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There's no question that the AMD Ryzen 9000 series had a troubled launch, but AMD's latest fixes for the entire lineup of chips could go a long way to addressing the concerns of gamers and creators who might be holding off on buying one of the new chips.

The fix, which is part of the new AGESA ComboAM5 PI 1.2.0.2 microcode update to various AM5 motherboard UEFI BIOSs, comes in two parts, according to TechPowerUp.

First, users can configure the PPT of the AMD Ryzen 9600X and AMD Ryzen 9700X (cTDP) in the updated BIOS up to 140W (which translates to 105W TDP) while maintaining their warranty. This effectively allows users to overclock the base 65W (88W PPT) chips without the risk of wearing them out and not being able to replace them.

Second, the BIOS updates will improve the inter-core latency performance on the AMD Ryzen 9900X and AMD Ryzen 9950X. These two chips use two Complex Compute Dies (CCDs) rather than a single monolithic die for all cores.

In order to get the two CCDs — which have 6+6 and 8+8 cores for the AMD Ryzen 9900X and 9950X, respectively — to act as a single unit, there needs to be an interconnect between the two CCDs. This introduces latency whenever cores need to communicate with each other or when the OS scheduler needs to assign work to various CPU cores.

Typically, the chips are supposed to be optimized to negate this latency as much as possible, but according to AMD, the issue with the high core-to-core latency of the 9900X and 9950X "was mainly due to some corner cases where it takes two transactions to both read, and write, when information is shared across cores on different parts of a Ryzen 9 9000 series processor."

"However, we've been working on optimizing this since the launch of the 9000 series. In the new 1.2.0.2 BIOS update, we've managed to cut the number of transactions in half for this use case, which helps reduce core-to-core latency in multi-CCD models."

While the reported core-to-core latency might still be higher than with a monolithic die, in real-world use, this fix should boost the multi-core performance that users experience with these chips.

Extra performance all around, but is it too late to compete with Intel?

(Image credit: AMD)

So I haven't actually finished reviewing the AMD Ryzen 9000 series, as some may have noticed. There are a lot of scheduling reasons for that, but I did manage to test all four chips and found, like many, that the performance gains were not great, if they existed at all.

Across the board though, I was more impressed by the power efficiency of the chips, which effectively let you have Ryzen 7000 series performance at lower power levels. I actually thought that this was pretty great, since the Ryzen 7000 series are fantastic chips and offer more than enough performance for just about everyone, and I've been on a tear about how chipmakers need to call a truce on performance and focus on efficiency.

That said, I understand why many would want to have more performance and better uplift gen-on-gen, even if I'd counsel them to ask whether that's really necessary.

In either case, though, it's generally a good rule to offer consumers more choice rather than less, and in the case of the 9600X and 9700X, you get to decide whether better performance or more efficiency best suits your needs while not having to worry that you're going to lose your investment in a chip because you increased its power draw.

As for the 9900X and 9950X, these two chips are specifically designed and marketed for high-performance use, so the importance of the gen-on-gen uplift is obvious. In that case, any fix for the underwhelming multi-core performance of these chips is welcome, though how much gain users will benefit from remains to be seen.

Of course, all this comes as Intel appears ready to introduce Intel Arrow Lake desktop processors later this month, meaning that the couple of months lead time that AMD had to gain an advantage early on in this generation might have been missed. It'll now have to really fight it out with Intel to maintain its recent market share gains, but considering we haven't seen what Intel Arrow Lake can do yet, it's still a jump ball as to who will come out on top in the end.

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The CPU market of late has been dominated by Intel and AMD; Qualcomm, with its AI-powered, energy-efficient Snapdragon X-series ARM processors, aim to challenge that.

Qualcomm’s current X-series processors have been making waves since their June 2024 launch. Winfuture have exclusively revealed that Qualcomm has been working on its next-gen high-end Snapdragon X2 CPU “SC8480XP”, under the codename “Project Glymur”.

These next-gen processors place Qualcomm in competition with Apple’s M-series processors: unlike the x86 chips Intel and AMD use, the Snapdragon X-series uses an ARM architecture – like Apple’s M-series – designed for mobility and efficiency, compared to the mainly performance-focused former.

A standout feature of the X-series is its full compatibility with Microsoft Copilot+. It supports Microsoft’s Auto SR (super resolution), which uses AI to enhance video quality and frame rate in existing games. By including these features from the start, Snapdragon X positions itself well for the future; other chip manufacturers will have to introduce these features through later updates.

(Image credit: Qualcomm)

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X-series launched to mixed reviews. Customers hailed the new ARM processors for their power-efficiency and AI features; however, the CPUs fell short in performance when compared to AMD’s Ryzen and Intel’s Core X86 chips, especially where multi-core tasks were concerned. Another issue Qualcomm face is software compatibility: not all software has been ported to ARM.

Qualcomm has been testing the SC8480XP since July 2024, and there is still little information about what features it has to offer; according to Winfuture we will likely know little more until 2025.

In the meantime, there is still more to come for Qualcomm’s current generation of processors. In the “international export databases” where Project Glymur was discovered, the X1P-24-100, a new eight-core ARM processor, was also found.

Hackers have found a new way to bypass the strict digital rights management (DRM) rules imposed on HP printers. This allows users to refill old and emptied cartridges, and thus continue printing without having to spend extra money on new, original ones.

Here is a little background: HP allegedly sells printers at a loss. To make up for it, the company sells ink cartridges at elevated prices, which infuriates the users. As a result, users turned to third-party ink cartridge manufacturers. HP responds by embedding chips into the cartridges, rendering third party products useless.

Users respond by refilling old cartridges instead of buying new, third-party ones. HP then responds by adding a page limiter: the printer starts counting how many pages the user prints, and then simply stops working when a certain page number is reached.

Adding a chip to the cartridge

As reported by Tom's Hardware, a YouTube creator called Jay Summet demonstrated how he added a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) on the cartridge’s original contacts, and then routed the signal passing through, to a chip.

The signal is there altered, telling the printer that the page limit has not yet been reached. The altered signal is then rerouted to another set of contacts, making the printer “think” it’s getting the information from an original cartridge.

Whether or not the crack picks up in the HP printer community remains to be seen, but one thing is certain - users obviously don’t approve of HP’s current business model and will always find new ways to work around it. In the meantime, HP has a few lawsuits against printer DRM to attend to, anyway, the publication reminds.

Perhaps the company will be legally forced to quit this practice and find another business model, even if it means making more expensive models.

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Last week, Microsoft released an optional update for Windows 11, and unfortunately it has been causing some serious trouble in some cases.

This is an optional update (KB5043145) for Windows 11 23H2 which was supposed to bring some minor quality-of-life improvements, but turned out to pack some unexpected bugs.

In the support document for the update, Microsoft has acknowledged some known issues, with nasty problems including some users being prompted to restart their devices, sometimes multiple times, while others are witnessing their PC locking up with either blue or green screen errors.

Furthermore, some devices open the Windows Automatic Repair tool after multiple restarts, and even BitLocker recovery can pop up in some cases. BitLocker is a Windows security tool that can protect your device’s data by encrypting it, but it’s only available to users of Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. So, if you’re not using those - and most folks reading this will be on Windows 11 Home - you won’t be affected by that particular bug.

We saw BitLocker-related update problems and repeated unprompted restarts earlier in the year, and so these issues seem to be continuing, sadly. 

(Image credit: Future) Investigation is underway - standby for further info

In the support document, Microsoft says that it’s currently investigating these issues and that more information will be provided when available. So for now, we can sit tight and wait for feedback from the software giant.

Remember, though, that this is an optional update - you don’t have to install it and can just steer well clear. I would recommend doing just that with this preview update, especially as we currently aren’t aware of any workarounds for these bugs.

However, if you have already taken the plunge with KB5043145 and have encountered any of these gremlins, you can send Microsoft a message via the Feedback Hub app and describe your experience. This information could help Microsoft understand the problem and find a solution more quickly.

Alternatively, Neowin, which spotted this development, suggests that you can visit the Feedback Hub and search for ‘KB5043145.’ This should return the most relevant posts on the forum regarding the patch, and if you see any complaints that echo your issues and concerns, you can upvote those to increase their visibility.

Overall, in terms of bugs cropping up over and over, it’s not a pretty picture that’s being painted of Windows 11 these days. It feels like there are more issues with the newest OS than with its predecessor, Windows 10, which still enjoys widespread popularity - and maybe that’s one of the reasons why. 

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Cybercriminals are targeting hybrid cloud platforms with a worrying new ransomware strain, Microsoft security researchers have revealed.

Threat intelligence experts from the company have published a new blog post warning of Storm-0501, a ransomware affiliate group active since 2021.

The team has warned Storm-0501 is targeting different verticals across the United States, from government, manufacturing, to transportation, and law enforcement.

Rust-built ransomware

Microsoft's researchers believe the group is financially motivated, meaning it is not a state-sponsored player, as it targets firms with the intent of extorting money, which is then likely used to fund additional cybercriminal activity.

When it attacks, Storm-0501 looks for poorly protected, over-privileged accounts. Once compromised, the accounts are used to grant access to on-prem devices, and from there, cloud environments. The next step is to establish persistence and allow unabated lateral movement throughout the infrastructure.

The final step is the introduction of ransomware. In the past, Storm-0501 used popular variants, such as Hive, BlackCat (ALPHV), Hunters International, and LockBit. However, in some of the more recent attacks, the group used a ransomware variant called Embargo.

Embargo is a relatively new strain, developed in Rust. Microsoft’s researchers state that it uses advanced encryption methods and operates under the RaaS model (meaning someone else is developing and maintaining the encryptor, and thus gets a share of the eventual spoils). While using Embargo, Storm-0501 goes for the old and proven double-extortion tactic, where they first steal a victim’s files, then encrypt the rest, and threaten to leak it online unless the victim pays a ransom.

In the cases Microsoft analyzed, Storm-0501 leveraged compromised Domain Admin accounts and deployed Embargo via scheduled tasks. The ransomware binaries names that were used were PostalScanImporter.exe and win.exe. The extensions of the encrypted files were .partial, .564ba1, and .embargo.

It is also worth mentioning that Storm-0501 sometimes refrains from deploying the encryptor and just maintains access to the network.

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Philips, maker of the some of the best business monitors around today, has unveiled the Philips 27B2U6903, which comes with UHD 4K resolution and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity as standard. 

The 27-inch monitor comes features an IPS LED panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 and support for 1.07 billion colours, making it ideal for anyone who needs to work in creative industries or to content content.

Thunderbolt 4 also adds a lot of oomph to the 27B2U6903, enabling a dual-screen setup via daisy-chaining, transferring data to external devices, and charging devices at up to 100W in power. For good measure, Philips has also added RJ45 for ultra-fast ethernet connections.

Smart features

(Image credit: Philips)

Philips says one of the standout features of the 27B2U6903 is PowerSensor 2, which aims to save power by putting the monitor and its connected PC in sleep mode when a user walks away from them. When it detects their return, the devices are powered up.

Philips also highlights its Smart KVM feature, which lets users hot-key between different input sources (think: PlayStation 5) by pressing the Ctrl key three times. 

As with most modern monitors, the 27B2U6903 is height adjustable, and can tilt, pivot, and swivel to your heart's content, all of which is vital for a monitor you will likely be looking at for many hours of the day. 

The Philips 27B2U6903 will cost around £450, and is available now. 

The best business monitor? 

The Philips 27B2U6903 is facing some pretty stiff competition for the crown of the best business monitor going. 

After hours of testing, TechRadar recommends the BenQ PD3220U, a premium 4K monitor that comes with a 32-inch IPS panel, HDR, a wide array of ports, and support for KVM switching, like the 27B2U6903. 

The Huawei MateView 4K+ 3:2 aspect is also an intriguing proposition, offering an unusual 3:2 display that is perfect for coding and other vertical tasks. The 28.2-inch display is pretty stunning, too. 

Ultrawide fans, we have something for you too: the best ultrawide monitor is the LG UltraGear 38GN950, a massive 38-inch behemoth that looks fantastic and comes with a 160Hz display. 

Anyone looking for an ultrawide monitor on a budget (at least relatively), should look at the AOC CU34G2X, which comes in a 34-inch configuration and really suits gaming.

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Microsoft has signed a deal with one of the most infamous nuclear power facilities in the US as it looks for more ways to ensure the demand for AI computing is met.

The legacy of the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear plant has long been shaped by the 1979 Unit 2 meltdown, which had a profound effect on public perceptions of nuclear energy. What a lot of people don't know is that Unit 1 was not only unaffected, but continued to operate safely and reliably for decades.

Now, in a major new step, Constellation has signed its largest power purchase agreement with Microsoft, leading to the planned restoration and restart of TMI Unit 1 under the name Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC). The project is expected to bring 835 megawatts of carbon-free power to the grid, create 3,400 jobs, and contribute over $3 billion in taxes.

Support for nuclear energy remains strong

Under this agreement, Microsoft will purchase the energy produced by the renewed plant to match the power consumption of its data centers within the PJM grid.

The tech giant has been exploring nuclear energy as a way to power its data centers for a while now, although this will be by far its most high profile deal.

"This agreement is a major milestone in Microsoft's efforts to help decarbonize the grid in support of our commitment to become carbon negative," noted Bobby Hollis, VP of Energy at Microsoft.

Joe Dominguez, President and CEO of Constellation, commented on the deal, saying, “Powering industries critical to our nation’s global economic and technological competitiveness, including data centers, requires an abundance of energy that is carbon-free and reliable every hour of every day, and nuclear plants are the only energy sources that can consistently deliver on that promise."

Before TMI Unit 1 can be restarted, it will undergo substantial modernization, including upgrades to the turbine, generator, and cooling systems. Approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission will also be required, with plans to extend the plant’s operations through 2054. The plant is scheduled to come back online by 2028.

A report by The Brattle Group found that the Crane Clean Energy Center, renamed to honor former Constellation CEO Chris Crane, will not only add more than 800 megawatts of clean energy but also inject $16 billion into Pennsylvania’s GDP and generate $3 billion in taxes. Additionally, Constellation has committed $1 million over five years to support local workforce development and community programs.

Public support for nuclear energy remains strong in Pennsylvania, with a recent poll showing a 2-to-1 margin in favor of restarting TMI Unit 1. Governor Josh Shapiro praised the project, saying, “The Crane Clean Energy Center will safely utilize existing infrastructure to sustain and expand nuclear power in the Commonwealth while creating thousands of energy jobs and strengthening Pennsylvania’s legacy as a national energy leader.”

The resurgence of nuclear energy, particularly as a reliable, carbon-free power source for energy-intensive sectors like data centers, is increasingly appealing to firms like Microsoft and Oracle who are betting big on it.

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When 2025 rolls around, I’ll have been a professional fitness writer for ten years, and a professional technology writer for five. In my long career writing about fitness and fitness tech, I’ve tried almost every category of workout equipment and health-based technology you can imagine.

I really mean it.

I’ve tried all manner of gadgets in the name of a review, from smart glucose monitors that require needles in your arms to smart sleep masks that play soothing sounds. I’ve tried intelligent insoles that slip into your shoes to tell you about your running gait, and AI-powered cameras that help you work out with dumbbells.

Smart workout mirrors? Smart rings? Peloton classes? Electro-stimulation to improve muscle tone? Bone-conduction headphone technology? All boxes checked.

It’s a far cry from reviewing the best fitness trackers and best running shoes on the market. In that time, amongst all the gadgets I’ve tested, there’s only a handful of pieces of hardware that I really use in my personal life on a regular basis.

It almost says a lot about the state of the industry that each piece of wellness tech is marketed as a game-changer, a problem-solver, yet I keep coming back to the same old bits of kit. As someone with unfettered access to all the gear in TechRadar towers, that says a lot. So, without further ado, below I’ve listed the only pieces of tech I go back to time and time again.

Bone conduction headphones: Shokz OpenRun

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Whether you’re running, cycling or doing any form of exercise outdoors, it pays to be aware of your surroundings.

I’ve used Shokz OpenRun for years as a way to listen to music or podcasts broadcasting from my phone during runs without sacrificing situational awareness. You could technically do the same thing with AirPods or other workout headphones using their HearThrough or Conversation modes, but the best bone conduction headphones are built to leave your ears free.

While the OpenRun Pro are more expensive, offering faster charging and longer life, I still use the original OpenRun and have experienced no problems with the battery even after all this time.

They’re comfortable to wear for long periods and during very long runs, I also call my wife or family to break up the monotony and they can hear me just fine.

This is the set of headphones that got me through two marathons over two consecutive years.

In-ear headphones: Jabra Elite 8 Active

(Image credit: Becca Caddy)

In my marathon off-seasons, I like to hit the gym in order to regain the muscle mass I lose when running takes over my life.

This is where a lot of gear falls down for me to use: even the best smart rings, for example, are at risk of scratching and being damaged when I’m lifting weights, so I use a watch instead.

Likewise with bone conduction headphones: while outside I like to be able to hear my surroundings, in a commercial gym you need headphones to kill the gym’s music and the noise of other gym-goers to focus on your own workouts.

I used to use a cheap pair of Anker Soundcare P20s for this, but when those finally died, I switched to a pair of Jabra Elite 8 Active, the best workout headphones on the market right now, and haven’t looked back.

They’re comfortable, tough, completely waterproof (they survived a glass of water, at any rate), and have Active Noise Canceling I can switch on and off if I need to ask a staff member a question, or another lifter if I can work in. Easy to set up, simple to use, tough as nails, and long-lasting.

Smartwatch: Garmin Epix Pro

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

I really want to recommend the Apple Watch Ultra 2 here as it’s functionally fab, but short battery lives on smartwatches continue to be a frustration for me.

The Garmin Epix Pro lasts for ages, and it has the running tool I use most: route creation. For hikers, runners, and cyclists yet to plan routes using Garmin Connect and follow the directions on your watch, it’s a game changer. It’s the single smartwatch feature that’s made the most difference in my training.

I also like big, chunky watches and dislike charging watches often, so the Fenix range (including the Epix Pro) fits the bill nicely. Although I know some people find smartwatches uncomfortable to wear in bed, I don’t mind at all.

Plus, even though I don’t tend to use my smartwatch to formally track sets and reps in the gym, it doesn’t get in the way of my weight-based workouts in the same way that a smart ring does, so it’s passively tracking activity and calorie burn in the background and factoring it into my recovery metrics.

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Chucky is a bit of an outlier when it comes to horror. Usually, you can't beat the original movie, and any sequels or TV adaptations pale in comparison – check out TechRadar's ranking of every Chucky movie. But the Peacock series impressed critics so much that it has a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, placing it above the 1988 movie Child's Play. With this in mind, it really is a shame that the horror hit has been canceled.

The adaptation ran for three successful seasons before it was announced that it would not continue, with The Hollywood Reporter announcing they had pulled the plug on the killer doll. While previous attempts to deactivate Chucky did not go so well, unfortunately, they've finally done it. For now, at least.

Confirming the news in a statement, creator Don Mancini said: “I’m heartbroken over the news that Chucky won’t be coming back for a fourth season, but am so grateful for the killer three years we did have."

He added: “I’d like to thank UCP/SYFY/Peacock/Eat the Cat, our awesome cast and Toronto-based crew (the best in the business), and finally, to our amazing fans, a big bloody hug. Your incredible #RenewChucky campaign really warmed Chucky’s cold heart. Chucky will return! He ALWAYS comes back.”

What made the Chucky series better than Child's Play?

Bride of Chucky is actually good okay? (Image credit: MGM)

It's a big question and the Rotten Tomatoes critics' consensus cited its "absurd humor and creative horror" as being a huge hit. There may be other factors at play, such as nostalgia, or more people getting into horror, but it is refreshing to see the iconic doll having such a successful time on the small screen.

Some of the entries into the franchise have not been good at all, including Child's Play 3, which has a pretty awful 19% rating on the aggregator. Others spark more debate among fans such as Bride of Chucky which is still considered rotten on the whole, but fans like me will go to bat for it mostly because of Jennifer Tilly's performance as Tiffany.

But despite the series' success, it wasn't enough to save it from getting the chop. So season 3 is the end of the road but if you want to live the brutal, bloody memories, you can still stream the previous episodes.

Peacock does have a new horror series on route, called Hysteria, starring the Evil Dead's own Bruce Campbell, so there'll be plenty to sink your teeth into throughout October and beyond.

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Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285 CPU is the subject of the latest Arrow Lake leak, and a sighting of this processor in Geekbench gives us some purported specs, and a glimpse of the potential performance on offer – with a caveat.

The Geekbench 6 result was flagged up on X by BenchLeaks, with the Core Ultra 9 285 running in an Asus Prime Z890-P motherboard (with LGA 1851, the new socket for Arrow Lake processors).

[GB6 CPU] Unknown CPUCPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (24C 24T)Min/Max/Avg: 5461/5579/5560 MHzCodename: Arrow LakeCPUID: C0662 (GenuineIntel)Single: 3081Multi: 14150https://t.co/zPyFYuKEoHSeptember 30, 2024

What the leak tells us is (add the usual salt) that the Core Ultra 9 285 is a 24-core (24-thread) CPU and this is the 65W TDP (thermal design power) variation. (As opposed to the Core Ultra 9 285K, which is the unlocked 24-core processor that can be overclocked, with a TDP of 125W for PL1).

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 will have the same core configuration as its K counterpart, meaning 8 performance cores alongside 16 efficiency cores. The chip has 36MB of L3 cache, with a base clock speed of 2.5GHz, and max boost speed of 5.6GHz. In the Geekbench 6 testing the chip was paired with 8GB of DDR5-5600 memory, meaning DDR5 system RAM with a speed of 5600MHz.

Scoring anomaly

Achieving a score of 3,081 in Geekbench for single-core is not bad at all. However, the Core Ultra 9 285 does stumble with its multi-core result of 14,150. As Wccftech, which spotted the above tweet, points out, that falls short compared to the vanilla Core i9-14900 (current non-K flagship) which hits around 17,000 to 18,000 for multi-core.

Something’s clearly awry here, then, as the plain 285 will not be that far off the pace of the 285K unlocked version – we expect further benchmarks will show that. Note that the non-K Arrow Lake CPUs, include the Core Ultra 9 285, will not launch until Q1 2025, so aren’t as close to shipping as the K versions (but they aren’t a million miles away either).

As we previously reported, we might see Intel’s first Arrow Lake CPUs, which will be those K models spearheaded by the 285K, as early as October 2024.

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Google has announced its latest multibillion-dollar effort to strengthen connectivity and prepare for increased adoption of cloud and high-performance computing.

A $2 billion investment is set to fund two new data center campuses in South Carolina in a move that will bolster the company’s US infrastructure.

The two campuses, located at 1055 Research Center Drive in Ridgeville and in the Winding Woods Commerce Park in St. George, Dorchester County, will span areas of 230 and 206 acres respectively, and are expected to generate 200 operational roles and as many as 1,200 long-term construction jobs.

Google continues investing in data centers

On top of the Dorchester County investment, Google has also earmarked another $1.3 billion to enhance its Berkeley County data center, which has been operational since 2007. The move marks an expansion of the company’s existing commitment to the state, where it has already invested heavily over the years.

“Today marks a significant milestone in Google's collaboration with South Carolina. Our continued investment is a testament to the state's exceptional workforce and thriving business environment," noted Google’s Global VP of Cloud Supply Chain and Operations Monique Picou.

South Carolina’s Governor, Harry McMaster, added enthusiasm about the investment: “We are proud to support Google’s new operations in Dorchester County and value the opportunities they will create for the people of South Carolina.”

Besides bolstering its on-land infrastructure, the company has also been investing heavily in subsea cables. The company has been expanding its subsea cable infrastructure heavily in recent years, adding a new line between Australia and Africa earlier this year.

Connecting Australia with South Africa, the cable will then run on terra firma via Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda before terminating in Kenya.

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Hackers have found a creative new way to distribute spam by abusing the infrastructure of legitimate websites. Since the crooks don’t technically take over the website, and it continues to operate as intended, spam filters are having a hard time blocking these emails. As a result, the campaigns are more successful in reaching people’s inboxes.

The good news is that the emails are blatant spam, and unless the recipients click on the links without even reading the contents of the email, they should be able to spot the fraud immediately.

The new campaign was spotted by cybersecurity researchers from Cisco Talos, who explained in a technical write-up how the trick is in abusing sign-up and registration services. Many websites allow users to register a new account, and once that happens, the website will send an email to the address associated with the newly generated account.

No validation

The attack works by overloading the name field with text and a link. Since the site does not validate, or sanitize, this content in any way, it returns to the victim in the post-registration email, unfiltered. The worst part is - there’s no defending against it:

“Unfortunately for defenders, there is very little we can do to defend against such spam messages,” Cisco Talos said. “Most of the emails sent by these contact forms are legitimate, so the malicious email blends in with the otherwise legitimate traffic.”

But the good news is that the emails sent like this are easy to spot. They still look, and read, like your usual post-signup email, albeit with somewhat modified content. That should make it clear to any recipient that the site is being abused and that the email should be deleted on the spot.

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Microsoft Copilot is about to get a brand new look and additional features, including a voice mode with four new voices.

Windows Latest has some screenshots of how the new-look Copilot will work, and gone is the rather austere look of the previous incarnation and in its place there's a new pastel-shaded user interface. While the recent addition of Copilot ‘Wave 2’ for Office 365 customers was very focused on enterprise users, the new Copilot 2.0 appears to be much more about making AI accessible for general users, with a redesigned home screen that invites you to explore.

Work it harder, make it better

Windows Latest reports that the new interface is faster and sleeker than the old one, and more on par with ChatGPT. Copilot 2.0 uses a card-based design, with each card encouraging you to use AI and explore its potential. So, you might find it asks you if you’d like to start a journal, or if you need some help getting to sleep. There’s also a new voice mode, so you can talk to Copilot for the first time, and in response, it will talk to you using one of four new voices - Meadow, Grove, Wave, and Canyon.

The new Copilot 2.0 will ask you your name when you first use it, then remember your name whenever you log in with your Microsoft account. To complement the completely redesigned interface there are two different modes - Night and Day. Day is brighter and full of pastel shades, while Night is a dark mode.

The new Copilot 2.0 appears to have been rolled out to users in India and Brazil. We’re not sure when it will be available to the rest of the world, and there’s also no word on a mobile version. ChatGPT recently rolled out Advanced Voice mode to ChatGPT Plus users, and Gemini already has Gemini Live up and running.

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WhatsUp Gold, a network monitoring solution built by Progress Software, carried numerous critical and high-severity vulnerabilities, which placed its users at great risk of different cyberattacks. The flaws were recently addressed, and the company urged the users to apply the fixes immediately.

Progress recently published a new security advisory in which it warned WhatsUp Gold users of the flaws and announced the release of the patch.

The advisory, however, does not discuss what the flaws are or how they might have been abused.

Adding a chip to the cartridge

The flaws are listed as:

CVE-2024-46905: CVSS 8.8/10
CVE-2024-46906: CVSS 8.8/10
CVE-2024-46907: CVSS 8.8/10
CVE-2024-46908: CVSS 8.8/10
CVE-2024-46909: CVSS 9.8/10
CVE-2024-8785: CVSS 9.8/10

In total, there were six vulnerabilities, two of which are rated critical - 9.8/10.

Progress Software said that the first fixed version is 24.0.1:

"The WhatsUp Gold team has identified six vulnerabilities that exist in versions below 24.0.1," the advisory reads. "We are reaching out to all WhatsUp Gold customers to upgrade their environment as soon as possible to version 24.0.1, released on Friday, September 20. If you are running a version older than 24.0.1 and you do not upgrade, your environment will remain vulnerable."

WhatsUp Gold is a network monitoring software designed to provide comprehensive visibility into an organization’s IT infrastructure. It enables users to monitor devices, applications, servers, and network traffic in real time, helping to quickly identify and resolve performance issues.

To install the latest version, visit Progress’ product list page, download the latest version, and run it on your WhatsUp Gold server. After that, just follow the prompts. Since there are no details about the flaws, we don’t know if they have been abused in the wild already.

Via BleepingComputer

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The Chinese government has unveiled new draft regulations to mandate real-time content censorship as part of its effort to control satellite-based communications.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has published its latest proposals, which would require any organization or individual using satellite communication devices to adhere to new censorship guidelines.

If successful, the new rules will prohibit the production, distribution or sharing of content deemed illegal under Chinese law via satellite devices.

China wants to extend censorship to satellite communications

China’s proposed rules, designed to stomp out the undermining of national unity, the promotion of terrorism, extremism or ethnic hatred, and the spread of false information, would apply to all devices that connect directly to satellite services, including handheld portable devices as well as terminals mounted to vehicles, ships and aircraft.

As well as the censorship, satellite services providers must also align with national security protocols and data security lawss.

Operators would need to prevent users from conducting illegal activities, and those using satellite-connected devices to access such content would need to be reported to the authorities. In order to facilitate this and comply with regulations, operators would need to obtain licenses, collect users’ identity information and process data within China.

The Cyberspace Administration confirmed: “If a terminal equipment direct satellite service provider finds that a user has published or transmitted information prohibited by laws and regulations, it shall immediately stop the transmission, take measures such as elimination in accordance with the law, preserve relevant records, and report to the relevant competent authorities.”

Moreover, China’s proposed censorship suggests that foreign satellite operators, such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, would need to gain approval to operate within the country.

Feedback is being welcomed until October 27, one month after the draft regulations were announced.

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Nvidia’s RTX 5080 was recently rumored to be getting 16GB of VRAM – speculation that did not go down well with PC gamers, as it’s an amount no better than the RTX 4080 – but fresh word from the grapevine is the next-gen graphics card could also arrive in a 24GB flavor.

This is according to Polymorph, a member of the Chiphell forum (as spotted by Wccftech), who claims that Nvidia plans to release a 24GB VRAM version of the RTX 5080 later on, following in the footsteps of the initial 16GB model.

If this is true, a 24GB VRAM option would make Nvidia’s graphics card far more appealing and future-proofed.

As it stands, 16GB of VRAM with a 256-bit bus doesn’t feel like a convincing upgrade on the memory front. And while it’s true that switching to GDDR7 memory, as rumored elsewhere, would be an improvement over the RTX 4080 (with GDDR6X) – delivering better bandwidth and improved power efficiency, amongst other benefits – we don’t feel this is enough.

Neither do many PC gamers out there, going by the reaction to the 16GB of video RAM rumor when it emerged recently.

(Image credit: Micron) A waiting game

So, why (theoretically) go for a 16GB and 24GB split for the VRAM with the RTX 5080 – and why wait to deliver the latter, beefier version?

Wccftech reminds us that initially GDDR7 will come in 2GB memory modules, with 8 and 16 of those modules for the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 respectively, giving us that 16GB (and 32GB) loadout.

However, eventually GDDR7 memory will be available in 3GB modules, too, and so that could potentially lead to 8 of these in the RTX 5080, for a total of 24GB (the 256-bit memory bus would remain the same).

All this is theorizing, of course, and alternatively Nvidia could take a different approach and use a GB202 (RTX 5090) chip in the more powerful take on the RTX 5080, using a 384-bit memory bus and 24GB of VRAM.

Whatever the case, Polymorph is telling us that the RTX 5080 24GB will seemingly happen – or at least is currently planned – but it won’t arrive until down the line some way, possibly not until 3GB modules of GDDR7 are in mass production.

Clearly, the RTX 5080 with 24GB of VRAM would be far more appealing, especially considering the 5090’s 32GB VRAM loadout. We suppose the worry is how much of a price hike Nvidia might put on a second version of the RTX 5080 that appeared later as an upgrade over the original 16GB incarnation – which in itself might be pricey.

It’s important to remember that all the information aired regarding Nvidia’s RTX 5000 series remains rumors and speculation. We’ll only know the concrete details when Nvidia reveals the next-gen Blackwell graphics cards, with the rumored launch date being CES 2025 in January (that’s been the thinking for some time).

Memory isn’t the only concern for the RTX 5080, as there are also worries about power usage, too (and that goes for the RTX 5090 as well).

Via VideoCardz

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AI industry leaders have joined forces to form the Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI), signaling a significant step towards stronger regulation. Emerging as a response to the fragmented landscape of AI security, where governments lack expertise and developers lack a practical, unified framework, these leaders seek to set the standard on AI security regulations – without hindering the technology’s development and innovation.

The global AI market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 37.3% from 2023 to 2030, reaching a value of £1,433.3 billion by 2030. As it continues to reshape industries, many will argue that regulation and security protocols are long overdue.

The question is: how significant will this coalition be for the AI industry? And what do the critics have to say about corporations making their own rules?

The Coalition for Secure AI

Gartner forecasts that global spending on information security and risk management products and services will reach £173.2 billion in 2023, reflecting the growing awareness of the importance of safeguarding AI systems and data.

CoSAI is a newly formed industry coalition that aims to create comprehensive security measures for AI, addressing both current and future risks. It brings together key players, including Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, Anthropic, NVIDIA, IBM, and Intel, to collaborate on developing standards and best practices for AI security.

The coalition seeks to address a wide range of security concerns throughout the AI lifecycle, including building, integrating, deploying, and operating AI systems. Specifically, it’ll focus on mitigating potential risks such as model theft, data poisoning, prompt injection, scaled abuse, and inference attacks, while also striving to develop comprehensive security measures to tackle both traditional and AI-specific risks.

Why the government is taking a passive approach

Usually, the idea of governments letting industry leaders write regulations for their own products would be absurd. But when a technology is as revolutionary – and evolves as rapidly – as AI, the discussion changes.

Suddenly, the big players are the only ones suited to write the rules because they’re the ones creating the technology; they’re the ones who know what it is, what the dangers are, and how it’s most likely to evolve.

Until the government catches up, of course.

But that will take time, and the risk of letting AI continue to spread and evolve without a central, unified framework is too high. Some regulations are better than none, and although compliance will be voluntary, companies that choose to ignore these regulations may face retroactive consequences from their government in the future.

What the critics are saying

While this coalition means that AI leaders have voluntarily taken the lead in self-regulation, the project also faces significant criticism. Firstly, there’s the apparent worry that these industry giants seek to control the pace of AI development and isolate the industry from new competition by creating regulations that favor themselves. Secondly, the coalition's limited membership of mostly large tech corporations raises concerns about whether it can truly address the full spectrum of AI security challenges.

Finally, despite being a coalition focused on security, many have questioned the lack of participation from prominent cybersecurity companies such as Palo Alto Networks, or Fortinet.

These are valid points, but the thing is…

You can’t keep the AI genie in the bottle

Despite calls to pause AI’s growth by prominent players, including Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (notably absent from CoSAI’s membership list), most people recognize that the genie is out of the bottle.

In many ways, that leaves companies in a similar situation to what happened with GDPR; longstanding concerns around data privacy came to a boiling point, but companies lacked a concrete framework to tell them what to do about it. Then, they rallied around a unified framework. The coalition is the start of that process. Self-regulatory efforts like this are key to helping governments and regulators who can’t keep up with the pace of the technology. It might not be ideal that the technology’s creators and developers spearhead it, but what other choice is there? Hopefully, CoSAI will act as a catalyst for more concrete measures to ensure AI is being used ethically and safely.

In the meantime, this will likely be useful for everyone, including the enablement software industry. Even if the vast majority of AI use in enablement software is significantly lower risk than what the coalition was created to address, it’s still valuable for customers to have answers and assurances.

Final verdict on CoSAI

Nobody, including the founders of CoSAI, is saying this coalition is the perfect solution for AI regulation in the long term. In an ideal world, the government would have already established and enforced comprehensive security and ethics regulations for AI. And they will, given time. However, companies need a unified framework now.

So, the coalition becomes the placeholder until the government is ready to take the reins. That’s a good thing. It’s a positive sign for all industries, moving the needle toward ensuring responsible and controlled use of this revolutionary technology. While warranted criticism remains, it’s important to remember that this is just the first step – and everyone will monitor and scrutinize the guidelines and regulations that emerge from this coalition. For now, it’s a good step in the right direction.

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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

The Asia Pacific business landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, fueled by rapid artificial intelligence (AI) advancements. No longer just a trend, AI is fundamentally transforming how businesses operate and compete. Organizations already recognize that staying competitive in a digital-first world necessitates embracing AI – with AI spending in Asia Pacific projected to reach $78 billion by 2027, according to IDC.

Among the most disruptive advancements in this field is generative AI, which has the potential to redefine the workplace, streamline workflows, and create new opportunities for innovation. The integration of generative AI into the workplace is already driving significant improvements in business outcomes.

The human impact of generative AI

A recent study on the impact of Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 (Copilot for M365) revealed that 85% of employees felt a greater sense of accomplishment in their work following the introduction of the tool. This illustrates how AI can enhance employee engagement and satisfaction by automating mundane tasks and enabling employees to devote more time to activities that require critical thinking and creativity.

Additionally, the study found that 80% of employees remained engaged with their tasks, indicating that Copilot for M365 seamlessly integrated into daily workflows without diminishing the stimulating aspects of work. This shift allows employees to focus on tasks that are not only more challenging but also more fulfilling, contributing to a more dynamic and innovative work environment.

The study also saw the organization’s creativity and innovation score increased by 2% to 82% since the previous year, with approval for embracing new ways of working rising from 80% to 89%. These improvements highlight the potential of generative AI to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration within organizations. By providing employees with tools that enhance their creative capabilities, businesses can unlock new levels of productivity and drive long-term success.

Generative AI’s influence on employee experiences

Despite the clear benefits of generative AI, its adoption is not without challenges. One of the most significant hurdles is employee resistance to change. This resistance can stem from concerns about the transparency and accountability of AI systems.

Results from the study revealed that while 88% of employees felt Copilot for M365 aligned with corporate values, only 65% believed it adequately addressed accountability. This discrepancy highlights the need for organizations to build trust by ensuring that AI systems are transparent and governed by robust frameworks.

Another challenge is the potential impact of AI on team dynamics and employee belongingness. While the introduction of AI tools can enhance individual productivity, it may also inadvertently weaken the social fabric of the workplace if not carefully managed. The study found that although team cohesion remained steady, the average score for belongingness and team collaboration decreased by 2%.

Making the workplace more human with AI

To overcome these challenges and fully harness the potential of generative AI, companies must adopt a people-centric approach that prioritizes the needs and concerns of their employees.

Here are some key strategies to consider:

1. Adopt a people-first approach to AI integration: Organizations should prioritize the human aspects of AI adoption by leading with empathy rather than imposing solutions from top down. This approach involves communicating the value of AI in a way that resonates with each employee and embedding responsible AI processes that reflect the organization’s values. Businesses can build a culture of trust and acceptance around AI by focusing on the human attributes that make us uniquely innovative and creative.

2. Involve employees early in the process: Engaging employees in the AI adoption process from the outset is crucial. By involving them in the development and implementation of AI tools, organizations can address concerns, build trust, and empower employees to take ownership of the technology. This approach ensures that AI solutions are effective and aligned with the business's specific needs.

3. Provide ongoing, tailored training: AI training should go beyond basic instruction. Companies should establish long-term learning programs tailored to different roles within the organization. These programs should include practical applications of AI in real work scenarios, gamified learning experiences, and recognition of employee contributions. Visible leadership and skilled internal champions are crucial to the success of these programs.

4. Start small and build familiarity: One effective strategy to reduce resistance is to start small and allow employees to gradually familiarize themselves with AI technology. Our own experience with Copilot for M365 demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach.

Looking ahead

Initially, 72% of employees felt cautious about their communications, concerned about the implications of AI transcription. However, after just six weeks of using the tool, 45% reported feeling less cautious, indicating that familiarity with the technology led to increased trust and openness. Starting with small, well-defined AI applications allows companies to create a controlled environment where employees can explore the technology at their own pace, building comfort and reducing resistance.

Generative AI offers a transformative opportunity for businesses to redefine how they operate, innovate, and compete. However, successful AI integration requires more than technical proficiency. By adopting a people-centric approach and involving employees in the AI adoption process, companies can create environments where AI and human skills complement each other, driving business success and enhancing employee satisfaction.

Looking ahead, the key to unlocking AI's full potential is in balancing technological progress with human values, ensuring that AI enhances rather than replaces human potential.

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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

The battle between Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine, a WordPress hosting provider, continues in full swing, but the former is cutting the latter, and its customers, a very brief moment of slack.

"We have lifted the blocks of their servers from accessing ours, until October 1, UTC 00:00. Hopefully this helps them spin up their mirrors of all of WordPress.org’s resources that they were using for free while not paying, and making legal threats against us", Mullenweg wrote on WordPress.org's blog.

A little over a week ago, Mullenweg likened WP Engine to a “cancer” for the way it benefitted from the open source WordPress project without giving back sufficiently. The disruptions subsequently left WP Engine customers uncertain about access to update tools, but Mullenweg is now giving them a short period to resolve potential issues.

Mullenweg gives WP Engine users temporary access

A little over a week ago, Mullenweg likened WP Engine to a “cancer” for the way it benefitted from the open source WordPress project without giving back sufficiently.

The disruptions subsequently left WP Engine customers uncertain about access to update tools, but Mullenweg is now giving them a short period to resolve potential issues.

In a brief note, Mullenweg criticizes WP Engine for promising “Unmatched performance, automated updates, and bulletproof security ensure your sites thrive” – arguing the company has since failed to provide.

“WP Engine was well aware that we could remove access when they chose to ignore our efforts to resolve our differences and enter into a commercial licensing agreement,” he added

Criticizing WP Engine CEO Heather Brunner, Silver Lake’s Managing Direction Lee Wittlinger, and their Board, he goes on to call WPE “reckless.”

WP Engine hasn’t stayed quiet amid the turmoil; its lawyers sent a cease and desist letter to Mullenweg, who heads up both the WordPress.com hosting business and the WordPress.org project.

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Despite dwindling PC sales in the country, China is on track for some healthy growth in the sector as it scales up production in 2025 to get AI PCs into the hands of consumers and businesses, new figures have claimed.

The latest Canalys reports have said PC shipments fell 6% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2024, however 2025 is set to see a 12% growth in PC sales – considerably more than the 1% anticipated for tablets.

The boost is backed by China’s commitment to AI – the nation has declared ambitions to increase its compute capacity by 30% before 2025 in preparation for widespread adoption of advanced technologies like generative AI.

Chinese PC shipments are set for a boost

Canalys Analyst Emma Xu explained that AI engagement in mainland China is more pronounced than in many Western markets, and while AI regulations have prevented many companies from benefitting from certain Western tools like Microsoft Copilot, local companies have responded with strength.

“This is pushing vendors toward localized strategies to develop AI PCs, either by integrating in-house AI assistants or by building their own AI application ecosystems through collaboration with developers," Xu added.

Nearly half (47%) of Chinese companies have a clearly defined AI strategy, with the technology encourage and incorporated into workflows. Only 21% of enterprises in the US and UK respectively mirror this.

While the productivity benefits of AI PCs are evident across the board, they’re more apparent among business users who require the additional processing power to handle heavier workloads. AI PC market share within the entire PC sector is indicative of business uptake – AI PCs are predicted to take up just 13% of the market in 2024, however by 2025 this could have nearly tripled to 37%. By 2027, Canalys expects AI PCs to account for three in five (62%) new PC shipments.

“To drive stronger business outcomes, vendors must focus on market expansion and differentiation to enhance user experiences and outcomes," noted Xu. "Leveraging on-device AI models will be particularly beneficial in this regard.”

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