Technology

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• Microsoft offers new European Security Program to governments
• The initiative is free of charge, and offers new investment and collaboration
• Microsoft hopes to increase response times against AI threats

Microsoft is expanding its security umbrella to cover European governments in a bid to reduce the threats posed by AI and state-sponsored attacks from the likes of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

Russian state-sponsored hackers have been targeting European governments using zero day vulnerabilities, China has been hiding its spying activities using open-source VPNs, and North Korea has been infiltrating Western organizations through job interviews - to name just a few recent campaigns.

The new European Security Program will provide additional threat intelligence sharing, especially for AI threats, alongside added cybersecurity investment and partnerships - provided to European governments free of charge.

Free cybersecurity for Europe

Microsoft says the program will provide rapid cutting edge AI insights and analysis into cyber threats, helping governments defend faster and more effectively against state-sponsored attacks.

Additional intelligence sharing and collaboration between governments and Microsoft will also help enhance response rates and coordination when responding to threats that target multiple nations at once.

Microsoft will also advise governments on the latest vulnerabilities and exploited zero-days through initiatives including the Threat Microsoft Security Update Guide, Vulnerability Reporting process, and Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management.

The Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (MTAC) will also provide information on foreign-influence and disinformation campaigns, especially those that utilize AI, with added focus on the tactics used in each campaign and their methods of distribution.

The program will be available to all EU member states, as well as EU accession countries, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members, plus the UK, Monaco, and the Vatican.

“This new program expands the geographic reach of our existing work and adds new elements that will become critical to Europe’s protection. It puts AI at the center of our work as a tool to protect traditional cybersecurity needs and strengthens our protection of digital and AI infrastructure,” Microsoft explained in a statement.

“Together, these efforts reflect Microsoft’s long-term commitment to defending Europe’s digital ecosystem—ensuring that, no matter how the threat landscape evolves, we will remain a trusted and steadfast partner to Europe in securing its digital future,” Microsoft said.

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• FBI’s huge Qakbot bust only paused the malware’s reign; it returned stronger and stealthier
• Qakbot’s new spam bomb attacks trick employees into unleashing ransomware inside their own companies
• Despite billions seized, the Qakbot mastermind remains free in Russia, far from US law enforcement

In a major cybercrime crackdown, the FBI and international partners declared victory against Qakbot - also known as Qbot - back in August 2023.

The malware operation, which infected over 700,000 computers globally (including around 200,000 in the US), was linked to $58 million in ransomware-related losses.

Described by U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada as “the most significant technological and financial operation ever led by the Department of Justice against a botnet,” Operation Duck Hunt led to the seizure of 52 servers and the confiscation of $8.6 million in cryptocurrency - but, as with many supposed knockouts in cybercrime, the celebration was premature.

Qakbot re-emerges

Within just three months, Qakbot re-emerged, demonstrating that even coordinated, resource-intensive law enforcement actions can have disappointingly limited long-term impact.

Following the 2023 takedown, alleged ringleader Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov and his crew didn’t retreat, they adapted - rather than relying on traditional phishing to distribute malware, they reportedly shifted to more deceptive tactics.

And according to The Register, newly unsealed indictments reveal a novel strategy involving “spam bomb attacks” - overwhelming employees’ inboxes with unwanted subscription emails.

The attackers would then pose as IT staff offering to help, tricking victims into running malicious code.

This tactic enabled the group to regain access to company systems, encrypt files, and exfiltrate sensitive data.

“Defendant Gallyamov and co-conspirators would launch targeted spam bomb attacks at employees of victim companies,” court documents state, “and then contact those employees, posing as information technology workers.”

Once access was granted, the consequences were swift and severe: data theft, encryption, and ransom demands.

Qakbot malware enables attackers to backdoor systems, install additional threats, and harvest credentials.

Operators behind ransomware strains such as REvil, Black Basta, and Conti allegedly paid Gallyamov and his associates for access, or even shared a portion of their extorted proceeds.

In April 2025, additional illicit funds, over 30 bitcoin and US $700,000 were seized from Gallyamov, but he remains in Russia, beyond the reach of US law enforcement.

As federal officials put it, “unless he foolishly decides to leave the protection of the motherland,” Gallyamov is likely to remain untouchable.

To stay protected from these kinds of threats, organizations need to invest in the best antivirus - additionally, using a leading endpoint protection platform can help detect and isolate suspicious activity before it escalates into a data breach or ransomware attack.

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• Google DeepMind is building an AI email assistant
• The AI will automatically respond to messages in a user's own voice and style
• The assistant will sort and organize inboxes to help reduce time spent on admin duties

There are few modern experiences more demoralizing than waking up, picking up your phone to turn off your alarm, and discovering an avalanche of emails burying your inbox in notifications. Forget writing back, just sorting through them all and determining which need responses and how quickly you need to answer can eat up a whole day. Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis believes AI should handle all of that organizing and responding, and he and his team have a plan to embed a virtual robot secretary in your inbox so that you never need to crawl through irrelevant sales pitches and unnecessary LinkedIn notifications ever again.

Email is the quintessential magical treasure with a dark curse attached. Miraculous instant communication worldwide is burdened with spam, late-night demands for immediate action from a boss, and the dreaded accidental reply-all button. Hassabis thinks AI can restore the good parts of email by handling all the "mundane chores" and recommending responses instead of leaving you filled with despair at your triple-digit unread count.

Hassabis told the audience at the recent SXSW London event he'd happily pay quite a lot of money to end the current tyranny of the inbox. And not in some far-off future. DeepMind is working to make email inboxes self-managing, capable of sorting through incoming messages, deciding which ones matter, and drafting responses that sound like you. So the next annoying email not only won't find you well, it won't find you at all until the AI works up a response for your approval.

From a marketing perspective, it's a brilliant approach. Plenty of people rightly worried about some of the implications of AI might have a soft spot for the technology if it can clear up even a couple of hours a week for actual productive work (or even seeing your family).

AI email utopia

Hassabis described his vision of a “universal AI assistant” that can be proactive and smart enough to act on your behalf. Instead of regularly giving the AI orders and explaining your priorities, the AI will learn from observing how you deal with a variety of emails and perhaps a one-time broad description of your approach to different kinds of messages. It will know not only how you respond to emails, but also which you ignore on purpose and which you are just stumped at figuring out how to answer.

An AI assistant of that caliber, "gives you more time and maybe protects your attention from other algorithms trying to gain your attention," Hassabis said. "I think we can actually use AI in service of the individual.” “

That's the long-term big picture. For now, Hassabis said we can look forward to AI tools that know when to say, “Thanks for the follow-up. I’ll take a look and get back to you soon.” And when to immediately click delete. Everyone would appreciate an AI that gets us to inbox zero without losing our minds.

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• Browser extensions can be silent threats, silently harvesting your data without obvious signs
• ExtensionPedia could become the go-to source for vetting browser add-ons before installation
• LayerX exposes a serious security gap that even major app stores consistently overlook

Browser extensions often make browsing easier by blocking ads, autofilling passwords, or providing productivity tools, but they also pose one of the most overlooked security risks in today’s digital ecosystem.

To address this, cybersecurity company LayerX has launched ExtensionPedia, a kind of “Wikipedia for extensions,” aimed at providing in-depth risk assessments for over 200,000 browser extensions across Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Internet users typically rely on app stores to vet these extensions and ensure they are safe. However, LayerX claims that these stores “only do a superficial job of vetting extensions.” While they scan for malware and obvious red flags, they do not investigate behavioral patterns or the ownership lineage of extension code.

Extra scrutiny for browser extensions

“When someone installs a browser extension - either for personal or work use - users and their organizations have no idea what permissions the extension has, how reputable the author is, or the extension’s overall risk profile,” said Or Eshed, co-founder and CEO of LayerX.

This has created a loophole through which malicious actors have repeatedly introduced spyware, adware, and data-harvesting tools.

In recent months, browser-based identity theft and data exfiltration via extensions have become so prevalent that they’ve prompted official warnings from agencies like the FBI.

“While browser extensions are often considered harmless, in practice they are frequently granted extensive access permissions to users’ identity information and data,” LayerX notes, “leading hackers to use them as an attack channel for credential theft, account takeover, and data theft.”

LayerX says its service pulls anonymous data from millions of browser sessions via its database, which includes unified risk scores, granular permission breakdowns, and detailed reputation analyses, all in one searchable, public-facing tool.

While antivirus and endpoint protection platforms can help guard against malicious extensions, the availability of a dedicated risk score could empower users to make more informed decisions.

However, users must actively search the ExtensionPedia database and understand the significance of permission scopes or publisher risk scores.

The concept is promising, but skepticism remains over whether users will truly comprehend the scores or simply dismiss them as technical jargon. Additionally, the effectiveness of such a database in addressing the broader cybersecurity threat landscape remains to be seen.

The concept also assumes users will research extensions before installing them, something that rarely happens in practice.

By making extension risk scores public, LayerX is undeniably increasing transparency, but visibility alone does not equate to protection.

ExtensionPedia is currently available for free, but its real impact will depend on how widely, and thoughtfully, it’s used.

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• Sony has entered a multi-year global technology partnership with the NHL
• This could mean more real-time, animated simulcasts of the game are on the horizon
• Sony's Beyond Sports, Hawk-Eye setups, and cameras will still be used at the arenas

If you've ever dreamed of seeing your hockey heroes playing alongside the biggest animated stars then Sony's new deal with the NHL might get you excited.

Sony has already expanded into the professional sports world via its Beyond Sports brand, which is key to real-time data processing and the ability to take all that action and translate it into something else.

Its partnership with the NFL (National Football League) led to the airing of the The Simpsons Funday Football on Disney+ and ESPN last year, and now the NHL could be next for that kind of treatment.

The NHL already uses Sony's Hawk-Eye Technology system – a combination of cameras above the ice and wearable sensors on players – but this new deal will expand on that, while continuing the use of Sony cameras for both still photography and video.

Most excitingly, it promises to broaden the role that Beyond Sports could play in changing how fans of any age can experience a hockey game.

(Image credit: Sony)

If real-time animated simulcasts are on the horizon as part of this deal, it won't be the first time the NHL and Sony have collaborated on such a venture.

In 2023, the NHL Big City Greens Classic was produced using Beyond Sports technology and that system, along with the Hawk-Eye setup, is now installed in all 32 arenas.

As with other animated broadcasts, the goal is to expand the appeal and attract a wider audience – one that might be different from or adjacent to those attending the game in person.

Speaking to TechRadar, David Lehanski, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Innovation at the NHL, said that the talks began with a question about how the league can reach more fans.

Now, though, “We're going to eventually get to a point where we allow the fan to customize so they can have some role in determining what the environment looks like. And then another step after that might be to even give the fans an ability to interact with the content,” Lehanski continued.

A preview of the Simpsons Monday Night Football game (Image credit: Sony's Beyond Sports)

Those comments echo back to TechRadar’s conversation with Sander Schouten, Managing Director and Co-Founder at Beyond Sports last year.

Schouten then hinted that more environments could come depending on the partner, and that we could see more interactive streams. He also highlighted the sheer volume of data being generated and its rapid pace, suggesting that the runway is wide open for various implementations.

That could mean multiple streams or different ways of accessing the action – be it on a traditional TV, through streaming, or even in a virtual reality environment. The latter is something the NHL has already explored, both for analysts and for players.

For both Sony and the NHL, this is an exciting endeavor – a formalized partnership built on technology already being used in games. It should open the door to more robust interactions and increased investment, enhancing the game experience whether you’re in the stands or watching from home.

While neither Sony nor the NHL would comment on future partners for real-time animated moments, I am hopeful we might see a return of The Simpsons – not for football, but for hockey.

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• Report finds users aren’t loyal to apps - they abandon brands fast when the user experience breaks down
• Bad popups aren’t harmless annoyances, they’re silent customer killers your analytics might be missing
• Half of users ignore popups completely, and older users are tuning them out the most

In the fast-paced world of digital products, expectations are high, patience is limited, and brands invest heavily in aesthetics, sleek interfaces, and gamified user journeys. Yet, what actually drives users away is often much simpler, and far more damaging.

Research from Amplitude has claimed intrusive popups, frequent crashes, tiny unreadable text, and unclear privacy settings are now major tipping points that prompt users to delete apps altogether.

Some developers argue that popups are a necessary evil for monetization, but as the report found, customer behavior tells a different story.

Popups are intrusive and mostly poorly executed

Over half of app users (54%) ignore popups entirely, and only 46% have ever responded to one. Engagement varies dramatically across generations, with 53% of Gen Z users saying they’ve acted on a popup, compared to just 17% of Boomers.

“This is a clear signal that people want popups that are better timed, less intrusive, and more relevant to their unique needs - and this is especially important for older generations,” said Lee Edwards, Vice President, EMEA at Amplitude.

The data suggests that popups are not inherently ineffective; rather, they’re often mistimed, disruptive, or irrelevant, as poorly placed promotions erode trust instead of driving conversions.

But it’s not just about popups. When apps glitch or freeze, the consequences are immediate. Over a third (35%) of users will abandon an app within minutes of it malfunctioning, while 10% won’t even give it that long.

User loyalty is rare: only 16% of users bother to report problems or contact support, while 58% simply leave, never to return.

Beyond bugs, poor design choices add to user frustration. Nearly half (45%) of users who’ve encountered flawed design say it made them feel “enraged,” with the number rising to 59% among Millennials and Gen Z.

Small text, forced account creation, and confusing navigation all contribute to the problem - notably, older users are especially frustrated by illegible text, an issue made worse when designers optimize exclusively for modern devices, without considering accessibility on older or smaller screens.

What users overwhelmingly want is reliability. An eye-catching app is meaningless if it can’t deliver a stable experience - and in fact, 85% of users prefer a plain-looking app which works consistently over a beautiful one that breaks.

To stay relevant, apps must earn their place on a user’s device, there is no room for mediocrity. Even promising concepts like “super apps,” which combine messaging, shopping, banking, and more, appeal to just 41% of users.

Ultimately, brands hoping to build loyalty must go beyond analytics dashboards and deeply examine how real users interact, where they struggle, and why they leave.

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