TechRadar News

• Patchstack spotted a new phishing campaign targeting WooCommerce users
• The email warns the users about a "critical vulnerability" that must be fixed
• The "fix" is actually malware that creates a rogue admin account and drops stage-two malware

If you are a WooCommerce user, pay attention, since there is a new phishing campaign going around targeting people like yourself.

Recently, security researchers from Patchstack spotted a new phishing attack, which they described as “large-scale” and “sophisticated”. In the attack, the crooks would send an email, warning their targets about a critical vulnerability in their websites that needs to be addressed immediately.

The email also comes with a “Download Patch” link which, instead of the supposed fix, actually deploys a malicious WordPress plugin. The plugin is hosted on a website mimicking the WooCommerce Marketplace, and can be spotted in the typosquatted URL "woocommėrce[.]com" (notice the ė character).

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Old actors or new copycats?

The plugin first hides itself from the list of installed plugins, and then creates a new admin account. It also hides this account from the victim and relays the credentials to the attackers. Finally, it deploys stage-two malware, which includes web shells such as P.A.S.-Fork, p0wny, and WSO.

Patchstack, which usually tracks WordPress threats, says that a similar campaign was observed back in December 2023, with the key difference being that the phishing email warned about a non-existent CVE. Since both the emails and the malware are rather similar, the researchers speculate that both attacks are either the work of the same threat actor, or that the new campaign is the work of a copycat,

"They claim the targeted websites are impacted by a (non-existent) 'Unauthenticated Administrative Access' vulnerability, and they urge you to visit their phishing website, which uses an IDN homograph attack to disguise itself as the official WooCommerce website," the researchers explained.

If you are running a WordPress website with WooCommerce installed, you should scan your site for suspicious plugins and admin accounts, and make sure to update both WordPress and the plugins/themes you are running.

Via The Hacker News

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• Figma releases wide-ranging AI survey
• Adoption and roll-out increasing for design and development
• But users still think it’s not as useful as it could be

As artificial intelligence continues its path to world domination, Figma has unveiled a new survey that seeks to explore how designers and developers are deploying AI tools in the field.

The findings are a bit of a mixed bag, showing that while AI is becoming an integral part of the workflow, it’s not always living up to the promise.

The survey follows on from news that Figma, alongside Adobe and Canva, has integrated OpenAI’s ‘gpt-image-1’ model into its design platform.

What users really think about AI

85%. That’s the headline figure from the survey, which states “85% of respondents say AI will be essential to future success in their role.” But how that success is achieved, or what it even looks like, remains unclear right now.

The company has explored how businesses are building AI-powered products for the market, as well as uncovering how design and dev teams are using the tools in day-to-day workflows. Either way, the results show that despite embracing the technology, right now it’s failing to live up to frankly over-hyped expectations.

According to Figma, one in three say they’ve shipped AI-powered products - a 50% increase since last year’s survey. This includes a wide range of uses, including analytics, document interpretation, and product strategy and marketing growth.

However, designers and developers admitted that “many AI projects still lack clarity in purpose,” with Figma pointing to nebulously defined goals like AI experimentation and CX improvements offered by respondents. This, the company claims, makes it difficult to measure the true impact of artificial intelligence.

The gulf between reality and potential can also be seen in how designers and developers are using AI. Because, while 78% believe the use of AI makes their workflows more efficient, just 58% reckon it improves the quality of the work. Fewer than half of those surveyed, says Figma, “made them better at their job.”

Figma also notes that despite 83% of those surveyed think learning to work with AI is essential to future success, those who believe it will have a “significant impact” on reaching company goals plummets to only 27%. Users who say AI will be “transformational” linger at 15%, exactly where it was in last year’s survey.

In other words, the company says, belief in the potential is high, but expectations, while stabilizing, are low due to experiencing the true limitations of current artificial intelligence technology.

Despite the general scepticism over just how useful AI is right now, there is some optimism in the design and dev world. Agentic AI is now the fastest-growing category, doubling year on year - although it’s yet to unseat text generation as the biggest project type.

Usage is also increasing, particularly among developers. Where just 69% of designers say they’re satisfied with AI tools and 54% of them feel the quality of their work improves when using AI, these figures jump to 83% and 67% for those working in development.

However, Figma points out that the disparity is likely down to how artificial intelligence is used across different projects, with designers chiefly using the tools for the likes of asset creation (31%) compared to core development responsibilities, such as code generation, used by 59% of developers.

So, all in all, results are mixed right now - how that will change as AI continues to improve will be one to watch.

Figma surveyed 2500 developers and designers globally between January 8 and January 30, 2025. You can get the full report here.

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• New research shows AI can help identify which dogs are most likely to be candidates
• It can help reduce the emotionally draining problem of ‘late-stage failure’ in guide dog training
• AI can map dog personality types

AI is being used to help identify which pups have the greatest potential to go on to become guide dogs (also known as seeing-eye dogs) or service dogs earlier and with more accuracy.

In a new research project at the University of East London, Dr Mohammad Amirhosseini, Associate Professor in Computer Science and Digital Technologies, found that one AI model achieved 80% prediction accuracy over a 12-month period.

“One of the biggest challenges in assistance dog training is the emotional and financial cost of late-stage failure,” says Dr Amirhosseini. “This is more than a tech innovation – it’s a leap forward for animal welfare.”

To perform the analysis the trainers who work most closely with the dogs record their behaviour at six months and 12 months using detailed questionnaires, which function as snapshots of the dog’s temperament, focus and personality.

AI then weaves its magic and spots the early signs of suitability for guide or service dog training. The AI can detect patterns of behavior that even experienced trainers could miss.

Paw patrol

The project brought together an international dream team of dog experts including members of The Seeing Eye, which is the oldest dog training centre in the world, as well as Canine Companions, the team featured in Netflix’s Inside the Mind of a Dog documentary.

While many industries are under threat from AI removing human jobs, the study shows that there are plenty of opportunities for AI to positively benefit mankind.

AI can potentially be a game-changer for many dog training programmes, saving time, money and even heartbreak because dogs that don’t make the cut have to get rehomed and split from their potential new vocations and owners.

If an AI can pick up patterns that even seasoned dog trainers miss then it will become a powerful new ally in the field of animal training.

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• Phishing attacks are more common than ever
• New research shows Microsoft impersonators are targeting users
• These aim to steal credentials and information from victims

Phishing attacks top the tables for most popular intrusion points for cybercriminals over and over again, and new research from Check Point reveals the most commonly imitated firms for the first quarter of 2025. Criminals impersonating Microsoft were by far the most common, making up 36% of observed brand related social engineering attacks in the study.

Following behind are Google and Apple, making up 12% and 8% respectively - meaning that over half of all incidents (56%) come from a false address associated with one of those three brands.

A notable change though, is in a rise of Mastercard impersonations - with a campaign of fraudulent websites discovered, primarily aimed at Japanese users, and attempting to steal sensitive financial information from victims using a fake website and prompting users to enter their card numbers and CVVs.

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Trending attacks

Unsurprisingly, the research shows that technology is the most impersonated sector for attacks in Q1 of 20225 - most likely because more and more people use the services, and because criminals can prompt users to enter credentials with ‘password reset’ scams, or can lure victims onto a malicious site, especially given the trust awarded to these services.

This isn’t the first time researchers have identified Microsoft as the most commonly imitated company in phishing scams, and the best way to stay safe against phishing is to be hyper vigilant - double checking any email address for discrepancies, and never clicking a link from an unverified source.

“As we progress through 2025, organizations and users alike must stay alert to the evolving threat of phishing attacks,” says Check Point.

“The most frequently targeted brands are not just household names — they are gateways to sensitive personal and financial information. Cyber security awareness, combined with robust protection strategies like multi-factor authentication (MFA), can help minimize the risk of falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.”

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Dr Geoffrey Hinton deserves credit for helping to build the foundation of virtually all neural-network-based generative AI we use today. You can also credit him in recent years with consistency: he still thinks the rapid expansion of AI development and use will lead to some fairly dire outcomes.

Two years ago, in an interview with The New York Times, Dr Hinton warned, "It is hard to see how you can prevent the bad actors from using it for bad things."

Now, in a fresh sit-down, this time with CBS News, the Nobel Prize winner is ratcheting up the concern, admitting that when he figured out how to make a computer brain work more like a human brain, he "didn't think we'd get here in only 40 years," adding that "10 years ago I didn't believe we'd get here."

Yet, now we're here, and hurtling towards an unknowable future, with the pace of AI model development easily outstripping the pace of Moore's Law (which states that the number of transistors on a chip doubles roughly every 18 months). Some might argue that artificial intelligence is doubling in capability every 12 months or so, and undoubtedly making significant leaps on a quarterly basis.

Naturally, Dr Hinton's reasons for concern are now manifold. Here's some of what he told CBS News.

1. There's a 10%-to-20% risk that AIs will take over

That, according to CBS News, is Dr Hinton's current assessment of the AI-versus-human risk factor. It's not that Dr. Hinton doesn't believe that AI advances won't pay dividends in medicine, education, and climate science; I guess the question here is, at what point does AI become so intelligent that we do not know what it's thinking about or, perhaps, plotting?

Dr. Hinton didn't directly address artificial general intelligence (AGI) in the interview, but that must be on his mind. AGI, which remains a somewhat amorphous concept, could mean that AI machines surpass human-like intelligence – and if they do that, at what point does AI start to, as humans do, act in its own self-interest?

2. Is AI a "cute cub" that could someday kill you?

In trying to explain his concerns, Dr Hinton likened current AI to someone owning a tiger cub. "It's just such a cute tiger cub, unless you can be very sure that it's not going to want to kill you when it's grown up."

The analogy makes sense when you consider how most people engage with AIs like ChatGPT, CoPilot, and Gemini, using them to generate funny pictures and videos, and declaring, "Isn't that adorable?" But behind all that amusement and shareable imagery is an emotionless system that's only interested in delivering the best result as its neural network and models understand it.

3. Hackers will be more effective – banks and more could be at risk

When it comes to current AI threats Dr. Hinton is clearly taking them seriously. He believes that AI will make hackers more effective at attacking targets like banks, hospitals, and infrastructure.

AI, which can code for you and help you solve difficult problems, could supercharge their efforts. Dr Hinton's response? Risk mitigation by spreading his money across three banks. Seems like good advice.

4. Authoritarians can misuse AI

Dr Hinton is so concerned about the looming AI threat that he told CBS News he's glad he's 77 years old, which I assume means he hopes to be long gone before the worst-case scenario involving AI potentially comes to pass.

I'm not sure he'll get out in time, though. We have a growing legion of authoritarians around the world, some of whom are already using AI-generated imagery to propel their propaganda.

5. Tech companies aren't focusing enough on AI safety

Dr Hinton argues that the big tech companies focusing on AI, namely OpenAI, Microsoft, Meta, and Google (where Dr Hinton formerly worked), are putting too much focus on short-term profits and not enough on AI safety. That's hard to verify, and, in their defense, most governments have done a poor job of enforcing any real AI regulation.

Dr Hinton has taken notice when some try to sound the alarm. He told CBS News that he was proud of his former protégé and OpenAI's former Chief Scientist, Ilya Sutskever, who helped briefly oust OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over AI safety concerns. Altman soon returned, and Sutskever ultimately walked away.

As for what comes next, and what we should do about it, Dr Hinton doesn't offer any answers. In fact he seems almost as overwhelmed by it all as the rest of us, telling CBS News that while he doesn't despair, "we're at this very very special point in history where in a relatively short time everything might totally change at a change of a scale we've never seen before. It's hard to absorb that emotionally."

You can say that again, Dr Hinton.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is likely to land in just a few months' time, and when it does, it should provide an enticing foldable alternative to the flagship Samsung Galaxy S25 series.

Like most big-name upcoming phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has leaked extensively, with leakers and tipsters revealing, among many other things, the price you might have to pay for it.

Of course, nothing will be certain price-wise until Samsung itself unveils the phone later this year, but we do have a solid idea of what to expect. Below, you’ll find details of what you’ll probably have to pay for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, based on a combination of leaks, past form, and educated guesses.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 price predictions

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Before looking at any possible price changes for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, it’s worth being aware of what the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 costs, so you have a jumping-off point.

Below, you can see a chart with full pricing details for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, but notably, it starts at $1,099.99 / £1,049 / $1,799.

So, will the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 cost any more or less than that? Well, we haven’t heard loads of price rumors yet, but two separate leaks have suggested that it will have exactly the same starting price.

We first heard this Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 price claim in January 2025, and while the claim comes from a leaker who doesn’t yet have much of a track record, the same claim was later made by Android Headlines in an article written in collaboration with @OnLeaks – a source with a very solid track record.

These are the only price leaks we’ve heard so far, so for now, our best guess is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will start at $1,099.99 / £1,049 / $1,799, just like its predecessor.

That said, it’s possible that even if these leaks are correct, the price could change in some regions. Android Headlines, for example, only mentioned the US price when saying that nothing would change.

It’s also certainly possible that Samsung will increase the price. After all, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 costs more – at least in some regions – than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, a phone that started at $999.99 / £1,049 / AU$1,649. So, Samsung could increase the price again, though it could equally be argued that the company might be reluctant to raise the price two years in a row.

It might not have much of a choice, though, especially now that Trump has started introducing tariffs to most countries, which will likely mean Samsung’s costs will increase.

Still, until we hear otherwise, we’re going to say the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 will probably have the same price as its predecessor, and we’re even more confident that it won’t cost less, as price reductions for new models are rare (though not totally unheard of) and with tariffs coming in it seems especially unlikely to happen.

On top of all that, Samsung is reportedly making a Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, which is sure to be cheaper than the main model, so if Samsung was to also lower the price of the Z Flip 7, that might eat into the FE’s potential audience.

What about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, then, could be the foldable flip phone to buy if you’re hoping for a lower price tag. But just how low will this model go?

Well, so far there aren’t any Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE price leaks, but logically it will be cheaper than the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which – if the Z Flip 7 retains its predecessor’s price, as has been rumored – would mean a price of under $1,099.99 / £1,049 / $1,799.

As such, we'd guess that this would mean the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will probably start at no more than $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,650.

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• Nintendo has released a special Switch 2 edition for its official magazine
• The "Nintendo Magazine 2025 Special Issue" is available digitally online, with a physical copy set to release in May
• The magazine offers a look at the Switch 2, its hardware features, and new games

Nintendo has released a special issue of its official magazine dedicated to the Nintendo Switch 2.

The company shared the news on its Japan website today, announcing that the digital version of the "Nintendo Magazine 2025 Special Issue" featuring the Switch 2 has been released.

The magazine, which you can access here, is a total of 80 pages and offers a look at the Switch 2, its hardware features, like its new Joy-Cons, and the console's line-up of software, including Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and The Duskbloods.

There are pages dedicated to third-party titles, too, like Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Split Fiction, and more. Each feature page also has links to official websites and videos related to the content.

A physical booklet version of the special issue will begin shipping around May 9, 2025, in Japan. Nintendo said the magazine is "expected to be available at video game stores nationwide around May 24th."

[トピックス]Nintendo Switch 2 総特集の「ニンテンドーマガジン 2025特別号」デジタル版を公開。冊子版も5月9日ごろより全国のTVゲーム取扱店へ順次発送予定。https://t.co/lmmo3R6NMhhttps://t.co/lmmo3R6NMhApril 28, 2025

I was able to skim through the magazine via the provided link, but it appears that the site is currently facing issues. When it reloaded, an error message appeared, which reads: "The page you requested could not be found", but I imagine Nintendo will resolve the issue soon.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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• Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting login credentials, session cookies, and more
• The threat of identity-based attacks is rising
• The costs are adding up, and businesses are slow to respond

Businesses are facing an increase in identity-based attacks, and rogue applications are the top culprit, research from the Huntress 2025 'Managed ITDR Report: Identity Is the New Security Perimeter'.

Based on a survey of more than 600 IT and security professionals, Huntress’ new report states that two-thirds (67%) of organizations reported an increase in identity-based incidents in the last three years.

What’s more, these attacks comprised more than 40% of security incidents for more than a third (35%) of organizations in the past 12 months alone.

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Second increase

Huntress further claims that “rogue applications” are the number one concern here. Almost half (45%) or respondents said they encountered rogue and/or malicious applications in the past, while 46% described them as a “top identity-based concern”.

To make matters worse, detection and response times are not keeping up. More than half (53%) said they need “hours” to detect such an incident, and two-thirds (68%) added that they were “unable” to detect or respond to the threat until the actors already established persistence.

Huntress also warned that the financial impact of these attacks is “significant.” Aside from the downtime and reputational harm, the researchers found a third (32%) of businesses losing at least $100,000 as a result.

“There’s no denying identity is the new endpoint. With widespread cloud adoption, the shift to hybrid work, and an increased reliance on SaaS applications, the identity attack surface has exploded over the past few years,” said Prakash Ramamurthy, Chief Product Officer at Huntress.

“Hackers are no longer wasting time breaking into networks the hard way. They’re logging in using stolen credentials, session cookies, and access tokens to bypass endpoint protection and exploit weak multi-factor authentication.”

Not all is lost, though, as there are multiple methods, including zero-trust network access (ZTNA), that help mitigate this threat.

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• Japanese speedrunner Ikaboze has beaten the Nintendo Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Ikaboze attended the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience: Tokyo event, where he was given access to the 20-minute demo
• The speedrunner beat the final boss with no equipment in around seven minutes

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been beaten on the Nintendo Switch 2 in under 10 minutes ahead of the console's official release.

As reported by Nintendo Insider, speedrunner Ikaboze has already cleared the Switch 2 version of the game while attending the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience: Tokyo event, where he was able to play the game's 20-minute demo.

However, it turned out that the speedrunner needed less than half that time to roll credits.

By using an autosave file situated outside Hyrule Castle and removing his equipment, Ikaboze was able to defeat the final boss, Ganon, becoming the first player in the world to beat Breath of the Wild on the Switch 2.

The feat was achieved in around seven minutes using the new Switch 2 controller, and if you watch the complete speed run below, other attendees and employees at the event can be seen cheering him on.

"I was surprised by how many people had gathered," Ikaboze said (translated via VGC).

"Staff were even filming on their smartphones. This was the first time anyone had completed the Breath of the Wild demo, and staff congratulated me."

The Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will be day one launch titles for the console. It's been confirmed that both games will contain the full game and upgrades on the cartridge. Breath of the Wild's expansion pass won't be included and will be sold separately.

In addition, it seems that the Switch 2 Editions won't support Switch Online's cloud save backup feature.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle. UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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• Unreleased code suggests Google may enable users to add cards to Google Wallet by tapping the card on their phone
• We don't have a timeframe or release date yet
• The new feature could speed up adding new cards to your phone

Google could be readying a change to the Google Wallet app that would make adding contactless payment cards faster and easier.

Unreleased code uncovered by Android Authority suggests that Google could soon enable the addition of cards via near-field communication, or NFC, the wireless technology that enables contactless payments.

In everyday terms, that would mean adding a card by tapping the card on the phone as you would on a contactless card reader.

The new option will apparently be found on the “Add payment method” screen alongside existing methods, such as manual entry.

And though NFC has the potential to be much faster than adding your card details manually, it’s possible that you’ll still need to enter your CVV (or CVC) number for security reasons.

The Android Authority report found no suggestions regarding compatibility, so we can’t yet say which types of cards and which issuers will be supported.

Furthermore, there’s no mention of whether this feature will be added with the upcoming release of Android 16, or as part of a smaller update.

How hasn’t this happened yet?

(Image credit: Google)

Personally, I feel like this rumor seems so logical that it’s almost bizarre that it’s not already part of the official Google Wallet experience.

After all, the NFC technology employed by contactless cards, phones, and card readers operates the same way – there’s nothing stopping a phone from reading a card from a technical point of view.

Speculatively, it’s possible that security concerns delayed Google’s adoption of the tap-to-add feature. After all, the feature needs to be secure so that cards can’t be added to a phone fraudulently.

In any case, I’d be glad to see this feature come to Google Wallet – paying contactlessly is a convenient feature, and this new feature is sure to make things even easier for users of the best Android phones.

Would you add a card to your phone via NFC? Do you prefer using a contactless card or smartphone to complete payments? Let us know in the comments below.

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

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

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

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

Chinese cars are under investigation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A make-or-break year for AI

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

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

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

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

The rise of state-sponsored cyber attacks

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

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

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

Interconnectivity vulnerabilities

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

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

The growing data residency battle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Microsoft will charge for Windows Server hotpatching

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

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

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

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

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

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

Netflix has announced the official air date for Tudum 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blood oxygen monitoring

(Image credit: Apple)

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

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

5G and satellite connectivity

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

Apple Intelligence

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Qubix Studio)

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

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

New colors

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

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

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

Blood pressure alerts

(Image credit: Apple)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OnePlus Watch 3: A welcome price cut

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Via BleepingComputer

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

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Lexus)

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

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

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

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

Reinventing the wheel

(Image credit: Mercedes-Benz)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Productivity in the UK lags behind other European nations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why are the prices going up again?

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

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

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

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

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

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