has 18 toes altogether... 10 at the back and eight at the front.

3. Change the mood

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)

Last but not least, I decided to upload an image of Kermit in a cow costume. Why is he wearing a cow costume? You might ask. Well, for the purpose of this article I needed an image where he's clearly a bit miffed.

You see I live in Scotland so Kermit needs a fleece to keep himself warm in the winter. Unfortunately for him, he hates wearing a fleece. That said, ChatGPT's new image generation tools can help with that, so I asked AI to "Make this dog happy."

The result here is bizarre because it takes everything from the previous image and recreates it perfectly, just with a smiling dog with its tongue out.

I would argue a French Bulldog always looks miserable, and a tongue sticking out like this would actually imply it's thirsty. But AI deems this a happy dog, and to be fair, it has doesn't a very good job a recreating the image with the mood tweaks I asked for.

Try ChatGPT image generation yourself

So there you have it, ChatGPT's image generation is now free for everyone to try and it's capable of some fantastic photo editing.

The image limitations are pretty annoying, however, as I was only able to generate three images without loading up my paid ChatGPT Plus work account.

I also experienced upload limitations, where ChatGPT stopped allowing me to add source material to edit after providing two images.

So it's worth noting ChatGPT image generation is very powerful, but on the free tier you'll need to be patient as you'll quickly reach a daily limit.

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• A Nintendo Switch 2 trade-in deal at GameStop has seemingly leaked
• The deal is offering buyers up to $175 toward the new console
• Buyers can trade in the original Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED for money off

GameStop's Nintendo Switch 2 trade-in deal has seemingly leaked, offering big discounts for buyers who already own a Switch.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Showcase airs tomorrow on April 2 and is expected to finally unveil a new in-depth look at the console, along with the long-awaited release date, pricing, and pre-orders details.

However, it seems that another leak has broken ahead of the event, and this time, it's a big money-saving offer at GameStop.

As spotted by X / Twitter user MikeOdysseyYT (via 9meters) GameStop's trade-in deal reveals that it will be offering three different discounts when buyers exchange their original Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED for the Switch 2.

Trading in the OLED will get you $175 toward your Switch 2 reservation, the original Switch (V1 or V2) $125, and the Switch Lite $100.

Here is @gamestop's Switch 2 trade in deal. What you get as credit when you trade in your console. Let's say Switch 2 is $399.00, plus 6.5% tax(FL) Comes out to $424.93. If you trade in an OLED, you would pay $249.93 for your new Switch 2. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/hUIXNc94BXMarch 31, 2025

We don't know how much the Switch 2 will cost just yet, but these offers are brilliant if you're looking to save money on the upcoming console.

According to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, the company is aware of rising inflation but has said the console will be in line with the "affordable prices customers expect".

TechRadar Gaming predicts that the Switch 2 will cost around $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$699.95, which is more expensive than the original Switch that launched in 2017 and started at $259.99 / £259.99 / AUD$435.

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• Now Brief has been found on the latest One UI 7 beta
• There's no user interface so the fetaure can't be used properly
• Its presence suggetss it may come to older phones with One UI 7

For many, the best new Samsung Galaxy S25 feature is Now Brief, but for a while it appeared the feature would remain exclusive to only Samsung’s latest phone release even as One UI 1 rolls out to other phones. Thankfully, it seems like a few older phones will get Now Brief after all.

Now Brief is a handy AI tool that gets you prepped for the day ahead with useful info like what events you have today, what journey times are like so you can avoid being late, how well rested you are based on data from your smartwatch, and if coupons in your digital wallet are close to expiring.

It’ll even give you different briefings based on when you check (with morning, afternoon and evening briefings focusing on different information), and our own Senior Writer AI John-Anthony Disotto calling Now Brief “precisely the kind of first-party functionality that I think will make a real difference to users’ lives and, in turn, showcase the true power of AI.”

Unfortunately the feature has been absent from the One UI 7 software betas currently available for older devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 phones.

This has led many to believe it wouldn’t be unlocked for these phones, but it turns out Now Brief is hidden in the One UI beta after all.

That’s according to @MEMETCAN88 who managed to access the hidden function on an S24 running the latest One UI 7 beta (via SamMobile, who confirmed it’s also available on other devices).

Breaking. Now brief feature is available in s24 series. Oneui 7 beta 6 is also hidden but I've uncovered with activity launcher.@tarunvats33 @SamMobiles @theonecid @UniverseIce pic.twitter.com/uvLoHZOJAuMarch 31, 2025

It didn’t work completely however, with the hidden Now Brief lacking the necessary user interface to function properly.

So, what does this mean? Well the optimistic amongst us are hoping it means that Now Brief will make it to older devices. However, given the full release is set to begin on April 7, it may be a feature that isn’t released for a few update cycles.

The more pessimistic look is that Samsung has hidden this feature because it may have thought about releasing Now Brief but ultimately decided to keep it exclusive to its new phones – and it was easier to hide Now Brief than completely remove it from One UI 7.

We’ll have to wait and see what’s announced as One UI 7 arrives on older phones and in following updates, but there’s still a chance the best Samsung Galaxy S25 feature will make its way to older phones – and we're seriously hoping it does.

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• Amazon has launched early access to Alexa+ for selected users, but a few features are missing
• Not all the features showcased at its February launch event will be available straight away, and will instead be rolled out in parts over the next few months
• While Alexa+ is only available on Echo Show 8, 10, 15 and 21, we expect it to come to more Echo devices as more features become available

When Amazon announced its new AI-enhanced Alexa+ voice assistant, we were beyond excited to finally see Amazon’s answer to ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence come to life. In our live blog we speculated a March 31 roll, and it seems as though we were correct as Alexa+ has started rolling out to selected users in the US on certain Echo devices, but it wouldn’t be a major launch without a few catches.

During Amazon’s devices event in February, the company took pride in boasting Alexa+’s revamped voice and AI capabilities, but a report from The Washington Post has identified that Alexa+ is missing a number of handy features. They’ll be unveiled in waves over the next few months, but it does feel like a broken promise in some ways.

During Amazon's devices event in February, Panos Panay demonstrated a handful of new features but not all of them are available in Alexa+'s early access. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) What’s missing from Alexa+?

Amazon promised an array of new features for Alexa+ that provided a more interactive and personal experience with the voice assistant, most notably its ability to offer food recommendations and place orders through Grubhub based on what you’re craving. This feature has the potential to be a saving grace for indecisive foodies out there, but it has been delayed until further notice.

Other useful generative features have gone missing from Alexa+’s early access, including its ability to brainstorm gift ideas when the pressures of gift-buying get too intense, and its storytime mode feature for kids has also been pushed back. The Post has also spotted that Alexa+ lacks the ability to visually identify family members around your home - both of which were demonstrated at its launch event - and the web version for Alexa+ is also unavailable for now.

As per The Post’s initial report, Amazon has declared that these features are missing from Alexa+ simply because they “don’t yet meet Amazon’s standards for public release”. It’s reassuring to know that Amazon has plans to bulk up Alexa+’s features, but you’ll just have to remain patient for a few more months.

So, what can Alexa+ do at the moment?

Despite the missing features, Alexa+’s early launch isn’t totally lackluster. Since it started rolling out yesterday (March 31) Alexa+ can order you an Uber, search for particular products, and draft emails. While you’ll have to wait a little longer for Grubhub integration with Alexa+, you can still use the voice assistant to give you advice on what to cook.

Alexa+ can be accessed for a monthly subscription fee of $19.99, but Amazon Prime members will have full access for free.

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• Samsung Galaxy Watch users are complaining of resetting issues
• Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra users appear to be affected
• Users say their watches go through a forced reset that requires setting up the watch again

A slew of Samsung Galaxy Watch users are reporting that their Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra models keep encountering a forced-reset issue that requires them to setup their devices again.

I was first alerted to the issue by reader Spike, who reached out to me about a problem with their Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. Since the last update, they and other users have noticed the Watch 7 randomly disconnecting from the phone it's paired with, such that the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app won't recognize the watch, requiring a factory reset to re-pair.

"For me this happens about once a week," Spike told me. "I contacted Samsung who wanted me to send my watch in, but I'm pretty certain it's a software issue since a lot of people on the forum are having the same issue."

Samsung Galaxy Watch reset issue

A Samsung Community forum scoured by TechRadar does indeed reveal an extensive thread of users who seem to be suffering from this issue.

"For no apparent reason, my watch keeps doing a forced reset," the original poster said. "I then have to go through the whole process of setting it up again," they added, even mentioning that the latest hiccup completely changed some watch settings.

Other users chimed in to say that they've been experiencing the same issue. "Me too. 3 times now in under 2 weeks," one user replied.

The thread is titled '"Galaxy Watch 7/Ultra resetting', which seems to indicate that this problem is affecting Samsung's two best Android smartwatches; it's unclear if it extends to any other models.

The precise nature of the issue and its extent are little murky, but users are definitely reporting persistent forced resets on their Galaxy Watches, often multiple times a week. At least some of the time, this requires users to go through the setup process to reconnect the watch.

We've reached out to Samsung regarding the problem, but this is definitely a developing issue, and one that appears to be fairly prevalent.

The Samsung forum post has 24 likes and over 300 replies from similarly affected users. Samsung also recently confirmed that some of its watches were not tracking sleep properly, and recommended a fix to users.

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Parts of the HP Pavilion Plus 14 are great. But there's one poor-quality feature that totally ruins the experience -- at any price.

The streamer is chock-full of genre excellence.

Ditto for Disney Plus because of Andor and Peacock for WrestleMania.

• Nova Act AI agent is designed to control a web browser with simple functions
• It scored 94% on ScreenSpot Web Text, outperforming OpenAI and Anthropic
• It comprises five models – Nova Micro, Lite, Pro, Canvas and Reel

Amazon has launched a new AI agent designed to control a web browser and perform simple browsing tasks autonomously.

Currently available in research preview, Amazon says Nova Act is part of its efforts to deliver “real-world value” for all types of customers, including shoppers, sellers and advertisers – not just enterprises.

US-based customers with an Amazon account can start using the platform immediately, even though it’s not a full release, by visiting nova.amazon.com, where it can automate simple tasks like ordering food, making reservations, filling out forms or selecting calendar dates.

Amazon Nova Act models and online service

Nova Act is accompanied by Nova Act SDK, which enables developers to build their own browser-based AI agents using the same technology.

“nova.amazon.com puts the power of Amazon’s frontier intelligence into the hands of every developer and tech enthusiast, making it easier than ever to explore the capabilities of Amazon Nova,” said Rohit Prasad, SVP of Amazon Artificial General Intelligence.

Three separate models have been launched to support the tool and SDK with text generation capabilities – Nova Micro, Lite, and Pro – as well as a fourth for image generation (Nova Canvas) and a fifth for video generation (Nova Reel).

The company noted agents are still in their “early stage[s]” and that their usefulness will only grow as developments continue to roll out.

Moreover, Amazon’s internal tests demonstrate how Nova Act outperformed key rivals, including Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet (90%) and OpenAI’s CUA (88%) on the ScreenSpot Web Text benchmark, designed to test how the models interact with text on screen. Nova Act scored an impressive 94%.

It’s also possible that Nova Act could play a key role in the company’s upcoming Alexa+ upgrade, which improves the utility of the company’s popular voice assistant with AI.

We tried to access the site from the UK, but were greeted with the following message: “Thank you for your interest in Amazon Nova. At this time, we are only accepting customers in the US.”

It’s unclear when Amazon will roll the online service out more broadly.

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• The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is a portable fan with misting function
• It's a shrunk-down version of the FlexBreeze, available in six colors
• It's currently only available in the US, and costs $129.99

Shark has added a new model to its fan range: the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is a portable version of the ultra-popular FlexBreeze, and comes with the same misting functionality, so not only does it blast you with cool air, it also sprays you with a fine mist of water to help bring some chill to hot days.

In our Shark FlexBreeze review, we were blown away (pun intended) by the full-size version, rating it one of the best fans you can buy. The shrunk-down version has many of the same benefits – it can be used corded or cordless, indoors or out. Shark has gone a step further by making this one available in a variety of colors: a couple of shades of grey alongside four more summery candy tones.

(Image credit: Shark )

It has a carry handle to make it easier to tote around, so you need never be without your own personal wind machine. That's particularly useful because I'd say that this portable fan isn't especially small – think desktop rather than handheld. That's probably good news for the power though (Shark claims it has a blowing radius of up to 70 feet, although we'll get back to you on that once we've tested it.)

The misting – once you've got used to the idea of a fan that spits on you – is actually a very smart addition. Fans don't actually lower the temperature, they just make you feel cooler by moving the air around and speeding up the evaporation of sweat from your skin. A mister can lower the temperature of a room, as well as intensifying that cooling feeling created by the fan.

(Image credit: Shark )

Shark has form when it comes to innovative fans – we've just reviewed the Shark TurboBlade, which can blast out concentrated blades of air in any direction from its pivotable arms.

Currently, the FlexBreeze HydroGo is only available in the US, and costs $129.99 when purchased directly from Shark. The brand also has a big presence in the UK and Australia, so we're hoping it might make its way to other territories soon.

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• Amazon has reached a multi-year agreement with EA
• Certain EA games will now come to the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service
• This starts with Star War Jedi: Survivor, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Dead Space available now

Amazon has reached a multi-year agreement with publisher Electronic Arts (EA) that will see many of its best games added to the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service.

This starts with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Dead Space, which are all available right now. Although a limited version of Amazon Luna can be accessed at no additional cost for Amazon Prime members, these games are part of the Luna+ subscription service - a $9.99 / £8.99 per month add-on.

More EA titles are on the way too, including a number from its popular EA Sports franchises. I'm personally really hoping for an Amazon Luna version of The Sims 4 though, as it just seems like the perfect fit for a cloud gaming service that you can play almost anywhere.

I would love to be able to check in with my sims from my TV when I'm sprawled on the sofa at home, spend a few hours playing from my phone the next time I go on a big trip.

David Tinson, EVP and chief experiences officer at EA said that the company is "focused on building experiences that entertain and engage EA’s massive online communities."

"We’re excited to partner with Amazon to make those games available to even more people,” he continued. “We look forward to a selection of EA games joining Amazon Luna, offering new ways for players and fans to come together across a variety of devices they already own, wherever they are.”

You can try Amazon Luna on a plethora of devices, including PC, mobile, and select smart TVs.

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• The Nintendo Today app has provided another Switch 2 hint
• This time it's a video that hints at Joy-Con mouse functionality
• The Switch 2 Direct is happening tomorrow on April 2

While Nintendo hasn't outright confirmed the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers have mouse functionality, the company sure isn't shy about teasing it.

The latest hint was spotted by VGC, and it comes via the recently launched Nintendo Today app. The app featured a short teaser video today (April 1) that displays the Nintendo Switch 2 console in a variety of setups including docked, handheld and tabletop modes.

The tabletop mode setup off to the right is what we're focusing on. It shows the Joy-Con controllers detached from the console, with one of them placed on its side like it was in the initial Switch 2 announcement video.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

While VGC originally spotted the video via its Japanese Nintendo account, it can now be viewed on the Nintendo Today app globally. You'll just need to download the app via Google Play or the Apple Store and log in with your own Nintendo account.

Now again, it's important to note that this is just a teaser video and it doesn't outright confirm mouse functionality is enabled for Switch 2's Joy-Con. However, you have to think that placing the Joy-Con on its side like that is a pretty deliberate choice, and it's not likely to be the default way to place them down after you've finished using them.

Of course, we'll likely know for sure at tomorrow's big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, which is airing on April 2 at 6am PDT / 9am EST / 2pm GMT / 3pm CEST.

We'll be covering the presentation live here at TechRadar Gaming, so be sure to stay tuned!

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The recent disclosure of another major firewall exploit should serve as a wake-up call to security teams everywhere. The latest vulnerabilities impacting Palo Alto Networks’ firewalls have once again exposed how fragile network security architectures are. While the immediate response has followed the predictable cycle of patching, monitoring, and damage assessment, the bigger issue remains unresolved.

The problem is not just a software flaw or an unpatched device. It is the lack of extensive network security policy management (NSPM) strategies. These are essential for any organization that is serious about attack surface reduction.

Modern network security cannot afford to operate reactively. Organizations that focus solely on perimeter defense and emergency patch management are constantly playing catch-up. The traditional ‘fix and forget’ model no longer works in an environment where threats evolve faster than most teams can respond.

Attackers are not just targeting known vulnerabilities; they are probing security policies, misconfigurations, and access control gaps that enterprises often overlook. This is where NSPM becomes a game-changer. Instead of reacting to breaches, organizations need to proactively manage their security posture, ensuring that their policies and configurations don’t introduce new risks.

Expanding complexity

The expansion of hybrid and cloud computing environments has made managing security policies more difficult than ever. Enterprises operate across on-premises data centers, multi-cloud architectures, and remote workforces, each introducing new layers of complexity.

Without a structured approach to NSPM, security teams lack visibility into how policies interact across these environments. This blind spot increases the risk of misconfigurations, redundant rules, and security gaps that adversaries can exploit. Gartner’s research on Attack Surface Management (ASM) highlights the challenges which businesses must contend with when it comes to policy complexity.

Attack surface management and NSPM go hand in hand. ASM focuses on identifying and monitoring all exposed digital assets, but without NSPM, that visibility is meaningless. Effective security starts with knowing whether firewall rules and access policies allow unauthorized traffic to exploit vulnerabilities.

The question every security team should be able to answer is: are there any security policy enforcement rules that allow access to known vulnerabilities across your environment? More importantly, when new rules are created, can you determine if they inadvertently expose an asset that was previously secure? Without an NSPM strategy in place, these risks remain unchecked, leaving enterprises vulnerable even when they believe they are secure.

Welcome to automation

Recent research shows that automation plays a critical role in minimizing attack surfaces. According to an IDC report on Firewall Policy Management, automating firewall policy management reduces human error and enforces compliance across complex architectures. Enterprises that adopt automated NSPM strategies experience fewer misconfigurations and can implement rule optimizations that remove redundant access points. When combined with ASM, this approach reduces the number of exploitable attack paths while maintaining flexibility for legitimate access requirements.

The importance of proactive security policy management is underscored by the increasing frequency of firewall-related breaches. While the immediate response to the latest Palo Alto vulnerability will be to patch and monitor affected devices, organizations should view this as an opportunity to rethink how they manage security policies. Patching alone is not enough. Attackers are always looking for the next unpatched device or the next misconfigured rule that provides a pathway into critical systems.

Ongoing process

An effective NSPM approach extends beyond simple rule enforcement. It enables security teams to continuously assess and refine policies based on evolving threats. A structured NSPM approach helps enforce segmentation strategies by dynamically validating policy changes. But segmentation alone is not enough without continuous network monitoring to ensure assets remain protected.

Organizations should be implementing a zero-trust approach that dynamically evaluates policy changes and their potential impact on security posture. This requires integrating NSPM into a broader risk management framework that considers exposure, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Another challenge is the growing reliance on multi-vendor security environments. Many enterprises use a mix of firewalls, cloud security controls, and endpoint protection platforms, each with its own policy management approach. Without a unified NSPM solution, security teams struggle to enforce consistent policies across different platforms. This inconsistency increases the likelihood of gaps in security enforcement, making it easier for attackers to exploit weak points in the network.

Compliance cornerstone

As cyber threats evolve, regulatory pressures are also increasing. Compliance standards such as GDPR, NIS2, and PCI-DSS require organizations to demonstrate effective security controls, including robust policy management. The IDC highlights that compliance is not just about avoiding fines.

Businesses should view it as potential for competitive differentiation. Companies that can demonstrate proactive security policy enforcement are in a stronger position to gain customer trust and meet regulatory expectations. NSPM provides a structured way to ensure that policies remain compliant, reducing the risk of audit failures and costly remediations.

Security teams must shift their approach from reactive to proactive policy management. The latest firewall vulnerabilities are proof that outdated security models are failing. Today, NSPM is a strategic imperative for reducing risk and ensuring resilience against the next inevitable breach.

We list the best small and medium business (SMB) firewall and the best cloud firewall.

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