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Though we're still in the era of iOS 18, the next big update – which rather than iOS 19 is instead called iOS 26 – has been unveiled at WWDC 2025.

As such, we now know what to expect, and for the intrepid among you, it's even possible to download a beta version of the software and try it out for yourself.

That might be tempting too, because as well as a new name, iOS 26 also sports a whole new look, among numerous new and improved features.

Below, you'll find everything you need to know about this software update, including all its major features and when it will start rolling out.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The next major update to the iPhone’s operating system
• When is it out? Announced on June 9, probably rolling out in September
• Who will get it? All models from the iPhone 11 onwards will be compatible

iOS 26: release date

(Image credit: Apple)

iOS 26 was announced at WWDC 2025 on June 9, and it's available in beta now. If you'd like to grab it yourself, we've got a guide covering how to download the iOS 26 developer beta.

However, the finished version probably won't launch until September 2025, where it's likely to land alongside the expected iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and possible iPhone 17 Air.

Still, since it has been announced we already know what to expect, so read on to learn all about iOS 26.

iOS 26: compatibility

The iPhone XS doesn't support iOS 26

While iOS 26 isn't out yet, we do know the full list of phones that are compatible with iOS 26.

In short, if you have a model in the iPhone 11 series or later or an iPhone SE (2020) or later, then you'll be able to download iOS 26.

That means almost every phone that can get iOS 18 will also be able to get iOS 26, with the exception being the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR.

iOS 26: a new design

(Image credit: Apple)

While there are lots of new features in iOS 26, the biggest change is to the look of the operating system, with Apple having given it a complete revamp.

This is the largest redesign to the iPhone software experience since iOS 7 launched alongside the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, so it's a massive change, and it's focused around a digital 'material' called Liquid Glass.

What this means in practice is a lot of rounded and transparent elements inspired by visionOS, along with a new clear theme, which you can optionally choose instead of light or dark.

This should freshen up the interface, and a version of this new style is also being applied to most of Apple's other operating systems, so there will be more unity across devices.

iOS 26: new features

(Image credit: Apple)

iOS 26 includes a slew of useful new features, ranging from overhauled apps to Apple Intelligence improvements, details of which you'll find below.

A new camera app

(Image credit: Apple)

iOS 26 features a redesigned camera app, which streamlines the photo and video modes to make them easier to use.

When you launch the app, the only options you'll see below the shutter button are 'Photo' and 'Video', rather than the large number of options that are present in iOS 18. Then, once you select one of those you can view other related options with a swipe to the left or right.

Other menus within the camera have also been reorganized to make them clearer and more intuitive, so navigating the camera app should be a lot slicker with iOS 26.

Apple Intelligence improvements

(Image credit: Apple)

Siri still hasn't got the ChatGPT-like overhaul we're waiting for, but iOS 26 does include some Apple Intelligence improvements.

There's Live Translation, which will translate text and audio across the phone app, Messages, and FaceTime, and Visual Intelligence has been upgraded to allow you to get help with anything on your screen.

The Shortcuts app has also been improved, with a new set of Shortcuts available that have been enabled by Apple Intelligence, and Genmoji and Image Playground now allow you to combine emoji, Genmoji, and descriptions, for all-new creations.

Apple Games

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple Games is a new app that takes the place of Game Center, but unlike Game Center you can manually launch this, and you'll be able to find and start games from within it.

You'll also find leaderboards here, and be able to track achievements, and the same app is coming to macOS, adding to the sense of unity between these operating systems.

An overhauled Phone app

Call Screening in iOS 26 (Image credit: Apple)

The Phone app has also had a lot of attention in iOS 26, with this now having a simpler layout that puts Favorites, Recents, and Voicemail all on one screen.

More excitingly though, it also now has a Call Screening feature which lets you hear what a call is about before deciding whether to pick up. There's also Hold Assist, which will notify you when you're no longer on hold.

Battery boosts

(Image credit: Future)

Your phone's battery life could also be improved with iOS 26, as a new Adaptive Power mode will make changes in the background to reduce battery drain at the cost of things like screen brightness and performance, so this will be useful when your battery is running low.

There's also a new charging time estimate, which will predict how long it will take for your battery to charge, and you'll see more in depth battery stats in the battery section of the Settings app.

Better flight features

(Image credit: Apple)

Frequent flyers should appreciate iOS 26, as Apple has made it so that if you've got a boarding pass saved in Wallet, you'll be able to see related Live Activities, providing real-time updates on the flight.

This improved boarding pass experience also provides shortcuts to mapping to the airport, and to Find My for luggage tracking.

Other small updates

Apple Maps in iOS 26 (Image credit: Apple)

As well as the large new features above, there are also some smaller features in iOS 26.

These include lyrics translation and pronunciation tools in Apple Music, a new Visited Places screen in Apple Maps, the option to pay in installments for in-store purchases made with Apple Pay, alerts when your phone's camera lenses are dirty, and additional Background Sound options.

iOS 26 will also filter messages from unknown senders so they don't clog up your inbox, and you can create polls in the Messages apps.

Plus, CarPlay also has a new design and features – such as a Tapback tool in Messages – as part of iOS 26.

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A Fortnite Superman skin is set to be added next month, based on the new version as featured in James Gunn's Superman. Interestingly, players can actually unlock the skin now, though there will still be additional cosmetics to get once the pass goes live for everyone.

What's new in Fortnite?

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite just launched its newest season. We're now at the beginning of Chapter 6 Season 3, titled Fortnite Super. This major update added Superman, Robin, and other Heroes to the game, alongside a whole host of super-powered items and weapons. You can now unlock three new map locations, with Utopia City being a real highlight. Elsewhere, Fortnite OG just got its newest season.

Now that a brand new season of Fortnite has launched, there's a completely fresh map to try out, and the addition of a superhero ranking system. There are ranks to rise through in each match, giving you access to progressively more powerful gear. We've got a couple of months until the next season of Fortnite arrives, but there's plenty to keep us busy until then.

Here's everything you need to know about the Fortnite Superman skin, including when it's coming to the game and details on how to unlock it early. As new info is revealed closer to launch, we'll be sure to update this page.

Fortnite Superman release date

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite's Superman skin will release on July 11, 2025. This can be seen in the in-game calendar that's on the main menu screen before loading into a match. Battle Pass owners can unlock Superman and additional Superman items by completing Quests starting July 11. The Super Battle Pass is available to progress in now until August 8, 2025.

The best place to keep up on specific updates closer to the launch of the new season is the Fortnite Status Twitter account. We'll be sure to keep this page up to date as well.

How to unlock the Fortnite Superman skin early

(Image credit: Epic Games)

You can actually unlock the main Superman Fortnite skin early by purchasing the Premium Battle Pass. This grants access to the Battle Pass, 25 levels, as well as the skin. This costs 2800 V-Bucks and instantly unlocks Superman. This is the same skin as you'll get on July 11, though there will be additional cosmetics to earn via Quests once the pass is live.

Epic usually details the rewards associated with bonus skins like Superman, closer to their launch date. On release, the Superman skin will have five additional rewards to earn, with five more being added a week after. This is how bonus skins have worked for quite a while, so hopefully Superman follows suit. If anything changes, we'll be sure to update this page.

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• Apple’s iOS 26 update introduced a new Liquid Glass design
• There are also lots of little changes to be found in the software upgrade
• Here are five of the most useful smaller iOS 26 changes

If you watched Apple’s WWDC 2025 event earlier this week, the Liquid Glass redesign is probably the thing that leapt out the most to you. But despite the understandable airtime it got, it’s far from the most significant change to Apple’s iPhone operating system.

The iOS 26 update is packed with useful tweaks and changes that do far more than a visual overhaul ever could. We've covered the big ones in our iOS 26 roundup, but with the developer beta now out in the wild, some smaller quality-of-life changes have emerged.

Here, we’ve gathered five of those smaller, unheralded features that we think we will impact you much more than the Apple's Liquid Glass redesign...

1. Banish spam voicemails

(Image credit: Apple)

Spam is the bane of any phone user, and sometimes it feels like there’s very little you can actually do about it. But Apple is hoping to change that in iOS 26, as it’s giving you the ability to report spam voicemails from your iPhone.

The feature is simple to use. If you get a voicemail left by an unknown number, you just need to tap into the message and you’ll see a “Report Spam” button. Pick that and it’s sent to Apple (likely to help improve its detection, although Apple hasn’t confirmed that yet).

You can then report the voicemail as spam and keep it on your device, or report it and delete it forever. Combined with iOS 26’s Call Screening feature, this will hopefully help you deal with unwanted calls and messages a little more easily.

2. Upgraded boarding passes

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple’s Wallet app has been able to store boarding passes for a while, and it’s a useful way to quickly present your travel info in an airport without needing to print anything on paper. In iOS 26, though, boarding passes just became a whole lot more capable.

With the update, virtual boarding passes can now give you directions to your terminal and help you find your luggage if it’s been paired with an AirTag or other tracker.

Boarding passes now offer Live Activities, too, and these show flight progress, arrival gate number, baggage claim info, and much more.

3. Custom your snooze timers

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

Sometimes, you just need a little extra sleep in the mornings. If your iPhone alarm goes off, you’ve long had the option to snooze it in iOS, but that function has always given you exactly nine minutes more to doze – nothing more, nothing less.

In iOS 26, you can customize the snooze duration to your needs, with options ranging from one to 15 minutes. That should give you plenty of flexibility to get a little extra kip on your own terms.

4. Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts

(Image credit: Apple)

Shortcuts is already one of the smartest apps on your iPhone, and it’s just had another boost in iOS 26 thanks to deep integration with Apple Intelligence, Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) platform.

You can now incorporate AI directly into your workflows, with options like comparing two input documents, generating an image, or using Visual Intelligence.

There’s an option to tap into Apple’s on-device processing, use the company’s Private Cloud Compute, or hand off to ChatGPT. And there are a bunch of pre-made shortcuts that showcase some of Apple Intelligence’s abilities, too.

5. Apple Music Lock Screen animations

(Image credit: Apple)

When you’re playing music from the Apple Music app on your iPhone, iOS 26 will present a new visual treat on your Lock Screen. By default, you’ll see the track’s album art, but if it has an animated version, a quick tap on it will start the animation on your display.

This effect requires the album or single to have an animated cover in the first place, and not all tracks come with this functionality. You’ll also need to do it in Apple Music, as it doesn’t work with Spotify. Still, it’s a neat bit of visual flair to go along with your favorite music.

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• Gartner report claims companies are reversing or toning down their strategies for AI customer service
• Almost all companies will keep human agents in their teams
• Experts call for a hybrid approach, with AI and humans

A growing amount of of companies are abandoning plans to drastically reduce human customer service roles in the next two years due to technical, operational and cost-related challenges, research has claimed.

A new Gartner report found a staggering majority (95%) plan to retain human agents as a result, acknowledging AI's current limitations in handling complex or nuanced customer interactions.

The report also confirmed customers prefer human interactions and support, with only 7% trusting AI most for issue resolution. Three in five (62%) also worry that AI will make it harder to reach a human if they need more detailed support.

Companies still plan on using human customer service agents

Gartner's analysts emphasized that AI cannot fully replace humans in the field just yet, citing poor user experiences and unexpected costs from failed AI implementations.

So far, projects expecting GenAI to solve all customer issues have largely fallen short of expectations, and the idea of a fully human-less contact center is neither feasible nor desirable at this stage.

"Human touch remains irreplaceable in many interactions, and organizations must balance technology with human empathy and understanding," Senior Director Analyst Kathy Ross explained.

"A hybrid approach, where AI and human agents work in tandem, is the most effective strategy for delivering exceptional customer experiences."

However, separate IBM research revealed UK businesses are still bidding big on AI – four in five (83%) execs expect agentic AI to improve efficiency, with UK businesses allocating an average of 15% of their IT budgets to AI.

A similar number of execs (84%) also expect AI to automate repetitive tasks at above-human speeds by next year.

All of this in mind, even IBM admits that some challenges remain, especially surrounding data quality (49%), trust (46%) and skills shortages (42%).

IBM Consulting VP for AI Integration Services, Francesco Brenna, explained how AI isn't a plug-and-play, solve-all tool to fix all business problems: "This isn’t about plugging an agent into an existing process and hoping for the best. It means re-architecting how the process is executed, redesigning the user experience, orchestrating agents end-to-end, and integrating the right data to provide context, memory, and intelligence throughout."

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As we head closer and closer to summer (for those of us in the northern hemisphere at least), the best streaming services are reviving their libraries in order to keep you away from nature and sunlight, safely ensconced on your couch. Which, considering allergies and heat, is a worthy tactic that I shall be adhering to. And it's not hard to see why with everything due to hit streaming in June 2025.

But, as the cost of streaming rises along with… well, the cost of everything, it's a good idea to contemplate which services you absolutely have to keep for the upcoming month versus those you can probably go without for June.

Luckily, this month sees one of my favorite reliable hubs knock out a bunch of titles I simply cannot ignore – I’m talking about Hulu (a lot of the same titles of which will arrive on Disney+ internationally) – and one of my other favorites offer up so few, I'm happy to let it go for the month. Here's my take.

Why I'm keeping my Hulu subscription in June

I can't wait to get back into this heated kitchen. (Image credit: FX)

I love Hulu. It's one of my favorite streamers because of its deals with several major TV networks– NBC, ABC and Fox– which allows you to get the latest episodes of shows either the day-of, or the day after they originally air. While that's been essential for my addiction to 9-1-1 and The Rookie, this month however, I've got eyes for one show only.

Yep, The Bear season 4 debuts June 25. This award-winning drama continues to stoke curiosity, and based on a lil' detail in the teaser trailer it looks like this could be the last outing for Carmy and the crew. Whether that's the case, I'll be ready to chomp down on whatever they're serving up!

If you're looking for movies then two of my favorite franchises are coming to the platform. Anyone who knows me knows I love the Alien series– yes, I ranked them even though it was one of the most difficult things I've ever done – so I'm delighted that all nine of the movies will be available as part of everything new on Hulu in June in the US (those in the UK or Australia can catch these on Disney+ instead).

Alien: Earth isn't coming out until August but the entire Alien franchise is streaming on Hulu in the US. (Image credit: FX)

2024's Alien: Romulus dropped on Hulu and Disney+ a while back but now you can binge the entire xenomorph legacy in one go, which also includes both Alien vs. Predator films. Are they good? Not particularly. Do they fit into the chronology? Not particularly. But they attempt to unite two of the bloodiest franchises into a PG-13 film so honestly, worthwhile watching for that alone.

Now is a great time to revisit all of the films, as FX is bringing the xenos to the small screen with Alien: Earth, which makes its way onto Hulu on August 12. Of course, there's also the new Predator: Killer of Killers to enjoy, too.

Keeping that horror vibe, Scream 2022 slashes its way onto Hulu June 8 – unfortunately, it's only streaming on the Channel 4 app in the UK and isn't available in Australia. This requel ought to get audiences prepared for next year's Scream 7, which is one of my most anticipated horror films of 2026.

On the newer end of things the latest Steven Soderbergh outing, Presence, is slated for a June 3 arrival on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally, and I'm very excited to check this out. Its critical reception has wavered depending on the viewer; some people hoped for a flat-out horror and others wanted a drama, and judging on the reviews, it sounds like a mashup of the two.

Why I'm canceling HBO Max in June

The Last of Us season 2 has ended on HBO Max. (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

If you’ve gathered by now, I tend to keep streamers that have at least two things I’m excited to watch – movies or TV series. Aside from the service finally reverting back to its old name of HBO Max – which is exciting to me but I'm going to need a little more to go on – Max simply doesn’t carry any fresh offerings I have to watch in June.

Granted, there are exceptions to my preferences as Max offers a ton of great shows. With The Last Of Us season 2 all wrapped up, there isn't much to necessitate my subscription, BUT, if you are a fan of The Gilded Age, I expect you'll want to keep Max as season 3 drops later in the month.

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• Directive 8020 will feature "real-time threats" that will ramp up players' fear
• Creative director, Will Doyle, says the game's Turning Point narrative system will allow players to explore the story's branching outcomes
• Doyle explains that these two changes to the Dark Pictures formula are "critical" to how players interact with the story

Supermassive Games has introduced two "critical" changes to Directive 8020 that will affect how players interact with the game's branching narrative.

Speaking in an interview with TechRadar Gaming during Summer Game Fest, Directive 8020's creative director, Will Doyle, explained that the team has switched up the survival horror aspect for the next Dark Pictures anthology entry by implementing "real-time threats".

"There are two big things that have fundamentally changed what this game is," Doyle said. "One of them is the real-time threats, the effect that that's had on changing the control system, and the fear that it puts into you when you're playing it really, really gets your heart pounding."

The Until Dawn creators have also changed how players make important story choices by introducing something called the Turning Point system. This mechanic allows players to rewind at certain points in the narrative, which Doyle says will allow players to explore different outcomes, unlike in any other Dark Pictures entry.

"The other is the turning point system and the ability to explore our branching story. Because for me, that's kind of two critical aspects of what we've done," he said.

"We're a narrative game, and you've got a new system that lets you explore the narrative in a fun way, and we are a game that lets you move around and have action in it, and we've pushed that forward as well."

Directive 8020 is the fifth entry in the eight-planned Dark Pictures series and arrives on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

In the game, a colony ship called the Cassiopeia has crash-landed on the planet Tau Ceti f in the middle of an expedition to save Earth. The crew soon discovers they aren't alone and must survive being hunted by an alien organism capable of mimicking its prey.

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• Interpol and international partners conducted Operation Secure
• In four months, the police arrested dozens of people and seized vital data
• Thousands of IP addresses hosting infostealers were taken down, as well

Dozens of people have been arrested, and thousands of IP addresses seized, in an Interpol-led international law enforcement operation aimed at disrupting a network of infostealers and other malware.

The international law enforcement agency said Operation Secure took place between January and April 2025, and saw police agencies in 26 countries work together to locate servers, map physical networks, and move in to disrupt cybercriminal campaigns.

As a result, 32 people were arrested: 18 in Vietnam, 12 in Sri Lanka, and two in Nauru, including the individual suspected to have been running the entire operation, who was found with around $11,500 in cash, several SIM cards, and business registration documents which, according to the Interpol, point to a scheme “to open and sell corporate accounts”.

Servers, IP addresses, and gigs of data

In Hong Kong, the police analyzed more than 1,700 pieces of intelligence shared by Interpol, which helped them identify 117 command-and-control servers hosted on 89 internet service providers.

These servers were used as central hubs for different cybercriminal campaigns, including phishing, fraud, and social media scams.

Aside from the arrests, the police also seized 41 servers and obtained more than 100 GB of data.

Furthermore, it took down more than 20,000 malicious IP addresses linked to information stealers, and identified 216,000 victims and potential victims, some of whom have already been notified.

A few private cybersecurity companies also participated in the campaign, by providing valuable intelligence: Group-IB, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro.

“Interpol continues to support practical, collaborative action against global cyber threats,” commented Neal Jetton, the agency’s Director of Cybercrime.

“Operation Secure has once again shown the power of intelligence sharing in disrupting malicious infrastructure and preventing large-scale harm to both individuals and businesses.”

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• Sam Altman says a ChatGPT prompt uses "0.34 watt-hours" of electricity, roughly one second of an oven
• He also says a single ChatGPT prompt uses "0.000085 gallons of water; roughly one-fifteenth of a teaspoon"
• While that's not a lot in isolation, ChatGPT has over 400 million weekly users, with multiple prompts per day

OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman has revealed ChatGPT's energy usage for a single prompt, and while it's lower than you might expect, on a global scale, it could have a significant impact on the planet.

Writing on his blog, Altman said, "The average query uses about 0.34 watt-hours, about what an oven would use in a little over one second, or a high-efficiency lightbulb would use in a couple of minutes. It also uses about 0.000085 gallons of water; roughly one-fifteenth of a teaspoon."

While that might not sound like a lot as an isolated prompt, ChatGPT has approximately 400 million active weekly users, and that number is growing at a rapid rate. Bear in mind there's a growing amount of AI tools and chatbots on the market, including Google Gemini and Anthropic's Claude, so general AI energy usage will be even higher.

Last month, we reported on a study from MIT Technology Review which found that a five-second AI video uses as much energy as a microwave running for an hour or more. While Altman's ChatGPT prompt energy usage reveal is nowhere near as high as that, there are still concerns considering how much people interact with AI.

We rely on AI, so is this energy consumption a concern?

There's a constant concern about ChatGPT's energy consumption, and it is becoming increasingly vocal as AI usage continues to rise. While Altman's blog post will put some minds at ease, considering the relatively low energy and water usage in isolation, it could also spark more uproar.

Earlier this week, a mass ChatGPT outage led to millions of people unable to interact with the chatbot. Over the 10 hour plus period, I received emails from thousands of readers who gave me a new perspective on AI.

While I'd be lying if I said AI's energy consumption doesn't concern me, it would be unfair to overlook the positives of the technology and how it is improving the lives of millions.

The climate crisis is not limited to me and you, but unfortunately, it's the working class that ultimately pays the price. ChatGPT's energy consumption at a mass scale may be a severe problem in the future, but then again, so are the private jets flying 10-minute flights.

The AI climate concerns are not black and white, and those who criticise the impact of the technology on the planet are equally vocal about the impact of other technologies. That said, we're only at the beginning of the AI revolution, and energy consumption will continue to rise. At what point should we be worried?

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If the AI Action Summit in Paris earlier this year is the sign of things to come, establishing a coordinated approach to regulation and governance will be no easy task in the short or long term. To an extent, this is understandable – these processes rarely operate at pace, particularly when stakeholders are still trying to understand the impact of important trends, such as the emergence of advanced AI.

The problem this creates, however, is that without consensus, organizations must work against the backdrop of a more complex and unpredictable threat landscape, with the tools used by threat actors more advanced and accessible than ever before. In fact, the pace of change around AI tools is so rapid that it’s difficult to properly predict exactly what new cyber risks will emerge.

Not all one-way traffic

Thankfully, it’s not all one-way traffic. On one hand, threat actors are using generative tools to automate phishing campaigns, identify system vulnerabilities and write malicious code. On the other, forward-thinking organizations are using the same techniques to stay one step ahead. Nevertheless, security teams are in a difficult position – expected to respond to a growing range of threats with the same or fewer resources, while also managing a greater range of more serious risks.

The result is a situation where many organizations are constantly playing catch-up. Threat intelligence may be available, but without the right tools and frameworks in place to both distil and make use of it, much of that insight stays hidden or goes underutilized.

This plays out in different ways. In some organizations, core security functions – from threat intelligence and automation to incident response – remain siloed, with limited coordination or shared visibility. In others, strategies are developed in isolation, missing the opportunity to tap into the wealth of experience and insight already available across the broader security community.

The result? Individual businesses are left to fend off highly organized, fast-moving threat groups that thrive on shared intelligence and agile tactics, and are often several steps ahead.

The power of collaboration

To address these essential issues, organizations are relying more heavily on security collaboration and collective defense, with Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) among the most established and effective approaches.

Operating across sectors, these groups are designed to collect, analyze and distribute actionable threat intelligence, while also equipping members with the tools and resources needed to strengthen resilience. Today, the National Council of ISACs, for example, includes nearly 30 sector-specific organizations – a clear sign of how far this model has evolved.

The industry clearly sees the value. According to recent research, more than 90% of respondents say collaboration and information sharing are either very important or critical to their cybersecurity strategy. The problem? Almost three-quarters (70%) believe they could be doing more, with nearly one in five admitting they could share significantly more intelligence than they currently do.

Worryingly, more than half of those surveyed (53%) said their organization doesn’t engage with an ISAC at all. Perhaps even more concerning, 28% weren’t even aware that ISACs exist, underlining how much ground there is still to cover in building a truly collaborative cyber defense ecosystem.

But, for any effective approach to collective defense to succeed, the goal is to establish workflows that allow for the rapid, structured exchange of indicators of compromise (IoCs), tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) and real-world incident reports. Communities that get this right create a multiplier effect – the more each participant shares, the stronger the whole becomes.

Proactive security

All of this supports a shift from reactive to proactive security. Today’s teams must be able to identify risks before they escalate and take preventive action in near real time.

But that’s easier said than done. Security operations are often flooded with data from multiple sources, making it hard to separate the signal from the noise. That’s why threat intelligence platforms (TIPs) are becoming vital in helping ingest and operationalize threat data and in the process, reducing manual overhead and improving decision-making.

The best TIPs also enable automated intelligence sharing with external communities. In doing so, they act as a nerve center, connecting internal teams with trusted partners outside the organization.

This can transform the levels of sophistication and speed that can be applied to threat intelligence, empowering security teams to replace their reliance on manual processes while boosting efficiency, time savings and improved accuracy.

TIPs can also broaden the different types of data used in the threat intelligence process, including integrating structured and unstructured data, which can then be delivered as standardized output.

Looking at the overall security landscape at present, the challenges posed by AI-powered cybercrime are already prompting regulators to push for higher standards. Across multiple industries, new rules demand that organizations go beyond point solutions and build resilience into their day-to-day security strategies.

In practical terms, that means engaging with trusted partners and building response frameworks that are ready for action. If and when international standards emerge, organizations that embrace the collective defense approach will be strongly placed to ensure their networks and data remain safe.

Train up with the best online cybersecurity courses.

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

• DC Studios has released one final trailer for Superman
• The James Gunn-directed superhero movie releases on July 11
• Its latest teaser contains some crucial details about its plot and the odd Easter egg

James Gunn's Superman movie is officially less than a month away (at the time of publication, anyway). And, as the countdown towards its July 11 release gathers pace, DC Studios has debuted one final trailer for the David Corenswet-led comic book movie.

The trailer, which also confirms tickets are now on sale for one of 2025's most anticipated new movies, doesn't just contain footage we've seen in the DC Universe (DCU) film's other teasers.

Indeed, there are numerous new clips that hint at the direction of its plot and contain the odd DC Comics Easter egg. So, here are four crucial details and/or references to previous Superman projects you might have missed upon first viewing. Potentially big spoilers follow, so proceed at your own risk.

1. A glimpse at Mister Handsome

Who's the mysterious individual standing behind Lex Luthor? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

If your initial reaction to this individual is "...who?", you're not alone. Mister Handsome isn't an established DC Comics character – in fact, he appears to be a brand-new creation for this DCU Chapter One movie.

Okay, so who is he? We don't actually know, but that hasn't stopped eagle-eyed fans from thinking they've spotted him in Superman's latest trailer.

Look behind Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor in the above image, and you'll see what appears to be a pale skinned individual standing on some form of podium. Viewers think this human-looking creature is the aforementioned Mister Handsome.

Superman's behind-the-scenes vignette gave us a better look at Mister Handsome (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

There's further evidence to suggest this is the case. In Superman's behind-the-scenes featurette, we catch another glimpse of a being who not only resembles the character in Superman's final trailer, but also has a visibly different posture and appearance to most humans.

Additionally, peaking as part of a recent Fandango interview, Hoult and Gunn revealed that Hoult's son, who occasionally visited the Superman set, had a fondness for Mister Handsome. Elaborating on who this character is, Gunn teased: "Mister Handsome is Lex’s creature that he created in a petri dish who drives around on this flying platform that is the ugliest, grossest creature in the world."

This doesn't confirm that the pale skinned individual we briefly see is Mister Handsome, but Gunn's description lines up with what little we've seen of them. Throw in the incredibly ironic name for someone who's not attractive to look at and this has to be Mister Handsome.

2. Ultraman unmasked

Things are heating up between Ultraman and Superman (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

There's been plenty of speculation about Ultraman's actual identity. I've extensively covered the biggest fan theory about this secondary villain, so I won't do so again here. If you want more details on said hypothesis, read my pieces on Ultraman's supposed ties to another villain called the Hammer of Boravia, my breakdown of Superman 's second trailer, and the biggest Ultraman fan theory seemingly being confirmed by some Funko Pop figures.

Superman's third trailer doesn't deliver much in the way of new Ultraman footage, but there are a couple of missable shots of this mysterious individual without his mask. The first shows Ultraman blasting the Man of Steel with his own heat vision ability. Later, we see Supes whacking a demasked Ultraman with a large metallic object.

Neither clip is slow or long enough to give us a good look at Ultraman's face. Nonetheless, we know he'll lose his face covering at some point, which suggests we'll find out who he really is. My money is still on him being a Superman clone.

3. Green Lantern's 'Big Blue' call back

A superpowered humanoid alien is enough to make anyone green with envy (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

At the trailer's 1:20 mark, we see Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner/Green Lantern squaring up to Kal-El. Clearly, something's happened between the pair and it seems Gardner is trying to goad Supes to attack him. You don't mock someone by saying "make a move, Big Blue" if you're not trying to antagonize them.

"Big Blue" might sound like a form of derision on Gardner's part, but it's actually a call back to one of Superman's oldest nicknames. Indeed, it's a reference to 'The Big Blue Boy Scout' moniker that the Son of Krypton also went by in the 1950s. It's also an alias that's been shortened to 'Big Blue' in countless other comic books.

This, then, appears to be one of many homages that'll be paid to the Man of Tomorrow's literary roots in his latest big-screen adventure.

4. Who is baby Joey in Superman?

One Kryptonian and a baby (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The final big reveal in Superman's latest trailer concerns a character called Joey. He's the alien baby we see Clark Kent's superpowered alter-ego holding/rescuing as some form of cosmic explosion erupts around them.

We already know Joey's father is, too. Superman's Funko Pop figurine collection has already ruined that surprise, with Joey being the progeny of Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho. For the uninitiated: essentially, he's a metahuman who can create any type of element out of thin air.

The prevailing fan theory – one strengthened by footage shown in Superman's second trailer – is Luthor is exploiting Metamorpho in order to keep Joey safe. And, given Metamorpho's unique powers, he's tailor-made to craft kryptonite, aka the only substance in the known galaxy that can harm/weaken someone like Superman. It seems, then, that Metamorpho will be coerced to create some kryptonite, which Luthor can use against Supes, so Luthor doesn't harm Joey.

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• Some Pixel 6a phones have been overheating while charging
• Google says it will address the issue with a software update
• The update will limit battery capacity and charging speed

You may have spotted several reports of Google Pixel 6a phones catching fire and burning up in recent weeks, and Google is now taking steps to stop any future incidents by limiting the battery capacity and charging speed on the 2022 handsets.

In a statement to Android Authority, a Google spokesperson said that a "subset" of Pixel 6a phones will soon get a "mandatory" software update, reducing battery capacity and charging performance once 400 cycles have been reached.

This should "reduce the risk of potential battery overheating" according to Google, though it will leave you with a phone that charges up more slowly and doesn't last as long between charges – not great for a handset that's only been out three years.

Google says users with affected phones will be contacted next month with details of what they need to do. Meanwhile, the Android Authority team has spotted a warning about a potential battery overheating issue on the Pixel 6a in the latest Android 16 beta.

Keep an eye on your phone

Evidence of a burned out Pixel 6a (Image credit: Ariella / Android Authority)

It's difficult to gauge just how widespread this problem is, but Android Authority has already recorded two separate incidents, and there are pictures as proof. It's scary to think that your phone could suddenly burst into flames while it's been left charging.

Given that Google only mentions a "subset" of Pixel 6a phones, it's possible that only certain handsets are affected. We may not see this update roll out for every single Pixel 6a, but right now it's not clear either way.

If you own a Google Pixel 6a, it's a good idea to keep an eye on it while it's charging: look out for any kind of deformation, and check that the handset isn't getting too hot to the touch. Very short battery life can also indicate a battery health problem.

Swelling and overheating can potentially happen to any lithium-ion battery, if it gets physically damaged or somehow malfunctions, but it's an issue that keeps happening with Pixel phones – most recently with the Google Pixel 7a.

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• The Google Pixel 10 series could have built-in magnets for magnetic wireless charging
• A new line of 'Pixelsnap' accessories might launch to take advantage of this feature
• The Pixel 10 series could also have improved speakers

Android phones have technically been capable of supporting MagSafe-like charging for a while now, but so far, no big-name handsets have fully embraced the technology. The Samsung Galaxy S25 series, for instance, offers a half-measure solution that requires a magnetic case – but the Google Pixel 10 series might actually have magnets built in.

This rumor comes from Android Authority, and if true, would mean you’d be able to magnetically attach wireless chargers and other accessories to the Google Pixel 10, with no special cases required.

Android Authority claims to have seen “credible marketing materials intended for retailers” that show Google is working on magnetic accessories for the Pixel 10. These accessories would use the Qi2 standard (which enables magnetic wireless charging), and they include a ‘Pixelsnap Charger’, a ‘Pixelsnap Charger with Stand’, and a ‘Pixelsnap Ring Stand’.

The first two are self-explanatory, while the ‘Pixelsnap Ring Stand’ might be a stand for your phone that doesn’t include a charger.

Given that Google has previously been rumored to be working on a ‘Hub Mode’ for its phones, these stands would make sense, as Hub Mode would work like a smart display, where a stand would come in handy.

Faster charging and better speakers

The Google Pixel 9 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

In any case, Android Authority also found evidence of an upcoming Google wireless charger in a trade database, and its specs allow, in theory, for 60W wireless charging – though since current Pixel models can’t even charge that fast with wires, it’s likely that Google would restrict the speeds.

The database also mentions that this upcoming charger will come in ‘Rock Candy’ and ‘Mist’ shades, which Android Authority speculates will translate to black and off-white, respectively.

And as well as a charging upgrade, the Google Pixel 10 series could also get improved speakers, with Android Headlines claiming that they will be the best speakers ever on a Pixel phone, albeit ones lacking Dolby Atmos.

As ever with leaks, we’d take all of this with a pinch of salt for now, but it’s surprising that Android device makers aren’t yet embracing magnetic charging, so we’re hopeful that the Google Pixel 10 series will. The phones will probably launch in August, so we should find out whether they do then.

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• Tens of thousands of Nvidia chips will be deployed across many European countries
• Nvidia is partnering with key telecom firms across the continent
• AI centers will further research and offer training opportunities

Nvidia has announced significant new plans to support European customers as the region looks to bolster sovereignty requirements amid ongoing global trade concern

The chipmaker has revealed France, Italy, Spain and the UK are all deploying Nvidia Blackwell systems to build their own sovereign AI infrastructure, and it has also pledged to build an AI factory in Germany for industrial manufacturing applications, together with further AI technology centers in Germany, Sweden, Italy, Spain, the UK and Finland.

Nvidia's expansion across Europe comes amid partnerships with a number of European firms, including Mistral AI, Orange, Swisscom, Telefónica and Telenor.

Nvidia European expansion

Though confirmed in an Nvidia press release, many of the infrastructure expansions rely on local partnerships.

Mistral AI will deploy 18,000 Grace Blackwell systems in France, Nebius and Nscale will roll out 14,000 Blackwell GPUs via new data centers in the UK, Germany will launch the world's first industrial AI cloud with 10,000 Blackwell GPUs and Italy is to develop the "Large Colosseum" reasoning model on Grace Blackwell Superchips.

Further partnerships with European telecommunication companies will see Orange, Fastweb, Telenor, Swisscom and Telefónica launch their own AI models and tools.

"Every industrial revolution begins with infrastructure. AI is the essential infrastructure of our time, just as electricity and the internet once were," CEO Jensen Huang explained.

UK Tech Secretary Peter Kyle expanded on Huang's notion: "Just as coal and electricity once defined our past, AI is defining our future."

A series of AI centers are also to be established across many European countries, including Germany, Sweden, Italy, Spain, the UK and Finland, with the aim of accelerating AI research and offering local upskilling options.

"With bold leadership from Europe’s governments and industries, AI will drive transformative innovation and prosperity for generations to come," Huang added.

The news follows Huang's recent appearance at London Tech Week 2025, where he joined UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on stage to announce new expansions in the country, and hail the impact of AI investment.

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• iOS 26 adds the new Call Screening feature to iPhone
• The new feature automatically asks callers for a name and reason for calling, and provides a real-time transcript
• New data suggests more than 1 billion hoax calls could be intercepted

A new feature in iOS 26 could block more than a billion spam calls each year, according to new data.

Apple is adding a new Call Screening feature to iPhone with iOS 26, and with Call Screening enabled, your iPhone will ask for a name and reason for calling before sending the call through, building on the Live Voicemail feature added with iOS 17.

Similarly to Live Voicemail, Call Screening provides a real-time transcription of the caller’s response to those initial questions, and then gives the user the choice to pick up or ignore the call.

The feature will also be available in the Wi-Fi calling-enabled Phone apps coming with iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26.

A billion blocked calls

The iPhone 16 family will all get Call Screening, whether its powered by Apple Intelligence or not. (Image credit: Future)

Analysis by second-hand phone marketplace Compare and Recycle suggests that this could block more than a billion scam calls each year in the UK alone.

Though the report provided by Compare and Recycle is UK-specific, it tracks that this figure could increase quite substantially with other countries factored in.

The report estimates that the average person in the UK gets four spam calls per month. The report also estimates that just shy of 24 million people in the UK will get access to Call Screening, working out to more than 1.1 billion intercepted calls each year.

Personally, I can’t stand spam calls, and there have been days – and even whole months – where I seem to get much more than the estimated four calls.

Additionally, I get plenty of calls that drop as soon as I pick up, or as soon as I say something. It’s never nice to imagine that my number’s been scraped or marked as ‘active’ in a database for scammers.

To be honest, the issue is so prevalent that I sometimes don’t pick up the phone at all, instead waiting for a voicemail or follow-up email to know exactly who's trying to reach me.

The addition of Call Screening could see me pop the SIM card out of my trusty Oppo Find X8 Pro and back into one of the best iPhones, for the sake of using my phone as an actual phone again.

With that said, the official Apple press release for iOS 26 doesn't make it clear whether Call Screening is an Apple Intelligence feature, in which case my iPhone 15 would be out of luck.

WWDC saw the announcement of plenty more features for iPhone, iPad, and Mac – head over to our WWDC2025 recap for a full rundown.

And be sure to let us know whether you’re looking forward to using Call Screening on your iPhone in the comments below.

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• Dual Thunderbolt 5 ports and OCuLink elevate this eGPU beyond typical external GPU standards
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• Compact design and bold specs make FEVM FNGT5 Pro a tempting power upgrade for PCs

External GPUs have long served as a way to upgrade a laptop’s graphical capabilities, particularly for users whose machines lack discrete GPUs.

The FNGT5 Pro from Chinese manufacturer FEVM is the latest entrant in this niche category, bringing an ambitious mix of high-end GPU options and modern connectivity features.

The FNGT5 Pro supports three RTX 40-series laptop GPUs, specifically the RTX 4060, 4080, and 4090. This might raise eyebrows, but it appears to be a calculated decision to balance power and heat management within such a compact enclosure.

RTX eGPU aims high

Measuring 142 x 100 x 60 mm and with a total volume of 0.86 liters, the FNGT5 Pro is compact and travel-friendly, though not quite pocket-sized.

Despite its portability, the device features dual Thunderbolt 5 ports (100W upstream and 30W downstream), a high-speed USB-A port, and an OCuLink interface.

Offering both Thunderbolt 5 and OCuLink sets it apart from most rivals, which typically offer just one of the two.

Display connectivity is handled by HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

If you're part of the Apple ecosystem, however, don’t get too excited, you likely can’t use this eGPU with a MacBook Pro.

Apple has not supported external GPUs since its transition to Apple Silicon, and even earlier Intel-based Macs were only compatible with Thunderbolt 3 eGPUs using officially supported AMD GPUs.

Despite Thunderbolt 5 being theoretically backward-compatible and extremely fast, macOS lacks the driver-level support needed for Nvidia cards, especially those housed in non-certified enclosures.

So, while you could physically connect the FNGT5 Pro to a MacBook via Thunderbolt, it’s highly unlikely to function as intended.

As for pricing, the top-tier RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, with 16GB of memory and 9,728 CUDA cores, costs $1,374, steep, but in line with desktop equivalents.

The RTX 4080, featuring 7,424 CUDA cores and 12GB of memory, is priced at $1,040, while the entry-level RTX 4060, with 3,072 CUDA cores and 8GB of RAM, comes in at $555.

For users seeking the best laptop for video editing or for Photoshop, pairing a compatible system with a powerful eGPU like the FNGT5 Pro can help close the performance gap without committing to a full desktop setup.

Via TomsHardware

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• InnoGrit N3X SSD delivers 50 DWPD endurance but costs more than typical enterprise drives
• Built for caching, inference, and workloads that punish ordinary SSDs
• Runs entirely in SLC mode, sacrificing capacity for serious performance gains

The InnoGrit N3X SSD introduces a high-endurance storage solution aimed at enterprise workloads with extreme write demands.

Unveiled at Computex 2025, and featuring Kioxia’s second-generation XL-Flash operating in SLC mode, the drive is engineered to deliver 50 drive writes per day (DWPD) over five years, far exceeding the endurance of typical enterprise SSDs.

This level of durability is impressive, but it also raises questions about the cost of the device and whether its performance will justify the expected premium.

SCM roots and a specialized architecture

At the heart of the N3X is storage class memory (SCM), a memory tier designed to bridge the performance gap between DRAM and traditional NAND flash.

When used in SLC mode, Kioxia’s XL-Flash functions as a type of SCM, promising ultra-low latency and high endurance.

Unlike standard NAND, which stores multiple bits per cell, operating XL-Flash in SLC mode prioritizes speed and reliability over capacity.

This design choice closely mirrors the original goals of Intel’s now-discontinued Optane memory, positioning the N3X as a potential successor in that specialized niche.

While SCM technologies like XL-Flash are not new, they remain relatively rare due to their high cost and specialized applications.

InnoGrit’s use of the IG5669 PCIe 5.0 controller, with NVMe 2.0 support, allows for impressive performance claims: up to 14 GB/s read and 12 GB/s write speeds, along with 3.5 million random read IOPS.

Latency is where the N3X particularly stands out - read latency under 13 microseconds and write latency as low as 4 microseconds.

If consistently achieved, these figures would place the N3X among the fastest SSDs in development.

The drive is marketed for workloads involving sustained writes, in-memory computing, and real-time inference, areas where traditional NAND SSDs often struggle with latency and wear.

However, the decision to operate entirely in SLC mode significantly reduces the available capacity per die, resulting in smaller drive sizes and a higher cost per gigabyte.

While the drive is offered in capacities ranging from 400GB to 3.2TB, these fall short of what is expected from today’s largest SSDs.

Although the N3X possesses many of the technical qualities of the best portable SSDs, it is not intended for mainstream use.

Its reliance on SCM architecture, while enabling exceptional performance, places it firmly in the domain of niche enterprise deployments.

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I’ve been covering artificial intelligence, or at least topics that touch upon it, for most of my technology journalism career, and long before generative AI was something the public could just access with relative ease. But like it or lump it, AI is very much the buzz of the moment in and beyond the technology world. So it was surprising that at WWDC 2025, Apple kind of played down the subject.

Sure, Apple Intelligence was present and would appear to be more integrated into Cupertino’s various software platforms than it was previously. But many of these features appear to augment existing tools rather than create all-new ones; AI can figure out the regular routes you take in the iOS 26 Maps app, for example.

I’d also argue that Apple added smart features, such as Live Translation in the Messages and FaceTime apps, almost as a way to keep up with Google’s and Samsung’s AI efforts in their flagship smartphones, rather than lead the way or hone existing tech into something special.

Instead, Apple played up the redesign of iOS, macOS, and more with the use of its ‘Liquid Glass’ material design. And Apple Intelligence appeared to take a backseat; as my colleague Matt Bolton pointed out, Siri was properly absent from WWDC and indicative of failure for the virtual assistant.

Now I won’t argue against Mr Bolton, as he raises some good points, but I’m also low-key grateful AI didn’t dominate WWDC.

User experience first, AI smarts second

(Image credit: Apple)

I’ve always felt that Apple’s strength comes from its user experience. As locked down as some of Cupertino's software can be, and the walled garden approach to its ecosystem, once you’re in said garden, everything does work really rather well. From easy, secure payments and authentication, to quick file transfer between Apple devices and users, and much more.

As an aside, I’ve argued before that I want AI to be used for genuinely transformational things that benefit society, not generate images of a dog on the moon or write my emails for me. I reckon humanity is better off going through the challenges of learning how to better string sentences together or wait to frame the perfect camera shot, than let AI do everything for them, as that could take us down a dark path (check out Black Mirror on Netflix).

Bringing things back to Apple and WWDC, I feel that a redesign and the neat addition of useful features to iOS and macOS will resonate more with Apple device users than some smart AI tools that could feel a little bolted on to a core phone or laptop experience.

As a user of the iPhone 16 Pro Max and a MacBook Air M2, I have access to several Apple Intelligence tools. But aside from a bit of sporadic flirtation with them and the occasional nod of appreciation towards AI-generated summaries of voicemails, Apple Intelligence hasn’t come close to changing the way I use my iPhone.

I’ve said in the past that I find the recent iPhones to be boring but brilliant; they lack the do-anything vibe of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or the intriguing AI-lead experience of the Google Pixel 9 family, but simply serve as smartphones that get stuff done quickly and well.

I treat my iPhone as a tool rather than a gadget, which doesn't make it exciting but does make it one of the best phones I’ve used, as there’s precious little getting in my way or distracting me from doing what I need to do.

I think many other Apple users share the same mindset. There’s been a huge amount of people who’ve checked out our how to download the iOS 26 developer beta article, which to me shows there’s a big interest in the Liquid Glass redesign.

Furthermore, in an article I wrote about wanting Samsung to add more AI into its next-generation foldable phone to truly make them more effective, one commenter said they don't find AI on phones to be useful at all and wants options to turn off such tools.

(Image credit: Future)

So while tech luminaries wax lyrical about AI and some people use it to do a lot of things for them, I get the feeling others would just prefer to have tech that does indeed ‘just works’ with each improvement, incremental or otherwise, being about users, not technological expertise.

As such, I think Apple may have been smart to focus WWDC more on visual and slick functional changes to its core software than on putting AI in the limelight. After all, I still feel AI hasn’t become sufficiently foolproof and accurate to make it a must-have right now.

I think, as it stands, if you are after an AI phone, then the best Google Pixel phones are the ones to look at, given they are built from the hardware up to be all about AI. And Google’s phones have always been the devices to push more esoteric features, be that the radar sensors in the Pixel 4 phones or the AI focus of the past few generations of Pixels.

In contrast, I’ve always seen Apple as the brand that fully embraces emergent technology only when it has reached a point of maturity and consumer understanding.

Given the rocky launch of Apple Intelligence, AI still being for enthusiasts than everyone (albeit that could be changing rapidly), and how iOS and macOS are finely curated platforms, I think eschewing AI at this year’s WWDC will prove to have been the smart move for Apple, even if various tech commentators and analysts see it as being behind the curve. Now onwards to the iPhone 17…

Do you want more AI in iPhones? Let me know in the comments below.

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• Cybernews found an unescured MongoDB instance belonging to Headero
• The database contained millions of records and PII
• It has since been locked down, but users should still be on their guard

Security researchers from Cybernews have reported uncovering a massive MongoDB instance belonging to a dating and hookup app called Headero.

The database contained more than 350,000 user records, more than three million chat records, and more than a million chat room records.

Among the exposed data are names, email addresses, social login IDs, JWT tokens, profile pictures, device tokens, sexual preferences, STD status, and - extra worryingly - exact GPS locations.

No evidence of abuse

Cybernews reached out to the app’s developers, a US-based company named ThotExperiment, which immediately locked the database down. The company told the researchers that it was a test database, but Cybernews’ analysis indicates that it could have been actual user data, instead.

Unfortunately, we don’t know for how long the database remained open, and if any threat actors accessed it in the past. So far, there is no evidence of abuse in the wild.

Human error leading to exposed databases remains one of the most common causes of data leaks and security breaches.

Researchers are constantly scanning the internet with specialized search engines, finding massive non-password-protected databases almost daily.

These leaks can put people at risk, since cybercriminals can use the information to tailor highly convincing phishing attacks, through which they can deploy malware, steal sensitive files, and even commit wire fraud.

Headero users are advised to be extra vigilant when receiving unsolicited messages, both via email and social platforms.

They should also be careful not to download any files or click on any links in such messages, especially if the messages carry a sense of urgency with them. If they are using the same password across multiple services, they should change them, and clear sessions / revoke tokens in apps, where possible.

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• NordPass and NordStellar reviewed terabytes of data
• The analysis uncovered poor password practices in the healthcare industry
• Organizations are lacking staff training and strong policies

Hygiene in hospitals and clinics is essential, but cyber-hygiene - despite being equally important - is constantly being neglected, experts have warned.

A report from NordPass and NordStellar has claimed weak password practices are “dangerously common” in the healthcare industry.

Based on a review of 2.5TB of data extracted from various publicly available sources (including the dark web), the two organizations found that different medical institutions, including private clinics and hospital networks, all rely on “predictable, recycled, or default passwords” to protect critical systems. As a result, sensitive patient data, and possibly their health, is placed at immense risk.

Carelessness

“When the systems protecting patient data are guarded by passwords like ‘123456’ or ‘P@ssw0rd,’ that’s a critical failure in cybersecurity hygiene. In a sector where both privacy and uptime are vital, this kind of carelessness can have real consequences,” said Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of business product at NordPass.

The report also lists the most frequently used passwords identified in the healthcare sector. If you’re using any of these (or a variant), make sure to change them for something tougher to crack:

• fabrizio19
• 123456
• Melu3@12345
• @Vow2017
• Mercury9.Venus8
• password
• Marty1508!
• Carlton@1988
• 12345678
• @Vowcomm2018
• papa
• 12345
• Durson@123
• P@ssw0rd
• Simetrica
• Raffin2209!
• Asspain28#
• Smith
• neuro
• default

Policies and training

The teams warn passwords that reflect personal names, simple number patterns, or default configurations, are all prime targets for brute-force and dictionary attacks, in which cybercriminals automate the process, and try out countless combinations until they break in.

To make matters even worse - one break-in is more than enough to wreak havoc, as lateral movement can compromise entire networks, expose sensitive data, and result in different malware and ransomware infections.

The report stresses that healthcare institutions “lack clear password management policies or staff training,” which is why they are recommended to enforce strong password policies, eliminate the use of default or role-specific passwords, use a business-grade password manager, train the staff, and introduce 2FA wherever possible.

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• Binarly spotted a legitimate utility, trusted on most modern systems utilizing UEFI firmware, carrying a flaw
• The flaw allowed threat actors to deploy bootkit malware
• Microsoft patched it the June 2025 Patch Tuesday cumulative update

Microsoft has fixed a Secure Boot vulnerability that allowed threat actors to turn off security solutions and install bootkit malware on most PCs.

Security researchers Binarly recently discovered a legitimate BIOS update utility, signed with Microsoft’s UEFI CA 2011 certificate. This root certificate, used in the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Secure Boot process, plays a central role in verifying the authenticity and integrity of bootloaders, operating systems, and other low-level software before a system boots.

According to the researchers, the utility is trusted on most modern systems utilizing UEFI firmware - but the problem stems from the fact it reads a user-writable NVRAM variable without proper validation, meaning an attacker with admin access to an operating system can modify the variable and write arbitrary data to memory locations during the UEFI boot process.

Microsoft finds 13 extra modules

Binarly managed to use this vulnerability to disable Secure Boot and allow any unsigned UEFI modules to run. In other words, they were able to disable security features and install bootkit malware that cannot be removed even if the hard drive is replaced.

The vulnerable module had been circulating in the wild since 2022, and was uploaded to VirusTotal in 2024 before being reported to Microsoft in late February 2025.

Microsoft recently released the June edition of Patch Tuesday, its cumulative update addressing different, recently-discovered, vulnerabilities - among which was the arbitrary write vulnerability in Microsoft signed UEFI firmware, which is now tracked as CVE-2025-3052. It was assigned a severity score of 8.2/10 (high).

The company also determined that the vulnerability affected 14 modules in total, now fixing all of them.

"During the triage process, Microsoft determined that the issue did not affect just a single module as initially believed, but actually 14 different modules," Binarly said. "For this reason, the updated dbx released during the Patch Tuesday on June 10, 2025 contains 14 new hashes."

Via BleepingComputer

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