TechRadar News

• WhatsApp will let you use Google to reverse image search received images
• This may offer context and warnings for altered or misleading images
• The feature is currently rolling out to beta testers

WhatsApp is adding a new feature to make it easier to check received images for authenticity in an effort to combat the proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, and misleading content.

A new update will enable users to access Google reverse image search from within WhatsApp directly, which may in turn provide context and any evidence of manipulation or misleading the audience.

This update ostensibly aims to give users quick access to a basic form of fact-checking in an era where online misinformation presents as a major issue.

The feature was found by WaBetaInfo in a scan of the latest test build (version 2.24.23.13) of the Android version of WhatsApp – we aren’t sure yet whether the new feature will be coming to iOS.

To access the new feature, users simply need to open the image from the WhatsApp chat, tap the options menu represented by three vertical dots, and select “search on web”.

It’s important to note that this won’t always return contextual information – this is more of a benefit of Google’s reverse image search than a guaranteed effect, and the function may just return similar images.

And as Android Authority notes, the feature being hidden away in the options menu means it might take a while before reverse image searching becomes standard procedure – not that it should be considered the end-point of fact checking either.

WhatsApp is well-known for its approach to privacy, and all messages sent through to platform are sent with end-to-end encryption.

As a pop-up note states when the feature is activated, images processed through the new reverse-search feature are shared with Google but not with WhatsApp directly.

The new Search on web feature is currently rolling out to beta testers, but we expect to see widespread availability soon.

For the latest official updates as we hear them, be sure to keep up with our dedicated WhatsApp coverage, and Android coverage.

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The next Pixel update has been accidentally teased early by a Verizon support page that detailed all the fixes coming to the Google Pixel 9 line-up – and older Pixel 6,7 and 8 devices.

First spotted by 9to5Google the patch should have supposedly launched on November 5 according to the Verizon page, however, the update isn’t yet live at the time of writing. That said, we expect it’ll roll out sometime soon to bring the following improvements to your Pixel 9 smartphone via version AP3A.241105.008:

• Security
  • Provides the most up-to-date Android security patches on your device.
• Bluetooth
  • Addressed an issue with Bluetooth range under certain conditions.
• Camera
  • Addressed an issue with camera tilt when zooming between cameras under certain conditions.
• Sensors
  • Addressed an issue that occasionally prevented Adaptive brightness from activating in certain conditions.
• Touch
  • Addressed an issue when pressing the keyboard dismiss button in certain conditions.
• User interface
  • General improvements for performance and stability in certain UI transitions and animations.
• Display & Graphics
  • Resolved an issue that caused white dots to flash under certain conditions.

(Image credit: Google)

The AP3A.241105.007 update for the Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 7, and Google Pixel 8 devices includes fewer stability fixes and instead just includes these details:

• The most up to date Android security patches on your device.
• General improvements for performance and stability in certain UI transitions and animations.

So nothing too major for any of the Pixel phones unlike the arrival of Android 15 last month. However, if your Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, or Pixel 9 Pro Fold has had problems with any of the listed issues, you’ll appreciate that they’ve finally been addressed.

As for non-Pixel updates, Samsung users are still waiting for the full Android 15 launch, though a One UI 7 beta has been tipped to land later this month with new icon styles, lock screen live widgets, and math and physics support in Circle to Search among other tools. The non-beta rollout is expected sometime in early 2025.

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• RAM specs for the Galaxy S25 have been predicted
• The standard model could lose its 12GB option
• 16GB of RAM is expected on the S25 Ultra model

The Samsung Galaxy S25 leaks aren't showing any signs of stopping – with the flagship series expected to make an appearance in January – and the latest rumor suggests we won't be getting much of a RAM upgrade this time around.

This is a tip from well-known leaker @Jukanlosreve, who suggests that the standard Galaxy S25 will have 8GB of RAM, the Galaxy S25 Plus will have 12GB of RAM, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra will have either 12GB or 16GB of RAM.

For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S24 that launched in January 2024 features either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus has 12GB of RAM, and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with 12GB of RAM.

In other words, the Ultra model may be getting a bump in terms of what's available, if you go for the 1TB storage option, but there's no change elsewhere – and the standard model might even lose the 12GB RAM option.

To be confirmed

Not confirmed. Vanilla 8 Plus 12 Ultra 12/16 (1TB)November 5, 2024

While this source has a decent record as far as leaks go, they do add that these specs are "not confirmed" – so take them as possibilities rather than certainties for the time being. It could be the case that Samsung is still finalizing its plans.

Earlier rumors suggested that the standard Galaxy S25 model would be getting a bump up to 12GB of RAM across all variants, and a 16GB of RAM option for the Ultra model is also something that we've heard talk of before. The 12GB for the Plus model has been mentioned more than once as well.

While we're still unsure about the RAM that's going to be on offer here, it should be a clearer picture when it comes to the processor inside: it's almost certain that all three Galaxy S25 models will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, in every region.

The only sliver of doubt is that some Geekbench 6 listings for an international variant of the Plus model, spotted by X user @sondesix, have suggested it may get a 10-core Exynos chip instead.

As far as aesthetics go, don't expect too much in the way of design changes. While the Galaxy S25 Ultra could well have a more rounded look than its predecessor, there are unlikely to be many design tweaks elsewhere.

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• Steam’s Game Recording feature is out of beta and available to everyone
• It automatically records the last 120 minutes of gameplay
• The feature leverages the video encoding chops of AMD and Nvidia GPUs

The recent Steam Families update proved beneficial for many PC gamers, and Valve has taken another step in the right direction with Steam’s Game Recording functionality exiting beta, and now being available to all users.

This fresh innovation allows Steam gamers to have their gameplay recorded automatically with titles that support the platform’s overlay feature. As VideoCardz reports, when set to ‘Background Recording’ mode, it will capture the last 120 minutes of gameplay (temporarily, in case you need it). Or alternatively you can initiate a manual ‘On Demand Recording’ and start, then stop, the recording yourself.

Game Recording also allows game developers to hook up with the official API, so devs can implement the ability to add markers for specific events in a recording (like when a boss battle happens, for example) to help you better navigate the recorded footage and find what you want.

This could be a game-changer (literally) for many content creators, with the convenience of running both a game and the recording feature seamlessly together on Steam.

That said, it’s important to note that running Game Recording could meaningfully impact in-game performance (especially on handheld gaming PCs or weaker desktop configurations), but there are options for both lower quality recordings which could help soften any potential performance drops.

Game Recording will use the video encoding chops of your AMD or Nvidia GPU, if you have one, or rely on the CPU if your PC lacks graphics capabilities. In the latter case, that's likely to cause more in the way of performance hiccups, as you might imagine.

(Image credit: Valve) An eventual dream team of Steam streaming integration?

While Steam’s Game Recording is a notable enhancement for all users on the platform, Valve is yet to implement any streaming capabilities. OBS Studio and StreamLabs both feature manual recordings and streaming, which are ideal for social platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

Fortunately, Game Recording on Steam has different bitrates to choose from within its video settings (and also low and high presets) - if you were only using the aforementioned streaming platforms for manual recording, you can make the move to Steam without much worry. More broadly, this is a significant move in allowing the huge number of PC gamers using Steam to get easy access to game recording right there, directly within Valve’s platform, without having to install anything else.

If Valve can integrate streaming services on Steam and possibly improve streaming directly to friends, we could very well be looking at new competition in this particular facet of the gaming arena (up against Discord too).

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• Samsung Galaxy Watch owners are reporting phantom vibrations
• The problem affects Watch 7 and Watch Ultra owners, with no clear cause
• Some suggested fixes include uninstalling WhatsApp or a factory reset

Samsung Galaxy Watch owners are reporting phantom vibrations on their wrist, with no clear cause apparent.

As reported by SamMobile, numerous users are reporting random haptic feedback being triggered on their wrist for no reason - often one tap followed by three in quick succession. The report points to a post in the Samsung Community forums from as early as August. One user reported random vibrations on one of the best Android smartwatches, the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, and other users have reported similar problems on this device and the Galaxy Watch 7, as well as a host of possible causes and fixes.

According to the report, possible causes include a loss of connectivity between Galaxy Watch and phone, Google Maps mirroring, and WhatsApp. If you've been experiencing these phantom taps for yourself, here are some things you can try.

Fix random vibrations on Samsung Galaxy Watch

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

Based on reports, it seems that one of these three issues above could be causing these random taps. According to SamMobile, the disconnection issue seems unlikely because other users have confirmed the taps happen even when their watch and phone remain connected.

If you think Google Maps mirroring might be the issue, you can open Google Maps on your Watch, swipe up to Settings, and turn off Mirror on Phone. However, some users have reported that the issue persists even after doing this.

If the problem is WhatsApp, one possible solution is uninstalling the app from your watch for a while.

Finally, if in doubt, you can always try a factory reset from the General section of Settings. This one is a bit of a pain but is usually a good last resort for issues like this.

Unfortunately, these solutions are all guesses at this stage. TechRadar has reached out to Samsung for comment, and we'll update this story with any new information.

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• A cyberattack targeted tracking device provider Microlise
• UK Government contractor Serco affected in the incident
• Prison van tracking devices and panic alarms taken offline

A cyberattack targeting telematics and technology solutions firm Microlise has taken tracking software used for prisoners offline.

The software is used by outsourcing giant Serco to provide protection for employees and to monitor prisoners, keeping track of their whereabouts.

Microlise provides a ‘seamless eco-system around remote assets for operators’ to a number of large corporations with lorry fleets, and the attack also affected panic alarms inside Serco prison vans and express mail courier DHL, whose fleets were left without tracking capabilities.

Outsourced security

Microlise told the London Stock Exchange it was, “working hard to quickly bring the affected services back online” in its notification of the incident. Crews were said to have been sent out without proper security for staff members.

The contingency plans outlined by Serco included crews contacting base every 30 minutes, staff using ‘paper maps and guidance’ and ensuring mobile devices are charged.

“We are aware that one of our subcontractors has been impacted by a cyber incident. We have put in place mitigation plans and we have continued to provide prisoner escorting services uninterrupted for the Ministry of Justice,” said Serco.

Microlise has since confirmed some systems have now been restored, and that it has appointed external cybersecurity specialists to fully restore all affected systems.

Serco came under scrutiny earlier in 2024 for failing to fit hundreds of prisoners with electronic tags after they were released early as part of Starmer’s plan to ease overcrowding. This was not the first time Serco has been criticised, as a previous tagging scandal led to a Serious Fraud Office investigation.

“Serco has a long history of poor performance and negligent conduct on tagging contracts and needs to be held to account by the MoJ [Ministry of Justice]” said Chair of the Justice Select Committee, Andy Slaughter.

Serco holds a number of government contracts, and recently opened Britain’s first ‘smart prison’, HMP Fosse Way. The ‘resettlement prison’ boasts smart technology such as in-cell devices and robust security, including ‘cutting edge body scanners’ to prevent contraband.

Via Financial Times

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• Mozilla Foundation will lay off around 30+ workers
• A “relentless onslaught of change” has been blamed
• The Foundation remains committed to “a healthy internet”

The Mozilla Foundation, an American nonprofit linked to the company responsible for the Firefox browser, has confirmed it will be laying off nearly a third (30%) of its employees.

The decision to reduce its headcount comes after what the Foundation describes as a “relentless onslaught of change.”

The Mozilla Foundation is now believed to have up to 120 workers, meaning that the layoffs will affect around 36 employees.

Mozilla Foundation to lay off a third of its workers

“The Mozilla Foundation is reorganizing teams to increase agility and impact as we accelerate our work to ensure a more open and equitable technical future for us all," confirmed Brandon Borrman, Mozilla’s VP of Communications.

"That unfortunately means ending some of the work we have historically pursued and eliminating associated roles to bring more focus going forward. We’re not sharing a specific number, but it represents about 30% of the current team.”

This isn’t the first time Mozilla has laid off workers – Mozilla Corporation, not to be confused with the Foundation, laid off around 60 workers in February 2024 - the equivalent of around 5% of its workforce.

The Corporation is the name that many consumers will already be familiar with, through projects like the Firefox browser, but it’s the Foundation that oversees governance and sets policies. Mozilla has three other organizations – the tech-for-good investment fund Mozilla Ventures, AI R&D lab Mozilla.ai and Thunderbird-maker MZLA.

The Foundation also lobbies for “privacy, inclusion, literacy, and all principles of a healthy internet,” including more recently safe AI.

Nabiha Syed, Mozilla Foundation’s executive director, shared in an email with colleagues (via TechCrunch): “Navigating this topsy-turvy, distracting time requires laser focus — and sometimes saying goodbye to the excellent work that has gotten us this far because it won’t get us to the next peak.”

Borman added: "We also want to clarify that the restructuring has not dropped advocacy; on the contrary, advocacy is still a central tenet of Mozilla Foundation’s work and we are in the process of revisiting our approach to it."

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• A new photo-sharing option has been spotted in Google Messages
• It would enable higher-resolution image sharing over RCS
• For now the relevant code is hidden inside the beta version of the app

Google is continuing to push Google Messages as the all-purpose messaging app for Android – and it could soon introduce a new feature that improves the photo-sharing experience for users, something that's a key part of any chat app.

As spotted by the team at Android Authority, hidden code in the latest beta version of Google Messages for Android can be enabled to activate a photo quality picker: you can choose from "original quality" (HD+) or "reduced quality" (HD).

While a lot of the time you're going to want to share photos in the best quality possible, the benefit of going with the reduced quality option is a smaller file size – so the message gets sent and received more quickly, and uses up less data.

This will also require the more advanced RCS feature to be enabled, rather than plain old SMS. As it stands, photos sent over RCS in Google Messages are at a significantly better resolution than SMS, but still compressed from their original size.

Coming soon

Here are some new changes in the Google Messages app. 1. Google Messages jazzes up read receipts with new animation and location https://t.co/hP3Plg2Ind 2. Google Messages will soon let you choose photo resolution before sendinghttps://t.co/7NH0eA8WcL More- pic.twitter.com/NzJuC8jmuoNovember 2, 2024

As ever with code like this, there's no guarantee that Google will decide to keep the feature and push it out properly into the app. However, it makes sense for an option like this to be included, to match up with similar options in apps like WhatsApp.

It's not clear from this sneak preview whether "original quality" will genuinely send the photo at its original size, or at a resolution somewhere between the default currently used in the app, and the actual dimensions of the picture.

This is the latest discovery from Android Authority contributor @AssembleDebug, who has also spotted a number of other small changes potentially coming to Google Messages – including tweaks to the position and appearance of read receipt indicators.

It also looks as though Google Messages will soon let you see timestamps for individual messages, and show multiple warnings for 'sensitive content' inside messages. Look out for official announcements from Google in due course.

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• Interpol has taken down 22,000 crime-linked IP addresses
• Multiple devices, including servers, phones and laptops were seized
• The Interpol operation led to the arrest of 41 individuals globally

A global Interpol operation has shut down over 22,000 IP addresses linked to cybercrime and malicious threat actors, the agency has said.

Operation Synergia II included agencies from 95 Interpol members and seized 59 servers alongside 43 other electronic devices used in malicious activity including laptops, phones, and hard drives.

41 people were arrested as part of the operation, with a further 65 still under investigation for their participation in cyber criminal activity.

Operation Synergia II

The first Operation Synergia, which concluded in February 2024, saw 31 people arrested and 70 others investigated alongside 1,300 malicious IP addresses identified and numerous command-and-control (C2) servers operated by cyber criminals taken down.

Operation Synergia II has significantly improved on these numbers, with the main focus of the crackdown being on phishing networks, infostealing malware, and ransomware.

In China, police in Hong Kong took down 1,037 servers, with a further 291 taken offline in Macau. 21 houses were searched by authorities in Mongolia leading to one server being seized and the identification of 93 individuals with cybercriminal links.

11 devices were seized in Madagascar, and 11 individuals were identified as having links to servers used for malicious purposes. In Estonia, 80GB of data was seized from a server likely used for phishing operations and banking malware.

“The global nature of cybercrime requires a global response which is evident by the support member countries provided to Operation Synergia II,” said Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate.

“Together, we’ve not only dismantled malicious infrastructure but also prevented hundreds of thousands of potential victims from falling prey to cybercrime. INTERPOL is proud to bring together a diverse team of member countries to fight this ever-evolving threat and make our world a safer place,” Jetton concluded.

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Apple, it seems, is all about ‘intelligence’ these days, as following on from the launch of Apple Intelligence, the company might be about to roll out a feature dubbed Battery Intelligence. But unlike Apple Intelligence’s suite of tools, this new feature will seemingly have just one job.

9to5Mac has found a framework called ‘BatteryIntelligence’ in code from the latest iOS 18.2 beta, and while the feature isn’t active in the beta, it’s reportedly designed to estimate how long it will take to charge your phone.

According to 9to5Mac, Battery Intelligence won’t just estimate the time to reach 100%, but it'll also let you choose to get an estimate for when your battery will reach 80%, and perhaps other charge levels.

It’s easy to see how this could be a useful tool – if you don’t have long to charge, you’ll be able to get an immediate indication of how fully charged your phone will be able to get in a given time. Or, if you don’t want to charge your phone above a certain level (in order to preserve battery health), but haven’t set a charging limit, you’ll know to check on it after however much time the estimate says.

We might not get it in iOS 18.2

The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

However, as this feature isn’t currently enabled, it’s unclear whether it will actually launch as part of iOS 18.2. It might land with iOS 18.3 or beyond instead, and it’s always possible that Apple will choose not to roll this tool out at all.

Still, there’s a good chance that Battery Intelligence will launch, and since the framework for it is present in iOS 18.2 beta code, we’d think it’s likely we’ll see it sooner rather than later.

Either way, there’s plenty more to get excited about in iOS 18.2, with numerous new AI tools coming, including Image Playground, Genmoji, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence.

iOS 18.2 will also add improvements to the Camera Control button and the Find My feature, and it should be coming soon, with iOS 18.2 reportedly landing in early December.

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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the beating heart of Europe’s economy, employing around 90 million people, creating 85% of new jobs every year and adding value of more than €4 trillion. However, in a rapidly evolving business environment where the competition for customers is more intense than ever before, digital innovation is vital for these businesses to grow.

I am proud to have started my career at start-ups and so I know first-hand that when digitalization is done right, SMEs can reap enormous rewards – increasing their speed to market, making them more efficient, providing the tools required to protect their businesses from threats.

This requires access to the right technologies and support, which for many small businesses are often out of reach. Indeed, our research on SMEs has found that more than 1.2 million European businesses with less than 250 employees are yet to digitize fully, highlighting the scale of the challenge that this sector faces.

Underserved SMEs

The reality is that for years SMEs have been underserved by the technology and telecoms industries. Instead of the right solutions that match the needs of their businesses, SMEs have been offered ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions that are more suited to consumers rather than small businesses. Research by Analysys Mason from last year found that 69% of SMEs in the US switched service provider because they felt product and service options were not tailored to their needs. This is symptomatic of a landscape where larger corporates are prioritized over smaller companies - and it is not contained to North America.

Combined with additional barriers such as funding shortages, and limited time and resources that were highlighted by our survey of 3,000 businesses across 11 European countries, SMEs are left facing a series of obstacles that prevent them from unlocking the benefits that effective technological transformation of their business will bring.

That is why as an industry, we need to step up to better support SMEs in their digitalization journeys.

We need to create solutions that don’t just work for SMEs, but which are made for SMEs – for example tailored security services that match the needs of their organization, or AI tools that empower SMEs to boost their productivity and efficiency in ways that are bespoke to their business.

And we need to consider how connectivity providers can use their bigger enterprise level relationships, for example with Big Tech, to provide SMEs with the right support, giving them access to upskilling and knowledge sharing services that will guide them on their journey.

Strengthening product capabilities

We are strengthening our established product capabilities at our business and paying particular attention to making these affordable and easily accessible to SMEs, enabling them to can compete with larger enterprises and access new markets. We will do this through continued investment in new technology, deepening bespoke partnerships with the best tech companies, growing the number of digital specialists in our company, and providing managed services that are fit for SME customers.

Cyber security is an area where industry needs to level the playing field. As threats multiply and become ever more sophisticated, the onus is on connectivity providers to ensure security platforms work for businesses of all sizes.

If we can tackle the barriers that SMEs face head-on, we will empower new and emerging businesses to effectively use digital tools, fueling growth and contributions to Europe’s economy for years to come. It matters from a supply chain perspective too. The success of companies is built on their relationship with a myriad of suppliers, and it is important that they are technologically coordinated and able to learn from each other.

The potential is immense, but so too are the stakes. We must act now to ensure no small business is left behind in the digital age.

We've listed the best small business accounting software.

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

• Meta to use AI age-prediction software to spot teenagers lying about their age
• Move comes after Instagram introduced teen accounts in September
• Meta will begin moving teens automatically to its new accounts

According to a new Bloomberg report, Meta is set to use AI to predict the age of its Instagram users and automatically transfer anybody under 18 to a teen account, if it believes they are lying about their age.

In the wake of national outcry about the impact of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook on the mental health of teenagers, Meta introduced teen accounts in September. Teen accounts, for children aged 13-17, have built-in limits on who can contact them, and what content they can see. They are automatically set to hide potentially offensive comments and message requests.

Secure accounts for teenagers will only work if those under 18 volunteer to use them or are honest about their ages, which is why Meta has devised a way of enforcing the appropriate accounts. The proprietary software tool Meta has developed, called ‘adult classifier’, will come into play next year and is designed to classify users into two groups: under or over 18 years of age. According to Allison Hartnet, Meta’s director of product management for youth and social impact, the tool will scan a user's profile, what content they interact with, and their follower list to determine their age. Even innocuous “happy birthday” messages can be used to help determine a user's true age.

Busted

Meta's own research from 2019 indicates that social media apps like Instagram can be bad for the mental health of teenagers. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Since teen accounts are new and currently voluntary there’s a large user base of teens on Instagram who are using regular adult accounts. Meta plans to start moving teens who have volunteered their age information onto the new teen accounts very soon, and introducing the 'adult classifier' early next year.

The move is Meta's latest attempt to redress some of the public outcry over the effect of social media on teens. In 2021 a report published in the Wall Street Journal showed that Meta’s reports indicated that it knew Instagram was harmful to the mental health of teenagers, especially teenage girls. “We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls,” said one slide from Meta’s own report from 2019.

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• Nintendo has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible
• It will also support Nintendo Switch Online
• More details to come at a later date

We now know for sure that the Nintendo Switch 2, our tentative name for a Nintendo Switch successor, will be backwards compatible with Nintendo Switch software.

In a new post to the official Nintendo investor relations X / Twitter account, CEO Shuntaro Furukawa said that “at today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch.”

The post then goes on to explain that “Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well” with more details set to be “announced at a later date.”

This is Furukawa. At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about…November 6, 2024

Rumor mill

Although quite sudden, this news won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been following the latest rumors about the upcoming console, many of which have pointed toward backwards compatibility. Back in 2023 a Nintendo executive even hinted at the possibility that the Nintendo Switch 2 could be backwards compatible.

Backwards compatibility could be hugely important for existing Nintendo Switch owners thinking about an upgrade, as it will allow them to play some of the best Nintendo Switch games on their new system right out of the box.

Hopefully, any software played on the Nintendo Switch 2 will be able to benefit from its almost inevitably improved technical specs, with smoother frame rates and potentially improved resolutions. Just bear in mind that this is pure speculation at this time and we’ll just have to wait and see what Nintendo has in store.

The confirmation that Nintendo Switch Online will be coming to the platform is rather interesting too, suggesting that the transition between the two platforms could be quite smooth compared to be previous generations.

In case you need a recap, in May this year Nintendo confirmed that a "successor to the Nintendo Switch" will be announced, "within this fiscal year". As the Japanese fiscal year ends on March 31, 2025, there’s a strong chance that we will learn even more about the system in the coming months.

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Update: On November 6, 2024, social media remains restricted but mobile connections have been restored for the time being.

People in Mozambique are increasingly resorting to VPN services to bypass ongoing online restrictions in the wake of deadly protests contesting the election results.

Authorities first disrupted mobile internet connections on October 25, as protests erupted across the country the day before. WhatsApp, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram all went dark a few days after that, on October 31, making using a VPN necessary to keep using these platforms.

Proton VPN confirmed a 127,830% spike during the day to TechRadar. "Usage continues to rise quickly as internet access remains intermittent," David Peterson, General Manager at Proton VPN, told me. Other data suggests a VPN demand increase of 2,072% so far.

These numbers aren't anything but surprising considering that TikTok, Telegram, and YouTube also joined the list of blocked platforms on November 4 – internet watchdog NetBlocks reported. As the tweet below shows, while mobile connections are back from a third day of curfew-style internet blackouts, social media platforms remain restricted as I write.

⚠️ Update: Traffic data show #Mozambique has emerged from a third day of curfew-style mobile internet blackouts. However, social media platforms remain restricted as authorities continue to impose measures to curtail protests over disputed election results pic.twitter.com/PoEM1slgwPNovember 6, 2024

This is the first time that the East African country has restricted the internet since 2015, when Surfshark began tracking these incidents worldwide – the VPN provider told me. Yet, this is far from the first instance that a government resorted to a social media or internet blackout during political turmoil.

Only last week, another East African country, Mauritius enforced a social media shutdown ahead of general elections. The ban has now been lifted, despite being expected to stay in place until November 11, 2024.

As per Surfshark data, protests are one of the leading causes of social media disruptions, with Facebook alone being disrupted almost 40 times since 2015 for this reason.

Proton recorded VPN usage spikes in at least 14 countries since January alone, with most of these incidents linked to internet restrictions enforced amid social unrest. These include Bangladesh in July, Kenya at the end of June, New Caledonia in May, and Senegal in February.

"At times of political crisis, the answer is never to shut down the internet, or to block social media," said Peterson. "It is an affront to people’s fundamental rights to freedom of information and freedom of communications, at a time when communication and impartial information are more important than ever."

Why are people turning to VPNs to bypass online restrictions?

You might have heard of virtual private network (VPN) solutions as a way to be more private when browsing the web. You and your friends have probably tried to use a streaming VPN to access foreign catalogs, too, no matter where you are in the world. Likewise, a VPN can help you bypass other geo-restrictions like those in place on social media platforms in Mozambique right now.

This is because, while encrypting your internet connections to prevent third-party snooping, a VPN also spoofs your real IP address location to trick your internet service provider (ISP) into thinking you're browsing from a totally different country within a couple of clicks.

Data suggests a VPN demand increase of 2,072% so far

Therefore, if you are currently in Mozambique, all you need to do to keep using all the major social media apps is connect to a VPN server located in a country where these platforms are still available.

As mentioned earlier, many people in the country have already turned to these apps to bypass restrictions. "Thirteen of the top fifteen apps in Mozambique’s Apple App Store are VPN apps, and the top nine apps on Mozambique’s Google Play Store are all VPNs," Peterson from Proton VPN can confirm.

It's worth noting a VPN doesn't work during times of total online blackout as you'll still need an internet connection to use this tool. In this instance, you should try to access the web via a fixed internet line instead as authorities are only targeting mobile connections at the time of writing.

I strongly suggest checking our guide to the best free VPN apps to download the most secure freebie out there. Free services like the Tor Browser can also help you to workaround internet censorship.

Back in May 2024, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) carried out a study which revealed businesses wanted to use AI for innovation and revenue growth, but were not sure how to do it.

Now, TCS has teamed up with Nvidia to help accelerate AI adoption across a range of industries by using the latter's infrastructure to build customized AI solutions for sectors including manufacturing, automotive, finance, and retail based on large language models.

I spoke with Anupam Singhal, President of Manufacturing at TCS, about how these AI tools work, how they can benefit businesses, and how to mitigate the risks of using AI (if any) in these industries.

When you think of language models, the topic of manufacturing or automotive industries doesn't jump straight to the front of the mind. Can you tell me more about the link between language models and how they can help manufacturing and a range of other industries?

Whilst language models might initially seem more suited for textual tasks and we do often corelate B2C use cases to them, they also possess significant potential to revolutionise industries like manufacturing and automotive in B2B and B2B2C cases.

We are already seeing this potential come to life through our Future Ready Manufacturing solutions. Here, we are transforming repair and service cycles and predictive maintenance too. We use language models to analyse historical data and identify patterns which can help indicate potential equipment failures, reducing downtime and optimising maintenance schedules. What's more, using Generative AI and SLM’s (Specialised language Models) we can transform the daily activity of a Repair and Service Technicians to improve the time taken in the repair/service cycle.

Language models are also transforming supply chain resilience. By analysing supply chain data these models can optimise inventory levels, improve logistics, and mitigate supply chain disruptions.

TCS finetunes LLMs based on industry expertise. What goes into this process and what safeguards are in place to ensure that the model does not provide sub optimal suggestions for industry challenges

Finetuning LLMs for industry-specific applications is a meticulous process. Firstly, using our industry expertise and customers’ ecosystem, we curate a high-quality dataset specific to the industry, ensuring it covers a wide range of scenarios and edge cases. We then leverage pre-trained and out-of-the-box language models as a foundation, and fine-tune these based on the industry-specific data sets.

Our engineers then play a crucial role in monitoring the model’s performance, providing feedback and making necessary adjustments. By feeding in intuitive adjustments and tacit knowledge this uplifts the accuracy of the model. Once this insight has been gathered and fed into the model, we then implement strict ethical guidelines to ensure that the model generates fair and unbiased outputs. Appropriate guardrails are defined with TCS’s agent-based monitoring approach to ensure the responses are continuously monitored.

Our recently launched TCS Manufacturing AI for industrials suite, built on NVIDIA’s tech stack, is the perfect example of a fine-tuned LLM/SLM for this sector.

Are these solutions a real match for humans? Are these tools designed to be used more for replacement or assistance?

Whilst our technology is advanced, we see it as a means to a destination, not a destination itself. Its core purpose is to transform the daily lives of citizens. Our solutions are designed to assist humans, not replace them. Whilst AI can handle routine tasks, analyse vast amounts of data, and identify patterns that may be otherwise missed, human judgment, creativity, and critical thinking remain essential for making complex decisions and providing strategic direction.

Our goal is to create a synergistic relationship where AI complements human capabilities, enabling us to achieve greater efficiency and innovation. For example, we helped a large building materials firm put a quote in the market 1.5x faster by using generative AI to provide critical insights on the right configuration and automating the draft quote creation. This bolstered the productivity of those working – rather than replacing them.

In my experience, LLMs tend to produce output that mimics the training data. Can we expect real innovation from these tools and to receive insights that could not have been made by human experts?

While it's true that LLMs can produce outputs that mimic training data and, in some cases, data generation can be synthetic, LLMs are also able to generate novel insights and creative solutions for a variety of different industry problems. By analysing vast amounts of data and identifying underlying patterns, these models can uncover hidden opportunities and innovative approaches that may not be apparent to human experts.

For example, TCS is currently building a solution called Mobility AI, part of our TCS Mobility Suite. One use case of this solution is deciphering a parking sign in microsecond intervals and recommending the next best action. These insights enable decisions that humans cannot make at that micro-moment in the journey of the driver, highlighting how GenAI can transform this experience in the future of Mobility.

However, it's important to note that AI is a tool, and its effectiveness depends on how it's used. Human guidance and oversight are crucial to ensure that AI is used responsibly and ethically.

Do we run the risk of losing human expertise if we rely more heavily on AI?

Far from diminishing human expertise, AI can enhance it. By automating routine tasks, AI frees up human workers to focus on higher-value activities that require creativity, problem-solving, and empathy. Moreover, AI can provide valuable insights and support, enabling humans to make more informed decisions. The key is to embrace AI as a tool that empowers humans, rather than a threat. By working together, humans and AI can achieve remarkable things.

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• A rare bee species has been found on Meta’s proposed datacenter site
• Meta wants to continue maintaining net zero GHG emissions
• Regulatory hurdles may also have contributed to the project’s cancellation

Meta’s efforts to build a new nuclear-powered AI datacenter have come to an end after scientists found a rare species of bee on the proposed site.

According to report by the Financial Times., the problem reportedly came to light when company CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the pollinators were present on the site during an all-hands meeting.

Because the area must now be protected, building regulations have prevented the social media giant from getting access to the land, let alone its moral obligations not to displace the rare species.

Bees, Mark?

Besides the discovery of the important species, the Financial Times report cites two unnamed sources who believe further regulatory hurdles also contributed to the decision to terminate the plan. Specific details surrounding the location of the site have not been revealed.

However, the bad news (or good news if you look at it from an environmental perspective) comes as Meta looks to seriously expand its infrastructure to keep up with the demand for AI tools. The California company expects to rack up $38 billion in capital expenses in 2024. AI and datacenter projects are likely to make up a large portion of that sum.

By using nuclear energy, the proposed datacenter would have helped Meta reduce its carbon footprint. Although nuclear can be controversial, it’s a carbon-free energy resource that’s being explored by the likes of Microsoft and Amazon as part of a global effort to tackle the high energy demands of AI datacenters.

Although there’s always room for improvement, Meta proudly proclaimed in its 2024 Sustainability Report that it has maintained net zero greenhouse gas emissions since 2020, thanks in part to its 11,700MW portfolio of renewable energy.

The report adds: “Meta designs and operates some of the most sustainable data centers in the industry… We approach data center sustainability from the ground up—from design and construction to operations by prioritizing energy efficiency, renewable energy, water stewardship and responsibly managing the end of life of our equipment.”

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• The company is currently investigating the attack
• The hacker claims to have stolen 40 GB of compressed data
• Schneider Electric's Jira system was breached

Schneider Electric has confirmed suffering its second cyberattack and data leak in recent months.

Earlier this week, a threat actor alias Greppy added a new post on X, claiming to have breached the corporation:

“Hey Schneider Electric, how was your week? Did someone accidentally steal your data and you noticed, shut down the services and restarted without finding them? Now you shut down again but the criminals seem to have taken more juicy data,” the tweet reads.

Hiding the IP address

This prompted BleepingComputer to reach out to the company with further questions.

"Schneider Electric is investigating a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to one of our internal project execution tracking platforms which is hosted within an isolated environment," the firm told the publication. "Our Global Incident Response team has been immediately mobilized to respond to the incident. Schneider Electric's products and services remain unaffected."

Greppy also posted the loot on a dark web site, saying they accessed the company’s Atlassian Jira system.

“This breach has compromised critical data, including projects, issues, and plugins, along with 400,000 rows of user data, totaling more than 40GB compressed data,” the ad reads. “To secure the deletion of this data and prevent its public release, we require a payment of $125,000 USD in Baguettes,” the hackers said.

Obviously, the attacker doesn’t want hundreds of thousands of baguettes - it’s a joke, since Schneider Electric is a French business. Instead, they just want the victim company to acknowledge the breach within 48 hours. Since the company did just that, let’s see if Greppy keeps their word.

Schneider Electric is a multinational corporation specializing in energy management and automation solutions. It builds technologies and services that increase efficiency and sustainability across various sectors, including buildings, data centers, and infrastructure.

Via BleepingComputer

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The financial services sector handles huge volumes of confidential client and customer data to complete daily business transactions. The value of this information—and the severe consequences if it falls into the wrong hands—are arguably higher than in any other industry.

Protecting sensitive financial information relies on the effectiveness of access controls and the resilience of identity management systems for those who handle it. The delicate balance of the financial services industry means that identity security serves as a vital defense, and careful design of these controls can prevent disastrous outcomes.

Just as an acrobat relies on a safety net for confidence when performing at great heights, financial institutions—from multinational corporations and insurance companies to local banks and credit unions—navigate a risk-ridden landscape. Identity security plays a crucial role in building and maintaining trust amid complex online banking operations and financial data transfers.

The link between financial services and identity security

As the digital financial landscape expands, bearing an unprecedented volume of data and transactions, the demand for an ironclad identity security system becomes critical. This is underscored by the alarming statistic that 93% of organizations worldwide experienced at least two identity security-related incidents in the past year. This protective framework needs to do more than just prevent failures; it must foster the confidence necessary for advancement, innovation, and secure, efficient customer engagement.

Strengthening the safety net

To ensure the financial sector’s safety net is both resilient and responsive, there are six foundational elements that you need to consider to enhance identity security and future-proof against growing cyber risks. The first of these is the principle of least privilege. This process requires careful calibration of your security measures, ensuring that access is granted exclusively to authorized parties at appropriate times. It necessitates striking a delicate balance between user-friendly experiences and robust security protocols to thwart unauthorized entry.

Intelligent privilege controls are also important here. IT teams need to strengthen the fibers of their net with smart controls for protecting IT administrators, for example, by also introducing a zero standing privileges approach to access management. By implementing strict access management, you reduce the likelihood of security incidents while simultaneously ensuring your staff retains the necessary flexibility to carry out their duties efficiently.

Unified identity orchestration is the third foundational element. Strengthen your security framework by centralizing and unifying all identity-related processes. This consolidated approach enables early detection of inconsistencies and potential security risks, allowing for pre-emptive action before any damage can occur.

Proactive threat detection, comprehensive identity mapping and adaptive authentication are the steps that need to follow. Enhance your identity security infrastructure with highly sensitive detection systems capable of identifying even the subtlest signs of potential threats, enabling prompt responses. Then implement ongoing surveillance and instantaneous data analysis to quickly recognize and address security risks. Ensure comprehensive visibility and accountability within your security framework by thoroughly documenting all human and machine identities present on your network. This complete awareness is vital for maintaining robust security measures. Finally, adjust your security protocols in response to changing circumstances by employing contextual, flexible multi-factor authentication (MFA) that adapts dynamically to fluctuating risk levels. This approach bolsters identity security while preserving a smooth user experience.

Go further than just compliance

Regulatory standards such as SWIFT CSCF, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), 23 NYCRR 500, and DORA provide a foundational structure for security measures. However, true leadership in global financial security goes beyond mere compliance. It involves collaborative efforts to create a proactive security system that anticipates potential risks and reinforces vulnerable areas before they are exploited.

For those working in financial cybersecurity, this presents a prime opportunity to not only ensure compliance but also to pioneer innovative security models. By incorporating these six strategic elements into your identity security framework, you're not just safeguarding assets; you're fostering an organization-wide culture that prioritizes identity security at every level.

Becoming confident with identity security

Adopt this comprehensive identity security strategy to confidently navigate today's complex financial landscape. By reinforcing your own security measures, not only are you protecting data and transactions, you are also helping to build the trust and confidence of your customers. Implementation of these measures will allow you to stay secure and agile in a field with great potential risk. As financial security continues to change, having the right identity security measures in place will give you a competitive edge. By adopting these strategies, your organization can tackle present challenges while building a strong foundation for a secure, and therefore successful future in the digital age.

We've featured the best identity management software.

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

AI-generated images and videos are a growing risk to society and our economy - becoming easier to create, and much harder to differentiate from reality. Discussion so far has largely centered around political deepfakes by bad actors looking to influence democracies. This has proved to largely be unfounded in Europe, the UK, the EU and India - despite Sumsub data detecting upwards of a 245% YoY increase in deepfakes worldwide in 2024.

Now, the concern is around deepfakes impacting organizations or people through financial fraud. Businesses know this when it comes to new customers - with identity verification and fraud monitoring a central part of any financial onboarding process.

Deepfake-augmented phishing and impersonation scams, however, are something that businesses are not prepared for. Imposter scams remained the top fraud category in the US in 2023, with reported losses of $2.7 billion according to their Federal Trade Commission, and as deepfakes get better, more will fall victim. Business leaders know this: new data from Deloitte showed that surveyed executives experienced at least one (15.1%) or multiple (10.8%) deepfake financial fraud incidents in 2023.

Although this is likely to increase, with over half of surveyed execs (51.6%) expecting an increase in the number and size of deepfake attacks targeting financial and accounting data, little is being done. One-fifth (20.1%) of those polled reported no confidence at all in their ability to respond effectively to deepfake financial fraud.

While there are deepfake detection tools that are crucial for preventing external fraudsters from bypassing verification procedures during onboarding, businesses must also shield themselves from internal threats.

Here, a low-trust approach to financial requests or other potentially impactful decisions, alongside new AI-augmented digital tools, are vital for businesses to detect deep fake-augmented phishing and impersonation scams. This means that training, education, and a change in our philosophical approach to visual and audible information must be implemented from the top down.

A holistic deepfake strategy

Sociocultural implausibilities: Perhaps the best tool against deepfake fraud is context and logic. Every stakeholder, at every step, must view information with a new found skepticism. In the recent case where a finance worker paid out $25 million after a video call with deepfaked chief financial officer - one would think ‘why is the CFO asking for $25 million?’ and ‘how out of the ordinary is this request?’ This is certainly easier in some contexts rather than others, as the most effective fraudster will design their approach so it seems well within someone’s normal behavior.

Training: This new found skepticism must be a company wide approach. From the C-Suite down, and across to all stakeholders. Businesses need to establish a culture in which videos and telephone calls are subject to the same verification processes as emails and letters. Training should help establish this new way of thinking.

A second opinion: Businesses would be wise to introduce processes which encourage getting a second opinion on audio and visual information, and any subsequent requests or actions. One person may not spot an error or inconsistency that someone else does.

Biology: This may be the most obvious, but keep in mind natural movement and features. Perhaps someone on a video call doesn’t blink very often, or the subtle movement in their throat as they speak isn’t normal. Although deepfakes will become more sophisticated and realistic over time, they are still prone to inconsistencies.

Break the pattern: As AI-generated deepfakes all rely on relevant data, they can’t recreate actions which are out of the ordinary. For example, at time of writing, an audio deepfake may struggle to whistle or hum a tune convincingly, and for video calls, one could ask the caller to turn their head to the side or move something in front of their face. Not only is this an unusual movement, which data models are less likely to be trained on so extensively, they also break the anchor points that hold the generated visual information into place, which could result in blurring.

Lighting: Video deepfakes rely on consistent lighting, so you could ask someone on a video call to change the light in their room or the screen they’re sitting in front of. Software programs also exist which can make someone’s screen flicker in a unique and unusual way. If the video doesn’t properly mirror the light pattern, you know it’s a generated video.

Tech: AI is aiding fraudsters, but it can also help stop them. New tools are being developed that can spot deepfakes by analyzing audio and visual information for inconsistencies and inaccuracies, such as the free-to-use For Fakes’ Sake for visual assets, or Pindrop for audio. Although these are not foolproof, they are an essential arsenal to help establish reality from fiction.

It’s important to note that no single solution, tool, or strategy should be totally relied upon, as the sophistication of deepfakes is rapidly increasing - and may evolve to beat some of these detection methods.

Skepticism at every step

In an age of mass synthetic information, businesses should look to extend the same level of skepticism towards trusting visual and audible information as they do towards new contracts, onboarding new users, and screening out illicit actors. For both internal and external threats, AI-augmented verification tools and new training and education regimes are central for minimizing potential financial risk from deepfakes.

We've featured the best online cybersecurity course.

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

• City of Columbus, Ohio, confirms suffering ransomware attack
• Around 500,000 citizens thought to have had private data stolen
• Rhysida criminal group claims responsibility for attack

The City of Columbus has confirmed suffering a ransomware attack in which sensitive information on hundreds of thousands of residents was stolen.

In a breach notification letter sent to affected individuals, Ohio’s capital said it experienced a “cybersecurity incident” on July 18 2024 which apparently saw a “foreign threat actor” try to disrupt the city’s IT infrastructure, deploy ransomware, and later solicit a ransom payment.

While the city responded by containing the attack, isolating the threat actors, and bringing in third-party experts to assess the situation, the crooks managed to get away with sensitive information.

Half a million affected

“The information involved in the incident may have included your personal information, such as your first and last name, date of birth, address, bank account information, driver’s license(s), Social Security number, and other identifying information concerning you and/or your interactions with the City,” the City of Columbus said in the letter.

At the same time, the institution filed a report with the Office of the Maine Attorney General in which it stated that 500,000 of the city’s residents were affected, out of a total of roughly 910,000 citizens.

Despite the theft, the organization claims there is no evidence the data was misused on the dark web. However, there seems to be more to this story than that.

The threat actor behind the attack seems to be Rhysida, after the eastern European group claimed responsibility in August 2024, claiming it stole 6.5 TB from the city, including “databases, internal logins and passwords of employees, a full dump of servers with emergency services applications of the city and … access from city video cameras.".

The gang asked for 30 bitcoin, which was roughly $1.9 million at the time of the attack. It is likely it did not receive the payment, since security researchers found an archive containing Ohio residents’ sensitive data, posted on the dark web.

Via TechCrunch

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