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The video game adaptation comes to Max, chicken jockeys and all.

Israel's attack on Iran sparked the biggest jump in crude oil prices since Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. Stocks fell sharply.

(Image credit: Brandon Bell)

• We polled TechRadar readers on new iOS 26 features
• The Liquid Glass redesign is what you're most looking forward to
• Early adopters can try the developer beta now

We sw the grand unveiling of iOS 26 at the start of this week, and the developer beta is already available for very early adopters – and now TechRadar readers have delivered their verdict on the most exciting features in this huge new software update.

And there are a lot of them to choose from: Apple has packed a lot into iOS 26, which will roll out to the masses later this year. On the TechRadar WhatsApp channel, we asked more than 1,000 TechRadar readers about which feature was the most exciting.

We gave you 10 different options to pick from, and these are the current standings for the top five, at the time of writing, in reverse order…

Voting is continuing in the TechRadar WhatsApp channel (Image credit: Future)5. Messages upgrades

The Messages app in iOS 26 is getting several handy upgrades, as it looks to take your attention away from rival chat apps. You can now add custom backgrounds to individual chats (very WhatsApp-esque), organize polls, and see typing indicators, for example. This came fifth in our survey of readers, ranked the most exciting feature by 5.8% of you.

4. CarPlay refresh

CarPlay comes built right into iOS, and springs up when you're connected to a compatible dashboard. We found that 6.9% of you are most excited about the CarPlay updates coming with iOS 26, which include refreshed visuals and a more compact look, widget support, and better call management – including the Call Screening feature from the iPhone.

3. Better battery management

Everyone is keen to get better battery life on their iPhones, and iOS 26 should deliver it. Among the battery-related improvements included in the update, we've got an Adaptive Power option that applies small optimizations to extend battery life, and a more detailed battery information screen. These features are the favorites for 8.9% of our readers.

(Image credit: Future)2. Call Screening

We just mentioned CarPlay Call Screening, and you'll be able to use call screening on your iPhone too: with incoming calls for unknown numbers, the Phone app asks those callers to give a reason for ringing. You can then see a transcript of the response on screen, and decide whether or not to take the call, and 10.9% of you rank it as the most exciting feature.

1. Liquid Glass redesign

The huge new Liquid Glass redesign is the most noticeable new feature coming with iOS 26, and it's the most exciting feature in the update for almost 49% of our readers. The visual overhaul leans heavily on frosted glass and translucent effects, and it's rolling out across Apple's various other software platforms too, including macOS 26.

And there you have it: almost half of you are most excited about the biggest visual revamp for iOS in many a year. No doubt there are more features to discover, and more features that Apple will add as the beta testing continues, and here at TechRadar we'll keep you updated every step of the way.

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• 5 upgrades iOS 26 will bring to supercharge your music and driving
• How to download the iOS 26 developer beta
• iPadOS 26 adds the iPhone's Journal app to iPad, finally

Viswashkumar Ramesh was on his way home to London when tragedy struck. In hospital interviews, he explains how he made his way out of seat 11A — which isn't typically the safest part of the plane.

(Image credit: Indian Ministry of Home Affairs)

• Google’s new Portraits experiment lets users chat with AI avatars modeled on real experts.
• The project's first Portrait is Radical Candor author Kim Scott.
• The avatar delivers advice based on Scott’s actual content and was developed with her direct involvement.

Google is testing out a tool to connect people with all kinds of experts, or at least their AI equivalents.

The new Portraits feature, available in Google Labs, lets you chat one‑on‑one with AI avatars modeled after real‑life experts and built with their input. The initial Portrait is an AI facsimile of Radical Candor author Kim Scott.

Think of it like a Zoom call with a life coach who's recently given a successful TED Talk (and yes, the name is more than a little suggestive of the Harry Potter magic paintings).

If you are in the US, you can sign up for Portraits through Google Labs, and, once approved, talk to Kim Scott right now. You'll hear her voice (or an AI clone of her voice) say hello, and you can chat right back. Her expertise is around leadership and management, so her Portrait will focus on those topics.

So, if you aren't sure how to give feedback to your boss, navigate complex work relationships, or overcome imposter syndrome, she's your digital muse. The responses are built on her actual work, filtered through Google’s Gemini AI model.

Importantly, the Portrait was developed with Scott's feedback and insight. This means the ideas, way of speaking, and even her tone, are all consistent with how she would actually behave in a real conversation.

The AI doesn’t actually know you, but the responses (wich it can say, or write) feel more tailored than a blog post and more personal than a YouTube video.

Talking to the AI Kim Scott with Google Portraits, I was impressed with the realism of the voice and the language choices in how the AI spoke; it definitely sounded like a real person unless I listened closely.

On the other hand, the Portrait is, of necessity, limited in what it will discuss. It feels like when, as a kid, you are talking to a teacher who is laser-focused on the lesson plan and will not be distracted by any attempt to go off-topic.

Personal Portraits

Google hasn't hinted at any specific plans for other people becoming Portraits, but it's easy to imagine a whole stable of AI avatars providing all kinds of expertise and with the seal of approval from the human behind the faces and voices.

You could talk to Neil deGrasse Tyson about space, or Dolly Parton on how to write songs and put on a show. Unlike other ways to mimic people with AI, like clever prompts to ChatGPT or the collection available from Character AI, you could rely on these digital mentors to say things the real person would.

That’s the bet Google seems to be making. Not that AI will replace human mentors, but that it might distribute their knowledge more evenly and make it more accessible. You don’t need to agree with everything the AI says to appreciate the potential here.

And at least now you can say Kim Scott told you how to be "a more kick-ass leader without losing your humanity."

You might also like

• Google Gemini 2.5 Flash promises to be your favorite AI chatbot, but how does it compare to ChatGPT 4o?
• Google Gemini could soon get a super-useful 'Power up' button – here's what it does
• Google Gemini 2.5 just got a new 'Deep Think' mode – and 6 other upgrades

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Two-minute review

I have been begging Apple to release a purple MacBook for a few years now and have been repeatedly disappointed year after year, so when I found out that the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch was going to sport a pastel purple colorway, it really was Microsoft's game to lose in my eyes.

And while it doesn't quite come close enough to dethroning the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch, performance-wise, it's a very solid everyday laptop that looks undeniably superior to Apple's rather boring MacBook Air design, which has stayed the same over the past couple of years.

The Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $899.99 / £1,099 / AU$1,699 on Microsoft's website, which is roughly the same price as the MacBook Air 13-inch (which starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699), but its performance, at times, is substantially slower than Apple's best laptop, making it an iffy value proposition for those who could go either way as far as operating systems go.

Had the Surface Laptop 13-inch shipped with an Intel Lunar Lake chip rather than the underpowered Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core SoC, this would be an entirely different review, as I'd be giving this laptop six-out-of-five stars, because in just about every other way than its performance and minor compatibility issues, this is the best ultrabook I've ever put my hands on.

Aesthetically, it's an upgrade over its larger Surface Laptop 7 sibling that launched last year, with a tighter form factor that is exceptionally lightweight and sleek. Its 3:2 display offers plenty of real estate for a laptop this small, and its keyboard and trackpad are a dream to use.

Best of all, it comes in purple (technically 'Violet'), though you will pay slightly more for this color option than the base platinum colorway, as it's only available on the higher capacity configuration.

Meanwhile, the Arm-based Snapdragon X Plus is an incredibly efficient chip, getting just over 17 hours of battery life on a single charge in my testing, which easily translates into two full workdays or more without recharging, outlasting even the latest MacBook Air 13-inch models.

If all you're looking for is a gorgeous-looking laptop that is great for everyday computing tasks, school work, and general productivity—while liberating you from having to keep a constant eye out for power outlets to recharge day after day—then the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is one of the best Windows laptops you can buy, and one of the best student laptops as well, especially if you get a student discount. It just isn't the knockout blow against the MacBook Air that Windows fans might be hoping for.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• How much does it cost? Starts at $899.99 / £1,039 / AU$1,699
• When is it available? It's available now
• Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is available now, starting at $899.99 / £899 / AU$1,699 directly from Microsoft or at retail partners. It comes in slightly cheaper than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 in the US and UK, (starting at $1,099.99 and £1,039, respectively). In Australia, however, the larger Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch starts out cheaper at AU$1,597 (and it comes with more powerful hardware to boot).

The Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch also features a more powerful Qualcomm chip, a sharper screen, and better port support (though no Violet colorway, you'll have to settle for the equally gorgeous Sapphire option).

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch starts with an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus SoC, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, 256GB storage, and a Platinum colorway. You can increase the storage by 256GB for an additional $100, which also gives you the option of picking either the Violet or Ocean colorway.View Deal

Similarly, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is also slightly cheaper than the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 in the US (starting at $999), while being slightly more expensive in the UK (the base MacBook Air 13-inch start at £999), while there's no difference in starting price between the two in Australia.

Compare this, however, with a similar memory-and-storage-specced Dell 14 Plus, starting at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298, but which comes with more powerful x86 processors from AMD and Intel, meaning that you get better performance without any compatibility worries that come with Arm-based chips.

Granted, none of these competing laptops look anywhere near as good as the Surface Laptop 13-inch, but if your main interest is performance, there are cheaper options that will get you what you want.

All that said, however, this is the best-looking laptop you're going to find at this price, in my opinion, and yes, that includes the entire MacBook lineup. If you want to look good at a cafe while reading emails, or streaming Netflix in an airport lounge while waiting for a flight, this laptop will turn heads (at least in Violet) without totally breaking the bank.

The only real knock I can point to is that the long-term value of the Surface Laptop 13-inch is lower than a MacBook Air 13-inch with M4. The latter is much more performant, and it will stay 'current' for a few years longer than the Surface Laptop 13-inch, in all likelihood.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Specs

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core SoC
• 16GB LPDDR5x
• The display could be better

There isn't a whole lot of variation in terms of spec configurations for the Surface Laptop 13-inch, with the biggest difference being some extra storage and two additional colorway options.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch Base Specs

Price:

$899.99 at Microsoft.com | £899 at Microsoft.com| AU$1,699 at Microsoft.com

Colorways:

Platinum

CPU:

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core

GPU:

Qualcomm Adreno X1-45

Memory:

16GB LPDDR5X-4300

Storage:

256GB SSD

Screen:

13-inch, 3:2, 1920x1280p 60Hz, 400-nit, Touch PixelSense

Ports:

2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x combo jack

Battery (WHr):

50WHr

Wireless:

WiFi 7, BT 5.4

Camera:

1080p

Weight:

2.7 lbs (1.22 kg)

Dimensions:

11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 ins | (285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6mm)

For $100 / £100 / AU$200 more, you can upgrade the storage on the Surface Laptop 13-inch to 512GB and get additional Violet and Ocean colorway options, but otherwise the more expensive configuration (which I tested out for this review) is identical to the base configuration.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch Max Specs

Price:

$999.99 at Microsoft.com | £999 at Microsoft.com| AU$1,899 at Microsoft.com

Colorways:

Platinum, Violet, Ocean

CPU:

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core

GPU:

Qualcomm Adreno X1-45

Memory:

16GB LPDDR5X-4300

Storage:

512GB SSD

Screen:

13-inch, 3:2, 1920x1280p 60Hz, 400-nit, Touch PixelSense display

Ports:

2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB Type-A 3.1, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Battery (WHr):

50WHr

Wireless:

WiFi 7, BT 5.4

Camera:

1080p

Weight:

2.7 lbs (1.22 kg)

Dimensions:

11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 ins | (285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6mm)

There's no option to upgrade the memory or storage on any of these models beyond the configuration options at the time of purchase, which does make the longevity of the Surface Laptop 13-inch's specs more limited than laptops like the Dell 14 Plus, where you can at least upgrade the storage if you'd like.

And while the specs on the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 might not be upgradable either, they are simply better overall for a relatively small increase in price, meaning the long-term value of the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is superior overall.

• Specs: 3.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Design

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• Beautiful color options and fantastic aesthetics
• Light and portable
• Display resolution is only 1280p with no HDR

The design of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is simply stunning. There's no other way to describe it.

Starting with the exterior aesthetics, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is as close to a MacBook Air for Windows as you're going to find on the market, and in my opinion, it's even better looking thanks to the additional Violet and Ocean colorways alongside the default Platinum look of the base model.

You pay extra for the splash of color, but it's a worthwhile investment. The machined aluminum finish of the laptop chassis, along with the pastel-ish hue of the chassis and the darker, more matte color of the keycaps and trackpad, really help make this laptop stand out.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The display on the Surface Laptop 13-inch is a step down from the larger 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 from 2024, which had a maximum resolution of 2304 x 1536 (a PPI of 201, compared to the 1920x1280 Surface Laptop 13-inch's 178 PPI) and 120Hz refresh compared to just 60Hz for the Surface Laptop 13-inch.

It also has a lower contrast ratio of 1,000:1 compared to the larger version's 1,400:1. The Surface Laptop 7's display is also made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. In contrast, the Surface Laptop 13-inch's display is only "Strengthened glass" according to Microsoft's official spec sheet for the Surface Laptop lineup.

The display does max out at 400-nits, though, which is nice and bright enough for most people and situations, but you might struggle to see the screen properly if you're using the laptop outside on a bright sunny day.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

I found that carrying the Surface Laptop 13-inch around was very easy, as it fitted in pretty much any laptop bag and was thin and compact enough that I was able to use it sitting in an airplane seat during my 15-hour flight to Computex 2025 with almost no issue.

Speaking of using the laptop, the key switches are quiet and have good travel and responsiveness, and everything is well-spaced, so you don't feel cramped despite the laptop's smaller size.

The trackpad is likewise responsive and smooth, making navigation and clicking around the desktop a breeze.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

One thing that's not that great is the port selection, which is limited to two USB-C Gen 3.2 ports, a USB-A Gen 3.1 port, and a 3.5mm jack for a headset.

It'd have been nice to get some USB4 ports in there like you get with the larger Surface Laptop 7 models, but both USB-C ports do support power delivery and DP 1.4 output (though if you're trying to connect to more than one monitor, you need one port per monitor, rather than being able to daisy-chain them to just a single port).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The webcam, meanwhile, is a 1080p Surface Studio Camera that is crisp enough, but unlike the larger Surface Laptop models from last year, it does not support Windows Hello authentication, and it doesn't have a physical privacy shutter, which in 2025 should be pretty much mandatory, so along with the port and display downgrades, I've got to ding what is otherwise a nearly perfect design.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Performance

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• A performance downgrade from last year's Surface Laptop
• Some compatibility issues with ARM architecture still linger
• Gaming is functionally a no-go

What holds the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch from really being the fierce MacBook Air competitor that many of us hoped it would be is the 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus SoC.

When I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 last year, I was genuinely impressed by the performance of the Snapdragon X Elite chip, despite the compatibility challenges that Windows-on-Arm is still working through. That was a much more powerful chip, though, and even the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus SoC offers noticeably better performance than what the Surface Laptop 13-inch is packing.

The 8-core chip isn't awful, to be clear. It's perfectly good for general computing tasks like streaming, school work, and office productivity, and it's probably one of the best student laptops out there for those who want a little bit of style to go along with their studies.

But if you need this laptop to do anything other than writing up papers and reports, streaming movies, or using web-based cloud software, you will likely be unhappy with what you're getting here for the price.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The most direct and obvious comparisons I can make with this laptop is the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with Apple Silicon (starting with the Apple M2), the larger 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7, the recently released Dell 14 Plus, last year's Dell XPS 13 (with both Intel and Qualcomm SoCs), and the Asus Zenbook A14 with the entry-level Snapdragon X SoC.

Only the M2 MacBook Air 13-inch and Dell 14 Plus are cheaper than the Surface Laptop 13-inch (at least at the time of review), and all of these laptops start around the same price, give or take a hundred bucks or so.

The models I've tested and that TechRadar has reviewed in the past vary by spec, so it's not entirely an apples-to-apples comparison laid out in the charts above, as some of the Dell and Apple notebooks' advantages can be easily chalked up to more expensive processors.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

If you go with any of those systems at the same price as the Surface Laptop 13-inch I tested, the performance difference might not be nearly as dramatic on paper, and almost certainly won't be all that noticeable.

Still, it's pretty clear that the Surface Laptop 13-inch either lands somewhere in the middle of its competition, or comes in second or third from the bottom. Add to that some performance issues stemming from Microsoft's Prism software layer that translates x86-architecture-designed programs, which is pretty much every Windows program, to be Arm-compatible.

Generally, this works rather well, but it does introduce system overhead that will slow things down. In short, unless you're running a piece of rare Arm-native software, you will almost never get as good an experience with Windows software on Arm as you would with the x86 architecture powering Intel and AMD chips.

The question comes down to whether or not the performance is good enough, and I think that for most people, it will be (unless you want to load up Steam and get into PC gaming. The best gaming laptop, this is not).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Much like the MacBook Air 13-inch, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is more geared toward casual computing needs and productivity work, and it excels at these tasks.

So, even though the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 gets roughly twice as many frames per second as the Surface Laptop 13-inch, the MacBook Air 13-inch still struggles to maintain playable frame rates unless you seriously scale back your graphics settings.

The MacBook's gaming advantage, then, only really looks intimidating as a percentage, but in practice, none of the laptops I tested were suitable for the task of playing, say, Cyberpunk 2077 at max settings and native resolution.

What it really boils down to, then, is whether you're just looking for a new laptop to keep up with friends and family, maybe do some office work, or write that Sci-Fi novel at the local coffee shop that you've been meaning to finally get around to this year.

If those are the boxes that need ticking, any of the laptops listed above will get the job done, but none will look as good as the Violet Surface Laptop 13-inch.

• Performance: 3.5 / 5

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Battery Life

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• How long does it last on a single charge? 17 hours and 14 minutes
• How long to recharge from empty to full? With the included 45W charger, it takes about two and a half hours to charge to full.

One other key area where the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch shines is its stellar battery life. In my testing, it ran about 17 hours and 14 minutes on average in my battery test, thanks to the super-efficient Arm architecture. This puts it in fourth place overall in my top 10 laptop test group, but it does outlast all three MacBook Air 13-inch models in the group by an hour or more.

So even though it's not officially in the battery life winner's circle, you can't ask for much more from a laptop this thin and light.

• Battery Life: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 scorecard

Category

Notes

Rating

Value

While not as cheap as something like the Dell 14 Plus, it is on par or cheaper than similar offerings from Dell and Apple.

3.5 / 5

Specs

There aren't a whole lot of configuration options, and the lack of USB4 is unfortunate.

3.5 / 5

Design

It's simply gorgeous and a joy to type on. If it had a physical camera privacy shutter, better ports, and a better display, it'd be a 6 out of 5.

4.5 / 5

Performance

For a casual use notebook, it's in line with similarly specced Windows laptops, but the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 runs circles around it.

3.5 / 5

Battery Life

At just over 17 hours of battery life in my testing, this is one of the longest lasting Windows laptops around.

5 / 5

Final Score

It's not perfect, and had Microsoft flexed some muscle to get a 10-core chip in this laptop without raising its price, it'd truly be the Windows MacBook Air we've been waiting for, but it'll be more than close enough for most people and looks better than anything Apple has put out in years.

4 / 5

Buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch if...

You want a truly eye-catching laptop
This is the look we should have gotten on the M2 MacBook Air redesign, rather than the dull, uninteresting colors we got. Apple's mistep is Microsoft's advantage.

You want an all-day laptop
At 17+ hours of battery life in my testing—including using it throughout an almost 15-hour flight to Taipei—this laptop has the juice.

Don't buy it if...

You want a high-performance laptop
If you want a laptop for serious professional workloads like video editing or for PC gaming, you're going to want to opt for a beefier device.

You want worry-free app compatibility
While most Windows apps will work on this device thanks to Microsoft's Prism compatibility layer, you will still occasionally run into some apps that won't work on ARM devices.

Also consider

If my Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch review has you looking at other options, here are three other laptops you should consider instead...

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)
The most recent Apple MacBook Air 13-inch offers substantially better performance than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13, making it a much better value.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) review

Dell XPS 13 9350
If you don't want to hassle with the quirks of Qualcomm's ARM-based chips, the Intel Lunar Lake-powered XPS 13 is a fantastic alternative.

Read our full Dell XPS 13 9350 review

How I tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch

• I spent about a month with the device
• I used our standard suite of benchmarking tools and performance tests
• I used it as my primary work laptop, including taking it on an international work trip

I spent about a month with the Surface Laptop 13-inch, far longer than I usually spend with a device under review. While this was mostly due to circumstance (Computex and WWDC, in particular), this did allow me to do a much deeper dive.

In addition to my normal benchmarking process, I took extra time to retest some competing laptops we had in the office to come up with a more thorough comparison against the Surface Laptop 13-inch's competitors.

• First reviewed June 2025

• Hackers are abusing a legitimate tool to target Entra ID accounts
• The password spraying attack targeted some 80,000 accounts
• Attackers managed to take over some accounts, accessing Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Outlook data

Cybercriminals have been spotted abusing a legitimate penetration testing tool to target people’s Entra ID user accounts with password-spraying attacks, experts hgave warned.

In an in-depth analysis shared with TechRadar Pro, cybersecurity researchers from Proofpoint claimed tens of thousands of accounts were targeted, and a few were compromised.

The researchers said unnamed threat actors engaged in a large-scale attack they dubbed UNK_SneakyStrike.

"Several" accounts compromised

In this campaign, the attackers used a legitimate pentesting tool called TeamFiltration.

This tool was created by a threat researcher in early 2021 and publicly released at DefCon30. It helps automate several tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used in modern ATO attack chains.

“As with many security tools that are originally created and released for legitimate uses, such as penetration testing and risk evaluation, TeamFiltration was also leveraged in malicious activity,” Proofpoint explained.

The researchers said the campaign most likely started in December 2024. By abusing Microsoft Teams API and Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers located around the world, they were able to launch user-enumeration and password-spraying attacks, targeting some 80,000 user accounts across roughly 100 cloud tenants.

The three primary source geographies from which the attacks originated include the United States (42%), Ireland (11%), and Great Britain (8%).

Proofpoint said that in “several cases”, the attackers managed to take over the accounts, accessing valuable information in Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Outlook, and other productivity tools.

There was no attribution, so we don’t know if any organized threat actor sits behind this campaign. The researchers focused mostly on the use of legitimate tools for illegitimate purposes, saying they can “easily be weaponized” in an attempt to compromise user accounts, exfiltrate sensitive data, and establish persistent footholds.

“Proofpoint anticipates that threat actors will increasingly adopt advanced intrusion tools and platforms, such as TeamFiltration, as they pivot away from less effective intrusion methods.”

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• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
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• Samsung's RGB-backlit TV is starting a production trial
• It's a larger size than Samsung originally discussed, at 115 inches
• RGB backlighting means better color and dimming zones

Samsung is starting to test the production line for its the RGB MicroLED TV range it unveiled at CES 2025 – but unfortunately the first TVs coming off the line will be for people with big spaces and bigger bank balances.

As The Elec reports, the first production run for this TV will be a 115-inch model, and at that size all bets are off regarding prices. While this won't be the price of 'real' microLED TVs (which tend to run to six figures), it still won't be cheap when it's this size.

What Samsung calls an RGB MicroLED TV is not a microLED TV. It's a mini-LED TV with a next-gen backlight with smaller LEDs that can product full RGB color, instead of being a single color. As The Elec says, technically it's an RGB mini-LED LCD TV – of a similar kind to a rival coming from Hisense, with TCL also announcing that it'll use the tech in a set.

It's an important distinction, because microLED TV, like the best OLED TVs, have a self-emitting light for every pixel; that is, each pixel produces its own light. Mini-LED TVs do not – they have a color-filtering pixel layer in front of backlight of LEDs. And it's that backlight that differentiates this Samsung RGB TV from the best mini-LED TVs available now.

Why RGB Mini-LED is going to be worth waiting for

The RGB bit is a big step forwards. It means that instead of a white backlight, the panel has red, green and blue LEDs. That enables it to deliver bright, rich colors without as many color filtering layers as are needed currently, which all absorb light. The end result will be more efficient TVs with more beautiful colors at the same time.

So how much will this TV cost? We don't know, but Samsung told TechRadar Managing Editor Matt Bolton at CES that it shouldn't cost much, if any, more than regular mini-LED TVs. In April, Hisense announced that its 116-inch RGB MiniLED TV would have a price of 99,999 yuan, which is about $14,000 – not a surprising price for a high-end mini-LED TV that's this large at all.

I mean, that's a lot. But at the same time, it's not: true microLEDs TV are frighteningly expensive. Samsung's own true microLED TVs start at $90,000 for 76 inches, while LG's Magnit microLED TV is $237,000 for 118 inches.

Last summer it was reported that Samsung has told suppliers that until production costs drop by a whopping 90%, microLED won't be ready for prime time. We've been told by manufacturers that even five years is optimistic – and that’s just for commercial viability. There's a big gulf between commercial viability and mass-market affordability.

For now, this is the next big TV tech on the horizon – and while it's only arriving at 115 inches, we expect this to take much less time to arrive in sizes that can fit in the average home. It just won't be this model…

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• OLED-beating micro-LED TV tech looks uncertain as LG and Samsung wobble
• 'OLED and LCD will die out': A microLED expert explains

• The Document Foundation, which makes LibreOffice, is the latest to jump on the anti-Windows 11 bandwagon
• The organization argues that Windows 10 users should switch to Linux
• It outlines the strengths of Linux, which include being free, open, and transparent

More than a few big players on the Linux side of the fence are now weighing in with the anti-Microsoft sentiment, and another has just joined this club: The Document Foundation (TDF).

What is that, exactly? TDF is the creator of LibreOffice, an alternative to Microsoft Office for Linux (and other platforms), and the organization has a multi-pronged argument to try and persuade Windows 10 holdouts to try a Linux distro rather than migrating to Windows 11. (And of course, some folks can’t upgrade to the latter, anyway, due to Windows 11’s heftier system requirements).

As Neowin flagged up, TDF has a blog post entitled: “The end of Windows 10 is approaching, so it’s time to consider Linux and LibreOffice.”

That’s straight to the point, certainly, and TDF also makes it clear that it’s supporting the broader ‘End of 10’ project, also urging those facing the end of Windows 10 (in October 2025) to switch to Linux.

TDF observes: “The countdown has begun. On 14 October 2025, Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 … The good news? You don’t have to follow Microsoft’s upgrade path [to Windows 11]. There is a better option that puts control back in the hands of users, institutions, and public bodies: Linux and LibreOffice. Together, these two programmes offer a powerful, privacy-friendly and future-proof alternative to the Windows + Microsoft 365 ecosystem.”

The organization insists that sticking with Windows 11 limits the consumer in terms of fostering a continued dependence on Microsoft, and its “forcing” of the use of its various services, cloud integration (OneDrive), and of course the Microsoft account.

TDF points out that Microsoft is trying to drum up subscriptions (meaning Microsoft 365, for those who use Office – and indeed OneDrive), and reduce “control over how your computer works and how your data is managed.” That latter potshot is aimed at how Microsoft’s system of telemetry works, piping data from your Windows PC back to its servers (though how much, and what kind of data, depends on your settings).

The final shot echoes a lot of other worries out there: “Furthermore, new hardware requirements will render millions of perfectly good PCs obsolete.”

And that’s one of the main beefs when it comes to the Windows 11 upgrade. It’s not necessarily that people don’t want the newer OS – though some don’t – it’s just that due to security measures imposed with Windows 11, which rule out older CPUs (and PCs without TPM 2.0, a security feature), a lot of Windows 10 PCs simply can’t have it.

So, get Linux instead is the answer, and in the case of this particular sub-campaign, grab LibreOffice as well to replace Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

TDF emphasizes the free and open nature of both Linux and LibreOffice, and how they are overseen by foundations, rather than a company looking to turn a profit. And also that older Windows 10 PCs will have no trouble running a Linux distro (and there’s a wide choice of different flavors of desktop OS to pick from, of course).

Analysis: Free, open and trustworthy – but too steep a hill to climb for some?

(Image credit: MAYA LAB / Shutterstock)

There’s an increasing amount of momentum getting behind the ‘switch from Windows 10 to Linux’ campaign. Remember that recently, KDE (which makes a Linux desktop environment called Plasma) argued that Microsoft is guilty of enforcing a kind of ‘tech extortion’ on Windows 10 users, and while, as I noted at the time, that’s extreme language being used, I get where the sentiment is coming from.

TDF is to some extent picking up that ‘extortion’ theme here, particularly when it talks about Microsoft trying to lock folks into its various services. And it’s a fair observation in some ways: the Microsoft Account is very much being pushed by the software giant, and there’s persistent badgering in Windows 11 to use, say, OneDrive. Although this is nudging and veiled advertising more than it’s ‘forcing’ anything on anyone, granted, it’s still annoying to see this, and the various ads (some of them outright adverts) Microsoft peddles via Windows – a paid-for OS.

As TDF underlines, Microsoft is looking to make a profit, whereas Linux is free, open, and transparent, and therefore more trustworthy at a fundamental level.

I won’t retread the ground that I’ve already been over in my recent stories regarding the arguments of why Linux might be a tricky proposition for a good number of Windows 10 users, but I need to again point out some of the downsides in the interests of balance here.

The main issue is that in the case of less tech-savvy users, going from Windows 10 to Linux is quite an upheaval. There’s a whole new interface and way of working to learn, and there are bound to be apps that people have purchased that aren’t compatible with Linux, or games that won’t work properly (certainly those online games with anti-cheat protection).

In its blog post, TDF advises that: “Replacing Windows and Microsoft Office is not as difficult as it seems, either at an individual or corporate level.”

Then it suggests that a first step towards making the switch from Windows 10 to Linux is: “Start by testing Linux and LibreOffice on a second partition of your PC (for individuals) or in less critical departments (for companies).”

This is rather a case of ‘nail, meet hammerhead’ in terms of worries about less tech-savvy users making a transition like this to a whole new OS. There are doubtless massed ranks of Windows 10 users out there who wouldn’t have a clue how to set up Linux by using a partition on their drive. And yes, you can find out how – and the Linux community is, in general, undeniably super-helpful (as TDF touches on elsewhere) – but still, I think how far out of the comfort zone this is for a lot of PC owners is being underestimated here.

The crux in many ways is that Linux is more of an enthusiast proposition by its very nature – and that’s part of what makes it great, and why the community is tight-knit and so supportive. But for the average Windows 10 user, the migration to Linux may simply appear to be too steep an ascent, and the initial teething problems they may face, particularly with hardware or software compatibility, may make the climb feel perilously close to vertical.

Those who are mulling a move to Linux might want to peruse TechRadar’s roundup of the best Linux distros for beginners, or the distros that are similar to Windows, and so could help you feel more immediately at home.

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• Windows 11 is getting some big upgrades to tackle dreaded boot failures – and help novices set up their new PC
• Been hiding from Windows 11 24H2 due to the fuss about all the bugs? There’s nowhere to run now as Microsoft’s made the update compulsory
• Windows 11 fully streamlined in just two clicks? Talon utility promises to rip all the bloatware out of Microsoft’s OS in a hassle-free way

• Nvidia’s RTX 5050 desktop GPU is rumored to have 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, slower than the rest of the Blackwell range
• In theory, it’ll run at the same speed as the GDDR6 in AMD’s RDNA 4 GPUs
• Whatever the video memory spec turns out to be, Nvidia can still have a winning budget GPU if the price is pitched right

We’re again hearing that Nvidia’s RTX 5050 desktop graphics card is nearing launch, and will be using slower video RAM than the rest of the Blackwell GPU range.

In fact, according to a new rumor aired on X that VideoCardz noticed, the RTX 5050 will employ GDDR6 video RAM (rather than GDDR7 as seen elsewhere with Blackwell) running at a speed of 20Gbps. As per previous chatter, it’ll run with 8GB of this VRAM.

By the way, Desktop RTX5050 uses 20Gbps GDDR6, the same as the RDNA4 family. https://t.co/Va2Qj7ZRIeJune 13, 2025

This is from leaker MEGAsizeGPU, who is generally regarded as a reliable source, and further notes that this is the same speed of VRAM as seen in AMD’s RDNA 4 graphics cards (meaning the likes of the RX 9070 XT).

If the grapevine is right, the RTX 5050 desktop will launch in the near future, maybe as soon as July, and it’ll probably arrive alongside the mobile variant for budget gaming laptops, too.

Analysis: Pricing is key, as ever

(Image credit: Pexels)

At this point, the volume of RTX 5050 leaks has been pretty hefty, so much so that it’d be a surprise if Nvidia didn’t have this GPU inbound. Rumors must be carefully seasoned, naturally, but when enough of them are consistently floating around, it’s difficult to deny that they’re likely to come to pass.

What’s odd about the speculation around the RTX 5050, both laptop and desktop versions, is that the various sources can’t seem to decide on the type of VRAM used. Some laptop rumors still insist the RTX 5050 mobile may get the faster GDDR7 video RAM used in other Blackwell GPUs, while the desktop theories have plumped for GDDR6. Indeed, recent laptop listings that have leaked the RTX 5050 mobile have shown both GDDR6 and GDDR7 video memory.

Is it possible we could see both types of VRAM used in laptops? That seems highly unlikely, as it would be seriously confusing for consumers (not that Nvidia hasn’t done that before). We might see GDDR7 for laptops, and GDDR6 for the desktop RTX 5050; that’s certainly possible.

But what I think is more likely is that Nvidia intended to use GDDR7 at some point, but changed to GDDR6, and this is what we’ll get for all models of the RTX 5050, laptop and desktop.

Whatever the case, the RTX 5050 is sure to pack 8GB, as that’s the leanest amount Nvidia could possibly get away with. And while there has been a lot of complaining about 8GB being an insufficient pool of video RAM for modern gaming, remember, this is very much a budget GPU, so it’ll have a configuration oriented towards making it cheap.

That is, of course, the key. While there’s been disappointment that the RTX 5050’s rumored specs make it look rather weak sauce – and this latest nugget from X hasn’t helped – if Nvidia frames that spec with attractive enough pricing, then we’ll have a winner. It really is that simple.

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• AMD looks like it’s losing the GPU war based on new Steam survey, with Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti proving itself to be popular already
• Rumored Nvidia RTX 5080 Super specs disappoint some gamers, but I don’t think there’s anything to worry about with this GPU
• AMD could be working on a faster RX 9070 Extreme graphics card

Commentary: Save my ears from all the awful hold music, please.

Find the best gaming chairs by Anda Seat, Secretlab and others so you can focus on what really matters: the game.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, June 13 (game #1236).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1237) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1237) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 3.

Quordle today (game #1237) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1237) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1237) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• F

• T

• I

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1237) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1237, are…

• STICK
• FERRY
• THESE
• IONIC

I thought I was being very clever, deducing that my second word had to end E-R-R-Y, but faced with a choice between berry, perry and FERRY I opted for the wrong one. 

I still feel clever, even though it’s just an illusion – when the possibilities are limited, finding the right words comes a lot easier.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1237) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1237, are…

• MAMBO
• HENCE
• CREAK
• CRUSH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE
• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO
• Quordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORST
• Quordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULE
• Quordle #1224, Sunday, 1 June: POINT, MERIT, WHOOP, APHID
• Quordle #1223, Saturday, 31 May: CRUMB, ELFIN, DRIER, QUITE
• Quordle #1222, Friday, 30 May: RAJAH, CAUSE, BLACK, ETUDE
• Quordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGH
• Quordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURER
• Quordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADAR
• Quordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOP
• Quordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEAN

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, June 13 (game #467).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #468) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… It's a banner day

NYT Strands today (game #468) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• ATOM
• SPITE
• GLAMOR
• RAIL
• FILE
• FLASHES

NYT Strands today (game #468) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #468) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 4th column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #468) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #468, are…

• CROSS
• MOON
• TRIANGLE
• STAR
• STRIPE
• CROWN
• SHIELD
• SPANGRAM: FLAG SYMBOL

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Today is Flag Day across the United States, commemorating the adoption of the STAR-Spangled Banner on June 14, 1777, by the Second Continental Congress.

It’s an event worth celebrating, with some flag waving, flag hoisting and a Strands word search which had us hunting for the most common FLAG SYMBOLS.

One of today’s answers, the MOON, features on 13 national flags, and naming them all would be a pretty good quiz question. Incidentally, did you know that there are six American flags on the moon – one for each Apollo mission – but there is no official flag of the moon? This feels like an oversight.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, June 13, game #467)

• ROSE
• DAISY
• VIOLET
• POPPY
• LILY
• AZALEA
• PETUNIA
• SPANGRAM: FLOWER GIRLS

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, June 13 (game #733).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #734) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• MOM
• QUEEN
• RIBBON
• BORDER
• BLUE
• BOSTON
• HEART
• LEGEND
• TOTO
• ARROW
• ICON
• HOOCH
• RAT
• BULL
• ASTRO
• DIVA

NYT Connections today (game #734) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: A woman worthy or worship 
• GREEN: Basic ink 
• BLUE: Famous canines
• PURPLE: Linked by a dog breed

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #734) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: GODDESS 
• GREEN: ELEMENTS OF A CLASSIC "MOM" TATTOO 
• BLUE: DOGS OF THE SCREEN 
• PURPLE: __ TERRIER 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #734) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #734, are…

• YELLOW: GODDESS DIVA, ICON, LEGEND, QUEEN
• GREEN: ELEMENTS OF A CLASSIC "MOM" TATTOO ARROW, HEART, MOM, RIBBON
• BLUE: DOGS OF THE SCREEN ASTRO, BLUE, HOOCH, TOTO
• PURPLE: __ TERRIER BORDER, BOSTON, BULL, RAT

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I didn’t get the purple group today, which on reflection is annoying as it’s more obvious than the yellow group which could have just as easily have included MOM alongside DIVA, ICON, LEGEND, QUEEN.

I’m a fan of the TERRIER. I admire their relentless tenacity and bravery despite their diminutive stature, which comes from their original purpose when they were bred to catch rabbits.

Anyway, I digress. Easy pickings today. My only struggle was that HOOCH and TOTO were the only famous dogs I recognized, but guesswork helped me get the DOGS OF THE SCREEN group with one guess. Googling afterwards I think BLUE must be from Blue's Clues and ASTRO from The Jetsons.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, June 13, game #733)

• YELLOW: PERSPECTIVE ANGLE, BENT, LENS, POINT OF VIEW
• GREEN: SEEN AT AN ICE CREAM SHOP CONE, CUP, LITTLE SPOON, SCOOP
• BLUE: HIT SONGS OF 1998 CLOSING TIME, IRIS, ONE WEEK, TOO CLOSE
• PURPLE: HOT ___ DOG, POTATO, ROD, WATER BOTTLE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

It's rare that the number of new movies outweighs their new TV brethren in our weekly streaming round-ups.

That's the case this time, though. There are four – that's right, four! – new films we recommend watching on the world's best streaming services this weekend (June 13 to 15). Admittedly, some of them aren't great but, hey, you can have a laugh with and/or mock them to your heart's content if nothing else.

For the small-screen fans among you, there are a couple of new TV show offerings as well. So, don't worry, we haven't left you out! Here, then, is what you'll want to catch before next Monday arrives. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

Snow White (Disney+)

Snow White is not the fairest Disney movie of them all. Not only did it have a disappointing box office run, its terrible 39% Rotten Tomatoes critics score suggests it's not worth investing in at home, either.

Still, while it misses out on being part of our best Disney+ movies round-up, it's now available to watch at home. There are a lot of key differences from the original here, including Snow White's namesake and love interest, which has been met with mixed reviews.

If you'd rather watch the original Oscar-winning 1937 movie, that's also streaming on Disney+ alongside plenty of the classics. Either way, you can get your fairytale fix this weekend. – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Snow White on Disney+

Fubar season 2 (Netflix)

He's back – again. Arnold Schwarzenegger's surprise Netflix TV hit Fubar has returned for its second season. After saving her daughter and fellow CIA operative last time around, Arnie's character Luke Brenner is forced to postpone his retirement once more to tackle a new threat. The villain in question? None other than Luke's former flame Greta (played by The Matrix icon Carrie-Anne Moss), which complicates matters a teeny tiny bit.

Fubar isn't part of our best Netflix shows round-up right now, but only because we regularly rotate series in and out of it. If Fubar season 2 is as big of a hit as its forebear, don't be shocked if it returns to said guide in explosive fashion. – TP

• Watch Fubar season 2 on Netflix

Deep Cover (Prime Video)

The plot for one of June's new Prime Video movies Deep Cover sounds intriguing. It's about an improv comedy teacher played by Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World: Dominion) who recruits two of her students – Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso) and Orlando Bloom (The Lord of the Rings; Pirates of the Caribbean) – to help her impersonate dangerous criminals for an undercover cop.

If that sounds familiar, it’s probably because two of the British crime-comedy caper’s screenwriters (Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly) based theis Amazon film's concept on real-life New York City cops who previously used actors as decoys.

Following its world premiere at SXSW London Screen Festival earlier this month, this Prime Video movie has been received well by critics (based on its Rotten Tomatoes score, anyway). That should be enough to land it a spot on our best Prime Video movies guide, then. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor

• Watch Deep Cover on Prime Video

Echo Valley (Apple TV+)

Julianne Moore recently stunned me in Sirens, one of the best Netflix shows, and now she's at the helm of a new Apple TV+ movie Echo Valley.

There's a seriously impressive cast here, including Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney, Fallout's Kyle MacLachlan, and Killing Eve's Fiona Shaw. The ensemble is so talented, in fact, I'm going to watch it in spite of its 59% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

That'll prevent it from joining our best Apple TV+ movies list, but its premise – Moore plays a mom who helps her troubled daughter (Sweeney) cover up a crime – is one that appeals to me. – LB

• Watch Echo Valley on Apple TV+

Cleaner (Max)

Two British action flicks in the same week? Aren’t we lucky. Directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale; Golden Eye), this film, which has debuted on Max, has got a lot of great talent behind it.

Daisy Ridley (Star Wars; Young Woman and the Sea) stars as an soldier-turned-window cleaner (yes, you read that right), who dusts off her old combat skills to single-handedly save a group of hostages from a radical group of activists that have taken over an energy juggernaut’s gala.

I know I’m not alone in thinking that this sounds like Die Hard. Countless critics have said as much since reviewing the film (it was released in theaters in the US earlier this year). However, while it follows a tried-and-tested story, its mixed reviews mean it won't make the cut for our best Max movies guide. – AS

• Watch Cleaner on Max

Titan: The Oceangate Disaster (Netflix)

I watched Titan: The OceanGate Disaster very intently and I urge everyone to do the same this weekend. I understand many might be concerned it's just another shocking documentary, but it has a lot of important insights into what actually went wrong, including from those involved in its development.

For the uninitiated: in 2023, the submersible vessel known as Titan imploded, resulting in the deaths of all five passengers, including OceanGate's former CEO, Stockton Rush.

This well made and, dare I say, essential documentary criticizes how many people's concerns were ignored in the build up to Titan's journey to the Titanic wreckage, and is an important reminder that companies should pay attention to the experts they employ. – LB

• Watch Titan: The Oceangate Disaster on Netflix

Romcon: Who the F**k is Jason Porter? (Prime Video)

Our second new documentary pick of the week is a true crime series about the dark side of dating.

Romcon: Who the F**k is Jason Porter? is a tell-all from the victims of a prolific dating scammer based in Toronto. Real estate broker Heather Rovet explains how she fell in love with a charismatic handyman called "Jace", who she later discovers has been deceiving her. After uncovering the real identity of Jason Porter, a convicted criminal known as a romance scammer, Heather connects with other victims to bring him to justice.

This isn't the first dating scammer story we've seen come to streaming, as Netflix's The Tinder Swindler had become a sensation when it was released in 2022. Expect Prime Video viewers to lap this one up in a similar fashion. – AS

• Watch Romcon: Who the F**k is Jason Porter? on Prime Video

For more streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Disney+ shows, best Prime Video shows, and best Paramount+ movies.

• Fog ransomware was seen using Syteca, a legitimate employee monitoring tool, to log keys and grab passwords
• It also used open-source tools for payload dropping and file exfiltration
• The attack was "atypical", researchers claim

Fog ransomware operators have expanded their arsenal to include legitimate and open source tools. This is, most likely, to avoid being detected before deploying the encryptor.

Security researchers from Symantec were recently brought in to investigate a Fog ransomware infection, and determined the hackers used Syteca, a legitimate employee monitoring tool, during the attack.

This program, previously known as Ekran, records screen activity and keystrokes, and hasn’t been seen abused in attacks before now.

"Several" accounts compromised

By logging keystrokes and tracking passwords, the attackers were able to access additional systems, map out the network, and then successfully deploy the encryptor.

To drop Syteca, Fog used Stowaway, an open-source, multi-hop proxy tool designed for security researchers and pentesters to route traffic through multiple intermediary nodes into restricted or internal networks.

After dropping the payload, the attackers used SMBExec, another open-source post-exploitation tool, to execute it over the Server Message Block protocol (SMB).

Lastly, Fog used GC2, an open source post-exploitation backdoor that leverages Google Sheets and SharePoint for command-and-control (C2) and data exfiltration. Just like Syteca, this one is rarely seen abused in attacks, although BleepingComputer claims the Chinese state-sponsored actor APT41 have been seen using it sometimes.

“The toolset deployed by the attackers is quite atypical for a ransomware attack,” Symantec said in its report.

“The Syteca client and GC2 tool are not tools we have seen deployed in ransomware attacks before, while the Stowaway proxy tool and Adap2x C2 Agent Beacon are also unusual tools to see being used in a ransomware attack,” they added.

Fog ransomware first emerged in April 2024, and its first attacks were spotted a month later. Since then, the group made a name for itself, claiming notable victims such as the Belgium-based semiconductor company Melexis, European meteorological organization EUMETSAT, FHNW University (a major Swiss educational institution), and Ultra Tune (an Australian automotive service franchise).

In early attacks, the group used compromised VPN credentials to access victims’ networks - after which, they used “pass-the-hash” attacks to elevate privileges, disable antivirus products, and encrypt all files.

Via BleepingComputer

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• The US Government Accountability Office has published recommendations for the Department of Defense
• These are aimed at IT systems and include cybersecurity shortfalls
• Some programs overspent and took months longer than scheduled

The US Government's Department of Defense is set to spend $10.9 billion on maintaining IT business programs from 2023-2025 - but not all of these programs meet required performance levels, a new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has declared.

Recommendations from the department include asking the Secretary of Defense to direct the Chief Information Officer to “ensure that IT business programs identify and report results data on the minimum number of performance metrics in each category, as appropriate, as part of the department's submission to the Federal IT Dashboard.”

These programs are critical defense systems, and 4 were identified without “developed plans to implement a more rigorous cybersecurity approach—zero trust architecture—by the 2027 deadline”. A further 2 programs didn’t have strategies in place to reduce cybersecurity threats.

Recommendations going forward

Of the 24 IT business programs, 14 reported cost and/or schedule changes since January 2023, which includes 12 programs that report an increase of cost. These are between $6.1 million and $815.5 million (and a median of $173.5 million) - and 7 of the programs report a delay in schedule from between 3 months and 48 months (median of 15 months).

The GAO reminded the DoD that IT is “critical to the success of DoD's major business functions." and that "not identifying and reporting results data on performance metrics in each category makes it harder to determine if these programs are achieving their intended goals," the report summary confirms.

This comes not long after the news that the US Government hailed IT cuts as a key part of billion-dollar DoD savings, with contracts terminated, primarily for "consulting and other non-essential services”.

Affected firms included Deloitte, Booz Allen, and Accenture, with terminations specifically targeting the “$1.8 billion in consulting contracts the Defense Health Agency awarded to various private sector firms, a $1.4 billion enterprise cloud IT services contract awarded to a software reseller, and a $500 million Navy contract for business process consulting.”

Via The Register

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