Technology

Commentary: I'm not big on AI, but if it can save me from endlessly scrolling through Netflix and Hulu, I'm all ears.

CNET got a preview of Android 16 from Google's head of Android. Samat showed us how the expanded Theft Detection tool works (among other features, like Gemini and Material 3 Expressive).

Android Find My Device is getting a revamp that will help you locate more than ever.

It's a lot of new stuff, from the biggest Android redesign in years to Gemini rolling out across more devices.

A fresh UI, slick animations and a major Gemini upgrade are coming to your wrist. Here's what we know so far.

• Rockstar insider 'Tez2' says a Grand Theft Auto 4 port could be released later this year
• 'Tez2' claims someone at Rockstar "hinted" at a GTA 4 port and "by now it should've gone up a year in development"
• The insider also says a possible Max Payne 3 remaster will be released next, after the GTA 4 port

Grand Theft Auto 4 is reportedly coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S later this year, followed by a possible Max Payne 3 remaster.

As reported by Eurogamer, this latest rumor comes from Rockstar insider 'Tez2', who shared on the GTA Forum that someone at Rockstar Games "hinted" at a GTA 4 port for modern consoles and "by now it should've gone up a year in development".

'Tez2' also said that "we may end up seeing it drop later this year" and that a port of the 2008 game is one of the reasons why the Liberty City Preservation Project, a fan-made GTA mod, was taken down by the studio earlier this year.

It's also claimed that Rockstar is developing a Max Payne 3 port that will potentially release after the GTA 4 port.

"If they still follow their plan laid out from the pandemic days, they'll do an MP3 port after IV. So that is an opportunity to do a bundle or a Definitive Edition. Max Payne 1 & 2 remakes, and a Max Payne 3 port," 'Tez2' posted.

Rockstar Games is notorious for keeping development projects quiet, and no announcements of a GTA 4 or Max Payne 3 remaster have been made at this time.

The studio released Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition back in 2021, which contained GTA 3, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas, so it would make sense for it to want to port GTA 4 to modern consoles as well.

A GTA 4 remaster would tide fans over while we wait for Grand Theft Auto 6, which was recently delayed from its original 2025 release and is now slated to launch on May 26, 2026.

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• Sony has launched the new Xperia 1 VII flagship smartphone
• Hardware improvements include a new ultra-wide camera, while software sees the introduction of Xperia Intelligence
• The phone costs £1,399 in the UK, with no US availability at the time of writing

Sony has launched the Xperia 1 VII smartphone, bringing a slew of hardware and software updates to the company’s creator-focused flagship handset.

The Japanese tech giant is keen to emphasise the incorporation of technologies from its various tech brands in the new phone, specifically Alpha-branded photography tools, Bravia display tech, and Walkman-branded audio.

It’s good to know that Sony has thrown the full weight of its tech talent at the Xperia 1 VII, especially considering the phone is no cheaper than its predecessors – at £1,399, it’s one of the most expensive flagships on the market.

As well as sporting the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, the phone’s headline hardware features include a new ultra-wide camera, an upgraded headphone jack, and improved display calibration.

Sony has given the Xperia 1 VII a new 48MP ultra-wide camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, up from a 12MP 1/2.5-inch camera on the previous generation Xperia 1 VI.

In the official Xperia 1 VII product page, Sony states that the new ultra-wide camera can achieve "clear night shots equivalent to full-frame cameras", and while a larger sensor should increase low-light performance, this claim seems dubious given that full-frame sensors are more than twice the size of the Xperia 1 VII's ultra-wide sensor.

This new ultra-wide sits alongside two cameras carried forward from last year’s Xperia 1 VI – a 48MP main camera and 12MP telephoto camera with continuous 3.5x-7.1x telephoto zoom. The camera system is controlled by a dedicated shutter button with half-press focus, the same as prior iterations.

As mentioned, the Xperia 1 VII is one of the only phones on the market that still has a headphone jack – an elegant feature for a more civilized age. The phone has inherited components from Sony’s line of Walkman media players to enhance wired audio quality, while AI-enabled DSEE Ultimate processing can add clarity to compressed audio streams.

And in collaboration with Sony Bravia, a light sensor has been added to the rear of the phone to assist with brightness and color calibration in indoor and outdoor conditions.

Even bigger steps have been taken on the software side – the Xperia 1 VII is the launchpad for Xperia Intelligence, a suite of tastefully subtle AI tools centred around photography and filmmaking.

For example, the AI Camera Work tool assists in keeping video footage stable, while the AI Auto Framing tool keeps a human subject in the center of the shot. That Auto Framing tool also allows users to film a second vertical close-up video of said subject while filming a wider horizontal shot.

The phone also comes with Google Gemini installed, with access to tools like Circle to Search.

The Sony Xperia 1 VII is out now in three colors – Moss Green, Slate Black, and the eye-catching Orchid Purple option. It’s likely to top our list of the best Sony phones, but let us know if you think this £1,399 handset will be worth its high price in the comments below.

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• Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa says the Switch 2's high price is a factor for the company's 15 million unit sales forecast
• Furukawa says that limits to hardware production capacity and US tariffs were not a factor
• Nintendo also expects to sell 45 million units in Switch 2 software, excluding copies of Mario Kart World included in Switch 2 bundles

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has said the lower than expected sales prediction for the Nintendo Switch 2 is due to the console's high price point.

Following its financial report last week, where Nintendo said it expected to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles during its launch window last week (via VGC), investors have since asked the company why it has predicted lower sales than some analysts were anticipating.

"We are forecasting Nintendo Switch 2 hardware sales of 15 million units for this fiscal year," Furukawa said in a new Q&A published today. "We set this figure with the aim of reaching the same level of sales we achieved with Nintendo Switch in the roughly 10-month period between its launch in March 2017 and December that year."

Furukawa also said that the console's high cost of $449.99 / £395.99 is a key factor in its predictions, but that its backward compatibility and software bundles will increase sales before the end of the first fiscal year.

"Nintendo Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to Nintendo Switch, so we recognize that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption," the Nintendo president explained. "That being said, Nintendo Switch 2 can play compatible Nintendo Switch software, so there is continuity between the platforms. We are taking steps like bundling software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch."

Furukawa continued, saying that limits to hardware production capacity "were not a factor" in its sales prediction, and that the recent rise in US tariffs or the possibility a recession "did not affect our sales volume forecast either".

"In order to achieve sales of 15 million units, we will need to manufacture the hardware in quantities greater than that. Our first goal is to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch, and we are working to strengthen our production capacity so we can respond flexibly to demand," he added.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

After acknowledging the positive feedback from the Nintendo Switch 2 hands-on events around the world, before returning to the topic of the console's high price in comparison to the original Switch, saying that "even if there is momentum around the launch, we know it will not be easy to keep that momentum going over".

"We have been working to ramp up Nintendo Switch 2 hardware production since even before we held the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events and began My Nintendo Store applications. Our sales volume forecast was not determined based on any limit to production capacity," he said.

Nintendo also predicted that it sell 45 million units in Nintendo Switch 2 software, excluding the Mario Kart World copies included in Switch 2 bundles, which would surpass the 52 million units of software sold for the Switch in the 10 months after its launch.

It was said that this is in part due to "a more robust line-up" of games from publishers and the availability of Switch 2 Edition titles.

Furukawa was later asked to confirm the impact of expected US tariffs on the sales forecast after Nintendo was forced to raise the price of some of its upcoming accessories last month.

"Our financial projections were created based on the assumption of U.S. tariffs of 10% on products produced in Japan, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and 145% on China," he explained, but couldn't disclose the impact of tariffs on individual products, like some accessories and amiibo, that are produced in China.

"Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price," Furukawa added. "On the other hand, the fiscal year ending March 2026 is the launch period for our first new dedicated video game system in eight years. If the tariff assumptions change, we will consider how to handle the situation while keeping in mind the importance of platform momentum and growth of the hardware install base."

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally on June 5, 2025. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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• The Bear season 4 and Alien: Earth are arriving over the coming months
• Alien Earth arrives in June and The Bear arrives in August
• Both shows are available on Hulu in the US, and Disney+ internationally

Hulu has just announced the release dates for two exciting new arrivals: both The Bear season 4 and Alien: Earth are coming to one of the best streaming services over the next few months.

Fans eagerly awaiting both dramas will be pleased to hear that The Bear returns on June 26 and the new sci-fi series Alien: Earth arrives on August 13. So, whether you want stressful cooking or creepy xenomorphs, Hulu has got you covered. Both shows can be found on Disney+ in non-US territories.

The Bear is already on our best Hulu shows round up, but could Alien: Earth join the list? So far, it seems promising, but the franchise has been hit and miss over the years so we'll have to wait and see.

What do we know about the new shows?

(Image credit: FX)

As release dates creep closer, Hulu has dropped some first look images to get fans excited for what's to come.

Plot wise, season four of The Bear sees Carmy, Sydney, and Richie are determined not only to survive, but also to take The Bear to the next level. However, that's no easy task and there'll be challenges around every corner forcing them to think on their feet and decide what's worth holding onto.

Meanwhile, Alien: Earth follows the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot as it crash-lands on Earth. It's set in the year 2120 where Earth is now governed by five corporations, one of which has uncovered a new dawn in the race for immortality; a hybrid prototype who encounters mysterious lifeforms with deadly consequences.

While these shows are very different they seem to be connected by sounding stressful, as The Bear has often been regarded as one of the most stress-inducing comedy shows of all time, so both are guaranteed to get your pulse racing when they arrive later this year.

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More than 45 million people will travel for the holiday weekend, according to AAA. Use these tips to save on your getaway.

Google's new Android 16 reveals are getting their own livestream, and we'll be covering the details in this live blog.

• Co-op is experiencing disruption following a cyberattack
• Reports suggest that hackers may still have access to systems
• This follows a similarly destructive attack on fellow retailer M&S

British retail giant Co-op is still experiencing severe disruptions from a cyberattack, with some stores unable to restock selected products thanks to critical logistical systems being kept offline amid fears that the hackers may still have access to the company’s networks, The Record reports.

Co-op has spent the last two weeks fending off attackers by shutting down IT systems - and there has been “significant disruption” to operations as a result. Co-op’s CEO confirmed that a “limited amount of customer data” was accessed by criminals, and that the organization is working to fully understand the impact of the attack.

“As previously communicated, we have established that the cyber criminals were able to access a limited amount of member data. This is obviously extremely distressing for our colleagues and members, and I am very sorry this happened. We recognise the importance of data protection and take our obligations to you and our regulators seriously, particularly as a member-owned organisation,” she confirmed.

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Lingering hackers

Deliveries from Co-op’s large depots were reportedly well below 20% of their normal capacity, outlining the serious disruptions that these attacks can bring.

“All our stores are open and trading and we are now making deliveries to all of our stores, flowing in an increased level of fresh, chilled and frozen products alongside cupboard essentials,” a spokesperson confirmed to The Record.

“Some of our stores might not have all their usual products available and we are sorry if this is the case for our members’ and customers in their local store. We are working around the clock to reduce disruption and are pleased [to] have resumed delivery of stock to our shelves,” they added.

The nature of the attack is yet to be revealed, although it comes alongside a similar incident for another retailer, M&S, who suffered an outage that is most likely linked to ScatteredSpider ransomware.

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• NordVPN has just released a new Linux VPN app with a full graphical user interface (GUI)
• A GUI Linux VPN app makes privacy more accessible for Linux users, thanks to rich visual elements
• To install the new GUI version, users need to modify the command of the previous Linux app

NordVPN has just unveiled a long-awaited upgrade for all Linux users – a full graphical user interface (GUI) for its VPN client.

The updated Linux VPN app makes privacy more accessible for the Linux community, thanks to rich visual elements that promise to ease the use of advanced features.

"This launch is a natural progression of our mission to make cybersecurity accessible and seamless for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned Linux user or new to the OS, we believe this GUI will enhance your NordVPN experience," said NordVPN's CTO, Marijus Briedis.

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NordVPN new GUI Linux VPN

Briedis explains that the new GUI brings the simplicity of other NordVPN applications to Linux for the first time, all while preserving the reliability, speed, and security users expect from one of the best VPN providers on the market.

This means that everyone using a Linux distro or Linux desktop device can now enjoy all the features offered by NordVPN, including Threat Protection, Double VPN, and a kill switch, within a couple of clicks – no matter if you're a VPN pro or beginner.

NordVPN's GUI Linux VPN isn't a brand new application, the provider explains, but a significant upgrade of its seasoned CLI-based software.

It's important to keep in mind, though, that at the time of writing, NordVPN's Meshnet and some other features remain accessible only via the CLI-based version, which continues to be supported in full.

The GUI for NordVPN Linux app comes with both dark and light modes, so that you can choose the version that suits you best. (Image credit: Nord Security)

"Linux users are an incredibly important part of our community, and we’re thrilled to make their experience even better," said Briedis.

The new GUI version of the NordVPN Linux app also comes with support for post-quantum encryption – an upgrade the company released last October – and its latest censorship-resistant protocol, NordWhisper.

NordVPN joins other popular providers offering a full GUI for their VPN client. These include Surfshark, which launched its GUI Linux VPN in 2022, ExpressVPN, offering this feature since March this year, and Private Internet Access (PIA).

How to upgrade to NordVPN GUI Linux app

NordVPN promises a quick installation that should be familiar to everyone who has installed the CLI version before. The steps are the same, in fact, except for one adjustment.

You now need to specify the command to install the GUI version by typing this in the terminal: sh <(wget -qO - https://downloads.nordcdn.com/apps/linux/install.sh) -p nordvpn-gui

While the GUI is now available through DEB and RPM packages, the provider ensures that a Snap version is coming soon.

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• Hiking app AllTrails has just released a new subscription tier with AI features
• We asked AllTrails' Chief Technology Officer how AllTrails reconciles AI's environmental impact with the app's mission statement to help people enjoy the outdoors
• He says AllTrails takes steps to reduce energy cost and maximize efficiency when deploying AI features

Earlier this week we reported that hiking app AllTrails had launched a new subscription tier: Peak, a more expensive subscription plan which makes use of AI tools to enhance your outdoor experience.

These tools include a Community Heatmap, a common feature on the best fitness apps such as AllTrails and contemporaries like Strava. The Heatmap shows where other users are often hiking, allowing you to sort trails by popularity.

Other features include Outdoor Lens, which uses your phone's camera to identify plants, insects, and landmarks, and Trail Conditions, which provides up-to-date information on not just weather, but ground conditions, snowpack, and even mosquito activity on different parts of your trail.

The AllTrails Peak subscription tier costs $79.99 / £79.99 (around AU$125) per year, likely due to the cost of the AI being used.

It's well known that AI is an energy-intensive technology – one of the most popular statistics bandied about is that ChatGPT-4 uses the equivalent of 519ml of water, slightly more than an average bottle, per 100-word email generated. This stat comes from the University of California, Riverside, in a study produced in collaboration with the Washington Post.

AI doesn't, therefore, appear to be an environmentally friendly technology to use at the moment, due to its energy and cooling requirements. AllTrails, however, says it's dedicated to preserving the great outdoors that its users love; the company is partnered with the Leave No Trace and One Tree Planted nonprofits, and contributes 1% of its annual revenue to environmental organizations.

When I spoke to AllTrails' Chief Technology Officer, James Graham, about the new subscription tiers, I also asked him if AllTrails' use of AI was at odds with the company's environmental messaging.

Being careful about AI

(Image credit: AlLTrails)

"Great question. That's something we think about with every feature we build," Graham told me.

"Our data scientists take time to build features like this more efficiently... We think about the size of the model, and for many of our features, we don’t need to use the largest, highest-intensity model possible, so we don’t always use the top-of-the-line model which consumes the most energy. We’re very deliberate with how we use it."

AllTrails, it seems, tries to mitigate the impact of AI's power consumption and enormous cooling requirements by using smaller, more efficient models specifically developed to implement its features with minimal impact. But Graham also thinks that as AI evolves, its demands will decrease, telling me, "As new technology comes out, we’re already seeing the energy cost of using AI is going down, and we believe that trend will continue,"

While the energy demands for each individual instance of AI use may decrease, the increasing overall usage of AI could offset these savings. A January 2025 MIT report states that data centers already account for 1-2% of global energy usage: by 2030, this could reportedly reach up to 21% due to the demands placed on AI.

If more developers used smaller models and more energy-efficient processes we might avert this dire prediction. However, while the AI tools used by AllTrails look impressive, and are designed to spur more people to spend more time outside, which can be to the benefit of environmental causes, concerns will persist about AI's wider usage, and what it really means to 'leave no trace'.

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It's almost time to look up again. A new trailer for James Gunn's Superman movie will be released very soon, and I couldn't be more excited to see more of one of this year's most anticipated new movies.

As confirmed by Gunn on social media (see below), the DC Universe (DCU) film's official trailer will make its debut this Wednesday (May 14). The new teaser is expected to be shown during Warner Bros' Upfronts 2025 presentation first before being released online immediately after.

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)

A photo posted by on

Story spoilers notwithstanding, there's plenty of new footage that Gunn could tease in Superman's next trailer. The DCU Chapter One flick reportedly has a runtime of around two and a half hours, so we should be treated to lots of new shots to pore over and theorize about.

Ahead of its release, here are three things I want to see, plus something I think should be avoided in Superman's official trailer.

1. Speak up

Let's hear the likes of Lois Lane (left) talk in the next trailer (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Studios)

The first trailer for Gunn's Superman movie, which arrived last December, was full of great moments. However, aside from a couple of lines uttered by David Corenswet, who plays Clark Kent/the titular Kryptonian, we didn't hear any of the film's other cast members speak.

Superman's next teaser should rectify this. Its initial batch of footage was also about setting up the tone and vibe that Gunn is aiming for with his latest feature flick.

With that firmly established now, it's time that we heard what the likes of Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor sound like, including whether they've imbued their takes on these iconic characters with accents we might not have expected.

Update: since this article went live, a 15-second teaser for Superman's next trailer contains a brief clip of Hoult's Luthor speaking. All he says is "Super...man" but, hey, it's something to tide us over until tomorrow!

2. Less Superman, more Clark Kent

How much of Superman's everyday life will we see in his latest big-screen outing? (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Surprising no one, the first Superman teaser trailer largely comprised clips of Clark Kent performing superhero acts. We all want to see the eponymous hero doing good, after all.

That said, some of the best Superman stories, literary or otherwise, have explored his civilian life as much as his heroic deeds. So, I'd like to see the film's next round of footage show us more of Clark's life outside of his superhero exploits.

The first trailer suggested Gunn will lean into that everyday aspect of the character, including Clark's day job as a roving reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper and spending time at home with his adoptive human parents. However, it's unclear how much of his civilian life will be examined in Superman, so some new footage of this wouldn't go amiss in its next trailer.

3. Justice for the Justice League International

Metamorpho is one of many supporting characters who'll appear in Superman (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Ahead of the first trailer's release, we'd seen how some of Supes' fellow heroes would look in this flick. Indeed, leaked images of Edi Gathegi's Mister Terrific last June were followed by first-look snaps of Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion's Hal Jordan/Green Lantern a week or so later.

Superman's inaugural trailer, though, was pretty light on giving us better looks at these characters and another superpowered being in Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho. In fact, apart from a couple of blink and you'll miss it shots, they were largely absent from said trailer.

With this quartet set to play supporting roles – we're not sure how much they'll appear, mind you – in Superman, it would be nice if the movie's next trailer showed more of them in action and/or conversing with the Man of Steel himself. I certainly expect there to be some melodrama between this corporately managed super-team and Supes, so give us a taste of what that'll look like, please, Mister Gunn.

4. More Krypto

Who's a good boy!? Yes, you are! (Image credit: DC Studios)

Season 1 of Creature Commandos might have been the first DCU project to be released, but Superman is being positioned as the project that officially kickstarts the DCU when it's released this July.

Gunn and company are labeling the build-up to the film's release as the 'Summer of Superman', too. But, while the Son of Krypton is the movie's lead, there's no denying that he was (and likely will continue to be) upstaged by his boisterous canine companion Krypto between now and launch day.

We've known that Krypto would appear in Superman since leaked images of Mister Terrific tracking him down surfaced in July 2024. Krypto has won everyone's hearts since then, with Kent's most loyal friend stealing the show in Superman's first trailer and latest clip that revealed a jaw-dropping look at the Fortress of Solitude.

Clearly, Krypto is one of Superman's most marketable assets, so it makes sense to put him front and center of any and all promotional materials ahead of the film's release. I fully expect, then, to see more of the unruly, overexcitable pup when trailer #2 drops online.

5. No rehashed footage

Please don't show us clips that we've seen previously... (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

As I mentioned earlier, Superman will seemingly clock in at around 150 minutes when it flies into theaters in less than two months' time. Sure, its runtime could change between now and then as Gunn locks in its final cut, but let's not worry ourselves about that right now.

If one of the best superhero movies (potentially, anyway) of 2025 is that long, its latest trailer is a prime opportunity to show us plenty of new, non-spoiler-filled footage. It's my hope, then, that trailer #2 won't contain any prior clips or sequences we've seen in its predecessor or other marketing materials.

That said, I expect a shot or two will be reused from the first trailer. It's a rarity for new teasers to be made up of completely new footage we haven't seen before, but it would make for a refreshing change if Superman's latest trailer didn't rehash footage from its forebear. You've got plenty of footage at your disposal, Mister Gunn, so use it!

Superman takes flight in theaters worldwide on Friday, July 11.

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• LayerX says enterprises are using tens of extensions daily
• Many are built by anonymous individuals
• Some have extensive permissions, putting sensitive data at risk

Browser extensions are increasing the attack surface, putting employees and businesses at risk. This is according to the 2025 Enterprise Browser Extension Security Report, a new paper published by LayerX, a cybersecurity company specializing in securing web browsing for enterprises.

The document was drafted by combining data from public extension marketplaces and real-world enterprise usage telemetry, LayerX said.

The improvements extensions bring to everyday browsing are undeniable, LayerX said, describing them as “ubiquitous”. Virtually all enterprises (99%) have at least one installed, and more than half of analyzed organizations (52%) are running more than ten extensions.

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Extensions add risk

Extensions are pieces of software that add features or functionality to web browsers. These can be anything from blocking ads, managing passwords, to enhancing productivity. They can be built by both companies and independent (and anonymous!) developers, and can be found in browser-specific stores like the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons site.

However, the researchers also claim they are dangerous, since 53% of installed extensions in enterprise environments have ‘high’ or ‘critical’ risk permissions, allowing access to sensitive data. Also, more than 20% of enterprise employees are now using GenAI extensions, more than half (58%) of which also have ‘high’ or ‘critical’ permissions.

Trouble is further compounded by the fact that the identity of the extension’s developer is, in many cases, unknown. More than half (54%) of extensions are published anonymously, and 79% of publishers have only released one extension, “making trust assessment extremely challenging”. Finally, 51% of extensions haven’t received an update in more than a year, while 26% are sideloaded, bypassing security vetting.

To mitigate the threat, enterprises should audit all browser extensions, categorize them to understand their risk profiles, and enumerate and analyze their permissions “meticulously,” LayerX suggested. They should also perform comprehensive risk assessments and enforce adaptive, risk-based security policies.

Via BleepingComputer

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• The new owner of VPNSecure has cancelled all ongoing lifetime subscriptions, provoking a backlash among existing customers
• All lifetime deal accounts have been deactivated as of April 28, 2025, "to continue providing a secure and high-quality experience for all users"
• It isn't clear who's currently operating VPNSecure at the time of writing

Does a lifetime VPN subscription really last forever? Those purchased by VPNSecure users certainly didn't live up to their promise.

The new owner of the virtual private network (VPN) provider recently decided to cancel all ongoing lifetime VPN subscriptions, provoking backlash among existing customers.

VPNSecure deactivated all Lifetime Deal accounts on April 28, 2025. It did so, "to continue providing a secure and high-quality experience for all users," the provider explains in an email shared by an impacted account holder on Reddit, who claimed to have received it the day the account stopped working.

TechRadar needs you! We want to know what you think about the world of VPNs. Whether you're a novice or a VPN pro, we want to hear your thoughts. Don't worry, though, your responses are completely anonymous, and it takes less than five minutes to complete!

To take part, click the link below: https://futurenet.questionpro.eu/tr-vpn

The VPNSecure saga

As we can understand from the aforementioned email and public responses that the provider shared on Trustpilot, VPNSecure changed ownership in May 2023.

As part of the transaction, the new company acquired the technology, the domain name, and the customer database – "but not the liabilities," the provider reiterates in almost all the communications seen by TechRadar.

"Unfortunately, the previous owner did not disclose that thousands of Lifetime Deals (LTDs) had been sold through platforms like StackSocial," reads the VPNSecure email, adding that the team discovered this only months after the acquisition.

Interestingly, while a wave of angry customers inundated the provider's Trustpilot page with bad reviews since April 28 (the day VPNSecure allegedly axed all LTDs), some customers began lamenting that their lifetime VPN subscription stopped working way before that.

TechRadar could see that the first of such complaints goes back to May 2023, when VPN Secure changed ownership. The new owner, however, replied to this and other comments only starting from April 28. See image below:

(Image credit: Future)

Another opaque point of the story concerns the current ownership of VPNSecure.

TechRadar contacted InfiniteQuant Ltd, the company listed at the bottom of the VPNSecure website at the time of writing. The firm, however, replied by saying that it has no affiliation with VPNSecure. It said to have filed a formal complaint with the VPN provider, but has not received a response.

Ars Technica, which first reported on the news, also received a similar response with the company pointing out that InfiniteQuant Ltd (the supposedly VPNSecure owner, based in the Bahamas) isn't the same company as InfiniteQuant Capital Ltd, based in the British Virgin Islands.

We contacted the VPNSecure team by email, but we are still waiting for a response at the time of publication.

What we do know, though, is that VPNSecure appears not to have offered any refunds so far, but only one-time exclusive deals on other VPN plans to those affected.

If you're looking for an alternative VPN choice, I strongly recommend checking our best VPN page, with today's top recommendation being NordVPN. Proton VPN is also a great alternative if you aren't ready to give your money to another VPN company, as it offers a reliable free VPN service, too.

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Nothing has just announced that it's partnering with British hi-fi institution KEF on new audio products that are "the next step in expanding Nothing’s audio journey," according to Andrew Freshwater, Head of Smart Products Marketing at Nothing. The new products are due "later this year."

This kind of partnership between electronics manufacturers and hi-fi firms has a long history, and is littered with plenty of disappointments as well as successes.

I was never sure we got that much from LG and Meridian Audio working together, and Belkin's collaboration with Devialet (arguably not really a hi-fi company, but still) never produced anything I liked. But TCL's work with Onkyo on TV speakers was successful (and the company is now partnering with Bang & Olufsen), while the tie-in between Philips TVs and Bowers & Wilkins produced some stunning results.

(Panasonic's long history of delivering sound tuned by Technics in its products doesn't count; it's cheating if you own the hi-fi company in question.)

I'm optimistic about this collaboration, though, because Nothing has shown itself to be a lot more serious about good audio quality in the last year or so, and KEF has a history of making headphones that sound very fine, but couldn't compete on smart features.

(Image credit: Future)

We were blown away by how good the sound in the Nothing Ear (a) is for the price, and we still rate them as being among the best earbuds around today, with a five-star score.

And the slightly more expensive Nothing Ear are crammed with smart features that work well, and are a strong value. If Nothing is thinking of going higher-end with new earbuds – or perhaps competing with the best over-ear headphones – KEF's a good partner to help ensure the sound is up to standard, while Nothing provides the features.

Not that KEF has a terrible record in smart features – the wireless KEF LSX II LT speakers got a cool five stars in our review.

Let's get fantastical

I also wouldn't be surprised at all if Nothing gets into the world of the best Bluetooth speakers, which could be a real hit if they keep the company's cool see-through aesthetic – and KEF's experience with loudspeakers would obviously be a massive benefit.

Although this is perhaps unlikely for a launch late in the year, since companies generally try to get Bluetooth speakers launched ready for spring/summer in the northern hemisphere.

However, my dream product from this collaboration would be an affordable wireless speaker design that includes KEF's Uni-Q driver. This speaker design puts a tweeter speaker right in the center of the larger woofer dynamic driver, with the idea being that this helps to perfectly align their sound for one unified outcome with big dynamic range. It also gives KEF's speaker their awesome, simple looks.

The KEF Uni-Q driver (Image credit: Future)

I strongly suspect that either KEF would like to keep Uni-Q to itself, or that it would be too expensive to implement – or both.

My money is on KEF doing sound tuning and design advice for Nothing's own designs – but that could be enough to make a big impact. The Nothing Ear (a) already kicked Sony off its perch as the king of value earbuds for us.

Is there something coming for Sony's more premium headphones next, or JBL's portable speakers? Or both – Nothing's statement says that there are "several acoustically co-developed products already in progress".

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• Organisations are spending more on cybersecurity, but that doesn't mean they're confident
• 67% of firms experienced a data security breach in the last 24 months
• Almost a third suffered a breach of data as a result

Most companies (67%) have experienced a data breach in the last 24 months, despite an increase in spending, new research from Pentera shows, with 24% experiencing a breach in the last 12 months, and 43% in the last 12 months.

During these breaches, the most common disruption suffered was unplanned downtime, with 36% of breached organizations impacted. Many firms also suffered a breach of data (30%) and financial loss (28%), showing just how damaging security breaches can be.

Of those who disclosed the impacts of the breach, a shocking 76% reported an impact on the confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability of their data - with only 24% reporting no significant impact.

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Low confidence

Confidence in cyber support for the private sector is low, with only 14% confident in their government’s cybersecurity support - with 64% of CISOs reporting that the government is giving aid to protect the private sector, but it’s not enough.

US enterprises spent an average of $187,000 annually on penetration testing, or ‘pentesting’, simulating cyberattacks against their own systems to test for vulnerabilities - this amounts to just over 10% of the total IT security budgets, but over 50% of CISOs say they will increase this in 2025.

Changes to company infrastructure, like added users, new configurations, and permission updates, are happening at a much faster rate than security validation, with 96% of US enterprises report making such changes “on at least a quarterly basis, yet only 30% are pentesting at the same frequency,” the report suggests.

“The pace of change in enterprise environments has made traditional testing methods unsustainable,” said Jason Mar-Tang, Field CISO at Pentera.

“96% of organizations are making changes to their IT environment at least quarterly. Without automation and technology-driven validation, it's nearly impossible to keep up. The report’s findings reinforce the need for scalable security validation strategies that meet the speed and complexity of today’s environments.”

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• Last week, Anonymous defaced GlobalX's website
• The hacktivists said GlobalX was targeted for deporting illegal aliens
• The company now reported the breach to the SEC

GlobalX, an American airline involved in the Trump administration’s deportation of illegal aliens from the US into El Salvador, Venezuela, and elsewhere, confirmed suffering a cyberattack earlier this month.

In a new 8-K form filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), GlobalX said it “learned of unauthorized activity within its computer networks and systems supporting portions of its business applications,” on May 5, 2025. The company responded by activating its incident response protocol and bringing in third-party cybersecurity experts to assist with containment and mitigation. It also started investigating the nature and scope of the incident, and “took actions” to contain and isolate the affected servers. The police were notified, as well.

GlobalX says it’s currently still investigating the attack, but believes that none of its operations were disrupted or otherwise negatively impacted. The company does not expect the incident to have a material effect, it concluded.

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Anon strikes

Last week, 404 Media reported that GlobalX was attacked by hacktivists Anonymous, who defaced the company’s homepage and allegedly stole sensitive data. They left a message on the homepage, saying they “decided to enforce the Judge’s order since you and your sycophant staff ignore lawful orders that go against your fascist plans.”

They were referring to multiple court rulings which confirmed that some of those on the flights should not have been deported to El Salvador, and which ordered the Trump administration to bring those people back.

As for the stolen files, the media reported that Anonymous apparently grabbed flight records and passenger manifests for all customers, illegal immigrants included. This was not confirmed, though.

The group shared the information with some members of the media on their own initiative, 404 Media added, also saying that the info could be used to provide “granular insight into who exactly has been deported on GlobalX flights, when, and to where.”

Via The Register

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