Technology

• Built in California, powered by Linux, the Liberty Phone says no to tech giants
• With no Android or iOS, it’s the loneliest smartphone on the market today
• It costs more, does less, and still claims to be the best smartphone for privacy

Despite rising political pressure to bring tech manufacturing back to the US, building a premium smartphone domestically remains a costly and technically difficult challenge.

The Liberty Phone by Purism, priced at $1,999, offers a rare example of how close a company can get to building an America-made device, but it comes with significant trade-offs in performance and practicality.

Unlike the widely promoted but questionable $499 Trump Phone, the Liberty Phone is at least verifiably assembled in the US, although it lacks flagship-level features.

Still not 100% "Made In USA!"

Todd Weaver, Purism’s founder, is upfront about the limitations, noting, “Someone who needs a wicked-strong camera is not our audience.”

Weaver estimates the Liberty Phone costs around $650 to produce, higher than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which TechInsights says costs about $550 to build in China.

This discrepancy is driven largely by US labor costs, with savings made by using lower-spec components such as a basic camera and a low-resolution screen.

This may suit its core user base, including security geeks, older users, kids, and those who want to distance themselves from major tech brands, but it is nowhere near mainstream Android alternatives - for anyone expecting the best smartphone for business or multimedia tasks, the Liberty Phone is unlikely to compete.

Part of Purism’s appeal lies in its transparent and partially domestic supply chain - the motherboard is built at the company's California site, the chip is sourced from NXP’s Austin, Texas, facility, and the final assembly is local.

But some critical components, like the camera from South Korea and the display and battery from China, still depend on global sourcing.

“There are just some parts that don’t yet have a supply chain,” says Weaver. “We’re gonna keep incrementing there until we can get to that point.”

It runs PureOS, a Linux-based operating system that supports basic tasks like calling, texting, and web browsing, but without support for Android or iOS apps, it’s a hard sell for anyone needing a broad app ecosystem or high-end performance.

Nonetheless, Weaver believes a niche market exists and claims that about half of Purism’s customers are US government agencies.

Even though tariffs might someday narrow the cost gap, the continuity of this project is not certain.

“We don’t have factories here building application processors, high-end displays or most of the other things in your smartphone,” said Jeff Fieldhack of Counterpoint Research, showing his skepticism.

At the moment, the Liberty Phone is more of a philosophical gesture than a practical solution, and only Americans or those loyal to the US will give it a second look.

Via Wall Street Journal

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The decision reveals that Anthropic pirated over 7 million books, then systematically purchased and destroyed millions of physical copies to create a digital "research library."

• Malware-ridden apps are sneaking on to official app stores
• SparkKitty will steal photos to crack into your crypto wallet
• One infected app was downloaded over 10,000 times

A dangerous new malware strain targeting smartphone users has managed to sneak on to both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store without being detected, experts have warned.

SparkKitty was first spotted by cybersecurity experts at Kaspersky in January 2025, and uses optical character recognition to scan through your photos and harvest cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases.

Most crypto currency exchanges will tell a user to write down a memorable phrase when creating an account for recovery purposes, but many users will simply screenshot their memorable phrase - making it super easy for SparkKitty to steal.

Snooping through photos and stealing crypto

Kaspersky says the SparkKitty malware has been actively distributed across both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store since February 2024, and has also been distributed through unofficial means as well.

The infected apps have since been removed from both app stores.

In many cases, the apps appeared to be legitimate and were designed for numerous purposes. One infected app called SOEX was downloaded over 10,000 times on the Google Play Store, and appeared to be a messaging app with cryptocurrency trading and exchange features - the perfect disguise for a malware designed to target cryptocurrency wallets.

Once installed on a user's device, the app will ask for permission to access and modify the image library on both iOS and Android devices. After being granted access, the app then scans the image library and will re-scan if it detects modifications being made to the image library, such as new images being added or deleted.

Obviously, outside of the threat to crypto wallets there is the threat of users being extorted using other images that could be found in their image library, but there is no evidence of this happening so far.

Hackers are constantly developing new tactics to hide their malware on applications that can be distributed through trusted platforms such as the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Always remember to double check that the application you are downloading is made by a trusted developer, is definitely the authentic version of the app you are looking for, and has trustworthy reviews. If in doubt, don’t download it.

Also be wary of apps that ask for more permissions than they actually need, or apps that request permission to create new configuration profiles and certificates. Finally, when creating a memorable phrase for recovering an account, don’t keep it stored where it can be easily stolen.

Many of the best cloud storage services and best password managers offer encrypted storage vaults for storing important phrases.

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I spent six weeks putting the top robot lawn mowers through its paces in my own yard. I found two clear winners and a few duds.

Two European giants battle it out for first spot in Group C.

The game is one of the first to predominantly feature the Switch 2's mouse controls, and it's a better tech demo than Welcome Tour.

• AMD’s MI400 GPU expected to offer 432GB HBM4 across 12 memory stacks
• 256-core EPYC Venice CPU to debut with PCIe Gen6 and 2nm process
• AMD’s Helios rack aims for 10x performance with double-wide AI architecture

AMD recently revealed its Instinct MI350 series of GPUs, but the bigger news is what the chip giant has planned for 2026.

The company is preparing a next-generation AI platform which includes the Instinct MI400 GPU, EPYC "Venice" CPU, and a major shift in rack design with its Helios infrastructure, an expansive, double-wide configuration aimed at scaling performance and bandwidth.

The MI400 GPU is expected to ship with up to 432GB of HBM4 memory, built using 12 stacks of 36GB HBM4, based on numbers shared by Micron and memory per-GPU estimates from AMD's rack capacity.

A direct response to Nvidia

This would be a considerable jump from the current MI350’s 8-stack setup, putting it on track to rival Nvidia’s upcoming Vera Rubin platform.

Alongside the MI400, AMD plans to debut its 256-core EPYC "Venice" server CPU, built on a 2nm process with PCIe Gen6 support and up to 1.6TB/s of memory bandwidth.

The platform will also feature the Vulcano 800G NIC and support open standards like UALink and Ultra Ethernet for improved scale-out connectivity.

AMD says the Helios rack and MI450 GPU will offer up to 10x the performance of the MI355X, positioning it as a direct response to Nvidia’s accelerated roadmap.

Sam Altman appeared on stage at the company's recent Advancing AI event alongside AMD's CEO Lisa Su to emphasize OpenAI’s early interest in the new platform, saying “I think it’s going to be an amazing thing.”

Although the hardware won’t arrive until 2026, AMD’s preview sets the tone for what could be a fierce race with Nvidia.

The Helios rack might not have an official name yet, but it’s clear AMD is thinking bigger - and wider! - as it moves toward next-gen AI infrastructure.

Via ServeTheHome

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• Microsoft has launched a wizard to help Windows 10 devices stay secure
• It’s only intended as a temporary solution, though
• Windows 10 support ends later this year

Windows 10 has been around for almost a decade now, but official support is due to end on October 14 this year. Yet that doesn’t have to be the end of the road, as Microsoft has just announced a new process for anyone who needs a little more time to switch to Windows 11.

The updates are part of Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, which brings monthly critical and important security patches to Windows 10 users for one year after official support ends. Microsoft says this is only meant to be a short-term solution, as it doesn’t include non-security updates or new features.

With today’s change, there are now a few new ways to get started. For individuals, there’s a new enrollment wizard that will give you three options: use Windows Backup to sync all your settings to the cloud; redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points to get started; or pay a one-off fee of $30.

After you’ve picked an option and followed the instructions, your Windows 10 PC will be enrolled. ESU coverage for personal computers lasts from October 15, 2025 until October 13, 2026. The enrollment wizard is currently available in the Windows Insider Program, made available to regular Windows 10 users in July, and will roll out on a wider basis in mid-August.

Time to upgrade

(Image credit: Foxy burrow / Shutterstock / Microsoft)

The ESU changes aren’t just coming to individual Windows 10 users. Commercial organizations can pay $61 per device to subscribe to the ESU program for a year. This can be renewed annually for up to three years, although Microsoft warns that the cost will increase each year. Businesses can sign up today via the Microsoft Volume Licensing Program, while Cloud Service Providers will begin offering enrollment starting September 1.

As for Windows 10 devices that are accessing Windows 11 Cloud PCs via Windows 365 and virtual machines, these will be granted access to ESU free of charge and will receive security updates automatically, with no extra actions required.

In a way, Microsoft’s announcement highlights the struggles the company has had with getting people to upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft first announced that it would kill off Windows 10 way back in June 2021, and yet there are still people and organizations that have not made the switch, despite many years of prompts and warnings.

For some people – especially those with mission-critical devices or large fleets of computers – upgrading to Windows 11 might be a herculean task. But if you’re able to make the switch, you really should do so to ensure you keep getting all the latest updates. We’ve even got a guide on upgrading to Windows 11 to help you through the process.

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News has surfaced from China that Geely is poised to release the world’s first range-extender hybrid vehicle that is also compatible with the country’s growing network of battery-swapping stations.

Badged the Haoyue R7, Car News China says that it is essentially a rebadged version of the Geely Livan 7 all-electric flagship SUV, which was among the first Geely models to support battery swap.

The process of driving into a dedicated facility and having a robot autonomously replace the entire battery pack has been pushed by CATL, China’s largest EV battery maker, and the electric vehicle brand Nio, which has even started to introduce facilities to parts of Europe.

It is reported that the upcoming Haoyue R7 will be compatible with CATL’s battery swap technology, allowing owners to either juice-up from home, use the much faster public charging network, or take advantage of battery-swapping stations.

What’s more, the 1.5-liter, naturally-aspirated petrol engine can act as a generator to charge the onboard battery packs for longer journeys.

No official range figures have been released as of yet, but even the smallest battery pack on the Livan 7 can manage almost 280 miles on a single charge, so when you factor in the range extender, it could easily manage double that.

Although very much a niche powertrain in the Chinese market, it will offer customers an unparalleled choice of how they get around, opening up the idea of electric vehicles to more and attempting to prove that range anxiety should no longer be an issue.

Analysis: The more methods, the merrier

(Image credit: Nio)

According to a recent report by the BBC, Nio has now built over 3,300 battery swap stations in China, with the company looking to expand across the country over the next few years.

Currently, a number of taxis, buses and heavy-duty trucks are making use of battery-swap technology in China, as these vehicles tend to have more predictable movement patterns that make the entire process a lot easier to manage.

But through advances in software, it is also becoming far simpler for electric vehicle brands to manage entire EV fleets, with the ability to work out which vehicle needs its batteries brimmed and what the most effective way to do this is.

Tesla, for example, pioneered a “connected” Supercharger network that helps point drivers towards the most accessible and fastest charger in the vicinity, pre-conditioning the battery for the most efficient top-ups.

Battery swap stations are not just another quick method to get drivers moving again (the process takes around five minutes), it can also drastically reduce the initial cost of a new vehicle.

Geely says the Haoyue R7 will be offered without the battery pack, giving customers the opportunity to pay a small monthly fee to rent the batteries and take advantage of the CATL battery swap network.

This has proven extremely popular with Taiwanese company Gogoro’s battery swap network, which uses much smaller packs to power two-wheel scooters, mopeds and smaller capacity motorcycles in a number of global markets.

Not only is the cost of the motorcycle in question far less expensive to purchase outright – even when paired with partner Yamaha’s products – it’s also more convenient, with users able to pull up to a station, swap batteries out by hand (there’s no need for robots, as the packs are so small) and get on their way.

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• AI tools are more popular than ever - but so are the security risks
• Top tools are being leveraged by cybercriminals with malicious intent
• Grok and Mixtral were both found being used by crimianls

New research has warned top AI tools are powering 'WormGPT' variants, malicious GenAI tools which are generating malicious code, social engineering attacks, and even providing hacking tutorials.

With Large Language Models (LLMs) now widely used alongside tools like Mistral AI’s Mixtral and xAI's Grok, experts from Cato CTRL found this isn't always in the way they’re intended to be used.

“The emergence of WormGPT spurred the development and promotion of other uncensored LLMs, indicating a growing market for such tools within cybercrime. FraudGPT (also known as FraudBot) quickly rose as a prominent alternative and advertised with a broader array of malicious capabilities,” the researchers noted.

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WormGPT

WormGPT is a broader name for ‘uncensored’ LLMs that are leveraged by threat actors, and the researchers identified different strains with different capabilities and purposes.

For example, keanu-WormGPT, an uncensored assistant was able to create phishing emails when prompted. When researchers dug further, the LLM disclosed it was powered by Grok, but the platform's security features had been circumnavigated.

After this was revealed, the creator then added prompt-based guardrails to ensure this information was not disclosed to users, but other WormGPT variants were found to be based on Mixtral AI, so legitimate LLMs are clearly being jailbroken and leveraged by hackers.

“Beyond malicious LLMs, the trend of threat actors attempting to jailbreak legitimate LLMs like ChatGPT and Google Bard / Gemini to circumvent their safety measures also gained traction," the researchers noted.

"Furthermore, there are indications that threat actors are actively recruiting AI experts to develop their own custom uncensored LLMs tailored to specific needs and attack vectors.“

Most in the cybersecurity field will be familiar with the idea that AI is ‘lowering the barriers of entry’ for cybercriminals, which can certainly be seen here.

If all it takes is asking a pre-existing chatbot a few well-phrased questions, then it’s pretty safe to assume that cybercrime might become a lot more common in the coming months and years.

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• MindsEye's disastrous launch has resulted in layoffs at developer Build A Rocket Boy
• Sources told IGN that layoffs are expected to affect over 100 employees
• Build A Rocket Boy has confirmed that the redundancy process has begun

Build A Rocket Boy has been hit with layoffs following MindsEye's disastrous launch.

The futuristic, single-player narrative game was released earlier this month for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, to an overwhelmingly poor reception.

From performance problems, bugs, and countless other technical issues, Mindseye's Steam page now sits at a 'Mostly Negative' rating with over 1840 user reviews, with Build A Rocket Boy promising fixes.

Now, two weeks after launch, sources tell IGN that the studio has begun the redundancy process amid the game's poor release, and layoffs are expected to affect over 100 employees.

An anonymous source told the publication that there's no word on how many people will be impacted, but that the standard 45-day consultation process started on June 23, which is triggered when an employer proposes 100 or more redundancies within 90 days in the UK.

It's understood that Build A Rocket Boy has roughly 300 UK employees currently working at the studio, and around 200 abroad.

"We can confirm that we have had to make the painful decision to notify our hardworking team of some internal changes at Build A Rocket Boy," the studio has now confirmed in a statement to IGN.

"While we are working to reassign roles for as many of those impacted by these changes as possible, sadly we are initiating a formal consultation process that may result in redundancies. This decision has not been made lightly, and we are committed to handling this process with transparency, fairness, and respect for all employees. We will provide further details to the team over the coming weeks."

"The launch of MindsEye has been a significant milestone for Build A Rocket Boy, but we know that we still have a lot more to do to grow our community in the coming years. The challenges we’ve faced have only strengthened our resolve and, while we are deeply saddened by today’s decision and thankful to our incredible team, this shift allows us to focus on delivering ongoing updates and performance optimization for MindsEye, while also ensuring the long-term success of Build A Rocket Boy’s future ambitions."

The studio has previously confirmed that it has post-launch plans "already in motion" for the game and that players can expect more updates and refinements "coming shortly after release".

It also said it had plans to support the game for years, but hasn't revealed its roadmap just yet.

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• Pre-owned Switch 2 consoles that have been modded are reportedly being bricked by Nintendo's anti-piracy policy
• Redditor Bimmytung says they bought a second-hand console from Walmart, only to discover that the Switch 2 is permanently offline
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If you're thinking about purchasing a second-hand Nintendo Switch 2, you may want to think twice, as Nintendo's anti-piracy policy has reportedly left some consoles permanently offline.

As IGN reports, Redditor Bimmytung shared a post explaining how they bought a pre-owned Switch 2 from Walmart, only to find that it had been 'bricked' by Nintendo after booting it up.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Nintendo had been blocking access to online services on the console if players had used MIG Flash, a tool used to allow players to backup copies of games.

Before the Switch 2 launched, Nintendo suggested in its user agreement that it had the power to 'brick' devices that are modded.

"Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part", it reads.

Those affected will be presented with error code "2124-4508," which will permanently block players from accessing online services, which is exactly what Redditor Bimmytung has experienced.

Found one. Didn't end well. from r/switch2

"Been casually looking for a Switch 2. Today I was driving between work sites and stopped at two different Walmarts. At the second one I find a Mario Kart edition sitting in the case and couldn't believe my luck," Bimmytung said.

"Physically it's fine, everything seems there. Notice that the Mario Kart code is scratched off. Hmm. Naturally wonder if the original buyer redeemed the code and returned the system. They knocked $50 off the price so I figured I'd roll the dice and at least have the hardware. Bought a Pro Controller 2 while I was at it.

The Redditor continued, saying, "Get home and go to finish the setup - quickly get Error Code 2124-4508. A quick Google search shows me I'm screwed. FML. Thankfully my local Walmart accepted the return without any fuss but still... I wish nothing but enthusiastic double gonorrhea to the lowlife scum that did this."

Users with a 'bricked' Switch 2 would essentially be unable to access any multiplayer games like Mario Kart World, the eShop, Game Chat, and more.

Thankfully, stores like Walmart can accept refunds, but if you were to buy a second-hand console from eBay without knowing if it had been modded, you're out of luck.

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The NHTSA says it's aware of videos posted online purportedly showing self-driving Tesla vehicles going awry.

It's been five breakneck years since Apple unveiled Apple silicon during its first virtual WWDC keynote amid a global pandemic. Even without the visceral on-stage moment of CEO Tim Cook emerging from the shadows to unveil a huge helping of Apple platform excitement, this was momentous.

As I wrote back then:

"One world, one universe, one platform, unification. Apple’s momentous Worldwide Developer’s Conference keynote just painted a picture of a world in which the walls come down and, from the silicon underneath to the pixels in front of your face, Apple’s ecosystem becomes one."

What Apple Silicon will bring to the Mac. #WWDC20 #WWDC2020 pic.twitter.com/oqJ4MtG8zVJune 22, 2020

Apple switching hardware platforms was not unheard of – after all, only 14 years earlier, it had migrated its systems from IBM and Motorola's PowerPC to Intel.

This time, though, was different. Like an 'A' student preparing for finals, Apple was deeply prepped for this new transition. It used XCode to rewrite all its first-party apps, and worked with major partners like Microsoft and Adobe to ensure that core third-party apps were able to run on the revolutionary new hardware. There was even a Developers Transition Kit ready to go for app partners.

Rosetta 2, a software compatibility layer, was also released, promising to ease the transition for non-Arm-ready apps.

Silicon promise

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)

Back then, I was well aware of the potential benefits of a five-nanometer, power-saving platform. It was the holy grail of mobile computing, one that Microsoft had already approached, though less successfully, with Windows on Arm in the Surface X Pro, which ran on the SQ2 chip.

Apple silicon would transform MacBooks from decent battery performers to 17-hour marathoners. I had my concerns about the integrated graphics, but also knew that graphics performance on Apple's bespoke A-series chips on the iPhone and iPad was always stellar, so I also had reason for hope.

I saw the potential, writing, "What Apple’s doing is switching all its systems from running on a variety of fuels, like wind, solar, and gas, to just one that might arguably be described as rocket fuel."

And yet, I had no intention of switching from Windows to Mac.

I had my reasons

It's not that I was unfamiliar with the Mac. I'd used the OG Macintosh in the 1980s but switched for good to Windows when I joined PCMag in the early 1990s.

Windows was for me like an old but beloved car. It could be clunky and even sometimes break down in the middle of the road, but I knew every control and contour. It molded to me, and I, a bit, to it. I knew its foibles, but also knew how to work around them. That no Windows laptop could ever give me more than five hours of battery life (on a good day) was something I accepted, along with the fact that I felt like the blue screen of death was always lurking around some unforeseen corner.

Barely five months after the announcement, and developers got their hands on the transition kit, which, among other things, helped them build Universal apps for all systems running Apple silicon. I reviewed the first Apple MacBook Air with the M1 chip. I called it "an astonishing breakthrough."

Benchmarks made a mockery of even Intel Core i7 systems, especially in the area of integrated graphics. Battery life was incredible, ranging between 15 and 20 hours. I knew, intuitively, that such a system could transform my life.

Even so, the idea of switching from Windows to macOS (the operating system Macs run) was daunting. I think I worried that, with time, I might discover that most of my key apps didn't work on Apple silicon or that Apple wouldn't meet its two-year deadline of fully transitioning away from Intel, and that it might even abandon the project altogether and return to Intel.

I needn't have worried. By 2023, even the Mac Pro had switched to an M2 Ultra. I was impressed with Apple's innovative approach to producing ever more powerful Apple silicon chips, often by clustering them together (the M2 Ultra really is two M2 Max chips). What's more, I never found an app that wouldn't run on Apple silicon.

Making the change and what might have been

The first time I touched a MacBook Air M2, until I started using it permanently. (Image credit: Future)

Three years into the Apple silicon journey, I switched to the M2 MacBook Air and documented the effort in a journal. There were some struggles, but almost all of them revolved around long-standing differences between macOS and Windows. I was forced to learn many new keyboard commands and shortcuts.

Two weeks into my journey, I wrote:

"Becoming second nature to use the Mac. Will I ever go back?"

Spoiler alert: I never did.

If Apple had failed to deliver on the Apple silicon promise it made on June 22, 2020, this would've been a different story (one that might more closely resemble Apple Intelligence). The fact that it made the effort early on to make the hard stuff look easy (supporting all those apps, making different platform apps work on different systems, making it rock-solid stable, and providing industry-leading efficiency) put the wind at Apple silicon's back. Apple showed immediate commitment by unveiling the MacBook Air M1, along with an iMac and a Mac Mini in those first six months.

Apple has never looked back and continues to build and innovate on the Apple silicon platform to deliver more powerful mobile CPUs. It's only in the last year or so that, with the help of Qualcomm, the Windows world has started to catch up, nearly matching Apple silicon in performance, efficiency, and stability.

Apple silicon changed the computing world, but it also changed me. I walked away from a platform I loved (and still have affection for) and have not looked back. Apple's market share has grown on the back of Apple silicon, and, and least in that Mac space, I think the best is yet to come.

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• Vera C. Rubin Observatory has released its first full-resolution image
• It was captured using an ultra-powerful 3,200-megapixel digital camera
• The telescope will scan the sky for dark matter, asteroids, and Planet Nine

The world’s most powerful digital camera has taken its first photos, and they reveal the cosmos in stunning detail. Shared as part of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s ‘First Look’ campaign, the composite image captures a panoramic view of the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae – a region where new stars are being formed.

The stills come from the largest digital camera ever made. With a resolution of 3,200MP, it’s the central component of the telescope at the Rubin Observatory in Chile. By capturing a scene some 4-5,000 light years from Earth, the images offer a spectacular glimpse of the star-making machinery of our universe.

The full-size image, which you can download here, is made up of 678 individual exposures, measuring around five gigapixels in total. A closer look reveals stellar clouds of dust and gas in breathtaking color and detail. More impressive than the scale, though, is how quickly the observatory produced the image: it took just 7.2 hours.

That makes the Rubin unique among space telescopes. By working fast and covering an ultra-wide field of view in each frame, it’s able to map large areas in a short amount of time. The results are as scientifically valuable as they are beautiful. By revealing regions of the universe in new depth, they allow researchers to advance their understanding of our cosmic surroundings.

All eyes to the sky

Vera C. Rubin Observatory telescope pictured during the First Look observing campaign. (Image credit: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/T. Matsopoulos)

These early images mark the start of a new era in astronomy. The Rubin Observatory is about to begin the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), a ten-year mission to map the night sky in unprecedented detail. It’s a project which could fundamentally change our understanding of the universe – not just because of what it reveals, but because of how often.

Unlike traditional observatories which target narrow slices of space, the Rubin telescope is designed to scan the entire Southern Hemisphere sky every three nights. The dome repositions quickly to cover the heavens, capturing images more than once a minute for around ten hours. This regular cadence will allow astronomers to detect changes more readily.

The observatory is situated atop Cerro Pachón, a mountain peak in northern Chile. The remote location, high altitude and dry climate create near perfect conditions for astronomy: the thinner air and lack of light pollution allow the telescope to take advantage of clearer, darker night skies. That gives the Rubin Observatory a wide observational window.

During its testing phase, it detected more than 2,000 previously unknown asteroids in just 10 hours, highlighting the telescope’s potential as an early-warning system for our planet.

The observatory is also expected to play a leading role in the hunt for the hypothetical Planet Nine, a massive celestial body which some scientists believe to be hiding on the distant edge of our solar system. Its powerful optics and sweeping reach make the Rubin telescope the perfect tool for spotting what's lurking beyond Pluto’s orbit.

But perhaps Rubin’s most ambitious goal relates to what can’t be seen. By capturing data from countless galaxies, the observatory will help researchers to build a better picture of the invisible dark matter that makes up most of the universe – and the mysterious dark energy that’s causing its expansion.

Key to the mission is the camera itself, which is the largest ever installed on a telescope. The size of a small car, it captures a portion of the sky equivalent to 45 full moons in a single shot.

Over the course of its survey, Rubin is expected to generate more than 60 petabytes of data. It will be up to the world’s scientific community to analyze the results and decipher their secrets.

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• Canadian telecom firms have been hit with a cyberattack
• Chinese threat actor Salt Typhoon is suspected to be behind the attacks
• Hackers exploited an existing Cisco flaw to gain access

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, alongside the FBI, have confirmed hackers were able to gain access to three network devices registered to a Canadian Telecommunications company.

“The Cyber Centre is aware of malicious cyber activities currently targeting Canadian telecommunications companies. The responsible actors are almost certainly PRC state-sponsored actors, specifically Salt Typhoon,” The Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity said in a statement.

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Salt Typhoon, as the group compromised at least eight US telco giants earlier in 2025, with the hackers allegedly having access to these networks for months in a mass surveillance campaign affecting dozens of countries and targeting several high-level officials.

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A long running campaign

The hackers, apparently exploited a high severity Cisco flaw, tracked as CVE-2023-20198 to gain access, allowing them to retrieve running configuration files from the compromised devices, which were then modified in order to create a GRE tunnel, enabling traffic collection from the network the devices were connected to.

A patch for this flaw has been available since October 2023, which indicates a serious security oversight in Canadian Telecom cybersecurity.

The threat actors most likely targeted these devices in order to ‘collect information from the victim’s internal network, or use the victim’s device to enable the compromise of further victims,’ which could explain how Salt Typhoon has been so successful in compromising large organizations.

“While our understanding of this activity continues to evolve, we assess that PRC cyber actors will almost certainly continue to target Canadian organizations as part of this espionage campaign, including telecommunications service providers and their clients, over the next two years,” the statement confirms.

Telecommunication companies are a high-priority for threat actors as they store large amounts of customer data and have useful intelligence value for cyber-espionage campaigns.

Via: ArsTechnica

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