Technology

• McDonald's recently introduced a new hiring platform called McHire
• It uses an AI-powered chatbot that collects resumes, CVs, and contact data
• Researchers managed to easily log into the backend and obtain all of the data stored by the AI

A third-party supply chain vulnerability exposed sensitive data on 64 million people who applied to work with McDonald’s, experts have claimed.

The company recently introduced a new AI-powered hiring platform, courtesy of partners Paradox.ai. Called McHire, it featured Olivia, an AI-powered chatbot that screens applicants, gathers their contact information, CVs and resumes, and makes them do a personality test.

The dedicated website, McHire.com, had a login link, which two security researchers - Ian Carroll and Sam Curry - used to log into the backend. They tried guessing the password, and after a first failed attempt (going with “admin” for both username and password fields), they succeeded on the second one - using “123456” in both fields.

Plugging the hole

Although it might come as a shock to some, Carroll told Wired easy-to-guess passwords such as this one are “more common than you’d think.”

Indeed, over the years, there were countless reports from security experts, warning about the use of passwords such as “password”, “iloveyou”, “123456”, “qwerty”, and similar.

Reaching the backend, they accessed all the data harvested by the platform, including personally identifiable information shared in CVs and resumes: names, email addresses, and phone numbers. In total, 64 million records were exposed.

While stealing names, emails, and phone numbers might not sound like much, cybercriminals can use it to create highly convincing phishing attacks, especially knowing that the victims applied for a job at McDonald’s at some point.

This can lead to more destructive malware and ransomware attacks, identity theft, and even wire fraud.

As soon as the discovery was made, Paradox was notified and quickly plugged the hole. The company told Wired that “only a fraction of the records” the researchers accessed contained personal information, and that the hole was not previously spotted by anyone else.

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Microsoft Outlook is recovering after a major outage affected users around the world.

Outage reports began to spike for the widely-used email provider earlier today, with Microsoft confirming an issue not long after.

After several hours, the outage now seems to be ending, but here's everything we know so far...

• Check out the best secure email providers as well

Microsoft Outlook appears to be suffering a significant outage, with users across the world unable to access the platform.

Outage reports began to surface a few minutes ago, with Outlook.com apparently unavailable.

That's quite the spike in outage reports, courtesy of DownDetector.com!

(Image credit: DownDetector)

So what has Microsoft said so far?

Its official status platform confirms there is an issue with Outlook.com, so at least the company is aware of the issue.

"Users may be unable to access their mailbox using any connection methods," the page says.

"We're continuing to apply the configuration changes to fix the underlying problem and completing additional validation efforts to ensure authentication components are properly configured. In parallel to the current deployment of the configuration change fix, we're reviewing options to leverage an expedited deployment methodology in regions which are experiencing the highest levels of impact to provide the most effective relief where possible."

It adds impacted connection methods include, but may not be limited to:

- Outlook.com

- Outlook Mobile

- Outlook desktop client

For anyone trying alternate ways to try and log in to Outlook, it's worth noting Microsoft saying the outage affects the platform on web, mobile and desktop - so you might be out of luck!

This outage comes just as the East Coast of the US clocks in for the day, so it could mean a disrupted start for workers...

It's interesting to note Microsoft has yet to update its official Outlook, Windows and Microsoft accounts on X.

Reports of Microsoft Outlook going down first appeared more than 12 hours ago - but there's still nothing...

However the Microsoft Outlook Twitter account hasn't actually posted since June 11, so it may be that it's not active any more anyways!

As we try to find out more - here's some thoughts from Desire Athow, Managing Editor here at TechRadar Pro...

"Microsoft says that its Outlook desktop client, the popular Microsoft email client that is usually bundled with Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365), is also down, which is a bit of a surprise. No other Microsoft products are currently impacted by the downtime which leaves me to believe that it may be something to do with the email middleware itself rather than a more widespread data center infrastructure."

An update from Microsoft from its official status page - where the outage has now been upgraded from a "warning" to an official issues;

"We're continuing to apply the configuration changes to fix the underlying problem and completing additional validation efforts to ensure authentication components are properly configured. In parallel to the current deployment of the configuration change fix, we're reviewing options to leverage an expedited deployment methodology in regions which are experiencing the highest levels of impact to provide the most effective relief where possible."

Microsoft has promised another update by 4.30pm UTC - so in about an hour's time - but while it works, outage reports keep on rising.

(Image credit: DownDetector)

We've spotted the official Microsoft 365 Status Twitter feed is providing much more information on the outage - here's what it has to say...

We're currently investigating an issue impacting https://t.co/yThFCaxMLE. Please see our service health page for further details: https://t.co/48OL20htnj.July 10, 2025

We're now entering the second hour of the outage, and it seems thousands of users are still unable to access Outlook.com, on web and mobile.

There's no concrete updates from Microsoft - so we're sitting and waiting to see how this will go.

If you're just joining us - a quick recap...

Users have been complaining about a major outage in Outlook for the last few hours - coinciding with the start of the working day in the US.

The outage affects Outlook on web and mobile, and has been going on for some time - Microsoft says it is working on a fix, but outage reports remain high.

We may finally be reaching a turning point - nearly three hours in, and outage reports are finally beginning to drop at last.

There's still no further comment from Microsoft, but this could be the beginning of the end (we hope)...

(Image credit: DownDetector)

Here we are - Microsoft thinks it has finally fixed the issue at last! Anyone affected should be seeing a solution soon, we hope.

Our configuration changes have effectively resolved impact in targeted infrastructure. We’re now deploying the changes worldwide to resolve impact for all users. For more information, please see https://t.co/j9reNyhJlq.July 10, 2025

Outage reports are falling fast on DownDetector, so this is likely the end of the issues.

We're going to stay tracking for a little while longer, but Microsoft says users and admins should now be able to continue operating as normal.

One final update from Microsoft - for admins this time.

Impacted Enterprise admins can also access updates and additional information on this issue by viewing EX1112414 in the Microsoft 365 admin center.July 10, 2025

• Fortnite's Blitz Royale mode has been extended by four weeks
• Starting July 15, new weekly updates will be added that will include new abilities, locations, and surprise collaborations
• Fans are hoping that this means Epic is considering making the mode permanent

Epic Games has extended Fortnite's Blitz Royale play period by four more weeks, making fans wonder if the studio plans on making the mode a permanent feature.

Blitz Royale, a fast-paced, 32-player version of regular Battle Royale matches that only last for five minutes, was added to the game last month. But what was sure to be a limited-time game mode could potentially stick around for good.

In a new social media post, Epic Games announced that "four more weeks of updates" are on the way, with the first beginning on July 15.

The developer also teased that new abilities, locations, like Mega City, and surprise collaborations will be dropping over the next month.

It’s all about that Blitz - four more weeks of updates comin’ your way!New loot drops, new map updates, new surprise collabs! pic.twitter.com/GqNIDkxZtpJuly 9, 2025

With Epic Games extending the Blitz Royale, players are curious to see if this means the game mode will become a permanent fixture of the popular online shooter.

"I love Blitz, it should definitely remain permanent. Wonder if it’ll come to FN as a permanent mode for next season," one user said on the game's subreddit.

It seems that the developer is already considering it, because earlier this month, it released a poll on X / Twitter asking fans what changes they'd like to see besides "make Blitz permanent".

The options include new points of interest, more collaboration items, new Boons and Powers, and "more Megalo Don plz", suggesting that improvements to the game mode are already in the works.

Epic has yet to detail the content of the next month of Blitz Royale, but those who have missed out will be able to jump in in the coming days.

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• The drive covered St. Moritz to Munich without a single charging stop
• Journey included roads, highways, and secondary roads
• Attempt bettered the previous record by almost 100 miles

Lucid now has an official Guinness World Records trophy to add to its cabinet, as its Air Grand Touring model just managed to complete just under 749 miles on a single charge while traveling on public roads.

The record-breaking journey started in St. Moritz, Switzerland and finished in Munich, Germany, with the trip taking in winding mountain passes, fast highway sections and narrow secondary roads in a true display of real-world range.

Lucid is already considered one of the leading figures in electric vehicle efficiency, with the Air Grand Touring boasting an official WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure) range of 960km (596 miles), yet it still manages to deliver some 831hp and a top speed of almost 170mph.

London-based entrepreneur, hyper-miling legend and owner of the world's strongest bladder, Umit Sabanci, was behind the wheel for this attempt, having previously set a Guinness World Record for the most countries visited on a single charge in a production battery electric vehicle, crossing nine countries back in 2024.

Lucid set another @GWR title for the history books.Together with @Umit_Sabanci, we have officially set a new Guinness World Records title for the longest journey by an electric car on a single charge. The Lucid Air Grand Touring covered an astonishing 1,205 kilometers (~ 749… pic.twitter.com/2LeayLnjgcJuly 8, 2025

Lucid claims that Sabanci’s endeavor beat the previous record by around 100 miles and added a mind-boggling 237 miles to the vehicle’s official WLTP range.

This was made possible by some very sensible driving, but also by some clever route selection, with the journey effectively beginning at the top of The Alps and ending a good 4,300ft lower in Munich.

Heavy use of regenerative braking would have helped keep the monster 112kWh batteries brimmed. Although Lucid is keen to point out that its charging technology can add an impressive 248 miles of range in just 16 minutes from the appropriate fast charging outlet, for those not keen on traveling almost 750 miles in one hit.

Lucid leads the way in EV efficiency

(Image credit: Lucid)

The US electric vehicle maker clearly used some clever route-planning to achieve this record-breaking feat, but nothing should be taken away from the company’s dedication to EV performance and efficiency.

Lucid is one of the few to engineer and produce most of its powertrain components, with a laser focus on creating an aerodynamic vehicle that is as light and efficient as possible.

The Air Pure, for example, was one of the first EVs to boast an enviable energy efficiency rating of 5 miles per kWh – you’ll be lucky if you get over 3 miles per kWh in most modern electric cars.

However, this technology is currently reserved for the wealthiest in society, with prices of the Air ranging from $69,900 to over $169,000 in the US.

The company has stated that it plans to produce a more affordable version of its $79,900 (around £59,000 / AU$121,000) Gravity SUV in the near future, which will be based on a new midsize platform and will deliver the same sort of range as competitors, but with a much smaller battery.

This will allow it to compete with the likes of Tesla, offering the Lucid’s renowned efficiencies at a fraction of the current line-up’s price.

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• Italy's Piracy Shield has prompted European lawmakers' scrutiny
• The EU Commission sent a letter to Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs to warn that it may not be compliant with the EU Digital Services Act
• Italy's anti-piracy system has so far led to significant overblocking incidents that sparked strong criticism

Italy's infamous anti-piracy system, Piracy Shield, may be breaching European law.

On June 13, 2025, the EU Commission sent a letter to Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, warning that the Piracy Shield may not be compliant with Digital Services Act (DSA) rules. The system, lawmakers said, may even undermine citizens' fundamental rights to freedom of expression and information as ruled by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Italy's Piracy Shield allows authorities to not only require ISPs, but also VPN and DNS providers, to block suspected pirated content within 30 minutes. A feature praised by rightholders in the country, which also led to significant overblocking incidents and sparked strong criticism across the industry.

What's wrong with Italy's Piracy Shield?

Italy first enforced its Piracy Shield system in February 2024 to prevent citizens from accessing live sports events through pirate sites, especially football matches. To do so, rightsholders can demand that piracy-related domain names and IP addresses suspected of copyright infringement be blocked within 30 minutes.

The Italian anti-piracy system has certainly proven effective so far. Yet, tech companies have been raising concerns with EU authorities about multiple overblocking incidents that have even affected, among others, legitimate Google domains.

Specifically, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) warned against a lack of transparency over the blocking and a lack of support for those sites wrongfully blocked.

These concerns have sparked an EU investigation into the technical details of Italy's anti-piracy system, which has highlighted a few notable issues.

Lawmakers pointed out how the DSA "does not provide a legal basis for the issuing of orders by national administrative or judicial authorities, nor does it regulate the enforcement of such orders," inviting Italian authorities to clarify how these procedures meet DSA requirements in the final text.

(Image credit: Sitade/via Getty Images)

Crucially, the letter also emphasises that "the effective tackling of illegal content must also take into account the fundamental right to freedom of expression and information under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU."

This point is likely linked to Italian communication regulator AGCOM's decision to require DNS and virtual private network (VPN) providers to actively block alleged illegal streams upon request.

Privacy experts and technologists have previously pointed out that targeting VPN providers could have "sweeping consequences" for people's internet security and privacy. A VPN provider (AirVPN) has, in fact, already stopped accepting new Italian subscribers.

"A model of what not to do"

While we need to wait to see whether the EU Commission's comments will change how Italy deals with illegal streaming in the future, that's certainly not an isolated case.

Other European countries have been increasingly using such infrastructure-level blocking against pirated or other harmful content, sparking concerns among the industry.

France, for example, has recently taken a strong stance against VPN providers. After a successful legal action against DNS services in 2024, on May 15, 2025, the Paris Judicial Court backed Canal+'s request and ordered five of TechRadar's best VPN services – NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Proton VPN, and CyberGhost – to block access to 203 domains linked to illegal sports streaming sites.

Spanish sports streaming giants, LaLiga and Telefónica, have also been increasingly issuing IP blocking orders since February 2025. Again, this tactic has led to many overblocking incidents, with Google Fonts, institutional sites, and payment platforms among the legitimate domains mistakenly blocked so far. This is why US-based DNS giant Cloudflare is fighting in court to fix these issues ahead of the next LaLiga season.

Nonetheless, according to the Executive Director of the i2Coalition, Christian Dawson, Italy remains the worst example out there.

Dawson told TechRadar: "The number of problems that we are seeing with Italy's Piracy Shield is remarkable, and we want the rest of Europe to see that as a cautionary tale. We do worry, though, that a lot of other member states are looking to Italy's Piracy Shield as a model, and we think it's a model of exactly what not to do."

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Some Outlook users are currently unable to access their email, either through web browser, mobile app or desktop client.

• Researchers find 245 extensions installed on nearly a million devices
• The extensions could turn devices into web scraping bots for a commercial service
• Researchers warned about major security implications

A new investigation has revealed 245 browser extensions, installed on almost a million devices, have been leading a double life, as besides the operations they were designed for, they were also silently disabling key security protections in the browsers to enable paid web scraping operations.

This is according to security researcher John Tuckner from Security Annex, who found numerous extensions doing different things, from managing bookmarks, to boosting speaker volume. All of them embed a JavaScript library called MellowTel-js, which connects to an external AWS server and collects data about the user’s location, bandwidth, and browser status.

It also injects hidden iframes into the web pages users are visiting, and then loads other websites, chosen by MellowTel’s infrastructure. Furthermore, it strips web security headers, bypasses bot detection, and ultimately - shares bandwidth for profit.

Leveraging unused bandwidth

The JavaScript is tied to a company named Olostep, which promotes itself as a high-performance web scraping API that bypasses bot detection and can send out up to 100,000 parallel requests.

When paying clients submit a target website, Olostep uses the devices running affected extensions to scrape the site, effectively turning the browsers into distributed scraping bots, without the end users’ knowledge, or consent.

Ars Technica found MellowTel’s founder said the library was designed to share user bandwidth without stuffing affiliate links, unrelated ads, or collecting personal data.

“The primary reason why companies are paying for the traffic is to access publicly available data from websites in a reliable and cost-effective way,” he was cited saying, adding that extension developers receive 55%of the revenue, while the rest went to MellowTel.

Despite claims of a privacy-friendly way to monetize unused bandwidth, critics argue it exposes users to serious privacy and security risks, especially in enterprise environments. In its writeup, CyberInsider says the scale and architecture of the system makes it “ripe for abuse” by threat actors.

“The use of real browser sessions, potentially behind corporate VPNs or inside private networks, introduces profound risks. These include the potential for unauthorized internal resource access, impersonation of legitimate traffic, and degradation of browser security due to the removal of enforced headers.”

Some extensions have been removed or deactivated after being flagged for malware, while others cleaned up the controversial code in recent updates. Many remain active, and users are advised to review the full list of extensions found here.

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Byeon Woo-seok is set to take on the lead role of Jinwoo in Netflix’s freshly announced live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling. While we’ve got no further details on the project as of yet, the anime’s success means the K-drama will likely enter the ranks of the best Netflix shows of all time.

If you’ve signed up for Crunchyroll during the Prime Day deals in the US, you’ll know Solo Leveling isn’t actually a Netflix IP. The anime streaming service already hosts the first two seasons of the original series alongside -ReAwakening, the 2024 movie that offers a recap of the first season along with a sneak peek of the first two episodes of season 2.

Solo Leveling will be a live-action K-drama, but fans of the anime – like me – might be worried about the incredibly vague third season… and there’s good reason to be.

Netflix’s live-action Solo Leveling could delay season 3 of the anime

Jinoo in Solo Leveling. (Image credit: Crunchyroll)

After Solo Leveling season 2 wrapped up in March, there’s been absolutely no word on whether season 3 will exist, let alone when we’ll be able to see it. From a storyline perspective, we know it should return, with Jinwoo last seen deciding to stay on Jeju Island to fight off the remaining ants that terrorised the area. We know from the manga that the Jeju Island Arc is a springboard for more action, so technically there’s more than enough story to tell.

So why hasn’t Crunchyroll announced anything? The answer is unknown, but if there’s crossover between the webtoon, anime and live-action teams, the Netflix adaptation could now be a roadblock for season 3 progress. We don’t have an expected release date for either, but at least there’s confirmation that the upcoming K-drama exists.

If industry guesses are correct, the earliest we could see Solo Leveling season 3 would be in late 2026, leaning into 2027 worst case. Of course, this all hinges on whether it’s actually announced, with animation producer Atsushi Kaneko alluding to potential planning for it in a behind-the-scenes YouTube video for Crunchyroll. Still, no official news is no news at all.

Annoyingly, we’ve got a bunch of questions that the anime desperately needs to answer. What are the mysterious creatures that arrived at the end of season 2? What does Jinwoo’s dad want? Will Beru overpower him or turn against him? Will we ever get answers? Hopefully. But we’re likely to relive Jinwoo’s season 1 story all over again in live-action first.

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EveryPlate has the cheapest meal kits but are they any good? Three CNET editors tried the budget-friendly service to see how it compared with more expensive options.

This new co-op shooter combines fluid movement, hero skills and crunchy-feeling gunplay to great effect.

The company says it's making a minor change in how it pays video creators, but it could have big implications for viewers.

• Filming has wrapped on Daredevil: Born Again season 2
• Its showrunner and stunt co-ordinator confirmed the news on social media
• The Marvel TV show is slated to return on Disney+ in early 2026

Hear that, Marvel fans? It's the unexpected sound of filming wrapping on Daredevil: Born Again season 2.

Taking to Instagram today (July 10), showrunner Dario Scardapane and stunt co-ordinator Philip Silvera confirmed principal photography had concluded on the show's second season. That means it took just four months to shoot the Disney+ series' next entry.

A post shared by Dario Scardapane (@dariojscardapane)

A photo posted by on

Of course, there's plenty more work to be done on Daredevil: Born Again's sophomore chapter before it debuts on one of the world's best streaming services. Nevertheless, it's a remarkably quick turnaround for this season's round of filming and indicates it'll be ready to air sometime in early 2026.

We already know that Daredevil's standalone show will launch on Disney+ in the first few months of next year, too. Posting on Instagram in mid-April, Scardapane confirmed it'll be with us in March 2026. Let's hope that's still the case and it doesn't suffer the same fate as other Marvel projects, such as Avengers: Doomsday, whose release date was recently pushed back seven months to December 2026.

What do we know so far about Daredevil: Born Again season 2?

Krysten Ritter will reprise her role as Jessica Jones from Netflix's Marvel TV Universe in Born Again season 2 (Image credit: Marvel / Netflix)

Aside from its seemingly concrete release window, we've learned other tidbits about one of the best Disney+ shows' second installment since Born Again season 1 ended.

The headline news is that season 2 will feature the return of Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones. Like Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Ritter's fan-favorite portrayal of the heavy drinking, hard-hitting private investigator was a fixture of the Marvel TV shows that originally aired on Netflix. The pair even shared screen time in The Defenders, a street-level team-up miniseries whose biggest highlight was the natural rapport between Cox and Ritter. Unsurprisingly, then, fans can't wait to see the duo reunite and fire more humor-laced barbs at each other in the Marvel Phase 6 project.

That casting news aside, we know season 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV Original will comprise eight episodes and should pick up immediately after last season's finale. Refresh your memory on that front by reading my Daredevil: Born Again season 1 ending explained piece and then check out my ultimate guide on Daredevil: Born Again season 2 for more on what to expect from cast and plot perspectives.

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• Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is coming to PS5 and PS5 Pro "in late 2025"
• The PS5 version will utilize DualSense controller features, including haptic feedback and adaptive triggers
• Additional technical enhancements for the PS5 Pro version are now in development

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is officially coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro later this year.

Developer GSC World made the announcement in the most low-key way possible on X / Twitter, posting, "OK. One like and we announce S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 for PlayStation 5."

The post, which garnered 28,000 likes, was followed by another, more official statement that confirmed that the game will finally be coming to PS5 and PS5 Pro "in late 2025". You can wishlist the game now.

GSC World also said in its announcement video that the PS5 version "will fully utilize DualSense controller features, including haptic feedback and adaptive triggers for deeper player immersion."

For the PS5 Pro version, "technical enhancements" are also in development, but the studio didn't describe what those could be.

If we're to guess, the game could offer the hardware's PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) AI-upscaling technology, which would make significant improvements to graphics.

Stalker 2 first launched on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC last year.

In TechRadar Gaming's four-star review, Echo Apsey called Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl "one of the most haunting and atmospheric survival games of this generation".

"Small bugs and AI issues here and there mean that it is a little rough around the edges but the game’s world, atmosphere, and combat are breathtaking," Apsey wrote. "Stalker 2 holds nothing back and forces you to play by its rules and is all the more refreshing because of it."

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• AI is enhancing productivity at Microsoft - and could be threatening jobs after all
• The company says it saved $500 million by using AI in call centers
• Microsoft has laid off thousands of workers in 2025 alone

Microsoft has declared that artificial intelligence is now saving the company money across sales, customer services and software engineering.

Reports have claimed that in a recent company meeting, Microsoft's Chief Commercial Officer Judson Althoff revealed the company has saved over $500 million in its call centers alone, thanks to the implementation of artificial intelligence, while simultaneously improving employee and customer satisfaction.

AI's direct effects on the workforce remain uncertain, but Microsoft has laid off thousands of workers recently since overhiring during the pandemic, and it seems AI-induced efficiency gains have only worsened the effects.

Microsoft is making huge savings thanks to AI

Artificial intelligence is now handling Microsoft interactions with smaller customers, generating tens of millions in revenue with reduced human input.

Apart from using AI in customer-facing roles, Microsoft has also rolled out generative AI coding tools across new product development and existing updates. Around one-third of Microsoft code is now AI-generated, putting the company on par with its fellow tech giant, Google.

With Microsoft due to release its latest quarterly report soon, we're yet to see how financial performance has been affected by its use of AI.

However, last quarter the company posted a 13% increase in revenue, with CEO Satya Nadella commenting, "From AI infra and platforms to apps, we are innovating across the stack to deliver for our customers."

Microsoft has been in a battle for pole position as the world's most valuable company in recent months. Though often overtaken by Nvidia, it remains several billion dollars ahead of Apple.

More broadly, Microsoft isn't the only company making productivity gains. Salesforce, a company that has also been going in hard on generative AI and agentic AI, now reports that around 30% of its internal work is handled by artificial intelligence.

Via Bloomberg

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• Google just launched photo-to-video capabilities in Veo 3
• Now you can ask Gemini to transform a photo into an eight-second video
• Available for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, the feature rollout starts today

Google just added a new powerful tool to its Gemini Veo 3 image generation feature that allows users to turn still photos into videos, and it's pretty incredible.

Available for Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers, you'll now be able to transform static photos into dynamic videos directly from within the Gemini app on the web. Google says the features will roll out to iOS and Android throughout the rest of the week.

Google is yet to confirm when, or if, Veo 3 will become available to free users, although you can get three months of Veo 3 for free with a Google Cloud trial.

The new photo-to-video feature will create an eight-second 720p video clip and can even add audio to make the video even more realistic.

Google's Veo 3 is the best video generation tool on the market, outshining even OpenAI's Sora at the time of writing. Now, with this added functionality that allows users to turn their photo memories into videos, Veo 3 is better than ever before.

How to bring your photos to life with Veo 3

You can see some examples of Veo 3's new feature above, and trying it out is pretty straightforward. Just follow these steps:

1. Click tools in the Gemini prompt bar
2. Select Video
3. Upload a photo
4. Describe the motion and audio (including dialogue, sound effects, and ambient noise

This new feature is so easy to use, and the results are pretty impressive. Considering that less than a year ago, we couldn't even generate videos using AI, the power of Gemini and Veo 3 is staggering.

Veo 3's ability to sync audio to moving images and create videos of your photos from a prompt makes this a welcome addition to the world of AI video generation.

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• Leaks from Chinese car bloggers suggest potent model is on the way
• A 2,000hp EV would eclipse the mighty SU7 Ultra’s 1,500 horsepower
• Only the Rimac Nevera R boasts more than that figure but costs millions

Alongside an increasingly competitive EV market, China is also seemingly embroiled in a power struggle, as a number of the country’s most popular manufacturers are turning towards performance stats as the latest way to convince buyers to part with their cash. And now Zeekr is rumored to be launching a new model that will set a new high bar for EV performance.

Zeeker’s 001 FR model already sits towards the top of the high performance tree, boasting some 1,300hp and the ability to rocket from a standstill to 62mph in just over two seconds. All of this for 769,000 yuan — or around $107,000 / £79,000 / AU$164,000.

The quad motor drivetrain and 100kWh battery pair up to produce scintillating performance statistics, but a number of high-profile bloggers have taken to Chinese social media to declare that an updated version is already on the way and that it is slated to develop in excess of 2,000hp.

Car News China reported that several high profile bloggers and influencers took to Weibo to declare that Zeekr is preparing an updated version, presumably to take back its high performance crown from Xiaomi, which recently introduced the 1,500hp SU7 Ultra – a vehicle that toppled Nurburgring lap times set by the world’s most famous automakers.

The Chinese automotive news outlet goes on to state that Zeekr’s new model is expected to feature revised exterior styling, numerous weight-saving measures and uprated suspension and brakes to handle such power.

Despite only being four years old, Zeekr already offers a line-up of seven vehicles in China (with around four or five in Asian and European markets), including a 001 model to suit most budgets and tastes.

These range from a luxurious long-distance cruiser to the recently-announced 001 Sport model that will be the first taste of its performance for customers outside of its domestic market.

Limited to just 250 units, the 001 Sport will accelerate from 0-62mph in under four seconds, offer bespoke sports styling and deliver 544hp, as well as 363 miles of range. It is already available to order in a number of European countries.

China is coming for the performance crown

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

It is telling that the $2.6million Rimac Nevera R is among the few electric hypercars that can better Zeeker’s proposed 2,000hp monster, as Chinese automotive manufacturers are repeatedly ripping up the rulebook.

Need more examples? Well, tech giant Xiaomi’s recently-launched SU7 Ultra managed to translate some 1,550hp to the road and still cost just $73,000 – a far cry from the $231,995 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, which is arguably its only current competitor.

Both ends of the EV spectrum are being bludgeoned by Chinese competition at the moment, whether that’s the cheaper everyday stuff that is currently challenging Tesla’s dominance or the high-performance market that was once the reserve of Porsche, BMW, Audi and more.

Granted, those 'legacy' automakers still arguably produce the better driver's cars, but the gap is rapidly narrowing. Zeekr's recently-launched European 7X is a great example of this.

But even Zeekr made the mistake of boldly proclaiming that “competitors wouldn’t be able to build this in five years” after launching the original 001 FR, only for Xiaomi to respond and better it in under two.

The pace of progress in the Chinese EV market is staggering and, despite the recent efforts made by most western automakers, it’s difficult not to think they are still drastically lagging behind.

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Apple TV+ has released the first trailer for The Morning Show season 4, which confirms that the hit workplace drama will return to the streaming service on September 17. While details of the new TV show are largely kept under wraps, we know there’s been a time jump since the season 3 ending, picking up after the UBA-NBN merger was finalized.

After Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) turned herself into the FBI for concealing evidence about her brother’s actions on the January 6th insurrection, Alex (Jennifer Aniston) broke off her relationship with Paul (Jon Hamm) for having Bradley tailed in the lead-up to the season 3 finale. While their bond is strong, Alex and Bradley’s careers have never been further apart… and that sets us up for some riveting drama in season 4.

As the trailer explains, new episodes will be focused on the “truth coming out”, and that means more tension behind the camera than there is in front. Frankly, that’s exactly the type of scandal we want to see, and one new character (blink and you’ll miss her) could well be at its beating heart.

Marion Cotillard gets first look in The Morning Show season 4 trailer

Enter Oscar winner and all-around incredible talent Marion Cotillard, who’s set to play Celine Dumont in The Morning Show season 4. You can catch her 48 seconds into the trailer, seen telling Alex through a glass window, “I like to know who’s an ally and who’s a liability.”

All we know for certain is that Celine is a “savvy operator from a storied European family,” though it’s unclear if she’s friend or foe to Alex and Bradley. It almost doesn’t matter for two reasons: firstly, any bad blood is going to make amazing TV for us, and secondly, any time Cotillard is on screen is one to appreciate.

If you were to ask me, Cotillard is one of those actresses who is supposedly beloved by Hollywood, but completely underutilised. After her Best Actress Academy Award win for playing Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose in 2008, her career-defining leading roles have been few and far between. We had Inception in 2010, 2011’s Contagion and about a million Chanel perfume commercials, but her global reign ran undeservedly cold.

The Morning Show has made a smart move with this casting, and fans are about to reap all the benefits. Beautifully toeing the line between seductive and mysterious, Cotillard’s suspense in any scene holds us in the palm of our hands. She’s as charismatic as she is aloof, all of which feeds into absolutely delicious merger drama in September. Basically, if you don’t know, get to know.

As the weeks tick by in the meantime, we’re sure to be drip-fed tasty morsels of what we can expect from The Morning Show season 4 when it drops. In the meantime, I’ll be happy with the fantasy that Cotillard’s casting could change the game for good.

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It doesn't matter how large your organization is, you are at risk and sooner or later cyber criminals will try to attack you. It’s not a matter of whether your organization will face a security incident but when. That's why a robust incident response plan is crucial.

So, what elements should your incident response plan include to be truly effective?

The key components of an effective Incident Response Plan

Structure: well-structured and straightforward

Simplicity and structure are your allies when creating an incident response plan. A complicated plan will only create confusion. Use charts, bullet points, and clear language to make it easily understandable.

Utilizing templates and frameworks

Many organizations opt to use established frameworks ISO standards as templates for their plans. These frameworks offer a structured approach, providing sections and subsections that cover all essential areas, from governance to technical responses. By using a recognized framework, you not only ensure completeness but also facilitate easier communication with external parties who may be familiar with the framework.

Roles and responsibilities:

Who's in Charge? An Incident Response Team (IRT), typically led by a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), should be designated to take charge during an incident. The plan should also specify roles and responsibilities for each stakeholder, from IT personnel to legal advisors.

Budget: allocate funds wisely

Budget considerations must be part of the planning process. Allocate sufficient funds for personnel, technologies, and training. This allocation should be proportional to the organization's size and risk profile.

Small businesses might not have the same resources as larger corporations. A good incident response plan for a small business should be scaled to their specific needs, focusing on the most critical assets and functions. It should prioritize simplicity, clarity, and actionable steps that can be taken with limited cybersecurity personnel.

Challenges in implementing an Incident Response Plan and how to overcome them?

Whilst implementing an incident response plan, various challenges may arise. One example of this could be ensuring all team members are fully trained and understand their roles within the plan. Another challenge might be maintaining the plan's effectiveness over time. To overcome these challenges companies should enforce regular training sessions, continuous plan updates based on new threats and lessons learned from past incidents, and ensuring clear communication channels within the organization.

Measuring the effectiveness of an Incident Response Plan?

The effectiveness of an incident response plan can be measured through regular testing, such as tabletop exercises or live drills, to ensure team readiness. Additionally, metrics like the time to detect, respond to, and recover from incidents can provide insights into the plan's effectiveness. Continuous improvement based on these metrics and feedback from incident post-mortems is crucial for maintaining a robust incident response capability.

Detection, reporting, and identification procedures

Proactive Monitoring Systems - Your first line of defense is detecting an incident quickly. Invest in advanced monitoring systems and allocate personnel to supervise them round the clock.

Reporting and identification

Streamline reporting protocols so that incidents can be rapidly identified and acted upon. Simplicity is key here, ensuring even the least technical person can report a problem.

Communication strategies: internal and external

The importance of good PR

Public Relations (PR) and your marketing team (if you have one) play a pivotal role in managing perceptions during an incident. Transparent, timely communication can mitigate panic, control misinformation, and maintain your organization's reputation.

Internal communication flow

Internal stakeholders need to be in the loop as well. Have a plan to keep everyone from top management to the frontline workers informed.

External communication plan

Customers, partners, suppliers, and sometimes the media will require timely and accurate updates. Your plan should specify who communicates this information, how, and when. A failure to report an incident to customers can land you in hot water with regulators and impact your reputation.

Containment, eradication, and recovery guidelines

Immediate and long-term containment

After identifying an incident, containment is the first priority. Your plan should have procedures for immediate and long-term containment actions, such as isolating affected systems or updating security protocols.

Eradication and recovery

The plan must spell out how to find the root cause of an incident and eliminate it. It should also outline the steps to restore and validate system functionality for business operations to resume.

Training, exercises, and cyber insurance

Performing cyber incident exercises

Regularly scheduled simulated attack scenarios help keep your team prepared and your strategy up to date. It’s crucial for identifying gaps in your plan and rectifying them.

Some notable security testing services include penetration testing, red team testing, vulnerability assessments, and cyber security risk assessments.

The role of cyber insurance

Cyber insurance can be a lifesaver, covering costs that can range from legal fees to ransom payments. Your incident response plan should clearly state how and when to engage your cyber insurance coverage.

Dos and don'ts: best practices and pitfalls

Dos

- Train staff regularly

- Update plans frequently

- Communicate transparently

- Analyze and learn from every incident

Don'ts

- Ignore early warning signs

- Underestimate the importance of employee training

- Neglect to update stakeholders

- Fail to adapt your strategy post-incident

The role of training, simulations, and cyber insurance are also crucial. Remember, a good plan is dynamic, so always be ready to adapt and evolve. By incorporating these elements, your organization will not just be preparing for the worst-case scenario but also building a resilient and secure operational environment for the future.

We've featured the best ransomware protection.

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

• Apple could be working on a system to update Macs while they're still boxed
• This is based on clues in the latest developer beta of macOS 26
• Such a system is already used with iPhones, though it's not clear how Apple would get this to work with Macs

Apple's Macs could leave the shelf with a fully up-to-date installation of macOS on board in the future, preventing any need for a day-one update from the buyer, if clues in the latest developer beta are any indication.

9 to 5 Mac reports that the macOS Tahoe 26 beta 3 contains the groundwork (initial references and code) for such a system, which is already in place for the iPhone.

It's called Presto and it allows boxed iPhones to be updated to the very latest version of iOS by retailers - without removing the hardware from its sealed package - if the devices need an update beyond the version of the operating system they shipped with.

This saves the customer the trouble of applying an update right out of the gate, which is incredibly convenient.

The Presto hardware itself is a rack with six bays that can have six iPhones placed within. It uses wireless technologies to switch the phones on, update them, then turn them off. (MagSafe and NFC to turn the devices on, by all accounts, and Wi-Fi to pipe the actual update through.)

Analysis: Boxing clever

(Image credit: Apple)

If Macs are going to get the benefit of having fully up-to-date software when they're taken home by the buyer, it begs the question: how is Apple going to pull this off with laptops and PCs? The system might have to work very differently for a bigger piece of hardware, and Macs don't have NFC either - so it's not clear how the sealed PC could be triggered to power on in its box (and off again afterwards).

9to5Mac suggests that maybe Apple could add NFC back to its macOS devices, or that perhaps a different mix of wireless tech could be used with Macs. Whatever the case, it's not clear how Apple would pull this off as it does with iPhones, but it may require a substantially different spin on the concept.

Furthermore, just because a potential feature is spotted in the background of beta software doesn't mean it'll ever come to fruition. That said, the presence of the code here does indicate that this is at least something Apple is seriously considering - watch this space, I guess.

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A ransomware attack is a nightmare scenario for any organization. It’s disruptive, costly, and often deeply damaging to your reputation. How you respond in the first 24 hours can make all the difference between containment and catastrophe. In those critical moments, fast and informed action is essential. Not just to mitigate harm, but to enable recovery and identify root causes.

Whether you’re facing a live breach or want to prepare your response strategy in advance, here’s what needs to happen in the vital first 24 hours.

Step one: confirm the attack and isolate systems

The moment ransomware is suspected, the priority is to confirm what’s happened. Ransomware doesn’t always announce itself with a dramatic pop-up screen. It may begin quietly, encrypting files and spreading laterally across your network. Early signs might include inaccessible files, failed logins, or unusual outbound traffic.

Once confirmed, isolate affected systems from the network immediately. Time is of the essence—ransomware often seeks to maximize damage by spreading across shared drives and cloud platforms. Disconnecting devices, disabling Wi-Fi and VPNs, and blocking access at the firewall level are essential measures to prevent further infection.

Having a cybersecurity team on standby allows for experts to provide step-by-step guidance in real time, helping you make the right moves to contain the threat without destroying forensic evidence. Panic can lead to mistakes. Having a calm, expert-led approach ensures you stay focused and strategic.

Step two: notify internal stakeholders and assemble your response team

Ransomware response is not just an IT issue—it’s a business-wide challenge. Once containment is underway, inform key internal stakeholders, including executive leadership, legal, compliance, and communications teams. Appoint a central response lead, ideally from your crisis management team, who can coordinate efforts and make key decisions quickly.

If you’ve already established an incident response plan, now is the time to activate it.

Step three: secure backups and avoid engaging attackers

It may be tempting to click the ransom note or initiate contact with attackers to understand their demands. This is strongly advised against.

Not only does it carry legal and ethical risks, but it may compromise your recovery options or make you more vulnerable to secondary attacks. Instead, secure all backups and logs. Identify when the attack began, which systems are affected, and what data may be at risk. This information will be crucial for both remediation and regulatory reporting.

Having an expert partner will improve this process, by providing rapid forensic support to help assess the impact by identifying indicators of compromise (IOCs), tracing the attack vector, and determining the attacker’s dwell time. This information can also help you understand if data exfiltration occurred—an increasingly common element of modern ransomware.

Step four: report the incident and consider legal obligations

Depending on your industry and location, you may have regulatory or legal requirements to report a ransomware incident. This could include notifying the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), your industry regulator, or affected third parties.

It’s important not to delay these conversations. Having clear documentation and technical insights to back up your reporting will help this process run smoothly.

Step five: begin recovery with expert guidance

Once the ransomware is contained and systems are stabilized, it’s time to begin recovery. This involves more than just restoring files from backup. You must ensure the attacker’s access is removed, vulnerabilities are patched, and your environment is safe to bring back online.

This is where a trusted partner makes all the difference. Incident response specialists will work alongside IT and cyber teams to validate clean systems, conduct a secure restoration, and put new protections in place. Your business shouldn’t just bounce back, it should come back stronger.

Why speed and expertise matter

The damage caused by ransomware isn’t just financial—it’s operational, reputational, and often long-lasting. The quicker and more effectively you respond, the more you reduce the long-term impact.

Cyber security firms offer different ways to ensure organizations are ready to face ransomware. This includes emergency incident response, where teams can rapidly deploy to help take control, contain the threat, and recover operations. Whether remote or on-site. Another option is to hold an incident response retainer, this is designed for preparedness. Retainer services give you guaranteed access to expert responders when you need them most. With predefined SLAs, threat intelligence, and environment familiarity, these tools can help businesses respond faster and more effectively.

Prepare now, respond better later

The first 24 hours of a ransomware attack are often chaotic - but they don’t have to be. With the right preparation and expert support, you can act swiftly, reduce damage, and return to normal operations with confidence. When minutes matter, experience is your strongest defense.

We've featured the best encryption software.

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