Technology

The FBI and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned American voters about misinformation campaigns aimed at undermining their trust in the election process.

In a public service announcement (PSA), the two agencies said hackers “continue to spread false or misleading information in an attempt to manipulate public opinion and undermine confidence in US democratic institutions.”

Among the different tactics being used, one particularly stands out - that hackers managed to compromise election infrastructure. To “prove” their case, the hackers use voter registration information, something that can be purchased legitimately through publicly available sources, the two agencies said.

Russia and Iran

“In recent election cycles, when cyber actors have obtained voter registration information, the acquisition of this data did not impact the voting process or election results,” the PSA reads.

Furthermore, the two agencies said that so far, hacking attacks never prevented the elections, changed voter registration information, prevented a person from voting, compromised the integrity of the ballots, or meddled with the ballot counting process. Instead, US citizens should be skeptical of the things they see and hear online, particularly if they are coming from unknown sources.

Earlier this month, US law enforcement seized 32 websites, and charged two individuals with conspiracy, in a crackdown on attempts to influence the upcoming US presidential elections. This scheme was part of a larger influence campaign orchestrated by Russia, with the goal of getting former president Donald Trump back in the Oval office.

Furthermore Google also confirmed that an Iranian state-sponsored threat actor tried to access personal email accounts of multiple people linked to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Finally, there are reports that Russian president himself, Vladimir Putin, ordered Operation Lakhta, whose goal was to meddle in the 2016 US presidential elections and get Trump voted in, over HIllary Clinton.

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Tile has just launched the next-generation of its Bluetooth trackers, and now they’re fully integrated into the Life360 ecosystem. While that might initially sound disappointing for people who were wishing for them to join the Android Find My Device and Apple Find My networks, there’s one big satellite-enabled benefit on the way to give Tile’s trackers a boost – and one security feature I’m still uneasy about.

As always there are four Tile models to choose from. The standard Mate features its built-in keyring loop; the enhanced Pro comes with the same keyring but also a longer range, louder ringer and replaceable battery; the Slim maintains its thin card shape making it perfect for keeping track of your wallet; and the Sticker can be stuck to almost anything.

Price-wise the trackers are staying around the same cost as before, though depending on your region and which model you’re interested in some prices are going up and some are going down. It’ll get confusing if we try and explain all the changes specifically for the US, UK and Australia, so instead here’s a list of the new Tile tracker prices:

• Tile Mate: $24.99 / £24.99 / $44.95
• Tile Pro: $34.99 / £34.99 / $59.95
• Tile Slim: $29.99 / £29.99 / $49.95
• Tile Sticker: $24.99 / £24.99 / $39.95

In return you’re getting trackers that have a three-year battery life – except the Tile Pro which is only one year, but its battery is replaceable – with loud in-built ringers that make it easy (from my experience) to find your lost items around your home.

(Image credit: Tile)

They’re also keeping one of my favorite aspects of last gen’s Tile models – the Lost and Found QR code. Scanning this code on the back of the Tile Mate, Pro, or Slim (the Sticker misses out because its back is an adhesive) will allow whoever finds it to find out your contact information (if you choose to enable it). This makes it a little simpler for people to help return your lost stuff to you regardless of what network they use.

New Life360 integrations

The big changes however are coming as part of the new full Life360 integration – which have been added in part because Life360 now owns Tile.

Life360 is a previously separate service which allows family members – or whoever you add to your in-app Circle across Android and iOS – to track each other’s locations and make sure they’re safe thanks to features like crash detection. There are times when it can feel a little invasive, but there are privacy settings to tweak how the service works and I can see the advantages the Life360 could offer plenty of families – especially for parents who want to give their kids a little more freedom, but still want to make sure they’re safe.

As for the Tile integrations, the first is a new option for the button on the trackers. Previously this button enabled reverse ring. If you have your Tile but not your phone you can use the tracker to locate it by pressing the button. Now you can instead enable a Life360 SOS alert by pressing the button three times. This sends a discrete notification to your Circle that something is wrong – with a Life360 representative explaining that this could be if you feel you’re in danger, or something more mundane like your kid feels a bit too uncomfortable at a party and they want you to come pick them up.

You can also share your Tiles with everyone in your Circle, so they can ring them for you and help you find them.

Life360 integration adds new features like SOS alert (Image credit: Tile)

Lastly – and this is the big one – thanks to a partnership with satellite company Hubble the new Tiles won’t just be findable using a Bluetooth connection; Life360 is promising that satellites will be able to help you find them in the future. This will be especially useful if you lose your tracker somewhere that doesn’t get a lot of footfall or where cellular connections are weak – like out in the wilderness – and is an advantage that neither of Apple’s or Android’s Find My networks can offer right now.

That said, the feature hasn’t launched yet, but Hubble is hoping to offer global connectivity by 2028 and when it does the service does launch (even in a more limited way) these new Tiles will be fully compatible with the satellite network.

Anti-Theft Mode, a blessing or a curse?

One final feature I wanted to highlight is Tile’s Anti-Theft Mode, a unique tool to these new and older Tile trackers that allows you to hide them from Tile’s own Bluetooth device finder tool Scan and Secure, as well as some other third-party scanners.

This was explained to me as a beneficial feature because it ensures that thieves don’t simply find your Tile and dispose of it when they steal your valuables. What’s more Tile has introduced several safety measures like requiring you to scan an official ID (a passport, driver’s license, or something equivalent) and take a selfie to verify your identity before you’re allowed to turn on Anti-Theft Mode – with the threat that it will share this information with law enforcement and issue you a $1 million fine if you’re suspected and later convicted of a stalking crime, and used this mode to track a person illegally.

Safety vs security (Image credit: Tile)

However I’m left uneasy by it.

I understand Tile’s approach is trying its best to balance a person’s safety and your valuables’ security. Though, if, for example, the stalker acts before the tracker is physically found and taken to police (something which is harder to do now that it can’t be detected by scanners), I don’t see how Tile's safety measures will help to protect potential stalking victims.

Even if they do offer protections I'm not considering you then also have to trust a third-party service to handle your personal ID securely and appropriately, which opens up its own can of worms.

I personally don’t mind my stuff being a little easier to steal if it means it’s a lot harder to stalk people, so I seriously hope the Anti-Theft Mode is removed, and soon from the new trackers and Tile's older devices which support it.

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Apple’s brand-new iPad operating system, iPadOS 18, launches today, bringing with it a host of new features to enhance the experience on all the best iPads. From new apps to Apple Pencil enhancements, there’s a lot to like about the new update.

Here, we’ve picked out five of the best upgrades in iPadOS 18 that you’ll want to try out straight away. With the update expected around 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST, all you need to do is update your iPad (Settings > General > Software Update, if you don't have automatic updates turned on) and you’ll be ready to go.

(Image credit: Future)

The full list of iPads that support iPadOS 18 are the new iPad Pro (M4), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen or later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st gen or later), iPad Air (M2), iPad Air (3rd gen or later), iPad (7th gen or later) and the iPad mini (5th gen or later).  

Just note that, although Apple Intelligence isn’t launching until October, you can try out Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) system in the latest iPadOS 18.1 beta. That said, many of its features aren’t available yet, with some not expected until the new year, so you’ll need to be patient for those. While you wait, here are the biggest highlights of iPadOS 18...

The new Calculator app

(Image credit: Apple)

You might think it’s strange for us to lead with the new Calculator app that’s arriving in iPadOS 18, but it’s a surprisingly big deal. Not only does it work really well on the iPad’s large display, but it adds some neat functionality that takes it to the next level.

The headline feature is called Math Notes (and it also works in the Notes app). This lets you write mathematical equations into the app using an Apple Pencil. When you draw an equals sign, the Calculator app automatically solves the equation for you. Make a change to the equation and the solution updates in real time.

Better yet, the Math Notes feature supports variables. Change one of the variables on a page and everything that uses this variable updates too, including the solution to your problem. You can adjust variables using a slider instead of having to rewrite them, and Math Notes can also create graphs from your workings.

Handwriting in Notes

(Image credit: Apple)

iPadOS 18 brings some changes to existing apps, and one in particular received a whole bundle of updates: Notes. As with the Calculator app, much of the improvements here focus on the Apple Pencil. 

So, there’s a new Smart Script feature that refines your handwriting as you jot it down, making for a neater and more consistent appearance on the page. You can even paste copied text and it will appear in your own handwriting style. There are other improvements, like being able to move text using the Apple Pencil or erase it by scribbling over it, making the writing experience more enjoyable.

Elsewhere, Notes has added highlighting, collapsible sections, audio recording and live sound transcription, too. It’s a much better place to organize your thoughts, utilize audio, and get things done with an Apple Pencil.

The floating tab bar

(Image credit: Apple)

While we’re on the subject of apps, Apple has added something that works in apps across iPadOS 18: a new floating tab bar. 

This shows a few common controls for an app at the top of the screen, and it can also expand out to become a sidebar with more tools. Its controls can be tweaked as needed – all you need to do is drag and drop a menu option from the sidebar onto the tab bar.

Apple has made the tab bar functionality available in an API, meaning third-party developers can work it into their own apps. So, you should start seeing this new, convenient way of navigating appear in many of the best iPad apps sooner or later.

Style it your way

(Image credit: Apple)

In iPadOS 18, you can organize your app icons and redesign your Home screen with much more flexibility than before, and it’s something that’s also available in iOS 18. 

Using these new controls, the Home screen can now have empty areas devoid of icons – this is great if you want to leave part of your background photo uncovered or just create a cleaner, more minimalistic look. As well as that, there are now options to tint your app icons so that they all take on a similar appearance, giving your iPad a uniform appearance for more visual consistency.

And the ability to customize iPadOS extends to the Control Center, where you can add, remove and rearrange tools to make the Control Center more useful to you. Tools can be spread over several pages, which helps if you want to make things a little more organized.

Game Mode

(Image credit: Apple)

The iPad is an excellent gaming device thanks to its large, high-quality display and powerful chip. In iPadOS 18, that’s taken up a notch thanks to Game Mode, which automatically optimizes the operating system to devote more resources to your games.

When you launch a game, Game Mode starts up. When it’s in use, it gives your game high-priority access to your iPad’s chip, enabling it to get the resources it needs to ensure smooth gameplay and high frame rates. It also doubles the Bluetooth sampling rate, which in turn reduces input latency for connected devices like games controllers and AirPods. It should all help to make playing the best iPad games a better all-round experience.

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Artificial intelligence has rapidly become a cornerstone of modern business, driving innovation and efficiency across industries. Yet, as companies increasingly rely on AI to handle sensitive tasks, they are also opening themselves up to new security vulnerabilities.

Businesses integrating AI into their operations means AI entities are becoming more autonomous and gaining access to more sensitive data and systems. As a result, CISOs are facing new cybersecurity challenges. Traditional security practices, designed for human users and conventional machines, fall short when applied to AI. So, it’s vital for companies to address emerging vulnerabilities if they are to prevent security issues from unchecked AI integration and secure their most valuable data assets.

AI: More than just machines

Every single type of identity has a different role and capability. Humans usually know how to best protect their passwords. For example, it seems quite obvious to every individual that they should avoid reusing the same password multiple times or choosing one that’s very easy to guess. Machines, including servers and computers, often hold or manage passwords, but they are vulnerable to breaches and don’t have the capability to prevent unauthorized access.

AI entities, including chatbots, are difficult to classify with regard to cybersecurity. These nonhuman identities manage critical enterprise passwords yet differ significantly from traditional machine identities like software, devices, virtual machines, APIs, and bots. So, AI is neither a human identity nor a machine identity; it sits in a unique position. It combines human-guided learning with machine autonomy and needs access to other systems to work. However, it lacks the judgment to set limits and prevent sharing confidential information.

Rising investments, lagging security

Businesses are investing heavily in AI, with 432,000 UK organizations – accounting for 16% – reporting they have embraced at least one AI technology. AI adoption is no longer a trend; it’s a necessity, so spending on emerging technologies is only expected to keep rising in the coming years. The UK AI market is currently worth over £16.8 billion, and is anticipated to grow to £801.6 billion by 2035.

However, the rapid investment in AI often outpaces identity security measures. Companies don’t always understand the risks posed by AI. As such, following best practices for security or investing enough time in securing AI systems is not always top of the priority list, leaving these systems vulnerable to potential cyberattacks. What’s more, traditional security practices such as access controls and least privilege rules are not easily applicable to AI systems. Another issue is that, with everything they already have going on, security practitioners are struggling to find enough time to secure AI workloads.

CyberArk’s 2024 Identity Security Threat Landscape Report reveals that while 68% of UK organizations report that up to half of their machine identities access sensitive data, only 35% include these identities in their definition of privileged users and take the necessary identity security measures. This oversight is risky, as AI systems, loaded with up-to-date training data, become high-value targets for attackers. Compromises in AI could lead to the exposure of intellectual property, financial information, and other sensitive data.

The threat of cloud attacks on AI systems

The security threats to AI systems aren’t unique, but their scope and scale could be. Constantly updated with new training data from within a company, LLMs quickly become prime targets for attackers once deployed. Since they must use real data and not test data for training, this up-to-date information can reveal valuable sensitive corporate secrets, financial data, and other confidential assets. AI systems inherently trust the data they receive, making them particularly susceptible to being deceived into divulging protected information.

In particular, cloud attacks on AI systems enable lateral movement and jailbreaking, allowing attackers to exploit a system’s vulnerabilities and trick it into disseminating misinformation to the public. Identity and account compromises in the cloud are common, with many high-profile breaches resulting from stolen credentials and causing significant damage to major brands across the tech, banking and consumer sectors.

AI can also be used to perform more complex cyberattacks. For example, it enables malicious actors to analyze every single permission that’s linked to a particular role within a company and assess whether they can use this permission to easily access and move through the organization.

So, what’s the sensible next step? Companies are still at the beginning of the integration of AI and LLMs, so establishing robust identity security practices will take time. However, CISOs can’t afford to sit back and wait; they must proactively develop strategies to protect AI identities before a cyberattack happens, or a new regulation comes into place and forces them to do so.

The key steps for strengthening AI security

While there is no silver bullet security solution for AI, businesses can put certain measures in place to mitigate the risks. More specifically, there are some key actions that CISOs can take to enhance their AI identity security posture as the industry continues to evolve.

• Identifying overlaps: CISOs should make it a priority to identify areas where existing identity security measures can be applied to AI. For example, leveraging existing controls such as access management and least privilege principles where possible can help improve security.

• Safeguarding the environment: It’s crucial that CISOs understand the environment where AI operates to protect it as efficiently as possible. While purchasing an AI security platform isn’t a necessity, securing the environment where the AI activity is happening is vital.

• Building an AI security culture: It’s hard to encourage all employees to adopt best identity security practices without a strong AI security mindset. Involving security experts in AI projects means they can share their knowledge and expertise with all employees and ensure everyone is well aware of the risks of using AI. It’s also important to consider how data is processed and how the LLM is being trained to encourage employees to think of what using emerging technologies entails and be even more careful.

The use of AI in business presents both great opportunities and unprecedented security challenges. As we navigate this new landscape, it becomes clear that traditional security measures are insufficient for the unique risks posed by AI systems. The role of CISOs is no longer simply about managing conventional cybersecurity threats; it now involves recognising the distinct nature of AI identities and securing them accordingly. So, businesses must make sure they invest time and resources in finding the right balance between innovation and security to keep up with the latest trends while protecting their most valuable assets.

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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

We now know why some blood is missing a key antigen—leading to the creation of a new blood-grouping system. Experts believe even more discoveries are on the way.

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This is Part 2 of a two-part series on cloud repatriation.  In The Shift to Cloud Repatriation: Why Organizations are Making the Change - Part 1 we delved into the significance of edge computing and data sovereignty when considering repatriation highlighting the strategic benefits of maintaining control over data. But another key factor is the growing popularity of Kubernetes, the next evolution in application deployment and management. An open source container orchestration platform that offers organizations an appealing combination of flexibility and control, Kubernetes helps companies more dynamically size for each application, while managing costs and improving performance.

Kubernetes and containers: A new era of flexibility and efficiency

Although containers are billed as lightweight alternatives to full virtual machines, they pack a massive punch. From small ephemeral apps to large scale stateful workloads, containers give organizations the ability to encapsulate applications in a consistent environment, eliminating software configuration conflicts and ensuring reliable performance across different platforms. Kubernetes serves as a powerful open-source controller or orchestration platform for containers, enabling developers to manage and scale applications seamlessly.

Because Kubernetes is open source, it is accessible to anyone at any time. Whether you are operating racks of enterprise-class servers or a couple of mini PCs in a retail closet, Kubernetes can adapt and function seamlessly. This universal compatibility, flexibility, and ease of use allows developers to create, manage, and scale applications, free of the constraints traditionally imposed by specific hardware or software environments.

An additional point of appeal is the standardization that Kubernetes offers. Developers can write applications, encapsulate them into containers, and replicate these containers endlessly with consistent results. This eliminates the headache of dealing with conflicting operating systems or applications that might override critical data. Containers ensure a digitally perfect copy of a known good application, which can be deployed as many times as needed without variation.

All of the major hyperscalers have developed advanced tools around Kubernetes, but the core value of Kubernetes remains its open-source foundation and the fact that it doesn’t bind organizations to a single cloud provider. Kubernetes also provides organizations with the ability to move configurations across different environments – including public clouds, private clouds, or even on-premises servers – that is the true game-changer. This enables businesses to avoid a lock-in with any single cloud provider, offering the freedom to choose the most cost-effective and efficient solution for each workload.

Workload portability: the Kubernetes advantage

Prior to Kubernetes, moving applications and workloads between different environments was cumbersome and costly, and continuously using public cloud resources for stable, long-running applications was not cost-effective. Now organizations can evaluate their computing needs and optimize costs by transferring workloads to the most appropriate channel, balancing cost and performance. Stable applications with predictable usage patterns can benefit from the cost savings of a private cloud, avoiding the premium costs associated with on-demand public cloud resources.

Still, not all applications are suited for private clouds. Applications with sporadic, high compute needs, such as running one-time machine learning algorithms on large datasets, are ideal for the public cloud because they allow businesses to leverage significant computing power for short periods without long-term commitments. Conversely, applications that require continuous operation and low latency, such as incident management systems or real-time financial applications, are better suited for private clouds.

Think about it this way: public clouds excel in providing resources for applications that can be turned off when not in use, saving costs during idle periods. But for applications that must run 24/7, private clouds offer more predictable pricing and lower total cost of ownership. Additionally, private cloud provides greater flexibility and lower costs for data transfer and connectivity, making them more cost effective for moving large volumes of data between different locations.

The multi-cloud paradigm is here to stay, driven by the need for flexibility, cost optimization, and performance. During the pandemic, many organizations rushed to public clouds due to immediate needs and external pressures. But it has become clear that relying on a single provider is not a sustainable long-term strategy. Cost concerns, latency issues, and the inability to move workloads freely have underscored the limitations of a one-size-fits-all approach.

By carefully evaluating workloads and leveraging the strengths of both public and private clouds, businesses can achieve the best performance, lowest cost, and ultimately drive better business outcomes. The future lies in this hybrid, multi-cloud approach, where the right strategy can make all the difference.

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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

TechRadar Pro is live in San Francisco for Dreamforce 2024!

We're here in California for what will no doubt be a packed few days of news, features, and much more as Salesforce shows off all it's newest and most exciting releases.

Expect surprises and celebrity guests during Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff's keynote, plus all the latest Slack and AI news as well. We'll be here covering the event live, so stay tuned for all the latest and greatest updates as they happen!

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Dreamforce 2024!

TechRadar Pro is here in San Francisco after flying in last night, and we're looking forward to a busy week of news and announcements.

Dreamforce 2024 begins tomorrow (Tuesday 17 September) - so we'll be in the opening keynote to report everything going on!

The Windows operating system (OS) had a vulnerability that allowed people to hide a file’s true extension, which hackers were able to use and distribute files that looked like .PDF documents, but were in fact weaponized .HTA files.

In the most recent Patch Tuesday cumulative update, Microsoft addressed a flaw described as "Windows MSHTML spoofing vulnerability", and tracked as CVE-2024-43461. This flaw was apparently used by a threat actor known as Void Banshee to deploy the Atlantida infostealer.

In the attack, the crooks would first create a malicious .HTA file. An .HTA file stands for HTML Application, and it is a file type that allows HTML to be executed as a standalone application. Unlike typical web pages that run in a browser, .HTA files are executed with more privileges, similar to desktop applications, and can access system resources.

Atlantida infostealer

Then, they would abuse the vulnerability to add twenty-six repeated encoded braille whitespace characters to the file’s name. That way, when a user views a file on their computer, the actual file type would be hidden, tricking the victim into believing they were looking at a .PDF file, instead. Running the file would install the Atlantida infostealer, which would pick up and exfiltrate sensitive data, login information, and more.

Deploying the .HTA file to the device was done through a weaponized shortcut file (.URL). This file was most likely delivered with phishing, or social engineering.

"Specifically, the attackers used special Windows Internet Shortcut files (.url extension name), which, when clicked, would call the retired Internet Explorer (IE) to visit the attacker-controlled URL," Check Point Research explained in a recent paper, BleepingComputer reports.

The bug was fixed with the latest Patch Tuesday update. Now, when a user tries to open the .HTA file, the actual file type will not remain hidden. However, it will still be pushed to the right, thanks to multiple braille whitespace characters, which might still confuse some people.

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From the creator behind Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which was once one of the best Netflix series, Ryan Murphy is returning to another one of our best streaming services with his upcoming limited series Grotesquerie. The recent teaser trailer for the new Hulu show (see below) packs everything you can expect from a Ryan Murphy production, including a true crime backdrop, a token nun character, and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce.  

Following the release of the show’s official trailer (see below), which is introduced by Kelce himself, Hulu and FX have been dropping teaser trailers in the lead up to its release on September 25. Going off what we’ve seen so far in its teasers, Grotesquerie will have a crime-centric storyline with elements of gory cults and rituals across the 10-episode first season carried by a cast of new additions to the Murphy family of actors, as well as those who have worked with him on previous projects.

As well as newcomer Travis Kelce, Grotesquerie brings Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread and Netflix’s The Crown) into Murphy’s circle. Tony Award nominee Micaela Diamond will also be swapping the stage for the screen in her Ryan Murphy production debut as Sister Megan, performing alongside Nicholas Chavez who’ll be starring as Lyle Menendez in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the second series in Murphy’s Netflix show.

If you’re familiar with the works of Murphy, you’ll know that his productions often feature recurring actors, and in the case of Grotesquerie, Niecy Nash will be returning following appearances in shows such as Scream Queens and Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. 

Grotesquerie will undoubtedly be one of the most talked about shows this spooky season, however its many trailers suggest that we won’t see anything that we haven’t already from Murphy.

 What does Ryan Murphy have in store for us this time?  

“Something hellish is here”, Nash says to set the tone of Grotesquerie’s main trailer. Following a series of crimes that shake up a small community, Detective Lois Tryon (Nash) senses that there’s a personal element attached to the crimes, convincing herself that she’s being targeted. While she comes face-to-face with the murder case, she must learn to juggle a complicated relationship with her daughter Merritt (Raven Goodwin), and cope with the struggles of absent husband in long-term hospital care. 

Having nowhere to turn, she meets Sister Megan (Diamond), a nun and journalist with a history of witnessing the worst kinds of evil. The two women band together to gather clues with hopes of getting to the bottom of the cases, but it proves to be difficult when their questions become more puzzled and evil forces grow stronger.  

You can watch the full trailer for Ryan Murphy's drama series Grotesquerie below. 

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AirPods are getting some important new updates today as part of iOS 18, especially the AirPods Pro 2: there are new gesture controls, improved audio quality for gaming and calls, more control over Adaptive Audio, and spatial audio for gaming. 

There are some differences depending on what AirPods model you have.

The new Siri interactions, which enable you to accept or silence calls and notifications with head movements, are available for all AirPods. The new Voice Isolation for clearer calls is for all AirPods too.

Personalized Spatial Audio for gaming requires AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.

How to get the new AirPods update

In most cases, your AirPods will get the update automatically when the appropriate update is launched, they're within Bluetooth range of your Wi-Fi-connected iPhone, iPad or Mac and they're charging. Once the update is installed, you'll get a cheerful welcome message the next time you use your earbuds or headphones. 

If you have AirPods Pro 2, you may have the update already: my pair automatically updated over the weekend to version number 7A294. 

If you're not sure whether or not you have the latest version, it's easy enough to check on all of the best AirPods models.

If you connect your AirPods and look at the about information (in Settings > Bluetooth; tap on the info button next to your AirPods and then scroll down to About) on your iPhone or iPad, you should see the name of the currently installed firmware. 

On a Mac, the same information is under the Apple menu  > System Information > Bluetooth and then your AirPods' name. The most recent firmware for each model of AirPods is always listed on this page on the Apple website.

If you don't appear to have the correct firmware version for your model, you can force an over-the-air update by connecting them to your Mac: for AirPods Max that means connecting them directly via the lightning to USB cable, and with AirPods and AirPods Pro it means putting your earbuds into their charging case and then connecting the case to your computer. That should start the update process for you – you can read a more step-by-step process in our full guide to how to update your AirPods' firmware.

If you make sure you're up to date even before iOS 18 lands, then you should get access to the new features immediately. Or, if iOS 18 arrives and things don't seem to be working, check your firmware in case the software hasn't landed on your AirPods yet.

The effects of the recent cyberattack on Transport For London (TfL) systems continue to be felt, with employees now being asked to attend an in person meeting to verify their identities and reset their passwords.

The organization has confirmed customer data was accessed during the attack, and one person has been arrested in relation to the incident, with the leaked data possibly including the bank details for around 5,000 customers, with applications for new Oyster photo and zip cards temporarily suspended.

Public transport itself remained largely unaffected in the incident, which primarily disrupted internal systems and the refund process for the transport agency, but the impact is still causing delay for some of TfL’s systems.

Ongoing disruption

TfL has confirmed it will be in touch with any customer whose information was compromised, and the organization is monitoring anyone who uses their system to ensure only those with authorisation can gain access,

"Some customers may ask questions about the security of our network and their data. First and foremost, we must reassure that our network is safe," TfL added on its employee hub. "Secondly, we're contacting customers directly about steps being taken regarding their data."

This attack reinforces the current trend of critical infrastructure as the target for cyber criminals. Organisations such as hospitals and energy companies which provide a public service are particularly vulnerable since they don’t tend to have the budget for top of the range cyber security.

Via BleepingComputer

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Social media and Reddit has been abuzz with a Cybertruck owner’s tale of tire woe, as the Cyberbeast driver suggested in a post that the rubber shrouding the polygonal EV’s 20-inch wheels has worn to a point where it needs replacing after just 6,000 miles.

The rate at which a tire wears is heavily dependent on the vehicle in question and how it is driven, but in general, having to replace a set after this sort of low mileage driving on public roads is not commonplace.

According to most sources of motoring information (your local tire supplier, or breakdown services), most drivers will get a minimum of 20,000 miles out of a set of tires in a front-wheel-drive car, extending to 40,000 for rear-wheel-drive machines.

Again, this is all highly dependent on the vehicle in question and the driving style, so the fact that forums have been alive with suggestions that Cybertruck chews through tires prematurely is probably giving Tesla an unduly hard time.

Without knowing all of the facts surrounding Cyber Truck Owners Club user Santoshm’s Cyberbeast (camber, wheel alignment, wheel balancing and tire pressures could be off, causing premature wear), it is difficult to say why they are experience such a poor return on rubber.

(Image credit: Tesla)

But the fact of the matter is, a truck that weighs 6,920lbs (that’s over three tonnes, metric fans) and produces 833bhp with a staggering 10296 lb-ft (13959 Nm) of torque is going to chew through tires – even if owners go easy on the throttle.

It comes as no surprise that similarly large electric EVs are also running into issues when it comes to tire wear. Last year, Rivian owners took to Facebook and other social media channels to complain of similarly poor tread-life on the R1T.

Again, this could have easily been down to a number of contributing factors, but many posited that 'Conserve Mode', which cuts power to the rear axle and lowers the ride height for increased aerodynamic efficiency, forces the front tires to do all the work – and messes with the overall geometry that can lead to incorrect wheel alignment and uneven wear.

But really, it could just be that this big, heavy and massively powerful truck tears off the line at every traffic light opportunity, just because it can.

Analysis: With great power comes great responsibility

(Image credit: Rivian)

The Tesla Cybertruck, particularly the range-topping Cyberbeast variant, is automotive hyperbole incarnate. Over-powered, over-weight and over-styled (or should that be under-styled?), it pushes the very boundaries of automotive design and engineering.

But while it is often easy to poke fun at Musk and his, at-times, madcap EV outfit, Tesla isn’t alone in bestowing extremely heavy electric vehicles with insane performance figures. 

As is the way with electric motors in general, the amount of torque they can put down near-instantaneously means that the modern tire has to work harder than it ever has... and modern tires aren't cheap.

There was a time when investing in a 500bhp+ performance car came with the unwritten rule that tire bills would be financially crippling, but it feels like this has been lost in the world of EVs.

Take the frankly ridiculous Smart #1 Brabus model, as an example. This compact, largely generic family SUV develops 428bhp and 584Nm (431ft lb) of torque, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and yet it weighs 2,325kg (5,126lbs).

Having driven said car, I was shocked at how often it spun its wheels under some 'spirited' throttle input. As a result, I would bet good money tire bills won’t be cheap on the Smart car, either.

So it begs the question – just because they are capable of it, do modern EVs really need this sort of power? 

And surely the number of rubber particulates that something like a Cybertruck is kicking into the atmosphere is undoing some of the work battery packs and electric motors are carrying out in order to to reduce local emissions?

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