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• Europol announced shutting down multiple stresser/booter services in the EU
• Four people were arrested in Poland
• Law enforcement in The Netherlands, Germany, the US, and Poland, participated in Operation PowerOFF

Law enforcement has dismantled a major DDoS-for-hire operation, and arrested four individuals suspected of running it.

In a press release, the international police force said the arrests were part of Operation PowerOFF, an ongoing effort targeting the infrastructure behind DDoS-for-hire activity.

Polish authorities arrested four people who are suspected of running multiple stresser/booter services: Cfxapi, Cfxsecurity, neostress, jetstress, quickdown and zapcut.

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These services are thought to have facilitated “widespread attacks on schools, government services, businesses, and gaming platforms” between 2022 and 2025.

They featured a “slick” interface that lowered the barrier for entry: users didn’t need any particular technical knowledge to mount an attack. All they needed to do was know the victim’s IP address, and to have €10 to pay for the attack (the cost would increase depending on the desired length of the attack).

As part of the effort, Dutch authorities were deploying fake booter sites, designed to warn users looking for DDoS-for-hire services. They also seized data from booter websites hosted in data centers in the Netherlands, providing their partners with crucial information needed to make the arrests.

In the US, the police seized nine domains associated with booter services, and in Germany, the police identified one of the suspects. Europol said it provided analytical and operational support throughout the investigation.

The difference between usual DDoS botnets and stresser/booter services is that DDoS botnets are usually run by a single threat actor, which also works on expanding the botnet by deploying backdoors and malware.

Stresser/booter services, on the other hand, are advertised as a white hat solution, offering a “legitimate” service to test the resilience of a network or a website. However, in most cases, these are just cover-ups for obvious illegal activities, which is why law enforcement usually shuts them down.

Via Infosecurity Magazine

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When you think of big PlayStation games, The Last of Us, God of War, Uncharted, or Sony's plethora of lauded franchises may pop into your head. Bend Studio's Days Gone is probably an afterthought.

While many loved the open-world zombie survival game, which sold over eight million copies, it was released in 2019 to a mixed critical reception. According to a report by Bloomberg, despite being profitable, this and its lengthy development process resulted in Sony rejecting the studio's pitch for a sequel in 2021.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, PC (as Broken Road DLC)
Release Date: April 25, 2025

However, six years after Days Gone's release on PS4, there's been a resurgence brewing. Not only is a Days Gone movie in the works, but Bend Studio has taken another bloody swing at bringing Days Gone to the hungry hordes with the release of Days Gone Remastered on PS5 – a good time to do it, given its zombie cousin The Last of Us' TV success.

Back in the saddle

(Image credit: Sony)

Days Gone Remastered certainly makes this survival adventure look better. Its enhanced lighting and shadow quality make the nights eerier and the sun-kissed days brighter and the improved graphical fidelity means the zombie-like Freakers are considerably more detailed.

Though, it's hard to appreciate the realistic faces of those Freakers when you're sprinting from this remaster's impressively huge Hordes in the new Horde Assault mode, which offers a serious challenge for those who just want to kick zombie ass. If you're a real glutton for punishment, you could always try the new Permadeath mode, which puts you back to the beginning of the game (or the second act) when you die.

The most welcome addition to this remaster, however, is the new accessibility features, which have become a staple of Sony's first-party offerings in recent years. Alongside options to customize the game's contrast, toggle on quicktime event autocompletion, remap your controller, and add UI narration, there are also options to adjust the game speed (giving you more time to react) and enable an audio cue that beeps when you're near a collectible.

Best bit

(Image credit: Sony)

The Collectible Audio Cue is a dream come true for Platinum Trophy hunters. When enabled, you will hear beeps when you're near a collectible. As you get closer to the collectible, the beeps get louder and faster. Essentially, it's like playing the Hot and Cold game.

What this remaster cannot fix are the core issues some (including me) had with the original. The story is still tedious, with clunky pacing, and some cringeworthy, inauthentic dialogue. It's like someone who watched Sons of Anarchy decided "this is what a biker would say."

The missions also become very repetitive the more you play: go to the job giver, ride your chop-shop motorbike to the place where the baddies are, kill baddies, go back to the mission giver.

I had reservations about playing Days Gone again, but actually, I enjoyed it this time. At least, for a while. Sure, it's pretty generic, and the story is nowhere near as gripping or well-told as The Last of Us or God of War, but there's something satisfying about riding the roads, forests, and mountains of Oregon on a Frankenstein bike I've been working to buy parts for, feeling the subtle rumble of my bike through my DualSense Wireless Controller.

I tried to enjoy the ride, embrace the tedious, and not set my expectations too high – but even then, my enjoyment of Days Gone Remastered ran out of gas before the finish line.

Bugged the hell out

(Image credit: Sony)

Days Gone Remastered begins with Mongrels MC member Deacon St. John desperately trying to get help for his wife, Sarah, who's stabbed amidst a chaotic evacuation in post-apocalyptic Oregon. With not enough room in the helicopter to take him and his best pal, Boozer, Deacon opts to stay with the "Boozeman" and regroup with Sarah later.

We then fast forward two years, and Boozer and Deacon are Drifters, outlaw bikers running jobs for nearby (somewhat questionable) camp leaders to make credits and survive in "The Shit." There's no sign of Sarah, but as you progress, a picture of what happened to her and how she and Deac got together becomes clearer.

Uncovering the story of Deacon and Sarah should be heart-warming, and at times it is, but the story's pacing and the many other story threads mean it gets a bit lost and doesn't get room to breathe. This isn't helped by the awkward writing, which can be downright cringeworthy and boring. The story does become more interesting as you progress, but often it feels like a slog, and the structure is inconsistent.

What's more, you're constantly bombarded with radio calls from others while riding, reminding you of what you're doing and repeating the same information in different ways. It ruins the joy of exploring the world when Boozer's constantly calling you up like a helicopter mom to ask what you've been up to.

It's a shame because the world is beautiful. The enhanced graphical fidelity means the flora and fauna of Oregon's forests, mountains, and lakes look much better than ever before. The nights are darker, too, thanks to enhanced lighting, which makes it particularly eerie when exploring abandoned houses and shacks at night, praying a horde doesn't descend upon you.

When the day comes, the blazing sun peaks around the mountains, casting realistic shadows through the trees and making you hope Deacon's got some sunscreen in his inventory. More impressive still is the rain and snow, which impact your riding and vision (and encourage more Freakers), but the snow flurries and rainstorms are so immersive that you can let that go.

(Image credit: Sony)

While the map is big, it's manageable and full of (mostly) abandoned houses, caves, gas stations, and more to investigate and collectibles to find. Exploration provides some relief from the repetitive missions, which become particularly frustrating the further into the game you get. Many of those aforementioned radio calls are camp leaders asking you to drop by to pick up a job, which typically involves hunting down someone, clearing a Marauder or Ripper camp, or getting rid of Freakers holed up somewhere.

Initially, these missions feel like they have a story purpose, but eventually, it feels like a violent game of fetch. The main story missions can be similar, but usually have more depth to them or task you with sneaking and not hurting anyone. You learn more about the character you're with and maybe visit a new area, but they can seriously drag on.

The sluggish pacing of some of these quests is frustrating, especially when you have to just walk with a character or ride with them as they talk for several minutes. While some of what they say provides context and helps with character development, it feels like you're a hostage being force-fed background; it's shoehorned information that could be integrated more naturally.

The main issue is that it doesn't feel like there's an overarching story here. There are lots of quest lines, but it's unclear if Days Gone is mainly about Sarah, the camps and their survival, or Deacon himself. That lack of direction means it can feel like you're floating in the wind at times, unsure of what your actual aim is, except for riding all over the map, completing jobs, and trying to align your moral compass.

Riding the open road

(Image credit: Sony)

While the story is lacklustre, Days Gone Remastered's combat is thoroughly satisfying. There are plenty of weapons and skills to unlock to improve your combat capabilities, but there's nothing quite like embedding an axe (or any hand-crafted melee weapon) in a Freaker's head, or burning them to cinders with a Molotov.

The types of Freakers don't vary greatly; you mainly deal with scrambling Swarmers who become bounty fodder as you progress, or savage marauders and Rippers.

The real challenge comes in taking out Hordes. These huge groups of Swarmers work as one entity, and there's nothing like the pure fear (and adrenaline) of attracting one's attention and then legging while the brutal mass chases you down. Hordes are Days Gone's niche, and thanks to the remaster's Horde Assault mode, you can take on even bigger ones.

The Horde Assault mode tasks you with gaining a set amount of points to unlock new maps and increase your level. Increased levels give you access to Injectors with negative or positive effects: positive ones help you in the game, but negatively impact your final score, while negative ones do the opposite.

Once let loose on the map, you can take out fodder Swarmers and other Freakers to gain points, allowing you to unlock supply cases to get better supplies and weapons. In the corner, however, is a timer that counts down to when a Horde is unleashed on you, so you better be ready. Taking out Hordes gives you more points, but becomes increasingly difficult over time, and these Hordes are way bigger than the ones in the story mode.

If you're after a challenge and want to skip the biker runs, Horde Assault will satiate you. If you're a true sadist, you can always try the story mode's Permadeath mode too, which puts you back to the start of the game (or the second act) if Deacon dies.

It couldn't be that easy

(Image credit: Sony)

Days Gone Remastered comes with two visual options: Quality mode and Performance mode. Performance mode means the game can run at up to 60fps (as opposed to the 30fps of the PS4 version), at the cost of some visual quality.

Quality Mode allows for greater resolution (up to 4K), but at the cost of framerate. Both run well, with the Quality mode better suited to exploring and the Performance mode worth putting on during combat, especially with Hordes.

Days Gone Remastered isn't always a smooth ride, however. The game has some serious audio balance issues, even with audio settings adjusted for my setup. NPCs' voices are muffled and quiet, or dialogue is almost entirely drowned out by background noise. This is particularly noticeable early in the game and when rescuing hostages, but occurs during some cutscenes, too. I'm not the only one who has had this issue, either.

Other, minor, but annoying bugs include Deacon and his bike falling through hills and his struggles to line up with and talk to an NPC when you hold Square as instructed.

The DualSense Wireless Controller compatibility, however, is pretty good. I enjoyed the subtle implementation of haptic feedback from the DualSense when riding my bike and the varying resistance of the adaptive triggers, which allow for more control over acceleration.

What I found most useful, however, is the ability to swipe the touchpad to easily open menus and the map. I just wish it were as easy to navigate the crafting/quick menu on the go, as it can be fiddly, especially in combat.

Should I play Days Gone Remastered?

(Image credit: Sony) Play it if…

You love The Walking Dead and Sons of Anarchy
Days Gone is pretty much The Walking Dead meets Sons of Anarchy. If you enjoy those shows, you'll likely love this.

You enjoy horror, but not the scares
If you like the idea of horror in your games but haven't the nerve for serious scares, you can handle Days Gone Remastered. While the Hordes can be frightening, there are few jump scares or overtly terrifying elements in this game.

Don’t play it if…

You want a riveting narrative
Days Gone's story isn't the most gripping, and its pacing is pretty poor, so don't expect the usual riveting PlayStation first-party offering. If you're mainly after some zombie-smashing fun, this is probably the game for you, but if you want a story that will stay with you, you'll likely be disappointed.

Accessibility

Days Gone Remastered boasts a heap of accessibility options that weren't available in the original.

Some highlights include a High Contrast mode, the ability to adjust Game Speed (a huge help with Hordes), UI Narration, subtitle customization, controller remapping, a collectible audio cue, and a field of view slider.

During this review, I had a wrist and thumb injury, so I found several of the QT event options particularly helpful. I set button-bashing QT events to a hold option instead, and enabled the auto-complete QT events option when needed.

How I reviewed Days Gone Remastered

I played Days Gone Remastered for over 35 hours on PlayStation 5 on a Samsung Q80T QLED TV using the DualSense Wireless Controller.

During that time, I played most of the main story campaign, completed several side jobs and quests, and spent some time with the Horde Assault Mode.

At launch, I played 2019's Days Gone, so I was able to make comparisons between the original game and this remaster.

First reviewed May 2025

• The Apple TV+ Original movie Echo Valley has a first-look trailer
• It teases a huge star-studded cast from popular shows like The White Lotus and Fallout
• The movie will be released exclusively on Apple TV+ on June 13

We've got the potential to add a new title to our best Apple TV+ movies list now that Echo Valley has its first trailer, and a confirmed release date of June 17.

I'm a huge Apple TV+ fan, and I'm not alone as we crowned it Streaming Service of the Year in 2024. It's going from strength to strength whether it's the record-breaking Severance season 2 or comedy hit Ted Lasso, and I'm thrilled to see its movie library expanding too.

I'm hoping for good things with Echo Valley especially since it's got a huge cast including Julianne Moore, The White Lotus star Sydney Sweeney and Fallout's Kyle MacLachlan.

What do we know about Echo Valley?

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

Echo Valley has a very gripping plot, as it follows Julianne Moore's character Kate Garrett who works on a farm training horses, living a fairly quiet life. But when her daughter Claire, played by Sydney Sweeney, arrives covered in blood that isn't hers, Kate has to decide how far she'll go to protect her.

If you love a good thriller, I'd keep an eye on this one because it deals with a nightmarish situation and family bonds as we unravel what happened to Claire and why she's found herself in such a state. Right now we don't know much and that's a good thing, this is the kind of movie you want to go into knowing as little as possible!

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Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack: review

The Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack is a power bank perfectly designed for charging smartphones, tablets, and other small devices, thanks to its multiple ports, 45W of power, and a large 20,000mAh capacity.

It certainly looks stylish for a power bank, with its pebble-like finish adding an element of organic chic. The rather prominent seam between the two panels is a little jarring, though, and detracts from the overall smoothness of the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack.

It’s also quite large, even for a power bank with this kind of capacity. Some of the best power banks with similar or even higher capacities are smaller than this. Build quality is good – there’s some flexing to the panels, but not to the extent that I’d be concerned.

The Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack has three charging ports, all of which are USB-C, which is somewhat unusual for a power bank, as many incorporate other connector types. This may deter users who’d want more versatility and concessions made for older devices in the form of a USB-A port or two, for instance.

However, given the increasing ubiquity of USB-C, I’m quite happy with this configuration. All ports are positioned on one end, which may be a little restrictive for some; a more even distribution around the entire unit may have improved flexibility, but this isn’t a major issue.

Despite its large size, the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack has no digital display: all you get are four LED dots to indicate the battery life of the bank itself. These are quite small and placed next to the ports, which obscures them from view somewhat.

What’s more, the LEDs don’t activate at all when charging devices, either to indicate charging or remaining battery life (you’ll have to press the power button every time to reveal the latter). This lack of interface is particularly disappointing on a premium power bank such as the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack.

At least it has super fast charging, and can charge three devices simultaneously. It managed to charge my Google Pixel 7a, which has a 4,385mAh battery, from empty to full in about two hours, which is a decent performance.

After charging, all four of the bank’s LEDs remained lit, indicating that at the very least, the battery didn’t deplete by more than 30%, which is impressive and means you should get about 3-4 charges out of it.

The Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack is one of the more expensive power banks with this spec, although we have seen it on sale for considerably less. The JUOVI J2621, for instance, is cheaper, but has the same power and capacity, and even has four ports instead of three, two of which are USB-A. It’s similarly hefty, though, which might deter ultra-light travelers.

Ultimately, if you want plenty of USB-C ports in a stylish package, the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack is a solid choice – but perhaps wait for a sale to maximize its value.

(Image credit: Future) Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack review: price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack? Buy it if…

You want something stylish
The smooth texture and mottled design is quite attractive, and the beige colorway makes it less austere than other power banks.

You mainly have USB-C cables
With three USB-C ports, the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack is great if all your devices come with USB-C-to-C cables, as they increasingly do.

Don't buy it if…

You want a slim power bank
The Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack is still quite big relative to other similarly capacious power banks and not ideal for pocket carry.

You have older devices
If you’ve got older devices with USB-A cables or other aging connector types, you’ll need USB-C cables or adapters to get them connected (the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack comes with a USB-C-to-C cable).

Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack review: Also consider

JUOVI J2621 20000mAh 45W Power Bank
If you’re after a power bank with the same power and capacity, then the JUOVI J2621 is another viable option. This has similar dimensions to the Samsung 45W 20000mAh Battery Pack, but it has four ports instead of three, two of which are USB-A, which offers more versatility. What’s more, it’s cheaper, too. Read our full JUOVI J2621 20000mAh 45W Power Bank review.

The modern economy is built on data. Every business, from small enterprises to multinational corporations, relies on massive amounts of storage infrastructure to keep operations running smoothly.

But what if the very foundation of this infrastructure—your hard drives—weren’t what they claimed to be? A growing crisis is emerging in the data storage market: fraudulent hard drives, falsely sold as new, are infiltrating the supply chain, putting businesses, government agencies, and data centers at risk.

The growing threat of counterfeit and fraudulent hard drives

The problem of counterfeit and fraudulently resold hard drives is escalating, and enterprise-grade drives such as Seagate Exos and IronWolf Pro HDDs are primary targets. Fraudsters manipulate serial numbers, QR codes, and firmware data to conceal prior usage, effectively repackaging used drives as new. Some reports indicate that these drives have logged over 27,000 hours of prior use—equivalent to more than three years of continuous operation—before being repurposed and resold.

This issue has profound implications beyond mere financial loss. For industries where data integrity is paramount—such as finance, healthcare, and cloud services—using compromised drives can lead to catastrophic failures, security vulnerabilities, and compliance violations.

The hidden dangers of fraudulent drives

When businesses unknowingly purchase fraudulent drives, they expose themselves to several critical risks:

1. Data security vulnerabilities

Previously used drives may contain residual data, raising concerns about data leakage and cybersecurity threats. Even if formatted, data remnants can sometimes be recovered, posing compliance issues in regulated industries like healthcare (HIPAA) and finance (GDPR, PCI-DSS).

2. Reliability and performance issues

Hard drives degrade over time due to mechanical wear and tear. A drive that has already been in use for years has a significantly higher failure rate than a truly new drive, leading to unexpected downtime, data corruption, and loss of operational efficiency.

3. Compliance and regulatory risks

Regulatory compliance standards demand strict control over IT hardware procurement. Fraudulent drives introduce an unknown element into an organization's infrastructure, potentially violating compliance policies for data protection and hardware lifecycle management.

4. Increased maintenance costs

Organizations that unknowingly install used drives in critical systems may face higher replacement costs, increased IT support requirements, and lost productivity due to premature failures. What initially seemed like a cost-saving purchase can quickly turn into a financial liability.

The root cause: unauthorized supply chains

Fraudulent drives often originate from unauthorized or gray-market resellers who source used hardware, repackage it, and sell it as new. Without robust verification mechanisms, even reputable procurement channels can unknowingly distribute counterfeit storage devices.

Experts recommend buying only from manufacturer-authorized distributors, where drives arrive factory-sealed and untouched. But even this approach is not foolproof, as counterfeiters continue to refine their methods. Organizations must take a proactive stance in verifying the authenticity of their hardware purchases.

A solution: industry tools for hard drive verification

Recognizing the widespread nature of this problem, industry experts and organizations have developed drive verification tools that allow businesses to check the actual usage history of a hard drive. These tools extract key drive metrics such as:

• Power-on hours: Identifying how long the drive has been in operation.
• SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data: Providing insights into drive health and past failures.
• Firmware authenticity checks: Detecting tampering with drive identification.

IT teams should look for solutions that are available as open-source utilities, allowing them to verify their hardware before installation. Organizations should incorporate these verification steps into their procurement and deployment processes.

A call for greater transparency in IT procurement

The rise of fraudulent hard drives represents a serious and growing challenge for businesses worldwide. As organizations continue to expand their digital infrastructure, ensuring the authenticity and reliability of hardware components is essential. Data security, regulatory compliance, and operational stability depend on it.

The responsibility lies with both vendors and buyers to implement stricter verification processes. Businesses must insist on transparency from suppliers and leverage verification tools to confirm that they receive genuine, factory-new drives. By adopting a proactive approach, organizations can protect their data infrastructure from unseen threats and avoid the costly consequences of fraudulent hardware.

We've featured the best privacy tool and anonymous browser.

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

Netflix recently unveiled big updates to the design of its platform, and while there’s some interesting features to look forward to in the future, some subscribers remain unconvinced.

While the streamer started life as a place to catch your favorite shows and movies without having to traipse to the rental store, the platform has evolved over the years to play host to a plethora of video games, and various live events, including weekly WWE shows and big NFL games. The content pivot from the streamer has led to some subscribers becoming frustrated with the one-size-fits-all approach of a UI that has barely changed since its inception.

All that is due to change though, with a new homepage designed to give users the best experience with the media they mostly use the platform for, be that sports, gaming or TV and movies. Netflix's chief product officer Eunice Kim says of the project: “We wanted to create an experience that was more flexible for our broad entertainment offerings, more intuitive and responsive to our members’ needs.”

Changes include real time recommendations based on current mood and interest, extra information on titles across the platform such as “Emmy Award Winner” or “#1 in TV shows” and a new, cleaner design for the platform’s landing page.

Are all these changes a good thing?

However, these new features come with downsides too, with it being widely speculated that the removal of interactive TV specials such as Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Scmidt finale Kimmy vs the Reverend is a result of the new software no longer being able to support these types of content.

And that’s not the only thing subscribers are unhappy about, with one Reddit user stating the “NEW DESIGN SUCKS!!” and calling for the engineers responsible to be fired, comparing the new UI to the notoriously difficult to navigate Prime Video.

NEW DESIGN SUCKS!! from r/netflix

However, some responses to the original post were more positive, with one reply stating “I love the new design,” while others remained cautiously optimistic saying “I’m nervous but hopeful”.

Some of the new features look great

(Image credit: Netflix)

For my money though, while it’ll definitely take some getting used to, there are some very cool new features on the horizon.

For starters, the small change of moving shortcuts for Search and My List away from the sidebar and to the top of the page will save getting bogged down in menus while trying to find basic features – I for one have changed profile more than once while trying to search for a particular show. Also intriguing is the use of Generative AI in the search function, meaning that users can use conversational phrases to zero in on the type of content they like to watch, for example “I want to watch a mid-2000s mumblecore movie” rather than scrolling through endless comedies.

One of the features I hope makes it to the new design is the vertical discovery feed – illustrated above – which is set to be tested over the coming weeks. The new feed looks to replicate the feeling of scrolling through TikTok watching movie clips, except here, if one piques your interest, rather than engage in an infuriating search through the comments to find the title, you can simply tap on the video to be taken directly to the full movie or show.

It’s definitely set to be a new era for Netflix, and one that understandably has some subscribers nervous, but with the site becoming increasingly overloaded by its breadth of content, it could be a very welcome update.

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As we head into 2025, UK businesses are making strides in their digital transformation efforts. But with rapid evolutions in technologies such as AI, businesses are under increasing pressure to keep up.

Economic turbulence, driven by factors like inflation and rising interest rates is putting a strain on budgets and many companies are facing higher operational costs, reduced consumer spending, and tighter access to capital. Over a quarter (28 per cent) of UK businesses responding to Zoho’s Digital Health Study * reported having ‘good’ digital health.

Meanwhile, customers, feeling the financial squeeze themselves, are becoming more discerning, demanding greater value and efficiency from the businesses they interact with. In this landscape, companies that fail to accelerate their digital maturity risk losing competitiveness, struggling with inefficiencies, and ultimately falling behind more agile competitors.

The impact of digital maturity on AI adoption

AI is a hot topic in business and boardroom discussions, from the AI Actions Summit to regular government investments and governance debates. However, not all businesses are reaping the benefits of AI equally.

Businesses that are lagging in digital health will struggle to gain any return from investment in AI as it demands a foundation of digital maturity. As a result they will, miss out on its potential to drive innovation and productivity. The benefits and efficiencies that AI systems can deliver are no secret, and the businesses that are struggling, or even neglecting to adopt, risk missing out on a competitive advantage.

For example, when it comes to customer experience, many businesses are deploying AI to provide detailed insights in order to deliver personalized experiences, and boost efficiency through tools such as AI agents or chatbots. These systems increase the likelihood of a business anticipating customer needs and creating a smooth, seamless customer journey, all of which is built on the foundation of good digital health.

Navigating integration complexities

Integration complexities typically arise from fragmented IT ecosystems, outdated legacy systems, and inconsistent data structures that prevent smooth communication between platforms.

Legacy ERP systems, for example, can struggle to integrate with modern cloud-based applications, which results in inefficiencies and data silos. The complexity also extends to customer-facing systems, where disconnected platforms lead to inconsistent user experiences.

Businesses are increasingly turning to cloud platforms to overcome these integration hurdles.

To address integration challenges, companies should adopt strategies like application programming interfaces and middleware solutions that promote interoperability, or should seek to use vendors who provide these, or provide easy ways to customize integration points.

Additionally, consolidating platforms can streamline processes, reduce complexity, and enhance efficiency. However, with larger companies, it is usual that several platforms are in place, so more work needs to be done to optimize interoperability.

Beyond technology, businesses should also invest in robust change management strategies and upskill their workforce to maximize the benefits of integration and ensure adoption.

Ensuring that teams are equipped to work seamlessly across new digital ecosystems, as well as to understand how the changes can help them in their roles as well as the business overall, is just as critical as the technology itself.

Overcoming infrastructure management challenges

Managing digital infrastructure remains a significant challenge for business and technology leaders, with the difficulty lying in balancing scalability and cost-efficiency while maintaining high system performance. Traditional infrastructure does not have the flexibility for modern digital demands, which leads businesses towards cloud-based models.

The rapid growth of IoT devices adds another layer of complexity, as businesses must manage a growing network of connected devices while maintaining data security and integrity.

To maintain compliance and ensure data privacy, businesses need solutions that are transparent, user-friendly, and easily governed by technology leaders. Simplified tools should offer automated compliance monitoring and centralized dashboards, while robust security measures include encryption, access controls, and threat detection.

Good digital health means good digital transformation

Businesses that navigate the obstacles of digital transformation tend to see significant benefits and improvements in areas such as customer experience, operational efficiency, and employee engagement.

Those with good digital health are more likely to be able to automate workflows effectively, integrate AI systems, and adopt cloud platforms to boost data-driven decision-making and overall employee productivity. These transformations drive agility and resilience, allowing businesses to adapt quickly to market shifts and competitive pressures.

On the flip side, for businesses with poor digital health, resistance to change, skills gaps, and budget restraints are among the common barriers hindering the progress of digital transformation. These challenges, coupled with fragmented IT infrastructures, make integration complex and limit agility.

Addressing them requires strategic investment in scalable technology and workforce upskilling, not just to modernize operations, but to optimize costs in an unpredictable economy and ensure resilience against evolving market demands.

The real driver of digital transformation success lies in aligning technology with business goals. Consolidating platforms and fostering strong vendor partnerships are not just efficiency plays; they reduce operational complexity, enhance compliance with regulatory shifts, and position businesses to stay ahead of rapid technological advancements.

Equally important is cultural alignment, which ensures that digital tools are not only implemented effectively but also fully adopted by users. Vendors play a crucial role in this process, as they must take a long-term view of their relationships with customers, providing the necessary support, education, and guidance to help businesses unlock the full value of their investment.

Ultimately, digital transformation is a journey, not an immediate fix. Businesses must move away from the notion that simply switching on a tool will yield instant benefits. Instead, they should embrace a comprehensive, strategic approach to drive adoption, overcome challenges, and realize the significant opportunities that effective digitization can offer. With this, by next year, they’ll be far more likely to have good digital health.

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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

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There's new tariffs on almost everything that is imported. Some of that increased cost is being eaten by exporters in other countries, but a lot of the higher prices are being picked up by Americans, who are seeing it in their receipts.

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• Spotify streams of Hot Together by The Pointer Sisters increased 182,000% in just two hours
• This follows the song's inclusion in the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer
• Long Road by Tom Petty, featured in the initial GTA 6 reveal, received a similar popularity boost when that trailer dropped back in 2023

Spotify streams of the song featured prominently in the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer surged by 182,000% in the two hours after the trailer's release.

The second trailer for the highly anticipated GTA 6 dropped earlier this week, showing off more than two and a half minutes of gameplay and cutscenes captured entirely on PlayStation 5. The footage was accompanied by the 1986 song Hot Together by The Pointer Sisters.

The trailer is currently the number one trending video on YouTube, and has amassed more than 85 million views at the time of writing.

The catchy background tune seems to have been a hit with GTA fans, as Spotify streams of it increased by a staggering amount in the hours after the trailer dropped, compared to the same period one week prior.

Spotify Streams of Love Is a Long Road by Tom Petty, the song featured in the initial GTA 6 reveal, enjoyed a similar (though somewhat more modest) 37,000% increase when that trailer dropped back in 2023.

Spotify global head of editorial Sulinna Ong commented on the songs' massive surges in popularity, arguing that GTA “cuts through popular culture like almost nothing else. Music has been synonymous with the series since the very beginning, so it’s great to see fans both new and established connecting with an iconic track in this way.”

If you're a Spotify user and lover of all things GTA, it might be worth checking out the service's official Grand Theft Auto Radio playlist. This features a wide range of tracks played on the in-game radio stations across the series, tailored to your individual Spotify listening preferences.

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• Rockstar Games has confirmed Grand Theft Auto 6's latest trailer was "captured entirely in-game" on the PS5
• The trailer was comprised of gameplay and cutscenes
• Rockstar dropped the trailer after delaying the game to May 26, 2026

Rockstar Games has confirmed that the latest Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer was captured entirely on the PlayStation 5.

In case you missed it, the studio just dropped a brand new trailer for its anticipated game, which offered an in-depth look at the game's dual protagonists, Jason and Lucia, a fresh look at Vice City, and introductions to new characters.

It looks incredible, and much to everyone's surprise, the end of the trailer stated that it was captured on the PS5. That's right, the base PS5, not the PS5 Pro!

However, there was some discussion as to whether the footage shown was purely cinematics for the simple fact that it looks too damn good, with some parts of the trailer showing what appears to be ray-traced reflections in car mirrors and water.

Well, we now have an answer, as Rockstar has since revealed that the entire trailer was comprised of gameplay and cutscenes.

"Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2 was captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5, comprised of equal parts gameplay and cutscenes," Rockstar said in a post on social media the following day.

GTA 6 was originally supposed to launch in late 2025, but Rockstar has delayed the game until May 26, 2026. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, the studio decided to delay it by one more year to "avoid brutal crunch". Considering how good the game looks right now, there's a chance the GTA 6 will look even better on release.

The game is launching on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, but there's no word on a PC release just yet.

If you want a full breakdown, we've picked out the top five things we learned from the latest GTA 6 trailer.

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• NSO Group must pay out nearly $167.5 million in damages to WhatsApp
• 1,400 users were compromised through an audio calling vulnerability
• Meta wants to donate to digital rights organizations

NSO Group has been ordered to pay over $167 million in punitive damages and nearly half a million ($445,000) in compensatory damages to WhatsApp after a five-year legal battle.

The fines stem from a 2019 hacking campaign affecting over 1,400 WhatsApp users, with NSO using the Pegasus spyware to exploit an audio calling vulnerability on the mobile app.

Among those affected were high-profile individuals and public figures, such as journalists, activists and diplomats, with the Israeli cyber-intelligence firm's spyware also capable of accessing emails, texts, financial data, location data and remote camera and microphone activation.

Israel's NSO Group to pay over $167 million in damages to WhatsApp

"Put simply, NSO’s Pegasus works to covertly compromise people’s phones with spyware capable of hoovering up information from any app installed on the device," Meta explained in an announcement.

Meta noted that Pegasus, when installed on an affected handset, has the capability of "hoovering up information from any app installed on the device."

Given the extent of data types Pegasus targets, Meta has also confirmed that `"WhatsApp was far from NSO’s only target."

The tech giant didn't name any other affected companies, but NSO has admitted that it spends tens of millions of dollars annually to develop malware installation methods, which can include via instant messengers, browsers and operating systems – both iOS and Android.

NSO Group claims that it sells its spyware to governments only, however there are increasing attacks on citizens suggesting that malicious actors have also been able to get their hands on the spyware – be they government affiliates or otherwise.

"Pegasus is designed to be stealthy and evade forensic analysis, avoid detection by anti-virus software, and can be deactivated and removed by operators," The Citizen Lab explained.

Even after six years, Meta has acknowledged that there could be a long way to go before any damages are paid out, however the company "would like to make a donation to digital rights organizations that are working to defend people against such attacks around the world" as a result of its success in court.

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• Broadcom said to be sending out cease-and-desist letters to perpetual license holders
• They can use the products, but they mustn't use updates
• Legal action is being used as a threat

Broadcom is reportedly sending out cease-and-desist letters to VMware perpetual license holders whose support contracts have expired.

The news comes around 18 months after the company acquired VMware, when one of the first big changes it made was to end perpetual licenses in a bid to transition to more lucrative subscription-based models.

At the time, users reported seeing considerable price hikes, with many opting to leave the new Broadcom-led VMware.

Broadcom is addressing VMware perpetual licenses, again

Users can continue using existing software under their perpetual licenses, however they cannot access updates or support unless they had a pre-existing contract, Ars Technica explained.

Now, customers are receiving letters demanding that they stop using any updates, patches or releases issued after their support packages had expired, with the exception of zero-day security patches.

Customers are even being asked to uninstall updated if they've already had them applied. The continued use of such updates is being framed as a breach of contract and intellectual property infringement, therefore Broadcom has expressed a willingness to explore legal options.

"Any such use of Support past the Expiration Date constitutes a material breach of the Agreement with VMware and an infringement of VMware’s intellectual property rights, potentially resulting in claims for enhanced damages and attorneys’ fees," an extract from the letter reads.

According to the report, letters are also mentioning the possibility of audits for non-compliance, while some have been received by customers who are not in breach of Broadcom's policies, including those who have moved away from VMware altogether.

The decision to press on with ending perpetual licenses for good doesn't come as a big surprise, but Broadcom has reversed some of its controversial changes to pacify customers after some of its execs came online to respond to disgruntled customers.

TechRadar Pro has asked Broadcom to confirm details of the letter and to offer further context, but the company did not respond to our email.

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