Technology

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor aims to enhance media features and AI for midrange phones.

• New Adobe Firefly Video Model is “IP-friendly and commercially safe”
• It’s available in beta now through the web app or Premiere Pro
• Current plans support five-second 1080p video generations, 4K coming soon

Adobe has lifted the wraps off what it’s calling the “only generative AI video model that is IP-friendly and commercially safe.”

The new Firefly Video Model is available to try in beta on the Firefly web app and Adobe Premiere Pro with Generative Extend, and can produce production-ready AI-generated video content for creatives can use to support their online campaigns.

The addition of a video-generating tool adds to Adobe's growing Firefly suite available through the web app, including its popular image generator tool. To date, the company’s AI portfolio has generated 18 billion assets globally, a number that appears to be exponentially rising.

Adobe Firefly Video Model

Users can create videos with text prompts or images, then refine the shots with tweaked camera angles and add further atmospheric and design elements. Available in beta, users subscribers can produce 1080p content, but a future update will bring the option to reduce the video quality for quicker processing and 4K resolution for a clearer finish.

To coincide with the beta launch of the Firefly Video Model, Adobe is also adding a Firefly Standard and Firefly Pro plan to its subscription options. The company envisions creators picking up the AI-generated video and refining it in its other Creative Cloud software, like Premiere Pro.

“We've been thrilled to hear from beta customers who've found it a game-changer for ideating concepts and producing stunning videos, and we can’t wait to see how the creative community uses it to bring their stories to the world," noted Adobe’s digital media business president, David Wadhwani.

Firefly Standard and Pro include unlimited access to Firefly imaging and vector features, plus tiered capacity for video and audio features, starting with 2,000 video/audio credits and up to 20 five-second 1080p videos for $9.99 per month.

The higher plan, priced at $29.99 per month, increases capacity to 7,000 credits and 70 five-second videos.

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• Captain America 4's creative team deny it's a rehashed version of The Winter Soldier
• Fans have routinely compared the films due to the similarly political thriller vibes
• Brave New World's director and producer say there are big differences between the two movies

Captain America: Brave New World isn't just a carbon copy of the story and themes that were explored in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

That's the verdict of Julius Onah and Nate Moore, who directed and produced Brave New World, respectively. Speaking to TechRadar ahead of the Marvel movie's launch this Friday (February 14), the duo responded to those who have compared Captain America 4 to the film series' second installment. Unsurprisingly, they don't agree that Sam Wilson's first big-screen outing as the titular hero is a freshly painted version of The Winter Soldier.

Comparisons between the films are to be expected. The pair are billed as action thrillers with more than their fair share of political paranoia, star the iconic shield-wearing Cap, and examine timely, real-world themes including misinformation and empathy for your fellow man.

Sam Wilson (left) inherited the Captain America mantle from Steve Rogers (right) (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Onah and Moore, though, reject the notion that the fourth Captain America flick retreads old ground. They argue that, with a new character assuming the titular mantle – Anthony Mackie's Wilson has replaced Chris Evans' Steve Rogers – and Brave New World's unique storytelling elements set it apart from its three Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) forebears.

"In many ways, this is the first Captain America story because it's the first with Sam Wilson," Onah told me. "The privilege of being able to tell this story is that I don't have to retread old ground.

Sam has to figure out how to work as Captain America with the President of the United States

Julius Onah, Captain America 4 director

"He's a guy who's got a different superpower. He's not equipped with abilities in a conventional sense – his superpower is his heart and his empathy. It's that desire to connect with other people and his history as a counselor of army veterans. It's something that's really embedded in him since he was introduced to the MCU. So, the question was 'How do we put him [Sam] in a unique situation that pushes him forward?'. If we do that, we're also pushing forward Captain America.

"That's what I loved about making an action thriller that has a paranoia element to it," Onah continued. "It's a story of mistrust of individuals and of institutions. So, when you take a guy who implicitly wants to trust people and see the best in them, and put him opposite somebody like Thaddeus Ross [played by Harrison Ford], who Sam mistrusts because Thaddeus broke up the Avengers [in Captain America: Civil War] and put Sam in prison, Sam has to figure out how to work as Captain America with [Ross as] the President of the United States, which is a situation we've never seen before in the MCU."

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A photo posted by on

Echoing Onah's response in a separate interview for the Marvel Phase 5 film, Moore said: "The way that Steve approaches an issue is much different than the way that Sam approaches one.

"To some degree, the first three Captain America films were about a man out of time who's trying to figure out where he fits in the modern world and, whether he's dealing with Ross, Tony Stark, or Nick Fury, how different his perspective is with the modern perspective on espionage.

"In this movie, Sam is trying to figure out why he's not let into rooms that others have been let into in the past," Moore continued. "I don't know that Sam gets to move through the world in the same way that Steve did. He's not a super soldier but he's inhabiting this role of a man who's beloved, revered, and, to some degree, feared. Now, even though I think that Sam finds himself questioning people in higher positions for the same reason that Steve did, Sam has to blaze his own trail and better understand his place in the MCU, which I think makes it a different film."

Before Brave New World flies into theaters, you'll want to get the biggest and latest information on it. My Captain America: Brave New World hub rounds up all of that, while my Captain America 4 cast and character guide reveals who you'll see in one of 2025's new movies and which characters they'll portray.

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• Garmin has unveiled a new dive computer
• The Descent G2 adds an AMOLED display
• It also features multiple dive modes, health features, and more

The best Garmin watches just added another stunner to the lineup, after the company unveiled its new Descent G2 dive computer with smartwatch features.

The new Descent G2 is a rugged watch-style dive computer, adding a 1.2-inch AMOLED display to the winning formula of the original. This makes it much easier to read underwater, and helps display in full many of the new smartwatch features under the hood.

The new Descent G2 boasts 10 days of battery life (four if you use the always-on display) and a water rating of up to 100 meters for diving. The silicone strap holsters a sapphire crystal display, while the bezel and case are both made from fire-reinforced ocean-bound plastic.

The Descent G2's diving chops are undisputed; it features multiple dive modes with tracking for all types of diving including single and multi-gas, closed-circuit rebreather, and gauge. There's an in-dive 3-axis compass and a big numbers mode that shows you only the most critical data. There are also freedive features including dynamic apnea mode, apnea alerts, a variometer, and a velocity chart. Out of the water, it also doubles as a brilliant smartwatch.

Garmin Descent G2: Not a fish out of water

The Descent G2 also features Garmin's swathe of health and wellness features including 24/7 heart rate monitoring, step count, calories burned, sleep tracking, heart rate variability, stress, hydration, respiration, and blood oxygen.

There are also training insights and dozens of preloaded sports apps for running, swimming, cycling, strength, and beyond. Like all great Garmins it works with both iPhone and Android, and also features multi-GNSS and GPS, Garmin Pay, recovery time, daily suggested workouts, and more.

Available from Garmin's website, the Descent G2 retails at $699 / £589.99 / AU$1,149 and is available in two colors: Black and Paloma.

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• Report claims 90% of organizations are still using spreadsheets
• Four in five have automation planned in their roadmaps, AutoRek finds
• Businesses need to modernize payment data management

Almost all (90%) organizations are still relying on outdated spreadsheets and similar forms for some of their most vital business data, new research has claimed.

By using legacy tools, businesses are operating less efficiently than they could be, slowing themselves down and preventing themselves from optimal growth, a study from AutoRek found.

Although four in five (82%) have automation on their roadmaps, there are still some challenges that are stopping businesses from using better tools.

Businesses are using legacy software, still

Only two in five (43%) plan to implement automation within the next six to 12 months, with a further fifth (20%) planning to do so within 18 months.

AutoRek acknowledged that spreadsheets offer familiarity for workers, however they’re let down by large amounts of manual processing that can lead to delays. Legacy systems also threaten compliance and competitiveness by introducing potential regulatory risks and increasing costs.

“Legacy systems and manual processes pose a direct threat to operational efficiency. In turn, this threatens compliance and market competitiveness," noted AutoRek Payment’s Lead, Nick Botha.

The company confirmed artificial intelligence and automation can help small and medium-sized businesses to adopt more modern approaches, however the desire to modernize isn’t met with equally clear guidance.

Modernizing payment data management should be the first port of call for businesses looking to boost efficiency, enhance accuracy and improve compliance. Today, 81% of organizations receive payment data in real-time or once a day, with 83% processing, actioning and reporting this data with the same frequency.

“Our research shows a worrying disparity between how payments are made and how they are processed,” added Botha. “Payment methods have become more sophisticated, yet the industry is still heavily reliant on legacy solutions to process transactions.”

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The next PlayStation State of Play live stream is happening in a few hours time, and there's plenty to potentially get excited about.

In its announcement of the event, Sony promised more than 40 minutes of "news and updates on great games coming to PS5", which is plenty of time to include looks at a bunch of titles.

We're happily jumping on the hype bandwagon for this State of Play and really hoping we see some firm release dates, exciting updates, and hopefully a surprise or two. Throughout our build-up to the State of Play, we'll also be sharing info on what's rumored to make an appearance as well as what we hope might be shown - be it calculated guesses or wild long shots.

PlayStation State of Play February 2025 - start time and where to watch

Cutting to the important detail right now, ahead of time: today's State of Play start time is 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm GMT / 11pm CET and will be broadcast on PlayStation's YouTube and Twitch channels.

Our predictions for today's State of Play

We think today's State of Play could be a good one, and there are already a few games that keep coming up in conversation here on TechRadar Gaming. Here are a few things and specific games, in brief, that we predict will turn up:

• A new trailer and release date for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
• Another trailer for Death Stranding 2 and maybe a release date
• Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered to get a promo before release this week
• More hype about Monster Hunter Wilds
• A trailer for Elden Ring: Nightreign
• An update on Marathon
• Something from Sony Santa Monica
• At least one, maybe two, surprises

Anyway, we'll be keeping this page ticking over with all the tidbits of news and predictions throughout today in the build-up to the show so keep it right here for everything State of Play.

Hello there! Welcome to our live build-up coverage of tonight's State of Play presentation. We're well and truly on the hype and excitement train ahead of the show and will be logging all the news, rumors, and our own predictions here as we race toward show time.

First, let's get to the important details of tonight's show, the State of Play start time, and where it's being broadcast.

As per Sony's own PlayStation Blog, today's February State of Play will begin at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm GMT / 11pm CET tonight (February 12). This translates as 7am JST or 9am AEDST on February 13 for folks living in those regions.

In terms of where you can watch it, the show will be broadcast on PlayStation's YouTube and Twitch channels. Simple!

What about the potential importance of a February PlayStation State of Play show? Is it usually in Sony's schedule?

Well, simply put, yes - though the company has mixed it up occasionally with what it shows. Looking back over the past few years, there's regularly been a State of Play presentation in February or March time - but of varying length and focus.

For example, last February we had a Final Fantasy VII Rebirth State of Play in early February dedicated to that one game, but that followed a late January State of Play which showed off loads of games. In 2023, we had a 'normal' State of Play show too.

All in all, thus, this State of Play fits with Sony's schedule which explains the level of expectation around it. We're hoping that the content of the show delivers, as that's the ultimate pudding of proof with these events...

So, the big question: what do we think we'll actually see tonight?

Sony is promising more than 40 minutes of a show that will "celebrate a creative and unique selection of exciting games from studios around the world", which is nice and vague.

We're going to start sharing some info on what we can probably expect - absolute certainty isn't a thing, but some things are easier to predict right now, of course - as well as thoughts on what we really want Sony to show off...

Prediction: A release date for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater?

(Image credit: Konami)

This one feels like a safe bet. It's been a while in the works, and it even maintained a 2024 release date officially for a long while.

However, that aside, the recent apparent leak of a new Metal Gear Solid 3 remake trailer which confirmed an August 2025 release date seems like made for a State of Play presentation. We reported on the apparent leak of that trailer and release date recently, so it feels like the safe money is on this appearing in today's show.

For PlayStation fans of a certain age, myself included, this is a remake to get really excited about; a new version of one of the best games ever made? This is one not to be missed.

Prediction: More Death Stranding 2: On the Beach news?

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

To continue the playing it safe approach, this also seems like a solid bet. Hideo Kojima's next game has been a feature at previous State of Play presentations and it feels like we're gathering pace toward a release window given the time that has passed since a last update, and the fact that Kojima looks to have confirmed more Death Stranding 2 details will be revealed at a SXSW 2025 panel next month.

Therefore could we see a new trailer or a gameplay reveal in tonight's State of Play? I'd say it's not a bad prediction at all, though I'm not sure about a release date reveal just yet for some reason.

Prediction: a last look at Monster Hunter Wilds before release

We can also look to confirmed upcoming releases for some clue as to what might be shown in the State of Play later.

I'm specifically looking at Monster Hunter Wilds which releases just around the corner on February 28. We've seen a fair bit of the game recently given its Beta sessions and the hands-on previews that were published this week, but I reckon we could see one last hype-y trailer for the game on PS5 during today's State of Play.

Prediction: A last promo for Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered before releasing this week

On the topic of upcoming releases and safe best, we've also got Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered releasing this week (February 14) too which Sony may well want to highlight one last time.

Lara Croft is a PlayStation icon, after all, so celebrating this remastered trilogy with a last trailer before launch is not a bad guess.

It'd be very safe, but that might well account for a couple of minutes later today...

Prediction: What about hardware?

I really don't think we'll see new hardware announced, but it wouldn't be out of the question to see new PS5 Slim bundles announced - and a recent leak did suggest that an Astro Bot PS5 Slim bundle was on its way soon...

This would be both a welcome bundle and one that makes sense. It'd be welcome as it would provide an excellent starting point for those looking to dive into PS5 for the first time, team the console and brilliant DualSense controller with a game that truly makes the most of both, and to the latter, it'd also make sense for Sony to build a bundle around what's largely regarded as its new poster boy.

I reckon this could well be a hardware addition to the State of Play.

Might we get a final look at AC Shadows before release?

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Returning to upcoming game Sony might want to give a final push for, Assassin's Creed Shadows could be a good candidate for a final trailer or promo before its release on March 20.

The latest in Ubisoft's behemoth stealth action series, Shadows has certainly got fans intrigued and talking; I personally came away from my hands-on preview in Quebec optimistic about the game and eager to try get stuck into the Feudal Japan setting and the story of Naoe and Yasuke.

Prediction: A look at Pirating in Hawaii

Oh! And speaking of yet another upcoming release we might get another look at or promotion for; Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii comes out next week on PS5 and PS4 so that would also be a prime candidate for a show-off in the State of Play today!

What about Marathon, or a something else from Bungie?

There's growing hope that we might see something from Bungie during this State of Play too. Marathon was revealed a while ago and we've heard nothing in the meantime so this could be a good time to update fans on how development of that is going as Bungie tries to replicate the live service success of Destiny 2.

Hope: A Ghost of Yotei trailer or even release date

(Image credit: Sucker Punch)

This is a long shot but I would love it if Sony included a Ghost of Yotei release date bombshell in the State of Play later. It's a flagship game from a flagship studio, and it's got to be one of the most anticipated upcoming PS5 exclusives now.

I can't wait to get my teeth into it, whenever it comes out, but I'll be hoping for a release date - heck, even another trailer or a snippet of game play will do - to tide me over.

Big Hope: Now or never for Bloodborne?

(Image credit: Sony / FromSoftware)

It wouldn't be a Stae of Play without Bloodborne hype and hope. My colleague, Rhys Wood, has some thoughts on that in the context of tonight's presentation

"Today's State of Play showcase lines up suspiciously close to Bloodborne's 10th anniversary, which will be March 24, 2025, in the US. As a result, fans of the FromSoftware RPG (myself included) have been howling Vicar Amelia style for even just a crumb of acknowledgment.

Obviously, the big win here would be a PS5 remaster or even a potential PC port of Bloodborne. The original game is playable on PS5 via backwards compatibility, but it remains stuck at a choppy 30 frames per second - hardly a reasonable fate for what many consider to be one of the greatest PlayStation games of all time. Should the State of Play come and go without any kind of Bloodborne announcement, it's hard to say if or when the game will get its next big chance. Hopefully, Sony is able to wake us from this accursed dream for good."

Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor

Returning to Monster Hunter Wilds for just a moment - while I think of it - don't forget to check out our hands-on preview of the game in which Rhys says the game has made "monster hunting more thrilling and engaging than ever before".

Rates won't stay high forever. Snag one of these APYs while you still can.

• Captain America 4's director has responded to two big fan theories about the Marvel movie
• MCU devotees have wondered if Sam Wilson will reform the Avengers in Brave New World
• Fans have also discussed whether it'll lay the groundwork for Avengers: Doomsday

Captain America: Brave New World's director has offered a disappointing, albeit cryptic, answer to some big Marvel fan theories about the forthcoming film.

Ahead of the movie's release this Friday (February 14), two specific conversations have dominated social media and Marvel-centric forums alike. First, considering that Captain America traditionally leads the Avengers, will Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson reform Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Brave New World? Second, given its relative close proximity to Avengers: Doomsday, aka the next Avengers film that'll land in theaters, in May 2026, does it lay the foundations for the group's next team-up flick?

Understandably, Julius Onah didn't definitively answer either rumor when I asked about them during the Marvel Phase 5 film's UK junket. That said, Onah's cryptic response suggested that Cap's latest big-screen adventure acknowledges both queries, even if it might not give fans the answers they're looking for.

The Avengers haven't been seen together since 2019's Avengers: Endgame (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

"When you enter this story, there are no Avengers," Onah said. "And that was part of what was exciting about this film. Historically, we've seen Captain America be a leader of the Avengers, and I think part of the growth and the journey that Sam Wilson takes in this film is grappling with the question of 'Should there be a group of Avengers?' and 'What does it mean potentially if I lead that group of Avengers?'. That's the story that I was excited about telling.

"[But] I think this movie will then take you to a place that sets you up for what comes next," he added. "That's something I would never want to spoil for an audience, though!"

I doubt anyone would want you to spoil Captain America 4 ahead of launch, Julius! We'll just have to wait until one of 2025's most exciting new movies takes flight in cinemas worldwide to see how integral it is to setting up what's to come in Avengers 5 and beyond.

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Before we reach that movie as part of Marvel Phase 6, there are two other films that'll be as important as Brave New World is on the Doomsday set-up front. Thunderbolts, which arrives on May 2, will introduce us to an Avengers-style group of heroes and anti-heroes who may establish themselves as a temporary substitute to Earth's Mightiest Heroes – indeed, Thunderbolts' latest trailer heavily implied this would be the case.

Then there's The Fantastic Four: First Steps. On the surface, the third and final Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) flick of the year has the strongest ties to Avengers: Doomsday due to the Fantastic Four's association with Doctor Victor von Doom. He'll be the primary villain in Avengers 5 and its follow-up Avengers: Secret Wars, which will hit theaters in May 2027. Oh, and Robert Downey Jr – yes, he of Tony Stark and Iron Man fame – will play Doom, for anyone who didn't already know.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Before Brave New World arrives, familiarize yourself with its on-screen talent in my Captain America: Brave New World cast and character guide. You can learn even more about the MCU flick as a whole in my Captain America: Brave New World hub, too, or read more of my exclusive Marvel coverage below.

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• Apple Watch Series 10 users are complaining of speaker issues
• Multiple users say the audio is quiet or muffled
• It affects both phone call and music volume, but doesn't seem to have an obvious cause
• Are you affected by this issue? Drop us an email: stephen.warwick@futurenet.com

Some users of the Apple Watch Series 10 are reporting issues with the device's speaker becoming quiet or muffled since purchase.

The rumblings, picked up by a plethora of news outlets, have started on both Reddit and the Apple Community support forums and seem to have been going on for a number of months.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is the best Apple Watch for most users right now, second only to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and only came out in September. However, just a month later one user reported an issue with volume, a thread that continues to gather steam.

"I have Apple Watch 10. The speaker is low when on calls. It sound blown when people talk," one user replied. Others also commented to report the issue as recently this month, and the thread has a further 43 "Me Too" reacts on Apple's website.

Similarly, one Redditor posted to say "I received this watch when it was first released and 10 days later all sound coming out sounds very staticky and muffled." The Reddit thread is less clear-cut, because the watch that started off the discussion clearly has some kind of blocked speaker grill. However, other users report problems with crackly and distorted sound.

One user in particular had their watch replaced by Apple, only for the same issue to resurface on their new device.

Apple Watch Series 10 speaker issue gathers pace

(Image credit: Future)

It's possible that some users have this issue and aren't even aware. The Apple Watch Series 10 is the first Series model to include audio playback through the watch's built-in speaker. As such, it's not a feature Apple Watch users are too familiar with.

The swathe of reports has let to more users responding to acknowledge the issue. "Thanks to this article I now know I have a bad speaker in my Apple Watch Series 10, one commenter said. "I have an Apple Watch Ultra (not the Ultra 2), and indeed this is happening to me too," another added.

"I never would have noticed this, (never play music/podcasts through the speaker, never take calls on the watch) but just tried to play a song and it was SUPER quiet," one reader told 9to5Mac. Over at MacRumors, commenters report the issue rearing its head recently too. "Weirdly enough, I literally had this issue yesterday. I woke up, and the speaker sounded muffled/distorted," said one.

It's unclear how widespread the issue is, or if there's a particular cause, especially given this is a feature that many Apple Watch users probably aren't using and may not know exists.

We've reached out to Apple and will update this piece with a comment accordingly. In the meantime, if you're experiencing this issue, drop us an email: stephen.warwick@futurenet.com.

Later this year, Apple is expected to unveil the new Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3, the latter sporting a re-design for 2025.

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Do you regularly assess the security posture of your software providers? It’s not a question most people are used to answering. For IT leaders, however, it’s an increasingly familiar concern – particularly within critical public sectors like healthcare, education and government.

While most public sector IT leaders feel confident about their software security posture, our research revealed that 51% of them uncovered hidden participants in their software supply chains last year. Even more troubling, over half of decision-makers across healthcare, education and government organizations reported receiving notifications of an attack or vulnerability within the past twelve months. Of those affected, 42% of organizations took over a week – or longer – to recover.

Public sector industries that deliver vital services are particularly vulnerable. In fact, BlackBerry Threat Intelligence shows that almost two-thirds (62%) of sector-specific attacks target these critical industries, due to their reliance on outdated systems, limited cybersecurity resources, and the high value of the sensitive data they hold. However, as these industries increasingly adopt digital solutions to enhance operations, they also become prime targets for cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities and disrupt essential services.

At the heart of these attacks lies a targeted exploitation of trust. Attackers manipulate the components of software development and distribution, infiltrating systems by exploiting third-party tools or dependencies and even deliberately embedding vulnerabilities that often then remain undetected until they are exploited.

In August, 2024, the UK government published its Code of Practice for Software Vendors, a voluntary set of guidelines to help organizations develop and use technologies to counter cyber-attacks like the one experienced by Transport for London (TfL).

These are steps in the right direction, but public sector organizations can also harness innovative approaches and technologies to counter the escalating threat. So, how can they do so at a time when they are being tasked to implement best practice using the same resources or even less?

Supply chain security blind spots

“Software is a fundamental building block for digital technologies,” begins the government’s policy paper. The policy paper underscores the foundational role of secure software in enabling productivity and growth.

The reality is the interconnected nature of today’s supply chains means security risks now extend beyond primary suppliers to third, fourth, and even eighth-party vendors, that may vary from highly organized companies with robust controls, right down to individuals who supply and service the myriad vendors and partners in the supply chain. When compliance and data privacy are lacking at any point along this chain, it can trigger far-reaching consequences, exposing companies to malicious attacks and operational disruptions.

Getting this wrong can be extremely costly. Our research revealed that IT leaders reported financial loss (71%), data loss (67%), reputational damage (67%), operational impact (50%), and intellectual property theft (38%) were the biggest challenges faced after an attack or vulnerability in their software supply chain in 2024.

One reason for the rise in supply chain software attacks is the high level of trust IT leaders place in their suppliers. Fewer than half (47%) of public sector IT decision-makers request proof of compliance with certifications or standard operating procedures, and fewer still seek third-party audit reports (38%) or evidence of internal security training (32%).

While this degree of trust and confidence in service providers helps foster partnerships, this shouldn’t come at the expense of ignoring blind spots in the software supply chain. Ultimately, how a company monitors and manages cybersecurity in its software supply chain must rely on more than just trust – and IT leaders and their suppliers must tackle the lack of visibility as a priority.

Enhancing visibility through rigorous supply chain security

Fortunately, public sector organizations have several defense options. First, they should look to reduce the attack surface of the software supply chain by minimizing the number of potential points where an attacker can exploit vulnerabilities. Here, they should identify and investigate every step of the supply chain. This should include a deep dive into partner applications to ensure they too are secure and make penetration testing a regular activity to continually verify the status.

Second, organizations must verify the identity and practices of their service providers, including testing third-party software before deployment and requiring vendors to adhere to well-established security policies. End-to-end encryption, robust privacy policies, and enterprise-grade controls and reporting are vital to reducing supply chain vulnerabilities. By validating each of user identities, cryptographic measures and isolation of sensitive data, these safeguards will better protect against malware and unauthorized access.

Finally, effective incident response plans are crucial; it’s wise to base the plans on the assumption that a software supply chain attack is inevitable. These plans should include six stages: preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and assessment. BlackBerry operates – and advise others to operate – on a Zero Trust principle, reducing the risk of hidden and unknown participants in the supply chain.

A robust IR plan should not rely on the regular IT tools themselves for communication and workflow during an incident, (as these may well be compromised or inaccessible) but have recourse to out of band communications and workflow, an isolated recovery environment and use administrative credentials that are different to those used by the regular IT and Security toolsets (since those credentials are also often compromised in supply chain attacks).

The road ahead

Of course, there is no quick fix to software supply chain problems. There is an ongoing talent shortage of experienced cybersecurity workers, and those available are already burdened with the challenges of keeping an organization's own systems patched and updated. Our research highlights the key challenges facing IT public sector professionals, include insufficient technical expertise (49%) and inadequate tooling (38%). However, automation and exploitation of GenAI powered processes could address many of these issues in future, but equally, add to the complexity of the software supply chain itself.

AI-enabled Managed Detection and Response (MDR) technologies offer a cost-effective and practical solution to these issues. Specifically, they enable continuous monitoring of endpoints, networks, and cloud environments while connecting organizations with Security Operations Centre (SOC) analysts to address internal skill gaps. Unlike traditional cybersecurity services, which operate passively in the background, MDR combines advanced threat detection technologies with human expertise for a more proactive defense.

The road ahead calls for a multifaceted approach, including a combination of automation and proactive defense strategies and the Zero Trust principle. Equally important is a robust Incident Response plan that features out of band messaging communications and independent tools and processes that can minimise the exposure and speed the recovery. By leveraging advanced technologies alongside human expertise to remove blind spots, public sector IT leaders will have greater confidence in their organization's resiliency against more sophisticated software supply chain threats.

The go-live of the DORA directive, which requires UK financial entities involved in cross-border operations to comply with EU supply chain legislation, has not inspired confidence among cybersecurity experts. Much like the NIS2 compliance deadline, there are doubts about organizations' readiness, particularly in meeting supply chain audit requirements for partners and suppliers.

The increasing complexity of software supply chains, coupled with challenges in preparing accurate Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs), is further compounded by the growing adoption of generative AI. This shift introduces the need for AI-BOMs and adds new layers of difficulty. As software engineering advances rapidly, legislation will need to adapt, placing even greater scrutiny on the software supply chain.

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