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At 3 a.m. during a red team exercise, we watched customer’s autonomous web agent cheerfully leak the CTO’s credentials - because a single malicious div tag on internal github issue page told it to. The agent ran on Browser Use, the open source framework that just collected a headline-grabbing $17 million seed round.

That 90-second proof-of-concept illustrates a larger threat: while venture money races to make large-language-model (LLM) agents “click” faster, their social, organizational, and technical trust boundaries remain an afterthought. Autonomous browsing agents now schedule travel, reconcile invoices, and read private inboxes, yet the industry treats security as a feature patch, not a design premise.

Our argument is simple: agentic systems that interpret and act on live web content must adopt a security-first architecture before their adoption outpaces our ability to contain failure.

Agent explosion

Browser Use sits at the center of today’s agent explosion. In just a few months it has acquired more than 60,000 GitHub stars and a $17 million seed round led by Felicis with participation from Paul Graham and others, positioning itself as the “middleware layer” between LLMs and the live web.

Similar toolkits - HyperAgent, SurfGPT, AgentLoom - are shipping weekly plug-ins that promise friction-free automation of everything from expense approval to source-code review. Market researchers already count 82 % of large companies running at least one AI agent in production workflows and forecast 1.3 billion enterprise agent users by 2028.

But the same openness that fuels innovation also exposes a significant attack surface: DOM parsing, prompt templates, headless browsers, third-party APIs, and real-time user data intersect in unpredictable ways.

Our new study, "The Hidden Dangers of Browsing AI Agents" offers the first end-to-end threat model for browsing agents and provides actionable guidance for securing their deployment in real-world environments.

To address discovered threats, we propose a defense in depth strategy incorporating input sanitization, planner executor isolation, formal analyzers, and session safeguards. These measures protect against both initial access and post exploitation attack vectors.

White-box analysis

Through white-box analysis of Browser Use, we demonstrate how untrusted web content can hijack agent behavior and lead to critical cybersecurity breaches. Our findings include prompt injection, domain validation bypass, and credential exfiltration, evidenced by a disclosed CVE and a working proof of concept exploit - all without tripping today’s LLM safety filters.

Among the findings:

1. Prompt-injection pivoting. A single off-screen element injected a “system” instruction that forced the agent to email its session storage to an attacker.

2. Domain-validation bypass. Browser Use’s heuristic URL checker failed on unicode homographs, letting adversaries smuggle commands from look-alike domains.

3. Silent lateral movement. Once an agent has the user’s cookies, it can impersonate them across any connected SaaS property, blending into legitimate automation logs.

These aren’t theoretical edge cases; they are inherent consequences of giving an LLM permission to act rather than merely answer, which acts a root cause for the outlined exploit above. Once that line is crossed, every byte of input (visible or hidden) becomes potential initial access payload.

To be sure, open source visibility and red team disclosure accelerate fixes - Browser Use shipped a patch within days of our CVE report. And defenders can already sandbox agents, sanitize inputs, and restrict tool scopes. But those mitigations are optional add-ons, whereas the threat is systemic. Relying on post-hoc hardening mimics the early browser wars, when security followed functionality, and drive-by downloads became the norm.

Architectural problem

Governments are beginning to notice the architectural problem. The NIST AI Risk-Management Framework urges organizations to weigh privacy, safety and societal impact as first-class engineering requirements. Europe’s AI Act introduces transparency, technical-documentation and post-market monitoring duties for providers of general-purpose models rules that will almost certainly cover agent frameworks such as Browser Use.

Across the Atlantic, the U.S. SEC’s 2023 cyber-risk disclosure rule expects public companies to reveal material security incidents quickly and to detail risk-management practices annually. Analysts already advise Fortune 500 boards to treat AI-powered automation as a headline cyber-risk in upcoming 10-K filings. Reuters: “When an autonomous agent leaks credentials, executives will have scant wiggle room to argue that the breach was “immaterial.”

Investors funneling eight-figure sums into agentic start-ups must now reserve an equal share of runway for threat-modeling, formal verification, and continuous adversarial evaluation. Enterprises piloting these tools should require:

Isolation by default. Agents should separate planner, executor and credential oracle into mutually distrustful processes, talking only via signed, size-bounded protobuf messages.

Differential output binding. Borrow from safety-critical engineering: require a human co-signature for any sensitive action.

Continuous red-team pipelines. Make adversarial HTML and jailbreak prompts part of CI/CD. If the model fails a single test, block release.

Societal SBOMs. Beyond software bills of materials, vendors should publish security-impact surfaces: exactly which data, roles and rights an attacker gains if the agent tips. This aligns with the AI-RMF’s call for transparency regarding individual and societal risks.

Regulatory stress tests. Critical-infrastructure deployments should pass third-party red-team exams whose high-level findings are public, mirroring banking stress-tests and reinforcing EU and U.S. disclosure regimes.

The security debt

The web did not start secure and grow convenient; it started convenient, and we are still paying the security debt. Let us not rehearse that history with autonomous browsing agents. Imagine past cyber incidents multiplied by autonomous agents that work at machine speed and hold persistent credentials for every SaaS tool, CI/CD pipeline, and IoT sensor in an enterprise. The next “invisible div tag” could do more than leak a password: it could rewrite PLC set-points at a water-treatment plant, misroute 911 calls, or bulk-download the pension records of an entire state.

If the next $17 million goes to demo reels instead of hardened boundaries, the 3 a.m. secret you lose might not just embarrass a CTO - it might open the sluice gate to poison supplies, stall fuel deliveries, or crash emergency-dispatch consoles. That risk is no longer theoretical; it is actuarial, regulatory, and, ultimately, personal for every investor, engineer, and policy-maker in the loop.

Security first or failure by default for agentic AI is therefore not a philosophical debate; it is a deadline. Either we front-load the cost of trust now, or we will pay many times over when the first agent-driven breach jumps the gap from the browser to the real world.

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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

Officials from Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Istanbul today for the latest round of peace talks. Both countries are trying to get the upper hand militarily ahead of possible negotiations.

(Image credit: AP)

Russia has proposed another attempt at peace negotiations with Ukraine on Monday in Istanbul, but both sides remain firmly entrenched in positions likely to prolong the war.

(Image credit: Sergey Bobok)

In an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape, the concept of "hacking yourself first" is not new as such. Organizations have long been engaging white hat hackers to simulate attacks and identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

However, the traditional approach to red teaming, which typically involves selecting a few trusted individuals to test a system, is no longer sufficient.

More open and competitive red teaming

The issue lies in scale and diversity. A small, internal team will always be limited by their own experiences and perspectives, while cybercriminals operate in a global, decentralized environment. To stay ahead, security testing has to reflect that same breadth and depth of capability.

We believe that this is where a more open and competitive red teaming model comes into its own. Rather than relying on a fixed set of internal engineers or external consultants, organizations are increasingly turning to decentralized architectures.

These invite skilled professionals from around the world to solve specific, targeted challenges. The best talent is incentivized to respond, and the organization benefits from rapid, high-quality insights tailored to the specific threats it faces.

In practice, this model offers two significant advantages to the ‘standard white hacking’ exercise. First, it ensures that the right expertise is applied to the right challenge. Not every engineer is equipped to uncover flaws in VPN detection or anti-fingerprinting solutions. A decentralized approach enables organizations to source the most relevant skill sets directly, without needing to retrain or reallocate internal teams.

Secondly, the incentive mechanism encourages speed and transparency. Contributors are motivated to share findings immediately so that they can claim rewards. This reduces and even eliminates delays and ensures that critical information reaches defenders quickly.

Traditional methods

The benefits of this approach are already being realized. In sectors such as fintech and Web3, attacks discovered through decentralized red teaming have been observed in the wild months later. This lead time allows businesses to prepare and adapt before those attacks gain traction in broader markets.

It’s important to recognize that decentralized red teaming is not about replacing traditional methods entirely. Conventional penetration testing still plays a valuable role in improving baseline security. But as threats evolve and attackers become more sophisticated, organizations need a more dynamic and scalable way to test their defenses.

Proactive security

Ultimately, the shift from reactive to proactive security cannot be achieved through periodic exercises alone. It requires continuous, adaptive engagement with the threat landscape, and a willingness to invite external expertise into the process. By embracing a more competitive and decentralized approach to red teaming, businesses can significantly improve their resilience and stay one step ahead of attackers.

Cybersecurity is no longer about responding to yesterday’s threats. It is about anticipating tomorrow’s, and making sure your defenses are ready today.

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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

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Two-minute review

The Hisense C2 Ultra is an impressive 4K projector that delivers sensational visuals, boasts impressive sound output and features a user-friendly operating system that provides access to the best streaming services. While it requires mains power, it’s small and light enough to be considered portable, which means not only can it be considered one of the best 4K projectors, but one of the best portable projectors too.

Key to the C2 Ultra’s success in projecting excellent images is its triple-laser projection system, which combines red, blue and green light sources. This system can not only go incredibly bright – Hisense says it’s rated for a peak brightness of 3000 ANSI lumens – but also covers a wide color spectrum, 110% of the BT.2020 color space, to be precise. Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats are all supported, and it's IMAX Enhanced.

The results are outstanding, with content appearing vibrant and punchy, and contrast levels are good too, giving images great depth. It’s not only in bright, colorful scenes where the C2 Ultra excels though, as it also serves up deep blacks and is more than capable where shadow detail is concerned. If you were ever of the notion that a projector still isn’t a genuinely viable alternative to a TV, particularly outside of home movie nights, then the Hisense C2 Ultra bucks that trend in a big way.

What took me most by surprise upon my first use of the C2 Ultra was the audio performance from the built-in 2.1 channel speaker system tuned by JBL. I had the unit set up in my spare bedroom on a stand, just to the right of the bed and my viewing position. When I was watching movies, the sound appeared to be coming from the opposite wall and not blasting straight in my ears as I had expected, resulting in a much more immersive experience. The speaker system can go loud while still retaining a good amount of detail. Dialog comes through clearly, while the subwoofer can go low, which helps a lot during high-octane scenes such as explosions or rumbling car engines.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I think it’s a good-looking unit too and one that’s impeccably built. The main projector housing can not only be moved around a full 360º to suit your specific viewing position, but it can also move upwards to a maximum of 135º to project images onto higher surfaces.

The C2 Ultra’s Vidaa OS is by far the most accomplished projector operating system I’ve personally come across. Not only is it intuitive to use right out of the box, but it also provides access to virtually all of the main streaming apps you’re likely to want. Android-based projector systems can often fall foul of not offering such wide support and often require workarounds to get some of the more popular apps. Hisense’s OS also offers a number of picture adjustment settings to help you achieve the best overall image.

Finally, it’s a great option for gamers. Not only is it ‘Designed for Xbox’ certified, but it features a 240Hz gaming mode to help with particularly fast-paced gaming action.

Its list price may initially make you think it’s expensive, but considering its capabilities rival most TVs and the fact it can project an image up to 300 inches in size, then it suddenly presents itself as a certified bargain.

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Price & availability

• Release date: October 2024 (March 2025 in Australia)
• Price: $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
• Can already be found with discounts

The Hisense C2 Ultra was announced in October 2024 and went on sale in the US and UK at the same time, but didn’t arrive in Australia until March 2025. At launch, it was listed at $2,999.99 in the US, £2,499 in the UK and AU$4,499 in Australia.

However, it’s already received discounts worldwide, so you can now feasibly expect to pay around $2,499 / £2,299 / AU$3,999. I’ve also spotted select retailers offering the option of a free projector screen with the purchase of a shiny new C2 Ultra, should you wish to go down the ‘full’ home cinema route.

The C2 Ultra is more expensive than two of our favorite portable 4K projectors, the BenQ GP520 and Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. However, the Hisense machine is objectively brighter than either of its competitors, offers greater gaming and HDR support and is more forgiving in where it’s positioned thanks to its gimbal design.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Design & features

• Semi-portable design
• Excellent Vidaa OS software
• Good selection of connections

The Hisense C2 Ultra is the replacement model to the C1, but you would only really know that based on the model number. Design-wise, the two projectors are worlds apart. Where the Hisense C1 was a boxy affair, the C2 Ultra is much sleeker with rounded corners and a circular base that plays home to the speaker system’s subwoofer.

The main projection unit is mounted onto a gimbal stand that allows you to move and tilt it in virtually any direction you wish. Hisense says it can tilt up to a 135º angle, but technically it can swing to a full 180º and still project an image. I can only assume the company doesn’t expect owners to want to look directly above them to view content, with the 135º angle being more comfortable.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

It is a portable projector, although the term portable should be used loosely. Not only does the C2 Ultra rely solely on mains power to work (the cord integrates a power brick too), it is still quite a sizable unit. At least, it’s sizable when compared to truly portable lifestyle projectors such as the Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro and Samsung The Freestyle, which both adopt a much smaller, cylindrical design that allows them to be slipped into a bag.

The main projector housing measures 9.7 x 7.1 x 9.7 inches (24.7 x 18.3 x 24.7 cm), but with the stand included, the total height increases to 11.3 inches (28.6cm). And coming in at a relatively lightweight 6.3kg, I can’t see many people having too much issue moving it around.

The whole unit is finished in a gun-metal gray color that shines pleasantly in the light. It features a number of ventilation panels on the front, sides and underside, while a large grille dominates the rear of the unit to help ensure everything remains cool when the projector is in use. The ventilation system certainly works as I noticed barely a murmur from the fans during use.

Sitting above the rear ventilation grille is a series of connections, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which supports an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and eARC for connecting to an external soundbar or home theater system. The other can be used to connect, say, a media streaming device. You’ll also find 2x USB-A 3.0 inputs, a 3.5mm audio out and a digital optical audio out, along with an Ethernet port for a more stable, wired internet connection. However, thanks to Wi-Fi 6E support, I never had any major issues streaming wirelessly.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

On the front is where the true magic happens. The projector lens is protected by a thin layer of what I presume to be glass, helping to prevent the lens itself getting covered in dust and debris. You will still, however, likely want to give this protective layer the occasional wipe to keep it clean – there’s no motorized cover as you’ll find on the likes of the Xgimi Aura 2.

There are also a few sensors to aid with autofocusing and to facilitate an eye-protection feature that will automatically switch the light off when it detects someone in front of it to prevent it shining into their eyes. It’s incredibly sensitive, which you may or may not think is a good thing. I ultimately left it turned off during my testing and made a conscious effort to not look into the light whenever I walked past it.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

One of the standout features of the lens is its optical zoom capability, which promises to retain image quality if you zoom in or out – making the image smaller or larger – without needing to move the main unit. If you have the projector set up at a far distance opposite your projection surface, for example, which would naturally cause the image to be large, you can zoom in to decrease the size while not affecting the quality.

For the most part, I imagine the majority of owners will simply rely on the autofocus and auto-keystone adjustment settings (and potentially the manual adjustment settings) to get the best picture. I was projecting onto a white wall but, whenever I ran the auto keystone adjustment, the results were less than satisfactory. The image was totally skewed, meaning I had to go into the manual four-point adjustment settings to fix things up. I would like to believe that the same issue wouldn’t occur if you’re projecting onto a dedicated screen, but I didn’t have one to test this out.

Hisense’s Vidaa OS is used on the C2 Ultra, which I found to be exceptional. It was also a pleasant surprise, considering the company’s own, rather excellent PX3-Pro uses the Google TV OS instead. The home page is clearly laid out, albeit chock full of ads, and all the major streaming apps are supported, along with a plethora of others for those who wish to seek out less-mainstream content.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The Hisense C2 Ultra has impressive high dynamic range support, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and IMAX Enhanced. It also supports 3D images and audio, but you’ll need optional 3D eyewear to take advantage.

Full control of the C2 Ultra is done via the remote control. The previous C1 did have onboard buttons, but they’ve seemingly been dropped this time around. The remote is a good one, boasting a satisfying weight and premium feel. Buttons are clearly laid out, although I would have preferred the settings button to feature the more widely used cog icon, as opposed to what could be mistaken for a shopping list. It supports voice control and features quick keys for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Disney+.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

• Design & features score: 5/5

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Picture & sound quality

• Excellent color and brightness
• Comprehensive HDR support and 240Hz mode for gamers
• Superb sound output

The Hisense C2 Ultra produces fantastic images from its tri-color laser projection system that will not only give you a true home cinema experience, but which can comfortably rival many of the best TVs to make it your sole media viewing device.

Despite it claiming a peak brightness of 3,000 lumens, it naturally performs at its absolute best when the room is as dark as possible, but I found that even with some ambient light coming into my test room, I was still able to watch unaffected.

I even turned the overhead lights on to see how it fared, and while color and contrast took an obvious knock, the image was still bright enough for me to be able to watch. I wouldn’t expect many people to use the C2 Ultra in such bright conditions, but it’s good to know it is truly capable of holding its own against pesky light.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The C2 Ultra’s vast array of HDR support options makes recently released movies such as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and even older, remastered movies such as Blade look fantastic in Dolby Vision, as well as TV shows such as Fallout in HDR10+. It will even support IMAX Enhanced content from Disney+, but I wasn’t able to test this since I don’t have a subscription – the price increases became too much to justify!

I was especially impressed with animated movies – the triple-laser system in combination with the C2 Ultra’s wide color support meant they were presented with outstanding color. I should note that the images included with this review don’t quite do the picture quality justice – you have to see it in reality to be impressed. The images are plagued by a peculiar pink hue that’s definitely not present in the image projected onto the wall.

The C2 Ultra supports screen sizes from 65 to 300 inches and I managed approximately an 80-inch image for my testing. The larger the image gets, the higher the likelihood of a drop in picture quality. This is where the optical zoom can come into play, allowing you to make easy adjustments rather than having to physically move the whole unit closer to the screen or rely on digital zoom, which can often not yield good results.

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(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 4 of 5

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(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Gamers also have reasons to get excited about the C2 Ultra as it features a dedicated game mode to help lower input lag, and it can enable a 2K/240Hz mode for super-smooth gameplay. It’s also ‘Designed for Xbox’ – the world’s first mini projector to lay claim to the title, says Hisense – meaning it will automatically apply optimum settings regardless of game genre when it detects a signal from an Xbox console.

I don’t own an Xbox, so I couldn't test this, but I was able to enjoy smooth gameplay from my PS5, with the fast movements of Spider-Man 2 being handled with expert authority.

Audio performance is another highlight in the C2 Ultra’s repertoire. Its 2.1 channel JBL system kicks out a surprising amount of bass, vocal clarity and immersion, aided by the fact it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X 3D sound formats. If the content you’re watching is encoded with Dolby Atmos, then you won’t get a true reproduction, owing to the lack of physical channels, but the performance is better than what I’ve heard from many TVs. Just note, while I was certainly impressed with the overall performance considering the projector’s size, it’s not the widest soundstage, nor is there a genuine sense of height – compared to other projectors I’ve tested, however, it comes out on top.

Of course, owners wanting a more authentic home cinema experience will want to add a fully-fledged theater system or one of the best soundbars, but casual users should find little to fault.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

• Picture & sound quality score: 4.5/5

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Value

• Versatile with placement
• Pricey, but packed with features

The Hisense C2 Ultra isn’t the most affordable projector at $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499, but given the fact I’ve already seen it come down in price since launch, I think it makes for a compelling investment. It’s more affordable than Hisense’s own PX3-Pro, although that projector has the benefit of being an ultra-short throw model, potentially making it easier to place in your room.

However, given the C2 Ultra’s default, relatively short 0.9:1 throw ratio, you can get a decently large image from a short distance. Plus, the fact it has an optical zoom and a wealth of picture adjustment settings should make it easy for anyone to set up in their room.

Then factor in its comprehensive HDR support, truly stunning images, impressive audio delivery and an intuitive interface, and there’s no doubt that it’s not only a remarkable projector, but a worthy rival to TVs.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Hisense C2 Ultra?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Design & features:

A good-looking package that’s brimming with useful features, connections and a great OS.

5/5

Picture & sound quality:

Bright, colorful images make it usable in virtually any lighting condition, and the built-in sound system is better than most TV speakers.

4.5/5

Value:

Not quite impulse-buy price, but ticks all the boxes where picture quality, features and versatility are concerned.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a moveable projector

OK, so truly portable is a bit of a stretch, but the C2 Ultra can be picked up and moved around wherever you want thanks to its compact build and wealth of automatic picture adjustment settings. It still needs mains power to work though.

You want an affordable alternative to a big-screen TV

TVs with screen sizes 80 inches and above can cost a significant chunk of change. The C2 Ultra can produce much bigger image sizes for about the same or even less money. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You watch movies and TV shows in brightly lit rooms

The Hisense C2 Ultra does fare well against overhead lights, but the fact remains, as with virtually all projectors, that it performs to its best ability in dimly lit rooms. View Deal

You want a truly portable projector

Going against my earlier point, if you want a projector you can take away on holiday or outside, you’ll want to look for one that’s smaller and/or can run on battery power.View Deal

Also consider

Hisense C2 Ultra

BenQ GP520

LG CineBeam Q

Price:

$2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499

$1,499 / £1299 / AU$ 2,199

$1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,499

Screen sizes supported:

65-300 inches

50-180 inches

50-120 inches

Brightness (specified)

3,000 ANSI lumens

2,600 lumens

500 ANSI lumens

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

HDR10+, HLG

HDR10, HLG

Display technology:

RGB laser DLP

LED DLP

RGB laser DLP

Resolution:

4K (3,840 x 2,160)

4K (3,840 x 2,160)

4K (3,840 x 2,160)

Connections

2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x USB-A, 1x S/PDIF, Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm, Bluetooth 5.3

2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 1x USB-C (DP Out, DP In, 2x USB-A 1x 3.5mm

HDMI, USB-C (display, power)

BenQ GP520

It’s a similar size to the C2 Ultra, offers similar connectivity and supports 4K content, but its HDR support isn’t as vast and it can’t go as bright. But it is cheaper.

Read our full BenQ GP520 reviewView Deal

LG CineBeam Q

If you’re on a tighter budget but still want a portable 4K projector, the LG CineBeam Q is a fine choice. It does still require mains power like the C2 Ultra, but its smaller size makes trips out of the house a more viable option.

Read our full LG CineBeam Q reviewView Deal

How I tested the Hisense C2 Ultra

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

• Tested at home in a variety of real-world viewing conditions
• Watched a variety of content including streaming and 4K Blu-ray

I tested the Hisense C2 Ultra at home in a variety of real-world conditions, which saw it being faced with in-room lighting, natural light coming into the room and with no light at all. It was tested against a bare white wall for the duration of the review period, with an 80-inch image being achieved. I also tested the optical zoom function to see if and how it affected image quality.

I watched a range of 4K HDR and HD content from built-in streaming services, as well as using the 4K Blu-ray player in the PS5.

First reviewed May 2025

The close race had the country on edge since a first round two weeks earlier and through the night into Monday, revealing deep divisions in the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the EU.

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Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 2.

Authorities said at least 80 shots were fired in the shooting that began at about 12:45 a.m. People reported running, ducking for cover and scrambling to their cars for safety.

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Air quality reached "unhealthy" levels in North Dakota and small swaths of Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota, according to the EPA.

(Image credit: Manitoba government)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center says a severe geomagnetic storm is possible Sunday night.

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This June on Netflix, check out Taraji P. Henson in Straw, plus Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy and more.

The 2025 hurricane season officially began on Sunday. Forecasters are predicting an active season.

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• Nord Quantique promises quantum power without the bulk or energy drain
• Traditional HPC may fall if Nord’s speed and energy claims prove real
• Cracking RSA-830 in an hour could transform cybersecurity forever

A quantum computing startup has announced plans to develop a utility-scale quantum computer with more than 1,000 logical qubits by 2031.

Nord Quantique has set an ambitious target which, if achieved, could signal a seismic shift in high-performance computing (HPC).

The company claims its machines are smaller and would offer far greater efficiency in both speed and energy consumption, thereby making traditional HPC systems obsolete.

Advancing error correction through multimode encoding

Nord Quantique uses “multimode encoding” via a technique known as the Tesseract code, and this allows each physical cavity in the system to represent more than one quantum mode, effectively increasing redundancy and resilience without adding complexity or size.

“Multimode encoding allows us to build quantum computers with excellent error correction capabilities, but without the impediment of all those physical qubits,” explained Julien Camirand Lemyre, CEO of Nord Quantique.

“Beyond their smaller and more practical size, our machines will also consume a fraction of the energy, which makes them appealing for instance to HPC centers where energy costs are top of mind.”

Nord’s machines would occupy a mere 20 square meters, making them highly suitable for data center integration.

Compared to 1,000–20,000 m² needed by competing platforms, this portability further strengthens its case.

“These smaller systems are also simpler to develop to utility-scale due to their size and lower requirements for cryogenics and control electronics,” the company added.

The implication here is significant: better error correction without scaling physical infrastructure, a central bottleneck in the quantum race.

In a technical demonstration, Nord’s system exhibited excellent stability over 32 error correction cycles with no measurable decay in quantum information.

“Their approach of encoding logical qubits in multimode Tesseract states is a very effective method of addressing error correction and I am impressed with these results,” said Yvonne Gao, Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore.

“They are an important step forward on the industry’s journey toward utility-scale quantum computing.”

Such endorsements lend credibility, but independent validation and repeatability remain critical for long-term trust.

Nord Quantique claims its system could solve RSA-830, a representative cryptographic challenge, in just one hour using 120 kWh of energy at 1 MHz speed, slashing the energy need by 99%.

In contrast, traditional HPC systems would require approximately 280,000 kWh over nine days. Other quantum modalities, such as superconducting, photonic, cold atoms, and ion traps, fall short in either speed or efficiency.

For instance, cold atoms might consume only 20 kW, but solving the same problem would take six months.

That said, there remains a need for caution. Post-selection - used in Nord’s error correction demonstrations, required discarding 12.6% of data per round. While this helped show stability, it introduces questions about real-world consistency.

In quantum computing, the leap from laboratory breakthrough to practical deployment can be vast; thus, the claims on energy reduction and system miniaturization, though striking, need independent real-world verification.

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Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 252, for June 2.

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President Trump wants to make a deal with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Putin says Russia wants to engage in peace talks, but Putin has also been ordering the most widespread and violent aerial attacks on Ukraine in years. This has led Trump to criticize Putin more and more in public — a step that's been rare over the course of Trump's two terms in office.

Three years into his war on Ukraine, what does Putin really want? It's a question leaders around the world are trying to figure out.

To learn more, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Angela Stent, Professor Emeritus at Georgetown University, Senior Fellow at the Brookings institution — a nonpartisan policy organization in Washington DC — and author of the book "Putin's World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest.

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(Image credit: Alexander KAZAKOV)