TechRadar News

• Google Wallet now has a built-in payment system for kids
• Parents can monitor their child’s transactions and enforce limits
• The update is rolling out over the next few weeks

Allowing your kids access to your phone’s wallet can be a surefire way to quickly lose your savings, but there are also times when you might want to let them in, such as when they need to use a digital library card. So, what can you do to get it right?

Well, Google thinks it has a solution of sorts. It’s just announced a new feature for Google Wallet that grants kids access to limited funds while ensuring that parents are still in control. The feature is being rolled out to users in the US, UK, Australia, Spain, and Poland “over the next few weeks,” Google says.

According to Google’s press release, parents and guardians can “allow their children to access digital payments on their Android device with appropriate supervision.” In practice, that means “kids can use Google Wallet to securely tap to pay in stores and keep supported passes like event tickets, library cards and gift cards in one convenient place.”

The update comes with built-in parental controls. “A child’s payment cards can only be added with parental consent,” Google says, “and parents will receive an email whenever their child makes a transaction. Parents can also easily track recent purchases, remove payment cards and turn off access to passes right in Family Link.”

Financial independence

(Image credit: Shutterstock / sdx15)

This isn’t the first time Google has implemented a kid-friendly payment system with parental controls included. In the company’s Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch, for example, children can tap to pay for items, while parents can monitor purchases and reward their youngsters when chores are completed.

Apple also has a similar feature built into Apple Cash. Parents or guardians can view a child’s recent card transactions, choose who they can send money to, receive notifications when a payment is made, lock the child’s Apple Cash account, and more.

Financial literacy is a great life skill for children to have, so it makes sense to allow them some degree of independence here, as Google and others are doing. The built-in controls should go some way to reassuring parents, although each family will need to work out an arrangement that works best for them.

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• Comino Grando Server delivers extreme GPU performance for deep learning tasks
• High-speed Micron DDR5 memory powers AI, research, and rendering workloads
• Optimized for air-cooled and water-cooled environments, ensuring peak efficiency

Puget Systems has announced a partnership with Comino to provide advanced liquid-cooled multi-GPU servers optimized for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and high-performance computing workloads.

The collaboration will expand access to high-density GPU computing with its Comino Grando Server, delivering extreme performance, efficiency, and reliability at a more affordable price.

Featuring dual CPUs and up to eight GPUs, it competes with the most powerful computers for intensive computing tasks.

Optimized for AI, research, and rendering workloads

The Puget Systems Comino Grando Server is engineered for AI research, deep learning, and scientific simulations, supporting high-performance, high-reliability RAM featuring Micron 8x 32GB DDR5 5600 for high-speed data processing.

This makes it one of the best computers for running video editing software, complex visualizations, handling large datasets, and running real-time simulations.

The small business server is also designed for high reliability, with a redundant power supply system featuring up to 4x 2000W hot-swap CRPS modules that support multiple redundancy modes, allowing for continuous operation even in demanding scenarios.

One of the key advantages of the Puget Systems Comino Grando Server is its ability to operate efficiently in air-cooled and water-cooled racks, handling ambient temperatures up to 40°C ensuring compatibility with both legacy infrastructure and modern energy-efficient data centers.

The system offers scalable fan options, allowing configurations from ultra-performant, high noise level with up to 5.5 kW cooling capacity to low-performant, silent operation with up to 2.5 kW cooling capacity.

Additionally, its liquid cooling system supports up to 5.5kW of thermal dissipation, ensuring consistent performance across demanding computational tasks.

By combining Puget Systems’ expertise in custom computing solutions with Comino’s liquid cooling technology, this partnership delivers a high-performance server solution at a lower cost. Additionally, businesses can install up to 8 hot-swap SSDs (SATA or NVMe) for expanded storage flexibility making it one of the best workstations available.

The Puget Systems Comino Grando Server is set to debut at GTC 2025 and will be available for configuration across a wide range of applications.

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Stability AI's videos have infused text and images with movement and life for a few years but are now literally adding a new dimension by turning two-dimensional images into three-dimensional videos.

The company's new Stable Virtual Camera tool is designed to process even a single image into a moving, multi-perspective video, meaning you could rotate around and view the film from any angle.

It's not entirely a new concept, as virtual cameras have long been a staple of filmmaking and animation, letting creators navigate and manipulate digital scenes. But Stability AI has taken that concept and thrown in a heavy dose of generative AI. The result means that instead of requiring detailed 3D scene reconstructions or painstakingly calibrated camera settings, Stable Virtual Camera lets users generate smooth, depth-accurate 3D motion from even a single image, all with minimal effort.

What makes this different from other AI-generated video tools is that it doesn’t just guess its way through animation and rely on huge datasets or frame-by-frame reconstructions. Stable Virtual Camera uses a multi-view diffusion process to generate new angles based on the provided image so that the result looks like a model that could actually exist in the real world.

The tool lets users control camera trajectories with cinematic precision, choosing from movements like zoom, rotating orbit, or even a spiral. The resulting video can be in vertical form for mobile devices or widescreen if you have a cinema. The virtual camera can work with just one image but will handle up to 32.

Stability AI has made the model available under a Non-Commercial License for research purposes. That means you can play with it if you have some technical ability by grabbing the code from GitHub. Going open-source as Stability AI usually does also means the AI developer community can refine and expand the virtual camera's capabilities without the company needing to pay.

3D AI

Of course, no AI model is perfect, and Stability AI is upfront about the kinks still being worked out. If you were hoping to generate realistic people, animals, or particularly chaotic textures (like water), you might end up with something that belongs in a low-budget horror film.

Don't be surprised if you see videos made with it featuring perspectives that awkwardly travel through objects or have perspective shifts leading to flickering, ghostly artifacts. Whether this will be a widely adopted tool or just another AI gimmick ignored by dedicated filmmakers remains to be seen.

Not to mention how much competition it faces among AI video tools OpenAI's Sora, Pika, Runway, Pollo, and Luma Labs' Dream Machine. Stable Virtual Camera will have to show it performs well in the real world of filmmaking to go beyond just another fun demo video.

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• Elecom’s 9,000mAh sodium-ion battery offers superior safety and longevity
• The first sodium-ion mobile battery sets new standards but remains costly
• Retains temperature of -35°C to 50°C in extreme conditions

Elecom has introduced the world’s first sodium-ion mobile batteries, the DE-C55L-9000BK and DE-C55L-9000LGY, featuring a 9,000mAh capacity and prioritizing safety, longevity, and sustainability over traditional lithium-ion alternatives, making them a strong contender for the best portable power station.

Per PC Watch (originally in Japanese), the battery features a USB Type-C port with 45W output and 30W input, an 18W USB Type-A output, support for USB PD / PPS fast-charging protocols, a low-current mode, and a simultaneous charging function that allows users to charge both the power bank and their devices at the same time, offering performance that rivals those in the best laptops for all day computing.

The downside is its bulkier design and heavier weight of approximately 350g, comparable to that of an average 20,000mAh lithium-ion mobile power bank, which may limit its appeal despite its potential to rival the batteries in the best business smartphones.

More expensive and bulkier - but safer and last longer

Elecom's sodium-ion battery operates in extreme climates temperatures ranging from -35°C to 50°C, while its design incorporates sustainability by using recycled plastic for the casing and paper-based packaging to minimize waste.

This reduces reliance on environmentally damaging mining operations and supports sustainable resource management, as its sodium-ion battery eliminates the need for rare metals like cobalt and lithium, unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Currently, the battery does not fall under Japan’s PSE certification due to the novelty of sodium-ion technology, but Elecom has conducted similar safety tests to ensure compliance with existing standards.

However, disposal remains a challenge as it is not yet part of standard electronic recycling programs, requiring users to contact local authorities, Elecom’s support center, or designated drop-off locations.

This new battery offers several advantages over lithium-ion technology, significantly reducing the risk of thermal runaway, a common safety concern, by remaining stable even in extreme conditions and lowering the chances of fires or explosions.

Another key benefit is its lifespan, lasting up to ten times longer than conventional lithium-ion cells, with daily use potentially extending its life to over a decade, making it a durable solution for users needing reliability.

Nevertheless, the limited adoption of sodium-ion technology makes the battery expensive, with a retail price of 9,980 yen (around $67), and even with a limited-time discount lowering it to 8,980 yen ($60), it remains costly compared to lithium-based alternatives.

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The EU is officially out of control. It's now demanding that Apple break down the competitive advantage it's built with attractive features like AirPlay and AirDrop and essentially open them up to the competition. Thereby stripping Apple – bit by bit – of its competitive advantage.

Ever since the EU first implemented its Digital Markets Act, it's treated Apple like a global monopoly or rather a disrespectful child that deserves to spend time in a corner.

It's used the strength of the union to force Apple to make technical changes that theoretically benefit its constituents, like a charge port standard (USB-C) and more recently the side-loading of Apps outside the protective arms of the App Store.

I know many cheer these changes. Why should Apple force people to use its App Store or its now retired lightning cable?

Apple has complied but also warned about the dangers of such compliance. When the EU forced sideloading, Apple promised, "the risks will increase." If we haven't seen that happen, it may be because the majority of iPhone owners are still using the trusted and well-regarded App Store.

I consider this a change no one, save the EU and some software companies that pressed the issue, wanted.

In the case of USB-C, I've long believed Apple was heading in that direction anyway but the threat of fines forced Apple's hand and made it accelerate its plans.

Open sesame

Now, though, we have the EU demanding that Apple open up nine core iOS features, including push notifications for non-Apple smartwatches, seamless pairing between non-Apple headphones and Apple devices, and AirPlay and AirDrop. In the last instance, the EU is demanding Apple open iOS up to third-party solutions and ensure they work as well as native software.

Naturally, Apple is not happy and shared this comment with TechRadar:

"Today’s decisions wrap us in red tape, slowing down Apple’s ability to innovate for users in Europe and forcing us to give away our new features for free to companies who don’t have to play by the same rules. It’s bad for our products and for our European users. We will continue to work with the European Commission to help them understand our concerns on behalf of our users."

As I'm sure you can gather from the tone, Apple is fed up. This constant stream of EU enforcements, all designed to diminish Apple and hoist up competitors, is ridiculous and increasingly unfair.

Let's zero in on AirDrop as an example.

Drop it like it's hot

(Image credit: TechRadar)

AirDrop, which lets you quickly share files, photos, and videos between iPhones and other Apple ecosystem devices, arrived more than a decade ago on iOS 7. It was a transformative and brilliant bit of programming that instantly opened up an ad-hoc network between, say, a pair of iPhones. It did require some learning. Open AirDrop settings on phones could result in you unexpectedly receiving an illicit photo (yes, it happened to me once and it was terrible). Apple has since vastly improved AirDrop controls.

Not a lot of people used it at first, but every time I went to a party where I was often taking pictures, I would grab the host and quickly drop the photos onto their phones. They were usually shocked and deeply appreciative.

There was, for years, nothing quite like it on the Android side until Samsung unveiled Quick Share and Google launched Nearby in 2020. The two later merged to become just Quick Share.

There's no doubt Apple's success with AirDrop spurred the development of Quick Share and isn't that exactly how competition is supposed to work? You don't look at one company's successful deployment of technology and then demand that they make it possible for you to deploy a copycat app, and on the successful company's platform no less.

There's no doubt Apple's success with AirDrop spurred the development of Quick Share and isn't that exactly how competition is supposed to work?

But this is what the EU is demanding of Apple. It must make it possible for competitors to compete with Apple on its own platform, and why? Because apparently, they cannot do it without the EU's help.

I actually do not think that's true. Google and Samsung, for instance, are not stepping up to say they do not need this help because it serves them no purpose to do so. If the EU wants to slap Apple, let them. It certainly doesn't harm any of these competitors (until they fall under the EU's watchful gaze).

In the EU's world, there is no difference between competitors. They want a level playing field, even if at an innovation level, one company is outperforming the other.

Ecosystem FTW

Apple has built a fantastic ecosystem that pays significant benefits to those who live inside of it. Yes, that does in a way define which smartwatch and earbuds I use. But, for more than 20 years, it had no impact on the laptop I carried. I was a dyed-in-the-wool Windows fan and even though I used an iPhone and AirPods, and I wore an Apple Watch, I saw no need to switch to a MacBook.

When I did make the switch, it was to see if I liked the macOS experience better than Windows (spoiler alert: I did), and, yes it turns out that there were instant benefits to the switch, like AirDrop access to files on my iPhone and iPad.

Everything is easier when you have all Apple products but that's not an unfair advantage, it's engineering and excellence. The EU would like to wipe that out and make Apple as average as possible so it's fair for everyone. But that's not fair to Apple and, honestly, not to you, the Apple user, either. You pay a premium for the best programming, the best products, and the best interoperability.

Everything is easier when you have all Apple products but that's not an unfair advantage, it's engineering and excellence.

You won't get that by mixing and matching some from Apple and some from, for instance, Samsung, even if the EU wants you to. I love many Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and Microsoft products and there is nothing wrong with a non-homogenous setup. There should not, however, be an issue with all-Apple-all-the-time.

The EU needs to step back and get out of the way of smart technology and only act when consumers are being harmed. There was no harm here, just some small companies whining because they weren't winning.

You might think this is an EU-only issue but remember that what starts in Europe usually flies over the Atlantic to the US and eventually all global markets. Put another way, when the EU sneezes, we all catch a cold.

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• Google Messages is improving its message-deleting features
• You'll soon be able to delete a message for everyone
• We now have screenshots showing how the feature works

It's not a great feeling, sending a text and then regretting it – instantly, the next morning, or any time in between – and Google Messages looks set to give users a safety net with the ability to remotely delete messages for everyone in a conversation.

This was first spotted last month, but now the folks at Android Authority have actually managed to get it working. This is based on some code digging done in the latest version of Google Messages for Android.

While the feature isn't live for everyone yet, the Android Authority team tweaked the app to get it to display some of the functionality. Deleting a text brings up a dialog asking if you just want to wipe your local copy of it or erase it for all recipients.

If an image is wiped, that brings up a "Message deleted" placeholder in the conversation for everyone who's participating. It seems as though there's a 15-minute window for deleting – so you'll need to be relatively quick.

Bring it back

This is how Google Messages will let you remotely delete RCS messages for everyone ✅ Detail and more screenshots - https://t.co/W06aFByvsA#Google #Android pic.twitter.com/cKHvqe1tmrMarch 19, 2025

The upgrade comes courtesy of RCS Universal Profile v2.7, which Google Messages is in the process of adding support for. The remote delete feature may not be available for devices with older software installed – so bear that in mind for your text chats.

Up until now, deleting a text only removed the message on your own phone. Once it had been delivered and downloaded on the recipient's device(s), there was nothing you could do to bring it back.

That will change when this update finally rolls out in full, though it's not clear exactly when that will be. Considering Android Authority has been able to access some of the screens that show the feature working, it shouldn't be too long now.

Support for this feature varies in other apps: WhatsApp lets you delete sent messages for all recipients, while iMessage lets you delete sent messages, but only your local copy (though you can unsend messages within a two-minute window).

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• Microsoft & Oracle absent from nuclear pledge signed by Amazon, Meta, and Google
• It aims to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 to support global energy needs
• Nuclear seen as key to powering AI-driven data centers with clean energy

Even through Microsoft is seriously exploring nuclear energy as a way to power its data centers – even signing a deal in 2024 to purchase energy from the restarted Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear plant - it is notably absent from a new Large Energy Users Pledge that supports the global expansion of nuclear capacity.

That pledge has attracted major signatories such as Amazon, Meta, and Google, but neither Microsoft nor Oracle, which is also exploring nuclear energy, are on the list.

Led by the World Nuclear Association, the pledge was first introduced at the World Nuclear Symposium in September 2023, and has gained backing from 14 major global banks and financial institutions, 140 nuclear industry companies, and 31 countries.

Around-the-clock clean energy

Its purpose is to drive home nuclear energy’s “essential role in enhancing energy security, resiliency and providing continuous clean energy,” and sets a target to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050.

Nuclear power currently supplies about 9% of the world’s electricity via 439 reactors.

The call to action goes beyond traditional energy applications. It also outlines nuclear's potential to serve high-demand sectors like data centers, where the rise of artificial intelligence has led to soaring energy needs.

While it typically takes at least five years to construct an atomic plant, micro nuclear reactors, expected to be available by the early 2030s, could be a quicker, cheaper solution for powering large-scale computing operations.

"We are proud to sign a pledge in support of tripling nuclear capacity by 2050, as nuclear power will be pivotal in building a reliable, secure, and sustainable energy future," said Lucia Tian, Google’s Head of Clean Energy & Decarbonization Technologies.

"Google will continue to work alongside our partners to accelerate the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies that can provide the around-the-clock clean energy necessary to meet growing electricity demand around the world."

That message was echoed by Urvi Parekh, Head of Global Energy at Meta. “As global economies expand, the need for a reliable, clean, and resilient energy supply is paramount. Nuclear energy, with its ability to provide continuous power, can help meet this rising demand. We’re excited to join alongside this multi-organizational effort with the Tripling Nuclear Pledge to reiterate our commitment to nuclear energy.”

Brandon Oyer, Head of Americas Energy and Water for AWS, emphasized the urgency of scaling nuclear power. “Accelerating nuclear energy development will be critical to strengthening our nation’s security, meeting future energy demands, and addressing climate change. Amazon supports the World Nuclear Association’s pledge, and is proud to have invested more than $1 billion over the last year in nuclear energy projects and technologies, which is part of our broader Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040.”

You can view the Large Energy Users Pledge, which is signed by Meta, Amazon, Google and ten other companies, with a statement of support by Siemens Energy, here (PDF).

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• Thrustmaster has announced the Sol-R range of flight sticks
• They are designed with space sims like Elite Dangerous in mind
• Pre-orders are available now ahead of the April 16, 2025 launch

Thrustmaster, a gaming hardware maker that specializes in flight sticks, racing wheels and all manner of genre-specific controllers, has just announced a set of sticks designed for space flight sim titles like Elite Dangerous.

The Thrustmaster Sol-R 1 Flightstick and the Sol-R 2 HOSAS Space Sim Duo are set to release on April 16, 2025 and pre-orders are available now via the brand's website. The Sol-R 1 retails for $219.99 / £159.99. Meanwhile, the Sol-R 2 HOSAS is a beefier package, containing two flight stick modules for $399.99 / £299.99.

The Sol-R range is comprised of a flight stick and a base for which to slot it into. The base features two dials on either side, as well as a set of buttons and switches which collectively allow for a total of 44 programmable actions.

The stick looks incredibly ergonomic, with a hand rest and a thumb grip. Up top you'll find two four-way hat switches, a small thumbstick, two buttons and a thumbwheel dial. There's also a pair of triggers on the underside, presumably used for blasting space bandits into next week. The ergonomic hand rest can also swap sides, making the Sol-R accessible for both right and left-handed folks.

Crucially, Sol-R makes use of Thrustmaster's bespoke Hall effect tech, which these days is a must for providing long-lasting controllers that don't succumb to dreaded stick drift.

Lastly, for those who like to add a little flair to their space sim sessions, the Sol-R base and stick have a combined 11 customizable RGB lighting zones. That'll allow you to change the lighting color of certain buttons for easy visibility. Or alternatively, you can go wild with a multicolored setup for extra style points.

Will the Thrustmaster Sol-R range land on our list of the best PC controllers? That remains to be seen. But at a glance, it looks like a high-quality package that's well-suited for space sim beginners and enthusiasts alike.

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• Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows appears to run smoothly on the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally
• Both devices with adjusted graphics settings maintain an almost stable 30 fps
• Frame Generation on the Asus ROG Ally seems to work better on the ROG Ally than the Steam Deck

Ubisoft's long-awaited next entry to the Assassin's Creed franchise is almost here, with Assassin's Creed Shadows launching on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 20 - and while it's a very demanding game even on high-end PC hardware, its performance stability on handheld gaming devices shines through.

Based on several benchmark videos, Assassin's Creed Shadows manages to maintain a stable 30 fps (frames per second) on low and medium presets across Valve's Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally respectively. This was notable in Santiago Santiago's (a tester reputable for benchmarking games on multiple GPUs) Steam Deck tests on YouTube - with 'RT Everywhere' enabled (the game's ray tracing global illumination mode), the frame rate rests at a steady 30 to 32 fps at a 1280x800 resolution, and dynamic TAA between a 19% minimum to 56% maximum.

With ray tracing set to 'Hideout Only', similar performance results are evident, with dynamic TAA between 30% and 75%. For a Steam Deck, those are impressive results. However, the only downside is enabling frame generation on Valve's handheld only pushes the frame rate up to 40 fps but increases input lag significantly.

Fortunately, things fare a little differently with the Asus ROG Ally: Intel's XeSS 2.0 can be used on other hardware besides the likes of the MSI Claw 8 AI+, and it works great in Asus' handheld. It's worth noting that AC Shadows doesn't tie frame generation tech with specific upscalers, so it's possible to use XeSS 2.0 while using AMD's Frame Generation.

With XeSS 2.0 performance mode enabled at 1080p 30W TDP on the Asus ROG Ally, Shadows again stays steady at 30 fps with some dips down to 29 fps (evident on DeckWizard on YouTube). When enabling frame gen on the medium graphics preset at 720p and with FSR 3.1 performance mode, the Asus ROG Ally X, (via NotAGameAddict on YouTube) 60 fps can be achieved.

Perhaps the delays indicate Ubisoft's focus on optimization

It's clear Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows certainly isn't the best performance-wise: Ubisoft's new title supposedly struggles to gain above 60 fps at 4K maximum settings with low ray tracing (RT Hideout Only) on an RTX 5090 as reported by DSOGaming. However, slightly lower graphics settings or the use of DLSS 4 should help with improvements (which does sound absurd for an RTX 5090 don't get me wrong).

On weaker hardware, the game's performance is good, particularly while using upscaling or frame-gen tech - and while I don't like the reliance on this from game developers, Shadows seems to utilize this well. Compared to the unacceptable performance of other big AAA releases on PC, this one stands out for good reasons especially since it's playable on handhelds.

This is a title that has been delayed multiple times - and I'm willing to believe that those delays played a big part in refining any major issues, such as performance. If delays are what it takes from PC game devs to ensure we get well-optimized games, I'll take it any day of the week - but given the trend of bad PC ports, I doubt that will happen.

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• The Pixel 9a has just been announced by Google
• Its launch date has been pushed back from March to April
• Google blamed a vague “component quality issue”

If you’ve been eagerly looking forward to the Google Pixel 9a phone, we’ve got some bad news: Google has had to briefly delay its launch in order to investigate a “component quality issue” affecting the device.

We reached out to Google to see what had happened and a company representative told us: “We’re checking on a component quality issue that’s affecting a small number of Pixel 9a devices.” The company apparently did not go into any more detail than that, so it’s unclear what exactly the issue is that’s caused the hold-up.

After announcing the device today, Google originally wanted to launch the Pixel 9a in March, yet that date has now slipped to April. Interestingly, Google isn’t allowing pre-orders on its website despite saying the device will be available within the next few weeks.

With our early hands-on with the Pixel 9a, we could only show the home screen and the design of the device, which is new. That, plus the fact that the device was actually listed for sale in a few locations before it was officially announced earlier today, makes it a bit of an awkward scenario for Google.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar Heavily leaked

(Image credit: Google)

The Pixel 9a is Google’s latest mid-range phone, and it’s fair to say that it’s probably been one of the most heavily leaked phones of the last few years. The leaks and reveals were so rampant, in fact, that we knew more or less everything there was to know about it long before Google lifted the lid.

It’s highly unusual for Google to delay a product like this right at the last minute, and you would think that a severe problem such as this would have been discovered earlier in testing. Further, it is rare for Google hardware to be affected in this way, but evidently, some things can slip through the net.

Still, it’s better for Google to delay the Pixel 9a’s launch than to release it and find out the seriousness of its problem only when it reaches the public. Ultimately, a few weeks delay won’t mean much in the grand scheme of things.

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• Apple's Password App has been patched after a vulnerability was discovered
• The flaw left users exposed for three months, experts claim
• Users were at risk of social engineering attacks

A bug in the iOS 18.2 Passwords app which left users vulnerable to phishing attacks for over three months after its release, has been fixed, according to an update from Apple.

The flaw was discovered after security researchers at Mysk noticed that their device’s App Privacy Report showed the Passwords App had contacted 130 different websites over insecure HTTP traffic.

The app used the HTTP protocol instead of a more secure HTTPS when opening links and downloading app icons. Upon further investigation, the researchers found that the app also defaulted to opening password reset pages with the unencrypted protocol. This left users vulnerable as an attacker “privileged network access could intercept the HTTP request and redirect the user to a phishing website,” the researchers told 9to5Mac.

Patch now

The risk in this attack is that cybercriminals will use the vulnerability to carry out social engineering attacks by redirecting victims to insecure websites.

The Password app will now use HTTPS for all connections by default - so ensure your Apple devices are all updated and using iOS 18.2 or later.

Research has shown security attacks on password managers have soared in recent months, with reports finding a threefold increase in malware that targets credentials in password stores.

The attacks are also growing in sophistication , with cybercriminals prioritizing “complex, prolonged, multi-stage attacks” delivered with an all-new generation of malware. This new malware, like infostealers, comes with more persistence, stealth, and automation.

The best, and most secure, password manager tools will safely store, generate, and crucially autofill your website and app passwords. These can help you create and manage your unique and strong passwords without the hassle of having to remember each one.

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• McAfee's researchers find a "cocktail" of malware hiding behind fake DeepSeek apps
• The campaign preys on people searching for the generative AI tool
• Infostealers, crypto miners, and more, are being deployed this way

The hype around DeepSeek is the next big thing cybercriminals are exploiting in their hacking campaigns, researchers from McAfee Labs are saying.

The team has outlined how they saw cybercriminals setting up various websites, offering different versions of DeepSeek for download. Victims would reach these websites through search engines, meaning that some SEO poisoning was involved in the campaign, as well.

When they reach the websites and download the software, the victims are infected with a “cocktail of malware”, ranging from keyloggers and password stealers, to coin miners. These malware variants can steal sensitive information (including banking credentials and cryptocurrency wallet information), and can force the infected computer to mine cryptocurrency, rendering it useless for pretty much anything else.

Fake CAPTCHA

While on some websites, the victims are invited to download a DeepSeek app or program, on others - the devil is in the CAPTCHA.

In some cases observed by McAfee, victims would visit a website with a CAPTCHA that can be “solved” by copying and pasting a command into the Run program on Windows. This command just downloads and runs a malware dropper.

To stay safe, you should stay vigilant at all times. Instead of “googling” for something, visit the website directly, and if you don’t know the address, scrutinize every link returned by the search engine.

Furthermore, a real CAPTCHA will never ask you to paste a command into the Run program.

Hackers are known for tapping into current trends to distribute malware. Similar campaigns were observed when Chat-GPT was first released, both for Windows and Android.

Major events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Olympic Games, World Cup, and others, have all been abused in the past. The Covid-19 breakout, Russo-Ukrainian war, and the US presidential elections, all served as platforms for information theft, malware distribution, and wire fraud.

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KontrolFreek has given us an exclusive early look at its latest special edition controller accessory, the Call of Duty Performance Thumbsticks Speed Cola Edition.

A successor to the popular Deadshot Daiquiri Edition released late last year, these thumbsticks boast a unique design inspired by the world of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 zombies.

They feature a proprietary rubber material in a charming bright green shade with a distinct laser-etched pattern based on the emblem for the in-game Speed Cola power-up.

You get two thumbsticks in the box, a standard mid-rise version designed for your controller's left thumbstick and a taller high-rise one that you can attach to the right thumbstick for increased precision and more accurate aiming.

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The product comes in special packaging too with a collectible can that would look right at home on any gamer's shelf. It even includes a code for a limited weapon charm in Black Ops 6 which could be worth the price of admission alone for the most dedicated fans.

KontrolFreek thumbsticks remain a popular choice among more serious Call of Duty players and, having used them frequently over the last year, I can attest that they do actually make a difference to your in-game performance. Given the relatively low asking price of many models, there's no reason not to give them a try and see if they work for you.

If you're keen to get your hands on this latest release, the Call of Duty Performance Thumbsticks Speed Cola Edition launches on March 20, 2025. Xbox and PlayStation versions will be available today via the official KontrolFreek website for $29.99 / £29.99.

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• House of David has been renewed for a second season on Prime Video.
• The historical drama brought in 22 million viewers in its first 17 days.
• Season 2 will follow David's rise to the throne after his battle with Goliath.

Prime Video has renewed the historical drama House of David for a second season ahead of its series finale on April 3.

House of David, which launched with three episodes on February 27, attracted 22 million viewers in its first 17 days of streaming and claimed the second spot in Prime Video's top 10 shows list, falling behind Reacher season 3.

With a growing library of historical dramas, Prime Video is becoming one of the best streaming services for religious TV shows. Its sprawling library has the likes of The Chosen, a hugely successful series that dramatizes the life of Jesus Christ. With a 60% Rotten Tomatoes score from the critics, House of David doesn't make it onto our best Prime Video shows list. However, it's clearly been a huge hit among audience given its staggering results.

Show creators Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn said of the renewal: “We are humbled by the extraordinary reaction this show has earned from the faith audience worldwide. Thanks to them and our partners at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, Wonder Project will bring more of the Bible and this epic saga to a global audience. Congratulations to our incredible cast and crew.”

What is House of David season 2 about?

The biblical epic tells the story of David (Michael Iskander), a teenage outcast who is anointed the new king of Israel as the once-mighty King Saul (Ali Suliman) falls victim to his own pride and begins to lose power.

House of David season 2 follows David's rise to the throne in the aftermath of his battle with Goliath (Martyn Ford). As he navigates palace politics, his family's jealousy and a growing romance, David learns what it means to become a great leader.

Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios shared: “Jon Erwin and Jon Gunn’s compelling creative vision has solidified our belief in the series and we are excited to deliver more of the story to our customers. We look forward to a continued journey with Wonder Project as we further expand our slate to encompass faith-based series.”

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• Kape Technologies, owner of ExpressVPN, has announced a wave of redundancies at the VPN firm
• The total number of redundancies remains unconfirmed
• This comes weeks after major updates to its proprietary Lightway WireGuard protocol

ExpressVPN has announced a round of redundancies in an official statement.

This is the second time the Kape Technologies-owned company has taken the axe to its workforce in two years after it shed 12% of its staff in July 2023.

According to Tom’s Guide, ExpressVPN has not specified the number of jobs lost, so far, with the statement only reading that the company has taken the “difficult decision to reduce the size of our workforce".

The statement does not mention any cuts at either Private Internet Access (PIA) or CyberGhost – two VPNs also under the Kape umbrella.

ExpressVPN is still currently advertising several job openings in both Engineering and Security on the company website, as well as in Marketing and Accounting & Finance. So, how significant this is as signs of trouble ahead for this VPN service is hard to gauge.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN)

Indeed, ExpressVPN recently released significant updates to its VPN protocol, Lightway, alongside major updates to its Linux app earlier this month. The company also entered the eSIM market with the launch of holiday.com back in December.

There also seem to be plenty of funds in the marketing coffers with ExpressVPN announcing a partnership with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as the official Digital Privacy Partner in November.

ExpressVPN places third in TechRadar's best VPN guide at the time of writing. It topped those charts for several years until the beginning of 2024 when NordVPN was named best VPN.

ExpressVPN slipped further later that year when Surfshark climbed to second.

We look forward to re-testing ExpressVPN in the coming months to see how its Lightway protocol has improved and whether its bid to be the fastest VPN on the block has received a boost from Lightway Turbo.

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• Nanoleaf has launched a new lighting strip that syncs with your monitor
• It could provide an immersive boost to Mac gamers
• Apple has also patented a Magic Mouse with haptic feedback

Things have been looking up for Mac gamers in recent years, with Apple launching increasingly powerful hardware and AAA games coming to the company’s computers in increasing numbers. Now, there are a few new reasons why Mac gaming could be getting a touch more immersive.

The first is that Nanoleaf has just launched the PC Screen Mirror Lightstrip, which is a lighting strip for Mac and PC desktop monitors that provides rainbow effects for an immersive experience while gaming, listening to music, or watching TV shows and movies.

The strip connects to your computer over USB-C and needs to be paired using Nanoleaf’s desktop app. Once that’s done, its lights can actively match what is happening on your screen, providing a backlighting effect that extends the on-screen colors to your surroundings.

Nanoleaf’s Lightstrip costs $49.99 and can be pre-ordered from the company’s website. It’ll start shipping at the end of March.

Apple patent points to a haptic gaming Magic Mouse

(Image credit: Kaboompics.com / Pexels)

While Nanoleaf’s latest product is available to order now, there’s another idea that could give Mac gamers a boost that’s a little more experimental, and it comes in the form of a freshly uncovered patent (via Patently Apple).

The patent describes how a future Magic Mouse could be embedded with haptic sensors that mimic the effects of on-screen action. For example, it could enable you to feel the texture of moving through sand or sliding on ice, providing a much more immersive gaming experience.

Right now, Apple’s Magic Mouse is poorly suited to gaming due to its slippery top surface, unergonomic shape, and lack of customizable buttons. While the ideas discussed in the patent might help make it more viable for gaming, it will need a more wide-ranging overhaul before it becomes gamers’ pointer of choice. That said, the idea of a mouse embedded with haptic sensors could equally apply to creative and productivity tasks, so there’s a degree of flexibility here.

Being a patent, we don’t know when – or if – this will ever come to fruition. But it’s interesting to imagine how it could benefit Mac gamers and productivity lovers alike.

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• California Cryobank confirmed suffering a data breach in 2024
• Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers and more were stolen
• The company is offering credit monitoring services to some customers

One of the largest sperm banks in the United States has suffered a cyberattack in which it lost sensitive customer data.

California Cryobank confirmed the news in a filing with the Maine Office of the Attorney General, as well as in a data breach notification letter being sent out to affected individuals.

In the notification letter, the company said that it detected suspicious activity on its network on April 21, 2024, and isolated potentially affected devices from the network.

What about Donor IDs?

"Through our investigation, CCB determined that an unauthorized party gained access to our IT environment and may have accessed and/or acquired files maintained on certain computer systems between April 20, 2024 and April 22, 2024," the letter says.

California Cryobank is a sperm and egg bank that provides reproductive services, including sperm donation, egg freezing, and genetic screening. It is among the largest sperm banks in the United States, offering a diverse range of donors and services, and operating in all 50 states and more that two dozen countries around the world.

A more thorough investigation, which lasted almost a year, CCB concluded that different personal data was exposed for customers, such as names, bank accounts and routing numbers, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, payment card numbers, and/or health insurance information. It did not say how many people were affected.

It is unclear if donor information, such as donor ID numbers, was stolen in the attack, as well. When a person donates sperm, they are assigned an ID number, and their identity remains hidden until the child turns 18 and decides to learn more about their biological father. Leaking ID numbers could be a major privacy concern.

The company has offered a year’s worth of credit monitoring to people whose Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers were exposed in the attack.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon G Series of gaming processors
• They're primarily market for mobile and cloud gaming
• The most powerful of the lineup is capable of ray tracing and 1440p at 144Hz

Qualcomm has announced its new lineup of Snapdragon G series processors for the handheld market.

Announced in an official blog post, the Snapdragon G Series is made up of three different platforms: the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, and the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2.

The company claims its latest chips are "designed with gamers in mind" to "deliver sustained graphics performance on handheld, dedicated devices". It promises "high-fidelity graphics" with "incredible ergonomics" for those wanting their mobile games at their best.

As the naming conventions may elude to, the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is said to be the most powerful of the lineup, made for the "most demanding cross-platform gaming titles" whereas the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 is instead primarily marketed for "cloud games across major ecosystems".

This is backed up by the technical specifications of the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, which feature an eight-core Qualcomm Kyro CPU, Adreno A32 graphics (including ray tracing functionality), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and support for 1440p at 144Hz.

The Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 is similarly powerful, with the same eight-core Qualcomm Kyro CPU, but it features Adreno 22 graphics instead, with the same connectivity standards and output options.

Things only get more mainstream when analyzing what the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 can do. Despite having the same eight-core processor as the others, six of its total cores are efficiency, with only two dedicated to performance.

Similarly, it has weaker Adreno A12 graphics, and only support for Full HD (1080p) at 120Hz with Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1. It's safe to say this could be the chip found in cloud gaming devices that do not require the same level of horsepower.

Some of its partners running the new chips include AyaNeo, OneXSugar, and Retroid Pocket, among others, as the hardware is primarily geared towards Android and cloud gaming performance rather than native rendering. However, given the prowess of the leading chip, that could change depending on who adopts the silicon.

A step forward for mobile gaming hardware

Qualcomm has had great success over the past year since its Snapdragon X Elite line, powering some of the best laptops and best ultrabooks, famed for their snappy performance and long battery lives when compared to traditional x86 alternatives. The company now seems in a position to take on some of the biggest processors from rivals, such as AMD's Z1 and Z2 chips that you'll find in some of the best gaming handhelds.

We may not see a similar level of compatibility and performance with Windows or SteamOS machines, but for what they are, the Snapdragon G Series could still be a viable alternative. Some handhelds hitting the market have already impressed featuring the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 chip, like the AyaNeo Pocket S2, which is said to elevate Android gaming without the usual trappings of getting warm (via PCMag).

Just as Windows on Arm has evolved since it launched and was iterated upon as the big x86 alternative, the Snapdragon G Series could be the thing to push more handheld gamers into the arms of dedicated cloud-based and Android machines if the battery lives, displays, and ergonomics can outmatch what current-generation handheld PCs can do.

Competition is always a good thing as it pushes companies to continue innovating and improving on tech instead of stagnation, something the portable scene has been in danger of for years now. Will the Snapdragon G Series be enough to frighten AMD and Intel? It's not clear yet, but we've seen Qualcomm muscle in on their territory with its laptops, so why couldn't handhelds be next?

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With rising utility bills and the increasing cost of living, consumers need more support than ever—especially the most vulnerable. Acknowledging vulnerability isn’t enough; organizations must take action to ensure no one falls through the cracks.

Recent research from Focal Data highlights a growing number of UK adults who are either already in or on the verge of vulnerable situations. However, there is encouraging news: awareness is increasing, particularly among younger generations, and organizations now have clear, actionable guidance on providing meaningful support.

As consumer vulnerability evolves, technology leaders are crucial in driving solutions that ensure no customer is left behind. Their responsibility extends beyond deploying new tools; it involves strategically integrating AI to help customer service teams deliver scalable, empathetic, and effective support.

Additionally, as sectors such as financial services, utilities, and retail face increasing regulatory scrutiny and ethical concerns around data and AI usage, technology leaders must provide guidance to ensure compliance and responsible AI deployment.

35 million UK adults are potentially vulnerable

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) identifies four key drivers of vulnerability, a framework that extends beyond financial services and helps organizations understand the complexities behind consumer vulnerability:

1. Health issues (mental and physical illness)

2. Life events (including bereavement and job loss)

3. Low resilience (the inability to withstand financial or emotional shock)

4. Low capability and confidence (in dealing with financial matters)

Based on these criteria, the Focal Data research estimates that 35 million UK adults—approximately two-thirds of the adult population—are potentially vulnerable. Despite this, only 19% of those affected self-identify as vulnerable, and 34% of consumers would be uncomfortable disclosing mental health challenges.

Delivering support at this scale is an immense challenge, made even more difficult by low awareness and reluctance to discuss vulnerability. Many organizations believe they have sufficient processes in place to support vulnerable customers. Yet, when examined closely, the reality is quite different. On average, only around 3% of calls are screened for vulnerable customer support, and even fewer are routed to appropriate processes. This stark gap exposes many organizations to regulatory risks and, more importantly, leaves vulnerable customers without the support they need.

Younger adults show greater self-awareness, yet pressure remains

There is, however, some hope. Younger adults, particularly those under 34, are leading the way in self-awareness, with 31% identifying as vulnerable. This increased self-awareness is a promising step toward more open communication about financial and personal struggles.

However, organizations cannot rely on self-identification alone. This puts undue pressure on customer service advisors to recognize vulnerability based solely on soft skills and single interactions. Advisors are expected to identify a customer’s vulnerability while simultaneously searching for accurate information, leading to potential bias and missed signs. For example, a customer displaying subtle signs of stress may be perceived as just another frustrated caller rather than someone in genuine distress. Relying solely on human judgment to identify vulnerability is neither scalable nor sufficient.

Energy and utilities remain the top source of financial pressure

Financial pressures, particularly rising energy and utility costs, weigh heavily on UK households. A troubling 35% of potentially vulnerable consumers anticipate reducing or stopping their heating and hot water usage in 2025 due to financial strain.

With financial difficulties impacting consumers across all demographics, organizations—especially energy providers—must adopt solutions that build customer confidence and help consumers easily access critical information.

Vulnerable consumers are choosing digital support

Vulnerable consumers are increasingly turning to digital channels for support. Over a third (37%) prefer organizations to invest in improved digital services, such as AI-powered chatbots, over traditional in-person support, surpassing the general population’s demand (33%).

Digital channels provide an added layer of anonymity, which can be especially empowering for vulnerable individuals hesitant to discuss sensitive issues face-to-face. This presents a significant opportunity for organizations to leverage intelligent solutions that help customers resolve their issues efficiently and accurately.

AI and automation: the key to scalable, compassionate support

With a growing number of consumers at risk, outdated manual processes can’t keep up. Supporting vulnerable consumers at scale requires innovation. AI and automation can transform how organizations detect and respond to vulnerability, ensuring no one is left behind.

AI-driven solutions can analyze every customer interaction across voice and digital channels, detecting vulnerability in real-time based on language cues, sentiment, and behavioral patterns. This allows for timely intervention and ensures that customers receive the right support when they need it the most.

AI-powered chat services must go beyond surface-level interactions. Smart escalation pathways ensure that vulnerable consumers receive appropriate follow-up, whether through specialist advisors or seamless context capture—eliminating the need for customers to repeat distressing details.

However, AI insights are only valuable if they empower frontline advisors. Real-time AI guidance can equip agents with instant, tailored recommendations—whether offering alternative payment plans, government assistance, or mental health support options. This ensures that customers receive compassionate, personalized service without the risk of bias or oversight.

What’s more, by automating workflows, organizations can ensure vulnerable customers are always routed to the correct resources, specialist teams, or dedicated processes—minimizing the risk of anyone falling through the cracks.

The future of vulnerable customer support

Vulnerability is a human challenge, but technology is needed to solve it at scale. AI doesn’t just detect vulnerability—it enables organizations to move beyond recognition, delivering proactive, personalized, and truly supportive experiences.

For technology leaders, the message is clear: AI and automation must be embedded at the core of customer support strategies. By working closely with customer service, technology leaders can ensure that every consumer, especially the most vulnerable, receives the support they need with dignity, efficiency, and care.

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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

Today’s organizations rely on an extensive network of third-party vendors, partners, and service providers to enhance operations and fuel innovation. Whether leveraging cloud services, supply chain partners, or outsourced IT solutions, these external dependencies introduce complex cybersecurity risks.

The 2024 Change Healthcare cyberattack exemplified the devastating consequences of a third-party vulnerability, exposing the personal and medical information of nearly 190 million individuals—the largest healthcare data breach on record. This incident underscored how deeply vulnerabilities in a single third-party provider can ripple across entire industries, exponentially expanding attack surfaces and amplifying the consequences of a single security failure.

The escalating threat of third-party cyber risks

One year after the Change Healthcare cyberattack, third-party breaches continue to dominate headlines, with new incidents emerging almost monthly. In January, government IT contractor Conduent suffered a cyberattack due to a third-party system compromise on an operating system. The following month, Grubhub disclosed a data breach after detecting unusual network activity linked to a compromised third-party service provider. These incidents are not isolated; they reflect a growing trend where cybercriminals exploit a single point of entry to infiltrate one or more organizations' entire digital supply chain.

The repercussions of a third-party cyberattack extend far beyond immediate operational disruptions. They erode customer trust, trigger scrutiny from officials, and result in significant financial losses. The evolving threat landscape coupled with businesses expanding their reliance on external vendors increases the potential for third-party security failures, making it imperative for organizations to rethink their approach to vendor risk management. Third-party risk management (TPRM) is no longer a compliance exercise, it is a business-critical function requiring continuous oversight and modernization.

The shortcomings of traditional TPRM approaches

Historically, organizations have relied on manual assessments to evaluate third-party risks, often involving lengthy security questionnaires, periodic audits, and contractual agreements outlining cybersecurity expectations. While these measures establish a baseline for vendor security, they are largely static and offer little real-time insight into evolving threats. As cybercriminals become more sophisticated and exploit new vulnerabilities within days of being discovered, a point-in-time assessment is no longer sufficient.

The increasing volume of vendor relationships further complicates manual risk management. Security teams are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of third parties they must monitor, leading to inefficiencies, delays, and gaps in visibility. Traditional approaches rely on periodic assessments that provide only a snapshot, leaving organizations blind to threats that can emerge between evaluations.

Without continuous oversight, security gaps can go undetected until it’s too late. Addressing these shortcomings requires a shift from manual, reactive processes to automation-powered security operations, where real-time monitoring and AI-driven analytics provide the agility needed to stay ahead of evolving threats.

How AI and automation-driven security is transforming TPRM

AI and automation should not replace human decision-making; but rather augment it, empowering security teams with the tools and information needed to make better, faster, and more informed choices. A well-implemented AI and automation-powered strategy reduces operational fatigue, optimizes resource allocation, and ensures organizations stay ahead of evolving cyber threats rather than constantly playing catch-up. By automating TPRM, organizations can shift from passive risk management to proactive threat prevention.

Unlike traditional risk assessments that provide a static view of a vendor’s security posture, automation and AI can continuously monitor third-party networks, applications, and behaviors to identify anomalies and provide real-time visibility of external threat environments. AI-based third-party risk detection can also help organizations progress beyond known, rule-based security risk detection to a more heuristic detection capability.

While the risk of AI hallucinations and associated false positives can still be an issue, this is an emerging field for detecting software and network vulnerabilities that should not be overlooked. This proactive approach helps organizations move away from reactive security models, allowing them to address risks before they become crises.

Automation further strengthens incident response. When a security event occurs within a third-party environment, automation platforms accelerate containment by instantly analyzing the breach, assessing its impact, and triggering efficient notification of the appropriate practitioners which can be used to engage response protocols quickly and accurately. This rapid intervention significantly reduces dwell time, limiting the potential damage caused by an attack.

An automation platform with robust case management capabilities and highly customizable playbooks provides a centralized location for storing valuable information about TPRM-associated tasks, detections, software in use in the organization, asset criticality, and more. This helps not only in the defense of an environment but also can be leveraged for compliance audit readiness or demonstrating to insurers and stakeholders what measures have been taken to manage third-party risk.

The time for action Is now

Third-party data breaches, such as the recent GrubHub cyberattack, act as a wake-up call for organizations to prioritize proactive security measures. Cybercriminals will continue targeting external providers as a backdoor into organizations, reinforcing the need for a proactive, AI-enhanced approach to TPRM.

By integrating AI and automation-driven security operations, organizations can achieve real-time monitoring, automated threat detection, and rapid incident response, detecting anomalies before they escalate into full-scale breaches. In an era where cyberattacks are inevitable, resilience is built on preparedness. The time for action is now before your organization becomes the next headline.

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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