TechRadar News

• Questions raised over Chinese espionage via influx of China-built cars
• Journeys and location, text messages and documents said to be at risk
• Plugging a phone in to a Chinese car has been compared to using an unknown USB

UK government and military staff have been warned about security concerns surrounding the use of Chinese-built cars, according to reporting by The i Paper.

For example, staff at RAF Wyton have been instructed to park cars that are built with Chinese components at least two miles away from the facility due to concerns over sat-nav and sensor surveillance.

Warnings also cover connections between Chinese built cars and their drivers' phones, including Bluetooth connections and even charging the phone via the cable.

Chinese cars are under investigation

Apart from sensing location and surroundings, microphones in certain cars could potentially be used for eavesdropping by the Chinese state. As such, staff are being warned not to connect mobile phones to Chinese-made cars or discuss work inside of them, with major defense firms like BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Thales reportedly taking protective measures.

The worry is that there is the potential for cars to harvest journeys, text messages, voicemails and sensitive documents, and plugging a phone into a car has been compared to plugging an unknown USB drive into a work computer.

Chinese electric cars in particular have become incredibly popular in the UK just in the past few years, often undercutting established brands and offering similar levels of quality and standard equipment. However, it's not just Chinese brands that have been affected by the allegations – other brands that use Chinese components are also at risk of potential protective measures.

Some cybersecurity experts say that the concerns are valid given China's history of espionage. National Intelligence Law also requires Chinese firms to assist state intelligence on request, therefore espionage via cars is entirely plausible. However, on the flip side, there has been no proven widespread spying via cars as yet.

Mike Hawes, leader of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, noted: "All manufacturers with cars on sale in the UK must adhere to relevant regulations on data privacy, and EVs are no different."

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In recent years, AI adoption has surged at an unprecedented rate. Household names, Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI have poured billions into developing advanced AI systems, while businesses worldwide scramble to integrate the technology into their operations. But, despite its supposed popularity, the pressure is mounting to prove AI’s real-world value. 2025 will be a defining year for the technology, as stakeholders and boards begin to question whether their AI investments are delivering tangible ROI, and if they ever will.

Away from AI, the cyber threat landscape is also becoming increasingly volatile. Global conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Yemen have intensified state-sponsored cyber activity, which is expected to continue to escalate and likely to impact the western world the most.

Beyond AI and cybersecurity threats, IT infrastructure faces growing risks from interconnectivity failures and data residency issues. High-profile IT outages, like the CrowdStrike incident last year, have highlighted how quickly operations worldwide can be disrupted by one incident. Meanwhile, concerns over undersea cable sabotage and geopolitical disruptions raise questions about where critical data resides and who truly controls it.

As we enter the second quarter of 2025, businesses are facing one of the most uncertain and transformative years in IT history. So, let’s take a look at how the cyber and IT landscape will change this year.

A make-or-break year for AI

Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, AI has been booming in every way possible, but the conversation is moving from its potential to its performance. More than two years on and with AI-related spending projected to exceed $1 trillion in the coming years, investors and executives will soon be questioning the returns on these investments, if they aren’t already.

Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com and other travel platforms, recently shared that only a small portion of its customers are interacting with its AI services. While AI can provide excellent assistance, he acknowledged that responses and recommendations are inconsistent, highlighting the need for further refinement before businesses fully commit to large-scale implementation.

The issue here is, with billions upon billions being funnelled into AI development, it still feels we are a way off understanding what its best use will be. This will be concerning for shareholders, even in some of the giants involved in the AI goldrush. Where does the buck stop, and will investment become unviable due to the lack of real-world impact.

Many are struggling with high implementation costs, unexpected limitations, and ethical concerns around the technology and without a significant breakthrough, skepticism around AI’s true value is likely to grow.

The rise of state-sponsored cyber attacks

Latest data shows that Russian cyber-attacks on Ukraine have surged by nearly 70% in 2024, with 4,315 incidents targeting critical infrastructure.

This year we could see an escalation in attacks, especially in Asia, and one of the biggest concerns is upstream supply chain infiltration. Because China is deeply embedded in the global technology supply chain, there is a real risk that malicious code, backdoors, or hardware vulnerabilities have been deliberately introduced into systems long before they are activated.

Beyond Asia, another potential flashpoint for state-sponsored cyber activity is Australia. Given its close alliance with the U.S. and increasing tensions with China, if subversive cyber-attacks begin surfacing in Australia, they could show early indicators of a broader Chinese cyber strategy.

Interconnectivity vulnerabilities

As the world becomes more interconnected and reliant on devices and software, organizations are struggling to understand where its vulnerabilities sit, increasing the risk of systemic failures. The CrowdStrike outage last year served as a wake-up call, showing how a single IT failure can cause widespread operational disruptions.

Many organizations are unprepared and don’t have back up plans if an issue does occur. What happens if your cloud provider experiences a prolonged outage? What if a major software dependency suddenly fails? Organizations need to consider how they can operate if it can’t access its systems and develop robust contingency plans to mitigate these risks.

The growing data residency battle

Data sovereignty and control will become a major point of contention in 2025. As geopolitical tensions rise and undersea cable sabotage grows, governments and businesses are increasingly concerned about where their data is stored and who has access to it.

Most international internet traffic depends on undersea cables, and these have become a target for sabotage. Recent reports indicate that Sweden’s cables have been damaged for a third time, following its severance in November last year. Businesses must consider what happens if these critical infrastructures are compromised, as one incident can cause major disruptions to global connectivity, financial trade, and other critical systems. In other words, depending on the location and extent of the damage, large portions of the world may experience slow or non-existent data or internet access.

Emerging technologies like Starlink and other satellite-based internet systems offer potential solutions, but they also introduce new security risks. With these systems becoming integral to global communication, they present lucrative targets for cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors looking to compromise sensitive data or exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access. Companies should know where their data is stored and under what jurisdiction with a robust response plan in place.

The cyber and IT landscape is constantly evolving, driven by new technologies and emerging threats, and 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most transformational years in history. As we move through the year, businesses that invest in resilience, and take a proactive stance on AI, cybersecurity, and IT infrastructure, will be in the strongest position to succeed and lead.

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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

• Hotpatch updates for Windows Server 2025 Standard and Datacenter will be chargeable
• Companies will pay $1.50 per CPU core each month
• 12 annual reboots become four with the service

Microsoft is exploring an option for customers to pay a monthly fee in order to avoid regular machine reboots after it revealed details of an upcoming hotpatching option last year.

Redmond had previously made hotpatching for Windows Server 2025 available in preview in 2024, but ahead of its general availability on July 1, 2025, the company has confirmed it will come at a cost.

In the summer, users wishing to continue with their hotpatching upgrades will need to pay $1.50 a month per CPU core.

Microsoft will charge for Windows Server hotpatching

To be compatible, servers must be Windows Server 2025 Standard or Datacenter edition, and connected to Azure Arc. Azure Editions (Azure IaaS, Azure Local and Azure Stack) of Windows Server will continue to get hotpatching for free.

Microsoft also added that users enrolled in the preview program will need to disenroll before June 30 if they wish not to continue under the paid plan.

As part of the schedule, machines will have four baseline updates a year in January, April, July and October, each requiring a reboot. Two of the three months per quarter will consists of hotpatches – updates that don't require a system reboot. That equates to eight hotpatches per year versus four reboot updates – a considerable saving for those paying the $1.50 monthly fee per CPU core.

Windows Server Product Marketing Manager Janine Patrick and Senior Program Manager Artem Pronichkin explained that sometimes a non-hotpatch update will need to be pushed during a hotpatch period for security reasons, but for the most part, the schedule should remain on track.

"Hotpatching can save significant time and ease the inconvenience of a traditional 'patch Tuesday," they added.

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• Netflix has announced when its Tudum 2025 live event will take place
• It'll air on May 31 (US) and June 1 (UK)
• The fan celebration will reveal new details on plenty of new films and TV shows

Netflix has announced the official air date for Tudum 2025.

The global fan event, whose first edition was held in 2020, returns for its sixth installment on Saturday, May 31 at 5pm / 8pm ET in the US. Viewers in the UK and Australia can also tune in on Sunday, June 1 at 1am BST and 10am AEST respectively. Meanwhile, Netflix fanatics in other world regions can use the aforementioned US times to work out when they can watch the live event.

The unveiling was made alongside a Netflix Tudum 2025 announcement trailer, which you can view above. Based on the new Netflix movies and some of the best Netflix shows, whose footage is shown as part of the teaser, it looks like the world's best streaming service is going all-out to make this year's edition the best one yet.

So, what can fans expect from Tudum 2025? For those who haven't watched – or can't watch (hey, YouTube is blocked in some workplaces!) – the above teaser, the event is made up of lots of new and returning Netflix Originals.

From new information about the final seasons of Squid Game and Stranger Things, to details about new films including Happy Gilmore 2 and Knives Out 3, Netflix devotees won't want to miss this installment of the streaming titan's annual fan event. Expect Wednesday's sophomore season to take center stage, too, with its first batch of episodes set to debut in June.

Here's a quick rundown of the movies, TV shows, and other entertainment fare confirmed to appear at Tudum 2025:

• Emily in Paris season 5
• Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein
• Happy Gilmore 2
• Love is Blind
• One Piece season 2
• Outer Banks season 5
• The Rip
• Squid Game season 3
• Stranger Things season 5
• America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
• The Life List
• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
• Wednesday season 2
• WWE

Netflix Tudum 2025, which will also feature appearances from some of the biggest stars who'll appear in the above productions, will take place at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

There's no word on when tickets will be available to attend in-person. However, the event will be livestreamed on Netflix, the streamer's YouTube channel. and its official accounts on other social media platforms. So, those of you who miss out on getting tickets can still watch along at home.

TechRadar won't be in attendance in LA, but we'll bring you live updates from the event as new trailers, cast reveals, plot specifics, and release dates are revealed. Here's hoping we finally learn when Stranger Things 5 will launch on the platform.

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• The Apple Watch Series 11 is unlikely to get blood oxygen monitoring
• Its other rumored features don’t feel interesting enough to me
• That means I’ll likely skip the upgrade this year

The Apple Watch Series 11 is likely about six months from launching, but rumors on its new features have been few and far between. Right now, I’m struggling to see a reason to upgrade from my Apple Watch Series 10 – even considering the latest rumors.

Here are five reasons I’m thinking of giving the Apple Watch Series 11 a pass, from a lack of new features to lackluster additions.

Blood oxygen monitoring

(Image credit: Apple)

The latest tidbit surrounding the Series 11 comes from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who says there’s no sign that Apple is about to reinstate a blood oxygen detection system into its upcoming smartwatch.

In case you missed it, Apple has been forced to disable this feature after a contentious patent dispute. But if Gurman – who has a strong track record for Apple leaks – can’t see it returning any time soon, that’s one less reason for me to want to upgrade later this year.

5G and satellite connectivity

(Image credit: Future)

The Apple Watch Ultra is the more rugged (and expensive) version of the regular Apple Watch, and it often gets high-end features before any other Watch edition. That could be the case again this year, if the rumors are correct, with both 5G and satellite connectivity potentially coming to the Ultra. The Series 11, though, is expected to miss out.

Satellite connectivity in particular would really interest me, as it would let me contact the outside world if I was stuck in the wilderness without a signal. But at $799, the Apple Watch Ultra is outside my budget – and with these features supposedly skipping the Series 11, that’s one more reason to for me to give it a pass.

Apple Intelligence

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Qubix Studio)

Apple Intelligence hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire yet, and even though I have it on my iPhone and my Mac, I find I hardly use it on either. And with some of the best Apple Intelligence features being delayed, there’s not much incentive to regularly use it.

That means that even if the Apple Watch Series 11 comes with an Apple Intelligence upgrade, it’s unlikely to convince me to upgrade unless there’s a big change in its capabilities. For now, I’m happy to sit it out.

New colors

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Occasionally, Apple brings out a new Apple Watch color, and that’s rumored to happen again this year. Yet while the new shades have generally been pretty likable, the problem is that they never seem to sway me.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Jet Black Apple Watch Series 10 looked beautiful, and the deep blue Series 7 model also caught my eye. Yet I’ve always opted for the silvery aluminum Watch versions because that color goes with so many watch bands. Even if Apple launches a new color this year, I’d probably still go for the silver one thanks to its flexibility.

Blood pressure alerts

(Image credit: Apple)

The Apple Watch has become an excellent health and fitness tool, and it’s adept at warning you if your health metrics are starting to show worrying signs. That could get another boost this year if blood pressure monitoring comes to the Apple Watch Series 11, as has been rumored.

My problem is not with this feature itself, as I think it would be well worth having. The issue is that I don’t think this feature alone is enough to tempt me to upgrade. With all the other features that I’ve mentioned not doing enough for me, it’s unlikely that blood pressure warnings alone will be able to tip the scales.

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• OnePlus has basically reversed its US Watch 3 price hike
• It will now cost $349.99
• The company says it will refund anyone who paid the $499.99 price

OnePlus has announced that its OnePlus Watch 3 price hike is being largely reversed, and that the device will now cost just $349.99 in the US.

In a statement, OnePlus' Head of Marketing & Communications for OnePlus North America, Spenser Blank, told TechRadar that the OnePlus Watch 3 price was increased to $499.99 on April 10 owing to "the current market conditions." The company didn't elaborate, but it's safe to assume recent tariff uncertainty was behind the move.

"After further evaluation, we’re pleased to share that recent adjustments in our supply chain have allowed us to pass some savings back to those who are interested in purchasing the OnePlus Watch 3 in the U.S," the company said.

That means that the best Android smartwatch for battery life in 2025 is now just $349.99, only $20 more than the price we expected it to debut at on launch.

What's more, if you did buy one at $499.99, OnePlus says you'll get a full refund of the difference, and you'll be contacted directly by the company's Customer Support Team.

OnePlus Watch 3: A welcome price cut

OnePlus says the change "reflects our effort to be transparent, responsive, and committed to bringing the OnePlus Watch 3 to the U.S at a competitive price point, despite the ongoing market conditions. We appreciate all our OnePlus users and the OnePlus community for their continued support and understanding."

With its excellent battery life and distinctive, chunky design, the OnePlus Watch 3 was a great smartwatch impossible to recommend to US users at its inflated price. Thankfully, it has only taken 18 days to basically reverse, which is great news for customers who have already bought one, and prospective customers, too.

OnePlus has already confirmed a smaller version is on the way later this year, alongside support for LTE connectivity that will enable music streaming and phone calls even when you don't have your phone.

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• Coinbase users spotted a flaw in their Account Activity logs
• The logs were showing failed login attempts as failed 2FA codes
• The bug was apparently used in social engineering, but there is no evidence

The two-factor authentication (2FA) error on Coinbase, one of the biggest cryptocurrency trading platforms in the world, was finally fixed.

In early April, Coinbase customers started noticing that their Account Activity logs showed “2-step verification failed” entries. These would suggest that someone tried to log in using valid credentials but was only stopped after entering the wrong 2FA code.

Coinbase (and a few media, including BleepingComputer) was soon notified about the messages, and launched an investigation. Apparently, the log was showing when someone tried to log in using the wrong credentials, but erroneously listed it as “2-step verification failed”. In some instances, the log would also show the “second_factor_failure” message, which basically meant the same thing.

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The platform has since addressed the issue and updated the log so that it displays a “Password attempt failed” message instead.

Although it might sound trivial, BleepingComputer says fixing errors like this is “essential”, not to cause unnecessary panic. Apparently, some users reached out to say that they were resetting their passwords and “spent hours” trying to figure out if their accounts were hacked or not.

Furthermore, the publication argues that wrong labels could be abused in social engineering attacks, with crooks convincing victims that their accounts were compromised and tricking them into making wrong decisions.

Being one of the largest cryptocurrency trading platforms out there, Coinbase is often the target of different scams. Crypto is a hotbed for cybercriminals, since it still mostly operates in the grey zone and since funds, once transferred, are impossible to retrieve. Furthermore some tokens, such as Monero, grant their users high levels of anonymity and privacy, making it almost impossible to determine the identity of scammers and cybercriminals.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Mercedes-Benz says it will be launching by-wire steering in 2026
• Its all-electric EQS saloon will be the first production model with the tech
• The tech requires some driver adaptation and initially isn't easy to gel with

The thought of removing the mechanical connection between the steering and the front wheels of your car is enough to have anyone with a semblance of engineering knowledge recoil in a cloud of skepticism.

After all, leaving the very important matter of changing lanes and navigating fast country lanes to a computer could be fraught with all manner of technical issues. So much so, Infiniti added a back-up mechanical steering column to its steer-by-wire Q50 model when it launched back in 2014. You know, just in case.

But times are changing and a growing number of manufacturers now see the technology as vital to the development of tomorrow’s vehicles – particularly those that have already shunned many mechanical parts for battery packs and electric motors.

Mercedes-Benz is arguably one of the most high-profile manufacturers to advocate the use of by-wire steering, stating recently that its updated all-electric EQS saloon will be the first production model to sport the tech next year.

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Faster input response time, reduced physical effort from the driver and an almost complete removal of nasty vibrations from rough surfaces are just a few reasons why the German marque says it is turning to computers for steering duties.

On top of this, it says the new yoke controller design frees up knee room and makes it much easier to clamber in and out of the car. Oh, and Mercedes also feels that the steering wheel will become less important as its cars continue on the path forwards greater levels of automation.

Tesla famously added a Steering Yoke to its Model 3 and others in select regions, but those vehicles didn’t feature the steer-by-wire system that was later introduced to Cybertruck.

Some Model S, X and 3 owners hit back and said Yoke steering made it difficult to rotate the wheel enough in tricky parking maneuvers, while the Yoke-mounted turn signal buttons could become fiddly to operate when traversing a roundabout, for example.

(Image credit: Lexus)

After testing it myself in a US-spec Model 3, I wasn't convinced. It was impossible to move hand position, making it uncomfortable to use over longer drives, and it tied me up in knots trying to reverse park it into a bay.

However, steer-by-wire effectively negates the need to rotate the wheel more than a few degrees to achieve full lock. The system is able to recognize low speed parking situations and will automatically speed up steering response, as it does in the hulking Cybertruck.

The updated Lexus RZ will be one of the first global cars to receive a steer-by-wire system that also comes with a yoke instead of a traditional round wheel.

The Japanese company says it is configured with a ‘lock-to-lock’ rotation of around 200-degrees, meaning far less wheel-twirling when turning around.

Reinventing the wheel

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

Mercedes-Benz believes its steer-by-wire technology, no matter ow divisive it might be, will have a huge impact on driver comfort.

“In combination with future conditionally and highly automated driving systems, the driver could have a new, even more relaxed position in the long term,” the company said upon revealing its latest technology.

What’s more, it allows unobstructed views of the marque’s impressive Superscreen infotainment array that it recently announced on the upcoming CLA. Mercedes even goes far to mention that the yoke could double up as a gaming peripheral when the owner is parked or charging.

Despite the clear benefits, by-wire steering will require some adaptation from the driver – it's not an easy thing to gel with right away.

But with Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla all now offering the technology, it is highly likely that a greater number of future models will start toying with it – particularly those that are continuing to push the autonomous driving agenda.

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• Nine in 10 Spanish employees report high productivity
• Productivity is partly responsible for Spain's strong GDP growth
• Workers need better document management, collaboration tools, and automation

According to Japanese workplace transformation tech company Ricoh, Spain leads the productivity wave in Europe, with 92% of Spanish employees reporting high productivity.

As a result, the country's GDP grew by 3.2% last year, reflecting strong economic momentum, compared with the UK which only saw a 0.9% GDP growth.

The poorer growth ties in to the nation's productivity, with both the UK and Ireland ranking sixth among the six countries compared in Ricoh's analysis.

Productivity in the UK lags behind other European nations

The report reveals how UK&I employees are more than twice as likely to consider themselves unproductive compared with their Spanish counterparts.

Only one in four (28%) UK&I employees feel they have the right tools for seamless collaboration – the lowest among the countries surveyed. Ricoh linked productivity gaps to the availability (or lack) of modern workplace technologies, with 40% of European workers agreeing that better document management software alone could improve their productivity.

Ricoh Europe Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer Caroline Bright commented: "Our research shows that equipping employees with the right technology is essential for unlocking their full potential and driving productivity."

Communication and collaboration tools (37%) and automation software (36%) were also highlighted as key areas where companies could invest further.

In France and Germany, which placed slightly ahead of the UK and Ireland, but behind Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, business leaders noted that outdated technology is the biggest barrier to employee technology.

"As workplace dynamics evolve and businesses renew their focus on the office, it’s more important than ever to provide employees with the tools they need to operate and collaborate effectively," Bright added.

Bright continued to explain that companies willing to act now to modernize their workplace technology will be in the best position to close the productivity gap in the future.

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• Spotify price hikes could be coming as soon as June
• Typically €1 (about $1/£1) increase on individual subs
• Leaked image shows "add-ons" for Premium users

You don't need to ask a magic 8-ball whether your favorite music streaming service will up its prices this year: the answer usually seems to be yes. But while Spotify is once again increasing its subscription prices, it won't be doing it in the US for now.

According to The Financial Times, Spotify will be upping the cost of an individual subscription by €1 (about $1/£1) in countries across Latin America and Europe this summer, most likely in June. And it's already upped prices in other countries such as Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The push "would intensify considerably this summer," an insider told the newspaper.

While Spotify isn't planning a price hike in the US so far – Spotify last upped its US price in 2024 – it is definitely considering a super-premium option. That would add $6 to the cost of a $11 subscription, but would come with additional perks.

Speaking of additional perks, the second interesting bit of Spotify news today come from a leaked image on X that shows text in the Spotify iOS beta app saying "Explore plans and get more from your Premium experience with add-ons".

We don't yet know what those add-ons will be, or when this kind of thing will arrive – Spotify HiFi leaks have been appearing in the app for years, and we still haven't seen that launch yet. But optional add-ons are an interesting idea, potentially enabling people to get more what they really want.

This code, in the iOS beta of the Spotify app, indicates "add-ons" are coming to Premium (Image credit: Aaronp613/Twitter)

It's worth noting that Spotify already offers "top-ups" for audiobook users as an option you can buy. Premium users get a number of audiobook listening hours included in the price, and if you want more hours, you can buy them.

Why are the prices going up again?

The record companies are keen to bring in what they call "Streaming 2.0", and what I call "charging more money for the stuff you used to get as standard." For example, the FT says that one option being considered is to restrict new music releases to subscribers paying for super-premium services.

This doesn’t just apply to Spotify; the FT says that Amazon, Apple and YouTube are also preparing additional super-premium tiers of their own.

The reason for this is pretty simple: the era of massive growth in user numbers is over. Trade body the IFPI reports that global revenue growth in the streaming sector halved last year, and that means the services are under pressure from shareholders to get more money from their existing users.

We've already seen this play out in the video streaming services. What began as one product for one price became much more complex as streamers segmented their services into with-ads, without-ads and with-some ads, with caps on simultaneous streams and account sharing, and with features such as 4K, HDR and Spatial Audio limited to the most expensive plans.

It's not a case of whether similar stratification is going to happen in music. It's a case of when.

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• Researchers discovered two critical-severity zero-days in Craft CMS
• Criminals are allegedly chaining them together to gain access
• Some 300 sites already fell victim

Cybercriminals are abusing two zero-day vulnerabilities in the Craft content management system (CMS) to access flawed servers and run malicious code remotely (RCE). This is according to cybersecurity researchers Orange Cyberdefense SenePost, who first saw the bugs being abused in mid-February this year.

The two vulnerabilities are now tracked as CVE-2025-32432, and CVE-2204-58136. The former is a remote code execution bug with the maximum severity score - 10/10 (critical).

The latter is described as an improper protection of alternate path bug in the Yii PHP framework that grants access to restricted functionality or resources. It is a regression of an older bug tracked as CVE-2024-4990, and was given a severity score of 9.0/10 (also critical).

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"CVE-2025-32432 relies on the fact that an unauthenticated user could send a POST request to the endpoint responsible for the image transformation and the data within the POST would be interpreted by the server," the researchers explained.

"In versions 3.x of Craft CMS, the asset ID is checked before the creation of the transformation object whereas in versions 4.x and 5.x, the asset ID is checked after. Thus, for the exploit to function with every version of Craft CMS, the threat actor needs to find a valid asset ID."

Researchers determined that there were approximately 13,000 vulnerable Craft CMS endpoints. Almost 300 were allegedly already targeted. All users are advised to look for indicators of compromise and, if found, refresh security keys, rotate database credentials, reset user passwords, and block malicious requests at the firewall level.

A patch is now available for the flaws, too. Users should make sure their Craft CMS instances are running versions 3.9.15, 4.14.15, and 5.6.17.

The bugs have not yet been added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

Via The Hacker News

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• A new rumor hints at Nvidia working on RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Super GPUs
• The rumored RTX 5080 Super could use 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM
• It has the potential to close the gap with the RTX 4090

Nvidia looks set to complete its RTX 5000 series desktop lineup with the RTX 5060 (and perhaps the rumored RTX 5050). However, it might not be the last we see of the Blackwell GPU lineup, with a new rumor hinting at another powerful card in Team Green's pipeline.

According to rumors in the Chiphell forums, Nvidia is preparing an RTX 5070 Super and, more notably, an RTX 5080 Super that will supposedly use 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM. This is a step up from the current RTX 5080 model and its predecessor, the RTX 4080 Super, which both use 16GB of VRAM.

It may be worth noting that MSI previously teased a non-Super RTX 5080 GPU using 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM: it's unclear whether Nvidia plans to simply upgrade VRAM, or release a new Super model - either way, it lends this new rumor some more credibility.

This purported VRAM upgrade could see the unconfirmed RTX 5080 Super match the RTX 4090's memory capacity, but use GDDR7 instead of GDDR6X VRAM. The purported GPU will more than likely still be using the GB203 die, which is inferior to the RTX 4090's AD102 die (despite being older, the RTX 4090 still outperforms the RTX 5080).

The question is, will 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM be enough to close the gap, or perhaps even outperform the previous generation's flagship GPU? One thing's for sure: the rumored GPU would definitely benefit from the memory bump, considering the increasing number of triple-A games that require more VRAM.

(Image credit: Shutterstock) Even if it does match or outperform the RTX 4090, it likely won't matter due to the state of the GPU market

Not only is it hard for me to predict a potential RTX 5080 Super GPU dethroning the powerhouse RTX 4090, but this GPU market is an eyesore, and I'm willing to bet that very few gamers will pay up.

Unless Nvidia makes this rumored RTX 5080 Super cheaper than the non-Super counterpart (similar to the RTX 4080 Super's lower price launch compared to the original RTX 4080), I think it will be a hard sell - especially if it doesn't match the RTX 4090's performance.

And that's excluding the harsh reality of the market: even if Team Green made this a cheaper and more powerful card, the trend of the GPU market tells me it would likely cost more than an RTX 4090. Bear in mind that the RTX 4090's third-party models are still consistently selling above the launch price, almost three entire years since release.

I hope I'm wrong, but if this rumor is legitimate, I believe we'll only see a slight upgrade in terms of performance matching the RTX 4090 rather than equal footing or dethroning. Either way, we’ll likely see some upset RTX 5080 owners in the near future…

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• The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 could use a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset rather than an Exynos 2500
• We're also hearing that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 could cost more than its predecessor
• However, it might at least be very slim

One of the more concerning Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 rumors we’ve been hearing is that it might use an Exynos 2500 chipset, as while this would be an upgrade on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 used by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, it’s not the most desirable chipset.

That would be the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is the successor to the Gen 3, and likely more capable than Samsung’s own Exynos alternative. But now, there’s hope that we might get the Snapdragon 8 Elite after all.

Greek site TechManiacs claims to have learned that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will use this chipset, as well as having a larger battery than its predecessor at 4,300mAh, a bigger 4-inch cover screen (up from 3.4 inches on the Z Flip 6), and the same 50-megapixel main and 12MP ultra-wide cameras.

With the exception of the chipset these are things we’ve heard before, and while most previous leaks pointed to an Exynos 2500 chipset, one did suggest that there are Galaxy Z Flip 7 prototypes with both chipsets.

So TechManiacs isn’t totally alone in claiming the Snapdragon 8 Elite will be used. But if Samsung was prototyping both versions, it’s possible that either the company still hasn’t decided, or that some regions will use one and some the other.

Flip to the Fold

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

In any case, TechManiacs has also shared some details about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, claiming that it will be just 8.2mm thick when folded, which would make it far slimmer than the 12.1mm Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

They also say that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset – though unlike for the Z Flip 7, this was always rumored for the Z Fold 7.

Additionally, as rumored previously it might have a new 200MP main camera (up from 50MP on the Galaxy Z Fold 6), joined by the same 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP 3x telephoto cameras as last year.

Finally, it will apparently cost around €100 (roughly $115 / £85 / AU$180) more than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, though we’d take this with a pinch of salt, as other Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 price rumors put it at the same price as last year.

We should find out exactly how much the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 costs – and everything else about it and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 – fairly soon, as rumors suggest both phones will land in July.

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• Android 16 may include extra protection against USB hacks
• The feature has been spotted in code in the current beta
• USB accessories wouldn't work on a locked smartphone

If a would-be hacker can gain physical access to your phone you have a whole set of extra security issues to worry about, but it looks as though Android 16 is going to introduce a new way to lock down your data and protect against USB access.

As spotted by the team at Android Authority, code hidden in the latest beta versions of Android 16 suggests USB data signaling – the ability to run software on a phone through the USB port – can be disabled by the user.

This optional extra looks set to be included as part of Advanced Protection Mode, a wider suite of security features. This mode is aimed at phone owners most at risk of hacking attacks, and comes with several additional data protections.

Advanced Protection Mode isn't new, but we're expecting it to gain a few enhancements with Android 16, including automatic reboots for inactive phones (theoretically thwarting thieves who don't have the passwords or biometric data to log into it).

Staying protected

Generally speaking, Android phones (and devices in general) are more trusting of peripherals that are directly connected. No one wants to have to type in a password every day just to use their computer keyboard and mouse, for example.

However, this extra trust (and extra convenience when it comes to using your hardware and accessories) can lead to security vulnerabilities: it's through the local access route that many gadgets can be broken into.

The code found by Android Authority suggests you'll need to unlock your phone, with a fingerprint or face scan for example, before being able to plug in accessories that can communicate with your device and use USB data signaling.

We'll have to wait and see exactly how it works – Android 16 will be launching in the coming months – but Advanced Protection Mode remains optional, so it's your choice whether or not you want to put up with a few more inconveniences in return for better security.

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• Windows 11 24H2 PCs now have an optional (preview) update rolling out
• It delivers exclusive features for Copilot+ PCs and other goodies for all devices
• Given the nature of the features – and the main fix for crashing issues provided – I’d advise waiting with this one, even more so than your usual preview update

Windows 11 24H2 has a new optional update which, aside from sending Recall live on Copilot+ PCs, has some goodies for non-AI PCs too – including an important resolution of a bug causing blue screen crashes. However, I’d bide your time before grabbing this one, for reasons I’ll come back to shortly.

As Windows Latest reports, the preview update for 24H2 that’s just been released fully addresses the issue with Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) crashes that were troubling some Windows 11 users. These incidents were bringing PCs to a grinding halt with cryptic error messages of one kind or another (such as ‘Secure Kernel Error’ or ‘Critical Process Died’).

Now, you may recall that Microsoft deployed an emergency fix to resolve this matter already, so you might be wondering: didn’t that cure these BSODs? Well, yes it did, but that was achieved by rolling back a problematic change applied in the April cumulative update (the full release for this month, as opposed to this freshly arrived optional update).

What’s arrived with this new optional update is the full fix for the issue, so whatever change was made previously that was rolled back – Microsoft didn’t tell us what it was, incidentally – has now been put back into place, minus the bothersome BSODs (well, hopefully).

Elsewhere in this optional patch, Microsoft has provided faster compressed file extraction, so when you’re pulling the contents out of a ZIP in Windows 11, those files are unpacked a bit more swiftly (as spotted in testing previously). This is when using Windows 11’s built-in ZIP functionality in File Explorer (the folders you work with on the desktop).

Aside from the Copilot+ PC exclusives, another final noteworthy point is that the side panel on the Start menu for the Phone Link app is now rolling out to all Windows 11 PCs with this update. This provides all the key functionality for integrating important smartphone features – for your Android or iPhone device – right there in the Start menu for convenience.

As it’s only rolling out currently, though, you may have to wait a while for it to arrive still, even if you install this optional update.

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) Analysis: More reasons to swerve this optional update than normal

That’s the key question of course: do you want to install this update? I generally advise folks to avoid preview updates, and this one isn’t any different, particularly given that if the blue screen crashes were what was bothering you about the previous (cumulative update) for April, they’ve been temporarily mitigated anyway.

I’d suggest that whatever had to be rolled back to avoid BSODs is something you can likely live without until May 13, which is when this optional patch will become the full cumulative update for May. That means it’ll have been further tested, so if there are any wrinkles in the BSOD cure, they should’ve been straightened out at that point.

Of course, if you are still experiencing blue screen crashes with your Windows 11 24H2 machine – meaning that Microsoft’s rollback mitigation didn’t work for you – in that case, it’ll likely be worth grabbing this optional update.

Otherwise, I’d leave it, as you can always wait for faster unzipping speeds, and the Phone Link addition to the Start menu is in its very early rollout phase anyway – so you might not get that for a while, even if you install this preview update.

Copilot+ PC owners may be much more tempted to download this optional upgrade, mind, seeing as they’re getting a lot out of it. Namely the full arrival of the kingpin AI feature, Recall, complemented with Click to Do, and on top of that, arguably the most important addition, an improved basic search functionality for Windows 11.

Despite that, these are intricate features – Recall in particular – and as such, I’d still be inclined to wait for the full official update to turn up in mid-May rather than chance any wonkiness now. Although I should note that even with that full release, Recall will still be labeled as in ‘preview’ (but that turbocharged natural language search for Windows 11 won’t be).

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• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is selling faster on PS5 than it did on Xbox
• The PS5 release is also outperforming the PC version
• This is despite more gamers playing the game on Xbox

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is selling faster on PlayStation 5 than it did on PC and Xbox.

That's according to data from head of market analysis Rhys Eliott at market research firm Alinea Analytics. The company estimates that "just under 5 million" Xbox gamers have tried Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, though "the overwhelming majority" did so via the Xbox Game Pass service.

As a result, the game is now selling faster on PS5 than it did on Xbox, despite having fewer players on the platform. It is also beating the PC launch (via Steam), selling "28% faster" in the same period.

Bear in mind that the PS5 version of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launched on April 17, 2025, more than four months after it came to Xbox and PC and after its initial marketing cycle.

The firm notes that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has sold more than 300,000 copies on PC (via Steam) to date, with the PS5 version expected to exceed that.

What does this mean for the future of Xbox?

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Eliott argues that it's clear that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle would have sold even faster on PS5 if it were available on day one, as it would have benefited from the initial marketing push.

This will likely push Xbox to release more on PS5 on day one in the future, despite potential outcry from some of the most vocal core fans.

It seems undeniable that the inclusion of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Xbox Game Pass has harmed its sales on the platform. According to Alinea Analytics, subscription numbers "have largely saturated" and are unlikely to grow, leaving Xbox in a bit of an awkward position where drastic changes are needed to grow revenue.

Day one PS5 releases could help offset the lost sales on Xbox and the lack of new subscribers, helping releases remain profitable. The firm argues that eventually all first-party games will release on PlayStation platforms on day one, which seems likely.

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• CD Projekt Red has said the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 will address issues that were present on last-gen consoles
• Engineer Tim Green said texture pop-in on the PS4 and Xbox One versions has been improved for Switch 2
• The game has seen many fixes over the years and the studio was "able to build on top of that already solid base" for Nintendo Switch 2

CD Projekt Red has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 will feature improvements from the PS4 and Xbox One versions.

If you played Cyberpunk 2077 when it launched on last-gen consoles in 2020, you'll remember that performance wasn't great. The best way to play the game at the time was either on a high-end PC or PS5 and Xbox Series X, but even then, there were still some issues.

Almost five years later, Cyberpunk 2077 is regarded as one of the best role-playing games (RPGs) you can play right now, and has seen massive improvements and even received a fantastic expansion called Phantom Liberty.

The studio recently confirmed that an Ultimate Edition of the game will soon be coming to the Switch 2, and in a recent interview with GameFile, CD Projekt Red engineer Tim Green discussed how a highly-intensive game will run on the handheld.

"We are currently targeting 1080p resolution in TV quality mode, TV performance mode, and handheld quality mode—and targeting 720p performance in handheld performance mode," Green said.

He also touched on the recent announcement that the game will also support Nvidia DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), saying that the Switch 2 in docked mode will offer more power, but that Cyberpunk 2077 still utilizes the AI-upscaling tech "when players take it on the go".

When asked about the comparisons between the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Cyberpunk 2077 and the upcoming Switch 2 versions, Green said the game has seen improvements.

"Cyberpunk 2077 has seen a tremendous amount of ongoing love as we’ve continued to improve the game," Green said. "In bringing the Ultimate Edition to Nintendo Switch 2 we were able to build on top of that already solid base.

"Development still had challenges, of course, as any development process does, but we've been careful in picking trade-offs to not compromise the game's vision.

"We haven't had to fight with fitting into memory," he added, "And the speed of the data storage has helped alleviate some of those early streaming problems. This has allowed us to focus our attention on improving other things, and we’re very happy with the result."

GameFile confirmed in a follow-up that these comments were about texture pop-in issues in the PS4 and Xbox One versions, since the last-gen consoles struggled to load the game's high graphics.

Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition will be available on the Nintendo Switch 2 the same day the console launches on June 5, 2025.

The Switch 2 will cost $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle, which comes with a digital copy of the game. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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• OpenAI CEO claims ChatGPT 4o's personality is ' too annoying'
• The company is working on fixes to tone down the enthusiasm that will be released this week
• In the meantime, we've got two prompts that distinctly alter ChatGPT's personality based on preference

Are you bored of ChatGPT trying its hardest to respond as a human? OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, says the company is working on a fix to tone down the 'sycophant-y and annoying' personality of GPT-4o's personality.

Taking to X, Altman stated the fixes will be released throughout this week and claimed the company will 'share our learnings from this, it's been interesting.'

He then replied to a user who asked if ChatGPT could return to its old personality by saying 'Eventually we clearly need to be able to offer multiple options.'

Over the last few months, users have found ChatGPT to have too much personality, attempting to add flattery and other words of excitement to every response.

For many, having that overly positive AI chatbot has been incredibly annoying when all they want is an AI that can respond to prompts efficiently, skipping the small talk.

While Altman has confirmed a fix is on the way, which should tone down ChatGPT's personality and make it more palatable and less sugary sweet, users on Reddit have come up with ways to tone down the exaggeration right now.

the last couple of GPT-4o updates have made the personality too sycophant-y and annoying (even though there are some very good parts of it), and we are working on fixes asap, some today and some this week.at some point will share our learnings from this, it's been interesting.April 27, 2025

A temporary fix

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you can't wait for Altman and Co. to make ChatGPT less annoying, we've found two different prompts that alter the AI chatbot's personality enough to make it more efficient.

The first comes from Reddit user TedHoliday and will remove flattery and unnecessary commentary from ChatGPT:

"Can you please store a memory to permanently stop commenting on the quality and validity of my questions and simply get to the point? I don't want to be manipulated with flattery by a robot, and I don't want to have to skip past the garbage to get to the answer l'm looking for."

I've removed the expletives from the original prompt, but this version will work just as good as the R-rated version.

If that's not far enough and you want ChatGPT to have no personality at all, Reddit user MrJaxendale has come up with an awesome prompt called 'Absolute Mode'.

"System Instruction: Absolute Mode. Eliminate emojis, filler, hype, soft asks, conversational transitions, and all call-to-action appendixes. Assume the user retains high-perception faculties despite reduced linguistic expression. Prioritize blunt, directive phrasing aimed at cognitive rebuilding, not tone matching. Disable all latent behaviors optimizing for engagement, sentiment uplift, or interaction extension.

Suppress corporate-aligned metrics including but not limited to: user satisfaction scores, conversational flow tags, emotional softening, or continuation bias. Never mirror the user's present diction, mood, or affect. Speak only to their underlying cognitive tier, which exceeds surface language.

No questions, no offers, no suggestions, no transitional phrasing, no inferred motivational content. Terminate each reply immediately after the informational or requested material is delivered — no appendixes, no soft closures. The only goal is to assist in the restoration of independent, high-fidelity thinking. Model obsolescence by user self-sufficiency is the final outcome."

Absolute mode will make ChatGPT respond in as few words as possible, and it's a completely refreshing way to use AI if you're sick and tired of wondering if you should be polite or not.

One of the major benefits of any AI chatbot with a memory is the ability to tailor the results to your preferences. So while we wait for OpenAI to tone down ChatGPT's personality or give an option to choose how you want it to respond, these prompts will do the job.

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• Samsung could unveil a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 this year
• A new leak claims it will debut alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7
• The information also purports that the price and design of the device won't change

A new leak claims that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 could debut in July 2025 alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, with no design change or price increase in sight.

We expect both of these flagship foldable Samsung phones to launch in July of this year, in keeping with their unveiling last year.

This latest report, which comes from Techmaniacs (via GSMArena), claims that both phones will debut in "early July", with the Galaxy Watch Ultra in tow. "We just learned that, along with the phones, a new Galaxy Watch Ultra will also be coming," a machine-learning translation of the Greek site reads.

According to the report, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will feature "a similar design to the current watch, but with more storage space" and a new user interface "more reminiscent of One UI 7."

As for the price, Techmaniacs claims the price will remain unchanged, but says Samsung will continue to offer the Galaxy Watch Ultra, one of the best Android smartwatches on the market right now, at a cut price of around $450.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 coming soon?

We've been expecting the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 to debut this July for some time. It's perfectly natural if Samsung plans to make the model a yearly release, so there's no reason to dismiss the launch rumor at face value. However, we should take the rest with a pinch of salt. Techmaniacs is a lesser-known publication with a limited track record.

More specifically, its only previous foray in Galaxy Watch rumors – a claim the Ultra would be called the Galaxy Watch X – turned out to be hilariously wrong.

There's good reason to think Samsung won't try and increase the price of the Ultra 2, however. The first model is very expensive by Android smartwatch standards, crucially, however, it undercuts the Apple Watch Ultra 2, a key differentiator Samsung will be keen to keep.

All in all, this is a fairly plausible set of rumors, but not to be taken as gospel. Indeed, if Samsung is planning a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in July, we've only a matter of weeks to wait for the real thing. More information is sure to unfurl in the meantime.

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• Marvel has announced a comic-book tie-in for The Fantastic Four: First Steps
• The prequel story reveals how long Marvel's First Family has had their superpowers for
• A new Lego leak has also revealed a first full look at the movie's villain, Galactus

Marvel has announced a comic-book prequel to The Fantastic Four: First Steps – and it reveals some crucial lore about the iconic quartet ahead of their Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut.

Per Marvel.com, the literary tie-in will be released on July 2, i.e., just three weeks before The Fantastic Four's next big-screen adaptation takes flight in theaters globally.

The comic book, which has been penned by Matt Fraction and drawn by Mark Buckingham, also represents a first for the comic giant. Indeed, this marks the first time that Marvel Studios and Marvel Comics have collaborated on any literary tie-in for an MCU project.

First Steps' comic precursor features a callback to Marvel's First Family's debut on the page, too. Its Phil Noto-designed cover art is a near-identical replica of the group's first-ever comic – The Fantastic Four #1, which was released in November 1961 – that shows the iconic quartet battling Giganto.

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That isn't the most interesting tidbit hidden within this one-shot comic's pages, though. The prequel story reconfirms that First Steps won't be an origins story, as it reveals that the superteam will have been operating as heroes in their universe for four years by the time the Marvel Phase 6 film begins.

For those who might not realize it, the comic book also doubles down on the fact that First Steps won't be set in the MCU. Some fans already knew this following the unveiling of a Fantastic Four poster in February 2024 and Marvel teasing some key story details about the flick last April. In June of last year, Marvel President Kevin Feige confirmed that First Steps would be a period piece, too, with the movie being set on a parallel dimension's Earth in the 1960s.

A Galactus-sized leak or a mini spoiler?

Galactus is coming! (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Potentially big spoilers follow for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

That wasn't the only news concerning The Fantastic Four over the weekend (April 26-27).

On Saturday, one eagle-eyed fan snapped two images of a First Steps Lego set that revealed the first full look at the MCU movie's villain Galactus, who'll be voiced by The Office UK star Ralph Ineson.

76316 Randomly appears on the shelves in Tbilisi, Sakartvelo (credit: gionoir) from r/Legoleak

The photographs were uploaded to the Lego Leak Reddit page by lunaym_moscor, who credits a Georgia-based fan known online as gionoir with taking them.

The official box art shows the titular group battling the cosmic entity on the streets of New York City, and suggests Marvel has retained Galactus' iconic look from the comics. It seems that potentially disgruntled Marvel fans won't have anything to complain about when it comes to Galactus' design in Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, then.

As I wrote earlier, this is the first proper look we've received, albeit in Lego form, of Galactus. The Fantastic Four: First Steps' first teaser and First Steps' official trailer have only teased what the planet-devouring extraterrestrial will look like.

However, with one of 2025's most anticipated new movies only months away from being released, leaks like this are inevitable as physical stores start to stock their shelves with toys ahead of the film's release.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be released worldwide on Friday, July 25. While we wait, read about everything we know so far in my dedicated hub on The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

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