TechRadar News

• A possible iOS 19 design has been shown off in a video
• App icons look a bit more circular and Android-like
• However, there's reason to doubt the accuracy of this leak

One of the more consistent rumors we’ve heard about iOS 19 is that it will usher in a major redesign, and look quite different to iOS 18 as a result. Exactly what it will look like, however, is disputed.

Leaker Jon Prosser claims to have a good idea though, having followed up an early look at the possible design of Apple’s upcoming software with a new YouTube video (via AppleInsider), showing a mock-up of iOS 19 that’s supposedly based on a more recent build.

If the video is accurate, iOS 19 could be taking some inspiration from Android, as the app icons are shown as being more circular than in iOS 18, bringing them more in line with some Android skins.

Other changes include a more glass-like design, with some translucent elements to the interface, and some visionOS-inspired parts, such as a new pill-shaped bar at the bottom of many built-in apps.

Don't count on this

You can see all this in the video, but it’s worth taking these images with a serious helping of salt. For one thing, Prosser has a mixed track record – he has accurately leaked some things in the past, but he's also been very wrong about others.

For another thing, when Prosser previously leaked iOS 19, Apple watcher Mark Gurman (who has a much better track record) posted on X saying the images aren’t representative. This time around he simply reposted that message, so he’s seemingly no more confident about Prosser’s updated iOS 19 information than he was about the original leak.

Who’s right here? We probably won’t know for sure until WWDC 2025 in June, where Apple is likely to announce the new operating system. Given Gurman’s better track record though, we’re skeptical of this leak.

It’s worth noting, though, that Gurman himself has said to expect a redesign of some kind, so we’re likely to see big changes in iOS 19 – it just might not look like this.

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• Google's Scam Detection feature uses AI to detect calls from scammers as they happen
• The feature is now available on Pixel Watch
• It means users will get Scam Detection alerts without the need to take their phone out of their pocket

Google recently rolled out its AI-powered Scam Detection feature to Pixel phones, and now the feature is coming to the Pixel Watch, bringing alerts directly to your wrist in real-time.

From today, Pixel Watch 2 and 3 users will be able to get Scam Detection alerts directly on their wrist, meaning they don't have to take their phone out of their pocket while on a call in order to receive the alerts.

Scam Detection uses AI to detect conversation patterns commonly used by scammers as they happen. While it's not 100% accurate, and scammers often switch up their approach, if the AI picks up anything fishy, it'll alert you with a notification, sound, and vibration.

Previously, that would work on the Pixel Phone, and now it works on the Watch too. It means you can take calls from unknown numbers directly from your wrist with more confidence, and it is a brilliant extension of this very helpful feature.

Pixel Watch scam detection

There are many ways to deal with scam calls, but Google's AI-powered solution is definitely one of the most novel solutions and much more effective than simply choosing to ignore calls or silencing calls from unknown numbers.

To get it to work on your wrist, you'll need either a Pixel Watch 2 or 3 connected to a Pixel 9 or later. The two devices will need to be paired via Bluetooth for the feature to work, and Scam Detection only works in the US for calls in English.

Scam Detection is turned on via your Pixel Phone's Settings under Scam Detection. Once turned on, you'll hear a beep at the start of the call and intermittently during calls so that you know it's working.

The latest Scam Detection addition is another reason the Pixel Watch 3 (and its predecessor) are some of the best Android smartwatches you can buy, especially when paired with a Google phone.

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• Microsoft is deploying the monthly patch for Windows 11 24H2 today
• It’ll arrive with useful fixes, including the cure for a weird File Explorer bug
• A couple of problems with wake-from-sleep functionality have also been resolved, but Microsoft has taken some time to implement these fixes

Microsoft pushes out its monthly round of updates later today (likely imminently), and the patch for Windows 11 version 24H2 is set to come with some important fixes.

As Windows Latest reports, the cumulative update for April delivers the resolution of an annoying File Explorer bug, and more besides.

As a quick reminder, File Explorer is the app in Windows that powers the very folders and files you work with on the desktop likely on a daily basis. The bug means that when users click the three-dot icon in the top menu bar (to access extra options), the flyout menu extends upwards rather than down.

What this means is that if the File Explorer window in question is near the top of the screen, the menu actually goes off the top of the desktop, so you can’t click on some of those extra options, as they’re not visible.

Windows Latest further outlines some other fixes Microsoft is providing with the April update, and that includes the cure for a problem where a Windows 11 24H2 device would wake from sleep and immediately crash with a Blue Screen of Death. (Perhaps soon to become a Black Screen of Death).

Another issue with coming out of sleep mode, where a 2-in-1 laptop would change its screen orientation to portrait mode randomly, has also been remedied – likely a driver-related issue with the orientation sensors.

(Image credit: Future) Analysis: Fixing the holes

These are some useful fixes, then, and Microsoft will possibly deliver more with the April update for Windows 11 24H2, too. We shall have to see the full patch notes when the update actually lands.

The File Explorer issue may not have been a huge problem, as it was easy enough to work around. By this, I mean if a File Explorer window had a menu flying off the top of the screen, you could simply drag that window down lower on the desktop to see the full contents of the three-dot menu.

Still, that’s clunky, and not something you should have to do at all. What’s odd is the rather baffling nature of this bug – how did this go wrong in the first place? – and the time Microsoft took to fix it. This gremlin has been present in Windows 11 since November 2024, in fact.

On top of that, Windows Latest notes that Microsoft is currently deploying bug fixes (or at least some of them, including this one) as a controlled rollout. In other words, not every Windows 11 user will get this to begin with, and you may have to wait. Officially, this cure became available with the preview update of this imminent patch – released late in March – and the bug fix was only provided to a limited number of folks with that rollout.

Hopefully, from today, every Windows 11 user will see this problem - and the other aforementioned bugbears - ironed out in swift fashion.

Speaking of ironing, there’s still work to be done smoothing out further wrinkles with Windows 11 24H2 – some of which have been very weird affairs indeed – but hopefully Microsoft will start to get fully on top of all the issues for the latest incarnation of its desktop OS as we come towards the middle of 2025.

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The American National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is rather busy on the cryptographic front these days. Not only has it been busy in the area of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), it is also in the process of standardizing the lightweight cipher Ascon, and it is also embarking soon on a major effort to examine threshold cryptography, but in late 2024 it announced that it would be looking at standardizing a larger block size variant of the AES algorithm.

To understand what this proposal is, and why it is important, we need to dig a bit deeper into what a block cipher is, and the history of the AES algorithm.

Block ciphers explained

A block cipher is a mechanism to encrypt single blocks of data using a secret key. The two important characteristics of a block cipher are the number of bits needed to determine the key (the so-called key size) and the size of the data which each application of the block cipher encrypts (the co-called block size).

Children often encounter block ciphers as a first introduction to cryptography by making a table of letters, and then placing a random permutation of the letters underneath them such as

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M

T - M- A - H - X - S - C - Q - N - R - P - D -E

So the word BAD would encrypt to the ciphertext MTH. In this example the key is the second row of the table (you need the second row to encrypt and decrypt). This gives a total number of keys of

26 · 25 · 24 ··· 3 · 2 · 1 ≈ 2 88.3

which corresponds to a key size of 88.3 bits. The block size is however only one letter, i.e. something which can be represented in bits. This key size is quite large, if I just gave you an encrypted message of three letters it would be hard to determine the key.

However, because the block size is small it is easy to break in practice, since a large encrypted text will reveal repeats of plaintext blocks. For example the words “HIDE ME” will encrypt to “QNHX EX”, and we can see the repetition of X encrypting E. As we know E is the most likely letter in English this means it is likely that the attacker can guess X encrypts E.

Even if we were encrypting random messages (and not English) this repetition of blocks is a way for an attacker to attack any system which uses the block cipher. Due to the birthday paradox, if we have a block size of b bits, then we expect such a collision to after a few blocks. For the case of our toy cipher this means, for a random message, we expect a collision to occur after about 5 blocks.

AES

AES is a block cipher, which is the workhorse of almost all cryptographic systems in the world today. It was standardized by NIST in 2001, and has a variable key size of 128, 192 and 256 bits, but a fixed block size of 128 bits. This fixing of the block size was not originally on the cards.

In the original preliminary call for AES, NIST proposed having 128, 192 and 256 bit key sizes, with a fixed block size of 128-bits, but with the option for other block sizes.

However, as the process to choose AES progressed, in the official first call in 1997 NIST decided to focus only on 128 bit block sizes. In 2001 this block size seemed alright. After all, it means that for a random message we only expect to output blocks to be identical after ciphertext blocks, or 256 Exabytes.

The problem is that this “seemed alright” was not quite true. AES was actually based on an algorithm called Rijndael (invented by two Belgian mathematicians called Joan Daemen and Vincent Rijmen). In its original design, submitted to NIST, Rijndael had three possible key sizes (128, 192 and 256 bits) and three possible block sizes (128, 192 and 256 bits).

As we just remarked, during the AES process, in order to simplify the competition, NIST decided that it would only focus on 128-bit block sizes. Thus the original Rijndael design was modified to only allow one block size.

Unfortunate consequences

The fact that collisions happen more likely with a smaller block size means that applications needed to limit the number of blocks they could encrypt. This means that we only use a single 128-bit key to encrypt a relatively small amount of data. In practice this limit on the amount one can encrypt with one key becomes blocks, or only 64 Gigabytes (which is less than most harddisks in a laptop these days) , when AES is used in its most popular scenario (called AES-GCM mode). Meaning we need to rekey our ciphers more often, or use another method of calling AES.

Due to AES being super fast in hardware it would be good if we could use AES to construct a hash function (which are very slow normally). One can use block ciphers to construct hash functions, but they are not very secure (or are more complex to construct) unless the block cipher has a big block size (such as 256 bits).

The mismatch between block size and key size for the AES algorithm led to a theoretical “attack” (in a very special situation) on the AES algorithm with 256 bit key size in 2009 due to Biryukov and Khovratovich. Thus AES-256, with its 128-bit block size, was not as good as one would expect. On the other hand using Rijndael with 256-bit key and 256- bit block size would have avoided this “attack”.

Summary

Thus what NIST has announced is to revisit, what in hindsight, was the mistake it made back in 2001. AES should really have been standardized with a 256 bit block size variant.

If cryptographers had a DeLorean time machine they would go back about twenty five years, and modify the AES competition so that the final decision would have allowed AES to be used with a 256-bit block size.

We've compiled a list of the best encryption software.

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

Watch Celebrity Big Brother 2025 online

Celebrity Big Brother is back, with another set of familiar faces looking to stick out the UK version of television's original social experiment to its end. UK viewers can catch daily episodes live and on demand on the free-to-air ITV and ITVX services, and if you're away, you can watch Celebrity Big Brother 2025 online from anywhere with a VPN.

AJ Odudu and Will Best are back on hosting duties for the 24th edition of the celebrity-based shenanigans and Monday's launch episode saw the 13 contestants enter the house – you can see a full list at the bottom of this article.

This year's main attraction is Oscar-nominated actor Mickey Rourke, with the Hollywood star intermingling with the likes of the unlikely best chums RuPaul's Drag Race UK's Danny Beard and bouffant-haired former MP Michael Fabricant. Joining them are one-hit-wonder Chesney Hawkes, Eastenders legend Patsy Palmer and double Olympic champion Daley Thompson, with Love Island's Chris Hughes looking like an early favorite.

Thankfully for Mickey (and some viewers, no doubt), Hawkes has been on hand to explain who his fellow housemates are. The actor's low key manner is the polar opposite of JoJo Siwa's pink-and-sequin energy. So far it's all been good vibes, special powers and getting-to-know-yous – the drama is yet to come.

Below we’ve got all the information on where to watch Celebrity Big Brother 2025 online and stream every episode from wherever you are.

Can I watch Celebrity Big Brother 2025 for FREE?

Viewers in the UK can watch series 24 of Celebrity Big Brother completely FREE on ITV1 on TV and its ITVX streaming service online.

Use a VPN to access you usual streaming services from abroad. Full details on how follow...

How to watch Celebrity Big Brother 2025 from outside your country

If you’re traveling abroad when Celebrity Big Brother 2025 airs, you’ll be unable to watch the show like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN (Virtual Private Network) will allow you to stream online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home.

Use a VPN to watch Celebrity Big Brother from anywhere.

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How to watch Celebrity Big Brother 2025 online in the UK

Since returning to screens last year, Brits can now watch Celebrity Big Brother 2025 episodes every night of the week at 9pm BST on ITV1. Episodes will be an hour each.

It will also be available to stream for FREE both live and on demand on the ITVX streaming platform.

Its sister show – Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live – goes out immediately after each daily episode on ITV2 and will also be available to stream online in the same way on ITVX.

Away from the UK right now? Just use a VPN to alter your IP address so you can stream your favorite TV shows and films online just like you would at home. More details above.

Can I watch Celebrity Big Brother UK online in the US, Canada or Australia?

The British version of Celebrity Big Brother only airs in the UK, so you won't find it in your TV listings or on streaming services if you're overseas.

That means that the only way that Brits abroad can watch episodes is by using a VPN. We've explained above how to do that and what service we recommend – for us, the best is NordVPN.

Celebrity Big Brother 2025 housemates

• Danny Beard – drag queen
• Angellica Bell – TV presenter
• Michael Fabricant – politician
• Trisha Goddard – TV presenter
• Chesney Hawkes – singer
• Chris Hughes – Love Island contestant
• Patsy Palmer – EastEnders actress
• Donna Preston – actress
• Mickey Rourke – Hollywood actor
• Jack P. Shepherd – Coronation Street actor
• JoJo Siwa – TV personality
• Daley Thompson – former Olympic athlete
• Ella Rae Wise – The Only Way Is Essex cast member

• Apple has released its iOS 18.4 software update, which includes 8 new emojis
• The new emojis come at the same time as iOS 18.4's Ambient Music feature and new Photos tool
• Since being released, users have taken to the new additions well, especially Apple's new smiley emoji

It’s been a week since Apple released its latest iOS 18.4 update, and despite its rather rocky rollout of Apple Intelligence, the new software update packs some redeeming features - one of them being the addition of eight new emojis.

Apple’s library of emojis is extensive to say the very least, offering small visual elements that iPhone users including myself rely on to bring a text message or group chat to life.

Although the company has introduced only eight new ones, each is unique, and there’s one in particular that’s far too relatable. It’s easily the best one of the bunch.

Yes, new emojis are the most basic feature iOS 18.4 introduces – it also brings a new Photos tool and Ambient Music feature – but that doesn’t mean we’re not allowed to be excited about them.

I’ve had a real hard look at the eight new additions to Apple’s range of emojis and already I know which ones I’ll be using the most, and the ones I could do without - here’s my verdict.

8. Root vegetable

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

Is it a turnip? Is it a radish? I don’t know. But what I do know is that this is the emoji I will be using the least. There are enough food emojis out there already, so what impact is this one having?

7. Bare tree

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

I use Apple's nature emojis quite often, especially when captioning a photo with a picturesque natural landscape or quirky plant. The new bare tree emoji just looks a little sad, though.

The only instance where I would maybe use this is during autumn or even Halloween, but it’s not one I’m itching to use right now.

6. Spade/ shovel

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

Let’s call a spade a spade. This one is on the more boring side of Apple’s iOS 18.4 emojis. If you have a particular attachment to spades or shovels, then perhaps you’ll find yourself visiting this emoji over and over. For me, not so much.

5. Flag of Sark

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

Like most flag emojis, you’d only use them in very specific contexts or if you’re expressing national pride (I use the Welsh flag emoji constantly). That aside, it’s a pretty neat-looking flag, and it's nice to see Apple bring more national flags to its library.

4. Splatter

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

From its design, the purple splatter emoji is another one that I would’ve thought was always part of the emoji gallery. But alas, it’s shiny and new.

This is another one that looks good, but the only thing that lets it down is the lack of different color options, which would entice me to use it more.

Perhaps the next iOS update will fix this?

3. Fingerprint

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

The fingerprint emoji is just cool to look at. Is it as exciting as the new smiley emoji? I wouldn’t say so, but design-wise, it still packs a punch and is a solid addition to the emoji library.

2. Harp

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

It’s strange that a harp emoji is one of the new additions to iOS 18.4 because I would’ve assumed that this was always there. That shows how often I use musical instrument emojis.

Though this is a very specific emoji, it’s very summery. With all the summer photo dumps I have planned for the coming months, I could definitely see myself using this in an Instagram caption somewhere.

1. Undereye bags face

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

Okay, so Apple does have a sense of humor after all. The new emoji face with undereye bags wins by a landslide, not because it’s particularly inventive or creative, but because it’s the most relatable.

Since iOS 18.4 was released, this emoji has received a lot of praise from Apple users for the reason above alone. This shows that relatability is everything when it comes to emojis, and there’s no doubt this one will be a hit with users.

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• The Nintendo Switch 2 retail price has proven controversial
• Some have speculated that the cost was in part due to potential US tariffs
• Nintendo of America Doug Bowser has now said that this is not the case

There's been a lot of discussion about the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 and now the Nintendo of America president has chimed in.

Some, including several notable industry analysts, have speculated that the $429.99 / £395.99 starting price was decided with potential US tariffs in mind.

Speaking in a new interview with The Verge, Doug Bowser has clarified that this is not the case. "Any previous tariffs were not factored into the price itself," he said plainly.

This would help explain why Nintendo has made the unprecedented decision to delay Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the US. In a statement provided to TechRadar, Nintendo stated that this was due to "the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

Bowser added that "the new [of the tariffs] is fresh, and like many companies right now, [Nintendo] are actively assessing what the impact may be."

He went on to try and explain the reasons behind the price tag, citing its improved specs and new features. He also said that "you want to consider pricing relative to Switch since we still have that in distribution but, really, the consideration was driven more by what is a part of this particular gaming experience versus what it is relative to the Switch."

The varied prices of games, for example the $79.99 / £74.99 Mario Kart World, has also been controversial. Bowser said that "each game, we believe, is a unique experience, and therefore can command a distinct price tag.

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• Security researchers uncover new flaw in WinRAR
• The flaw allowed threat actors to bypass Mark of the Web and deploy malware to Windows devices without warning
• WinRAR released a new version to fix the bug, so update now

Experts have uncovered a flaw in WinRAR which could allow threat actors to bypass the Mark of the Web (MotW) and deploy malware on people’s computers.

The vulnerability was discovered by Japanese researcher Shimamine Taihei from the Mitsui Bussan Secure Directions, and is now tracked as CVE-2025-31334, and was given a severity score of 6.8/10 (medium).

MotW is a security mechanism that displays a warning when an executable file is downloaded from the internet. It is built into Windows and serves as an additional layer of security, warning people that files downloaded from the internet might be dangerous - however, there is a way to work around the warning when a file is shared in an archived format.

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Symlink

“If symlink pointing at an executable was started from WinRAR shell, the executable Mark of the Web data was ignored,” WinRAR explained the vulnerability.

A symlink (short for symbolic link) is a shortcut or alias to a file or folder. Instead of copying a file, a symlink just points to it. Therefore, a hacker could create a symlink pointing to an executable with MotW, and if a victim runs it, the MotW wouldn’t show.

The vulnerability was found in all older versions of WinRAR, and it was addressed in version 7.11, which is now available for download.

Ever since Mark of the Web was introduced, cybercriminals have been looking for different ways to bypass it and deliver malware without warning.

In late January 2025, 7-Zip patched a major flaw that enabled just that. It is tracked as CVE-2025-0411 and was given a high severity score, 7/10. Earlier still, in 2022, researchers found a password-protected .ZIP file with an .ISO file inside that was able to bypass MotW.

To mitigate the risk, users should always keep their archivers up to date, and be vigilant when downloading files from the internet.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Marvel has released one final trailer for its Thunderbolts* movie
• The new teaser puts the focus squarely on Lewis Pullman's Sentry
• It reconfirms the superhero's dark alter-ego will be the film's Big Bad

Well, Marvel isn't hiding it anymore. As it ramps up its marketing campaign for Thunderbolts*, the comic book titan is no longer being coy about the movie's Big Bad.

Admittedly, it wasn't anyway. Anyone who's kept tabs on the final Marvel Phase 5 film's development since January 2024 will know who its main villain was likely to be. With each new round of footage, it's become more and more obvious who it'll be, too.

While Thunderbolts' official trailer heavily implied that its primary antagonist would be someone you expected to be a good guy, though, its latest teaser, which you can view below, just comes out and says it.

Who is the villain in Marvel's Thunderbolts movie?

The film's latest trailer confirms the titular band of misfits and disgraced heroes will face off against The Void, aka the nefarious alter-ego of Lewis Pullman's Bob Reynolds/Sentry. Heck, Pullman's mentally unstable superpowered being even says "I am The Void" in the teaser, which is as good a confirmation as any.

It sounds like Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, and company have got their work cut out, too. Pullman's Reynolds informs them "there's no use fighting" him, before CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine calls him "invincible, all-powerful [and] stronger than all of the Avengers rolled into one."

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If planet Earth had a supremely powerful human at its disposal, it begs the question: why wasn't he called upon to help the Avengers to try and stop Thanos from wiping out half of all life in the universe in Infinity War?

Based on how terrifying The Void appears to be, it wouldn't have been worth the risk. That's made clear when he menacingly says: "You have no idea what I'm capable of... maybe I should show you." Anyone else get shivers down their spine?

This seemingly timid guy – Bob Reynolds – is a potentially world-ending threat (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Anyway, Reynolds/Sentry/The Void will be sticking around in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for longer than many Marvel villains. Indeed, he was announced as part of the initial 27-strong cast that was announced for Avengers: Doomsday in late March. So, while we don't know how the eponymous ragtag group will actually 'defeat' Sentry/The Void, he will make it out of this film alive and play an active role in that Marvel Phase 6 flick.

Do you want to spoil anything else before Thunderbolts crashes into theaters on May 1 (UK) and May 2 (everywhere else), Marvel? I hope not. While we wait for the Disney subsidiary's next big-screen project to arrive, get the latest on it via my dedicated hub on Marvel's Thunderbolts movie.

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• Researchers found three malicious PyPI packages, two targeting bitcoin developers, and one WooCommerce stores
• Two are designed to steal data, and the third to test for valid credit cards
• All three have since been removed from the repository

Multiple open source software packages on the Python Package Index (PyPI) repository were found to be malicious, likely compromising thousands of devices, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers at ReversingLabs found two malicious packages, “bitcoinlibdbfix” and “bitcoinlib-dev”, which cumulatively have around 2,000 downloads.

They claim to be a fix for a legitimate Python module named “bitcoinlib”, which contains features for creating and managing cryptocurrency wallets.

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WooCommerce stores also under attack

Recently, the community discussed an issue related to how the package generates error messages.

The crooks saw this as an opportunity, created the two malicious packages and jumped into the conversation in an attempt to distribute them. It doesn’t seem to have worked: “The malicious content of that library was detected by the package contributors and the comments were deleted,” ReversingLabs said.

Both libraries attempted a similar attack, the researchers further explained. The idea was to overwrite the legitimate ‘clw cli’ command with malicious code, exfiltrating sensitive database files.

At the same time, researchers from Socket found a third package, which doesn’t target bitcoin developers, but rather WooCommerce stores. Furthermore, this package doesn’t even try to hide its true intentions, and instead is “openly malicious”. Despite being obvious malware, it still managed to rake in 37,217 downloads.

The malware is called “disgrasya” and works as a fully automated carding script. "The malicious payload was introduced in version 7.36.9, and all subsequent versions carried the same embedded attack logic," Socket said.

Carding is a type of cybercrime where stolen credit card information is used to make unauthorized purchases or test if the card is still active. Since criminals often buy these card details from the dark web, whoever built and distributed disgrasya could have profited greatly from it.

Via The Hacker News

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• Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphones just got a free major AI upgrade
• S25 users will gain access to Visual AI in Gemini Live, via an update that's rolling out now
• Visual AI allows users to ask questions about what they see in real time on screen or via camera access

Samsung just announced that all Galaxy S25 users will get a brand-new Visual AI experience on their smartphones, and it's starting to roll out today – April 7, 2025 – as an update.

The upgrade, powered by Google Gemini, allows S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra smartphone owners to have 'real-time visual and conversational interactions' with Gemini Live.

In the press release published on Samsung's website, the company gives multiple examples of how Visual AI can help users get even more from Gemini, which is built into the best Galaxy smartphones.

With Visual AI, you can grant Gemini Live access to your camera and screen sharing, and the AI voice assistant will be able to tell you what you're looking at.

Samsung says the new upgrade to Gemini Live means the AI can 'have a real-time conversation with users about what it sees – making everyday tasks easier.'

If you own a Samsung S25 device, the free update is starting to roll out today. So, you'll want to keep your eyes peeled for an update to take full advantage of this new Visual AI feature.

(Image credit: Samsung) Google and Samsung continue their strong partnership

“Together with Google, we are marking a bold step toward the future of mobile AI, delivering smarter interactions that are deeply in sync with how we live, work and communicate,” said Jay Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Experience Office, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics.

The partnership between the two companies is stronger than ever, with Galaxy AI deeply intertwined with Google Gemini on S25 devices.

Kim added, "With this new visual capability, Galaxy S25 series brings next-generation AI experiences to life, setting new standards for how users engage with the world through their devices.”

I'm excited to try Visual AI, as I absolutely love the ability to ask Gemini questions about what's on my screen via text on Android.

Adding that functionality to Gemini Live will make S25 devices feel even more alive, taking a huge leap towards a future where we all have an AI voice assistant in our pockets capable of managing the mundane elements of life.

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Disney has unveiled the first trailer for the upcoming sequel to a legacy sequel, Tron: Ares.

Some 15 years since we last ventured inside the Grid, the new film "follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with AI beings". And judging by the trailer, which can be viewed below, it’s going to be a wild ride, with all the Light Cycle action fans could want after a decade and a half of waiting.

The history of the Tron franchise has been a case of enduring IP, little content. The first film arrived in 1982, riding the wave of the then-new video game and arcade craze with a story that saw a fresh faced Jeff Bridges play Kevin Flynn, a game developer transported inside a computer world. Using pioneering CGI, the film introduced the iconic Light Cycles, presenting a wholly original fantasy world.

While sequels were mooted straight away, it took until 2010 for Tron: Legacy to finally hit screens, focusing on Kevin’s son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) and his investigation into his father’s disappearance, ultimately leading him into another, altogether more modern digital world.

While the film saw Jeff Bridges reprise his role and used state of the art 3D effects, a sequel failed to materialize, and it’s best remembered for the iconic soundtrack by Daft Punk.

An Animated TV series, Tron: Uprising – which you won't see ranking among the best Disney+ series – set between the two movies, aired on Disney XD in 2012, but failed to gather momentum and was cancelled after one season. Disney has kept the franchise alive via their parks however, with Tron Light Cycle Power Run serving as a flagship roller coaster attraction in both their Shanghai and Orlando resorts.

What can we expect from Tron: Ares?

Tron: Ares looks to be a big swing from Disney to keep the franchise relevant, and judging by this first trailer, could be one of the best Disney+ movies of the year.

While much of the plot is being kept under wraps for now, we do know that Jared Leto plays Ares, a sophisticated, sentient program which makes its way from the digital world to our own. The trailer’s glimpse of a neon red Light Cycle slicing a police cruiser in two while speeding down a packed highway has us very excited for what’s in store, especially if Nine Inch Nails’ full score (Daft who?) is half as thumping as the snippet we hear in the trailer.

Coming from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales director Joachim Rønning, the third installment in the saga also appears to be very much a soft reboot of the franchise, with none of the threads left hanging after Legacy’s conclusion seemingly picked up, and although we hear Jeff Bridges gravely voiceover, his role could well be cameo stuff. The new sneak peak also gives us our first glimpse of Greta Lee as Eve, Evan Peters as Julian and Gillian Anderson.

With a topical spin pitting the human race against ever-learning AI and eye-popping visuals, Tron: Ares looks like it will be well worth the wait for content starved franchise fans. We can't wait to plug back into the Grid when the threequel arrives on October 10.

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• Hackers are targeting business CRM accounts to steal mailing lists
• Emails used to send spam and trick people into setting up compromised crypto wallets
• The goal is to steal the money, so be on your guard

Hackers are stealing mailing lists from major companies and using them to break into people’s cryptocurrency wallets and snatch their funds.

A new report from cybersecurity researchers Silent Push, who dubbed the campaign ‘PoisonSeed’, outlined how the criminals first set up spoofed landing pages for companies such as Coinbase, Ledger, Mailchimp, SendGrid, Hubspot, and others. They harvest people’s login credentials, which allow cybercriminals to log into mailing service accounts and exfiltrate any mailing lists.

Then they would send emails, impersonating those companies, and urging users to set up a new Coinbase Wallet, using the seed phrase embedded in the email. A seed phrase is a series of 12 to 24 words generated by the wallet that gives access to the funds inside. It acts as a master key, so anyone who has it can restore the wallet and control the cryptocurrencies inside.

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Seed phrase poisoning attack

"Recipients of the bulk spam are targeted with a cryptocurrency seed phrase poisoning attack," Silent Push explained.

"As part of the attack, PoisonSeed provides security seed phrases to get potential victims to copy and paste them into new cryptocurrency wallets for future compromising."

Once users set up new wallets, and top them up with their funds, the criminals can simply send the money elsewhere, which is a permanent loss for the victims.

The researchers believe the campaign is the work of two “loosely aligned” threat actors, called Scattered Spider, and CryptoChameleon, both of which are reportedly part of a broader cybercrime ecosystem called The Com.

Since cryptocurrency is permissionless and decentralized, once the funds are sent from one wallet to another, the only way to retrieve them is to have the other side send the money back.

In 2024, the US government has seized tens of millions of dollars' worth of crypto, as part of a broader investigation into market manipulation, theft, fraud, and more.

Via The Hacker News

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• Microsoft looks to be mulling a redesign for the Start menu
• We saw that last week, hidden in testing, and now we’ve caught a glimpse of what it looks like with the Phone Link side panel enabled
• This configuration of the Start menu takes up most of the desktop, but there’s a switch you can flick to change this

If you saw the major revamp that could be in the works for Windows 11’s Start menu – though note it’s still only hidden in testing – we’ve caught another look at it, this time with the Phone Link side panel active.

As a quick refresher, Phone Link is Microsoft’s app that hooks up your Android smartphone so you can use the device for various functions (texts, notifications, or even some apps) on the Windows 11 desktop. The mentioned side panel puts all the relevant details relating to your phone in a box, floating off to the right of the Start menu.

As you can see below, known leaker PhantomOfEarth on X has shown us what the Start menu redesign will look like with that side panel active (as highlighted by Windows Latest).

New Start menu, follow up: here's how Companions look, Phone Link one used for the demo. The companion panel is a bit wider, and you can now quickly hide/show companions with a button at the top, next to the search box. pic.twitter.com/hMS7E56KIuApril 4, 2025

The key point to remember here is that Microsoft’s proposed redesign makes the Start menu wider, which is part of a move to condense the layout from two separate sections to one, and accommodate this (all of this is in theory, of course).

Not only is the Start menu wider, as PhantomOfEarth makes clear, but the Phone Link panel is also a bit wider here, meaning that 75% (maybe even slightly more) of the desktop is obscured by this configuration of the Start menu. That’s pretty much the entire screen eaten up, in other words.

However, as PhantomOfEarth also points out in the above post (watch the video clip), there’s a button you can click to hide (or show) the companion panel. Meaning it only takes a click to retract this additional piece of the interface, and trim down the Start menu (although it’s still notably more expansive than it was before).

(Image credit: George Dolgikh / Shutterstock) Analysis: Windows 8 flashbacks aside, the overall direction Microsoft is heading in feels positive

Does this bother me at all? No, in a word. As noted, you don’t need to have the side panel for the Phone Link app active. And, of course, there are a good deal more folks who don’t use this Android smartphone hookup than the people who do use it – actually, I’d like to know what kind of percentage usage Phone Link has. I don’t have this app set up for now, but I’m mulling it over and will likely take the plunge in the future.

Still, for those who are in this scenario where the Start menu unfurls to cover most of the desktop, is that even a problem? Again, not for me. I guess the unfortunate aspect here is that it sort of feels like a full-screen Start menu in some ways, and that might give some users flashbacks to the days of Windows 8 (which had an actual full-screen Start menu – well, technically it was a Start screen, one that nobody really used or liked).

But again, you can just disable the Phone Link panel if the new layout bugs you that much. Besides, I must underline (strongly, in bold red pen) that this work on the Start menu redesign – which also comes with a huge, red tick, in the form of an option to turn off Microsoft’s recommendations – is not even in testing yet. It’s hidden in the background of preview builds, so nothing may happen with all these concepts. Or, if they are realized, Microsoft might implement them differently from what we see here.

All that said, the changes happening hidden away in the background do seem to be relatively polished – given their totally unofficial status – and this is one to keep an eye on.

Rest assured, though, that the idea very much appears to be to give Windows 11 users more control over what they see in their Start menu, including taming it from any excesses of expanding across the whole desktop in certain scenarios. And that has to get a big thumbs-up, surely?

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Cloud adoption is a crucial business strategy to achieve success and unlock value in today's digital landscape. As per a recent survey, 95 percent of European companies claim to capture value from the cloud. However, what really needs to be considered is whether the value realized is merely from improvements to IT and resultant cost savings, or whether it is based on higher-value cloud use cases that leverage new age technologies.

The research also indicates that companies that have effectively integrated gen AI (generative AI) in their transformations, could achieve up to seven times the ROI (Return on Investment) of their peers for each migrated business domain. Therefore, successful cloud adoption must extend beyond technology and should involve accomplishing specific business objectives.

Metrics for a robust cloud strategy

A well-planned cloud strategy is one that emphasizes elements like strategic management, cost optimization, business agility, resilience, business domain adoption and foundational capabilities.

Strategic management involves aligning cloud adoption with business goals and establishing governance frameworks, where technical decisions are directly tied to business outcomes. The next metric of cost optimization is realized by shifting from capital to operational expenses, ensuring scalable resource allocation, and faster solution delivery. It involves monitoring metrics like cost per usage to maximize returns on cloud investments.

This ideally leads to decreased IT expenses and frees up resources for strategic endeavors. The third metric of business agility assesses the organization's adaptability to dynamic market changes. Cloud services can play a pivotal role in accelerating time-to-market for new product showcases, thereby fostering innovation. Performance and scalability of cloud infrastructures can be evaluated through application uptime and the ability to scale on demand, towards seamless operations and enhanced customer experiences.

The next component of a comprehensive cloud strategy is resilience, which essentially refers to the ability of the cloud infrastructure to bounce back from setbacks seamlessly. In the new era of cloud resiliency, security is prioritized from the outset, through continuous operations and formidable security measures against cyber threats. This includes implementing robust access controls, data encryption, threat detection measures and tracking security incidents through audits to uphold data security and compliance.

Building resilience also involves modernizing IT infrastructure, automating infrastructure management, and implementing modern networking solutions. Technologies that enable flexible workloads and optimize resource utilization can significantly enhance operational efficiency. Automation and infrastructure modernization further streamlines operations and unlocks new possibilities for innovation and growth.

Business domain adoption, another element of an effective cloud strategy, focuses on integrating cloud technologies to drive innovation and enhance customer experiences. Cloud adoption drives revenue growth through new offerings, elevates customer satisfaction via quicker interactions, and empowers the workforce with superior collaboration tools. Lastly, focus must be laid on building foundational capabilities by developing technical skills, adopting agile methodologies, and modernizing IT infrastructure to support seamless integration with cloud services.

Skill building also needs to be considered for successful cloud adoption. Skills such as automating infrastructure configurations and managing APIs can be developed as the cloud environment matures. DevOps principles and automated deployments can nurture collaboration, facilitated by continuous integration and delivery pipelines. By prioritizing these metrics, organizations can gain a strategic edge and foster long-term success.

Challenges to realizing cloud value

Transitioning to a cloud-based operation involves a dual-pronged strategy. While cost optimization, requires right-sizing resources, leveraging discounted instances, and implementing auto-scaling based on demand, accurately forecasting demand and navigating complex cloud pricing structures can be difficult. Likewise, while scalability is enabled by containerization, serverless computing, and infrastructure automation, managing complex applications, ensuring security during scaling, and avoiding vendor lock-in present additional challenges. Therefore, organizations must continuously monitor and adapt their strategies while addressing these challenges.

Developing a cloud governance framework

An effective cloud strategy aligns business goals through a strong governance framework that prioritizes security, compliance, and cost optimization, while being flexible to accommodate growth. Piloting non-critical applications can help refine this strategy before larger migrations. Cloud optimization is an iterative journey, requiring ongoing refinement to sustain benefits.

Companies must first assess their maturity model to identify areas for improvement. This includes optimizing their cloud mix by exploring different cloud providers or cost structures, providing regular policy updates for compliance, cultivating a continuous improvement culture, proactively addressing challenges, and having active leadership involvement in the cloud vision for stakeholder buy-in.

Today, cloud technology has transformed the way businesses provide customer services, offering them a personalized, scalable, real-time interaction experience. Companies can offer their customers seamless experiences across multiple channels, ensuring the same level of service whether their customers interact online, through mobile apps, or in-store. Cloud-based data analytics helps businesses gain valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences, allowing them to provide proactive support, and fostering long-term loyalty.

Conclusion

The merits of cloud computing are well established and European companies have shifted focus on deriving business value such as increased operational efficiency, faster time-to-market for products and services, enhanced customer satisfaction, and improved bottom-line results. By aligning their business goals and cloud strategies, these companies will realize tangible results to unlock even more business value in future.

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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

• Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti has popped up in yet more sightings
• Asus TUF and Prime models of the graphics card have been spotted
• On top of that, leaked FurMark benchmarks have appeared, all of which adds to the pile of rumors suggesting the RTX 5060 Ti is about to arrive

Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti has appeared in multiple sightings, reinforcing rumors around this GPU that’s expected to launch next week.

VideoCardz noticed that Momomo_us posted on X to share details of the RTX 5060 Ti models that Asus is apparently now preparing to launch.

TUF-RTX5060TI-O16G-GAMINGPRIME-RTX5060TI-O16GPRIME-RTX5060TI-16GPRIME-RTX5060TI-O8GPRIME-RTX5060TI-8GApril 5, 2025

Add an appropriate pinch of salt, but it seems Asus is readying TUF Gaming and Prime models of the RTX 5060 Ti, with 8GB or 16GB of video RAM, as per past rumors that the GPU will come in these two variants (just like the RTX 4060 Ti before it).

And as VideoCardz notes, these mentions are turning up on retailer websites and also via info from GPU distributors, but there don’t seem to be any ROG Strix or Dual variants (other common models that Asus produces).

VideoCardz also flagged up that review samples of the RTX 5060 Ti are supposedly shipping – meaning that, in theory, the wheels are fully in motion for the launch at this point – and that the GPU has appeared on FurMark with several results.

Again, this was posted on X, courtesy of Richard Huynh this time, as you can see below.

Here's what appears to be a 5060 Ti benchmark. Judging by the score (since this is run at 4k), it appears to sit just under where a 3080 Ti would score.That aside, I can confirm that the device ID does indeed match a 5060 Ti. Not sure if 16 or 8gb SKU though... pic.twitter.com/HGflctXbDpApril 5, 2025

As Huynh observes, the graphics card is not explicitly named, but the device ID code corresponds to the RTX 5060 Ti – and it’d be no surprise to see benchmarks popping up now, if the GPU is imminent.

As for the actual benchmark scores, I’d ignore those, really, as they appear to be out of line with expectations in some way, at least in some of these runs. (They are using different, likely outdated, graphics drivers and dropping the power supplied to the GPU, drastically in some cases, which would affect performance considerably.) Besides, FurMark isn’t much of a metric for gauging a gaming GPU anyway.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: A worrying sign – or not?

The models aired from Asus here are a little thin on the ground, with some big names missing (notably, as mentioned, the ROG Strix variant). Is that a worrying sign? Well, it’ll probably be taken as such, because everyone is fretting about whether the supply of the RTX 5060 Ti is going to be suspect (because the rest of the Blackwell GPU launches have been so far).

I wouldn’t jump to that conclusion, though – it might be that we’re just not seeing everything in the above leak, and there could be more models on the boil from Asus. Also, what gives me a bit more hope with the prospect of launch stock with these next Nvidia graphics card is that the company has had more time to build up some supply.

In fact, there have been rumors that Team Green has delayed the RTX 5060 Ti, possibly a couple of times, and that might have been down to production issues, if the grapevine is right, but part of this may also relate to ensuring the production of more inventory before launch, perhaps.

Nvidia must surely be aware that the RTX 5060 Ti (and 5060) will be more popular models, as they’re more affordable, and so it’d be unwise to launch without some kind of decent amount of chips having rolled off the production lines.

Obviously, this is all just guesswork, but we should find out the truth soon enough. These latest launch rumors come on top of a pile of other recent speculation about both the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti, after all, and when enough of this material has accumulated, it’s a strong sign that things are indeed in place as theorized.

Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti is set to launch on April 16, or that’s the rumor, with the RTX 5060 to follow later in mid-May. Recently, we’ve heard some chatter on the likely price points for both of these graphics cards, too, and it seems that Nvidia could stick to the same MSRPs as the existing RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti – which again wouldn’t surprise me. Given the likely demand here, it seems overly optimistic to believe that Nvidia might drop prices for this generation (even though this has happened with some Blackwell GPUs).

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The official trailer for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning has dropped, and it's packed full of action – as well as featuring Mr Milchick from Severance.

Will Ethan Hunt choose 'Defiant Jazz' in this final Mission: Impossible movie like we saw in one of the best Apple TV+ shows? As much as I'd love to see Tramell Tillman reprise his Choreography and Merriment spectacle from Severance season 2 [spoilers], he's here as a more serious character while Tom Cruise runs here, there and everywhere doing what he so loves to do: putting himself in mortal danger by swinging from a 1930s biplane, jumping off a fighter jet, and getting into deep trouble in deep water.

The trailer, which was first shown during CinemaCon 2025, looks like an absolute hoot and you don't have long to wait to see the movie: it hits theaters in May.

What can we expect from The Final Reckoning?

We left the last Mission: Impossible movie with an unresolved mission: stopping 'The Entity', a powerful AI, from unleashing havoc on the entire world. And it's not certain that this second instalment – the eighth and apparently final film in the Mission: Impossible franchise – is going to have a happy ending.

Could this be the end of Ethan Hunt's run in life, as well as the end of the line for the movie franchise? It certainly looks that way, with the trailer strongly suggesting that Hunt's luck is about to run out. But given the billions that the Mission: Impossible movies have made, somehow I doubt the studio will want this mission to end without at least the possibility of a future resurrection.

According to director Christopher McQuarrie, the stunts in this movie "will melt your brain" – and one stunt in particular will be more anxiety-inducing than anything you've seen in the series before. "I truly want to puke thinking about the stress," McQuarrie told Empire magazine. "It was intense."

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning will be in theaters from May 23, 2025, before eventually becoming one of the best Paramount+ movies to stream.

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In today's fast-paced digital landscape, cloud applications serve as powerful enablers, providing businesses with the agility to rapidly deploy new services and updates. They empower businesses to innovate and provide more resilience than traditional IT infrastructure – enabling organizations to scale resources dynamically, such as handling traffic spikes at key moments.

None of this is new information – in fact, cloud migration has been on the agenda for a decade now - with businesses grappling on-premises, multi- or hybrid- cloud infrastructure decisions. Key ambitions have been focused on maximizing cost-effectiveness, improving resilience and elevating customer experiences.

On a macro level, many UK businesses feel good progress has been made, with 61% of executives believing the computing infrastructure in the UK is a strength, according to new Accenture research. Yet, businesses are still facing major challenges, in particular with their highly complex, monolithic core solutions, and these are getting ever more urgent as organizations look to liberate their huge wealth of data and apply AI.

The impact of AI on cloud adoption

So much has been said on the opportunity of gen AI – a technology that could double the UK’s economic growth during the next 15 years. Not only in its personal productivity promise, but gen AI is already showing potential to reinvent processes across the entire value chain.

But applying AI into business processes has also introduced new challenges, including diverting attention away from ensuring their core foundations have the agility to keep up with AI’s advances in the first place. While companies can be lured by the short-term productivity boost of sporadic AI solutions, businesses need to keep focused on the core – not just the cool – and build their infrastructure around an AI strategy. A short-term view of AI risks complicating cloud costs and leads to the proliferation of AI products within the enterprise.

The development of technologies such as AI has also highlighted businesses are grappling with varying digital infrastructure capabilities, which can affect how an organization harnesses the potential of these new and innovative technologies. In fact, our research found when asked about their ability to realize the full potential from generative AI, one in five (19%) businesses felt their tech stack fell below cloud computing requirements and 16% felt they were below the cybersecurity requirements. And how to train such models? Clean, accurate data from the start helps companies avoid unwieldy and costly errors that can hold back the power of their AI investments.

Going back to basics then. A strong digital core allows enterprises to integrate key components and infrastructure like cloud, data, AI, and security easily, enabling dynamic operations, quick responses to market demands and the ability to drive reinvention.

Security as a foundational element

Organizations must prepare for constant flux and change. Geopolitical instability, environmental challenges, shifting consumer preferences, and spiraling supply chains continue to evolve the risk landscape. Meanwhile innovation, including AI, offers immense opportunities, but can also expand the attack surface and provide cybercriminals with powerful weaponry.

It’s therefore particularly worrying that against this backdrop, only half of organizations (53%) report to be completely prepared to defend against emerging threats, including deepfakes and generative AI powered malware, according to Accenture’s Pulse of Change research. Cloud providers offer advanced features like automated threat detection and AI-driven responses, helping businesses quickly identify and address cyber threats. These tools, along with robust encryption, access controls, and reliable disaster recovery solutions, provide critical protection against evolving risks.

Training for resilience

As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, adopting these security measures is a key step in ensuring operational resilience and safeguarding business operations. However, this should no longer solely be the responsibility of a CISO but instead should sit at the backbone of any business. The human element remains crucially important.

Employees are the first line of defense, and often the chink in the armor, so their ability to identify and report suspicious activity makes all the difference. However, effective training requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Simulations that replicate phishing attempts, for example, are invaluable in helping employees recognize and react to potential scams.

Driving growth

According to a recent Accenture study, companies with a strong digital core report faster growth and higher profitability compared to their peers. Such posture also helps enterprises to gain a fast or first-mover advantage and stay ahead of the competition. As businesses generate more data, the need for agile digital infrastructure that can analyze and leverage this are only becoming more critical.

Integrating robust security measures into the digital core is also not just a necessity but offers a strategic advantage. It ultimately helps to prevent threats, protect value and build a trusted ecosystem with partners and suppliers, in which collective growth can be fostered. Of course, having a customized solution to the enterprise or industry is also important – this is not a one size fits all approach. Yet, the common theme is that as businesses navigate the complexities of the modern technological landscape, those that prioritize a strong, secure digital core and are focused on smooth integration, will be better positioned to thrive.

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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

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, April 7 (game #1169).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1170) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1170) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1170) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1170) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1170) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• W

• V

• M

• B

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1170) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1170, are…

• WIDTH
• VISOR
• MEDAL
• BROOK

A great start for me today, with my three start words giving me five letters in two columns.

On the flipside, the other two columns were less revealing – with two letters in one and just the letter O in the other.

I wasn’t completely clueless: the absence of any other vowels and the O being in the wrong second spot convinced me I was looking for a double-O word, and so it proved with BROOK.

VISOR was harder to get; I guessed BISON before getting it correct, but I was on the right lines at least.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1170) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1170, are…

• RURAL
• STEAK
• WEARY
• BEVEL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1169, Monday 7 April: BROTH, SHOUT, BRUTE, CABIN
• Quordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICK
• Quordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGAT
• Quordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTE
• Quordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLY
• Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLE
• Quordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECT
• Quordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACE
• Quordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUER
• Quordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREE
• Quordle #1159, Friday 28 March: TERSE, MUSHY, PROVE, FROND
• Quordle #1158, Thursday 27 March: CRONE, APNEA, LIGHT, AWOKE
• Quordle #1157, Wednesday 26 March: LEFTY, NOOSE, NOISE, TRIAD
• Quordle #1156, Tuesday 25 March: SNEER, WATCH, FLORA, STAIN
• Quordle #1155, Monday 24 March: FLOUT, SMASH, RAZOR, SMALL
• Quordle #1154, Sunday 23 March: ALLEY, GAMUT, GEESE, RADII
• Quordle #1153, Saturday 22 March: PICKY, BRACE, BOOZE, SURLY
• Quordle #1152, Friday 21 March: DITTY, VALOR, TOWER, AMISS
• Quordle #1151, Thursday 20 March: RIPER, STILL, WAFER, NOTCH
• Quordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNIC

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, April 7 (game #400).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #401) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Out of this world

NYT Strands today (game #401) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• TARN
• FEUD
• MOPS
• SMOG
• NEED
• PLAIN

NYT Strands today (game #401) - hint #3 - spangram letters How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 14 letters

NYT Strands today (game #401) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: top, 5th column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #401) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #401, are…

• GRAVITY
• ARRIVAL
• DUNE
• ALIEN
• MEGALOPOLIS
• SPANGRAM: SCIENCE FICTION

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Unusually, I got the Spangram first today.

It felt a bit like that old-fashioned trick where a magician pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket and different colored hankies keep appearing. It could be because today’s yellow snake spelled SCIENCE FICTION, but spanning from one side to the top also felt spooky and otherworldly, like it was breaking the rules of the space-time continuum. Well, sort of.

Anyway, it was wonderful to be reminded of these sci-fi classics – and MEGALOPOLIS.

The list also includes two films directed by the incredible Denis Villeneuve – ARRIVAL and DUNE (although, the compilers could have been thinking of the David Lynch version).

I would sincerely recommend seeking out the short story ARRIVAL was based on – Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang. Like all of his stories it unravels and haunts you in a very peculiar way – a bit like today's spangram.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 7 April, game #400)

• SATYR
• MERMAN
• GRIFFIN
• CENTAUR
• JACKALOPE
• SPANGRAM: HYBRID CREATURE

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.