OpenUK and UKRI collaborate on sustainable open source software for the UK public sector
OpenUK has announced plans to collaborate with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to shape new recommendations for sustainable software development across the UK public sector. The work will improve how government and public bodies create, release, and maintain open source software, and also make sure that software funded through public money can be reused and improved long term.
The collaboration focuses on practical implementation as much as policy. OpenUK describes the initiative as an effort to move from goal-setting to action -- so that open source development and reuse become a central part of how the UK public sector approaches digital transformation.
SUSE brings agentic AI to enterprise Linux
SUSE has released SUSE Linux Enterprise 16, which it describes as the first enterprise Linux distribution to integrate agentic AI through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The update aims to let operating systems interact more directly with AI models and external data sources.
The Model Context Protocol, introduced in 2024 by Anthropic, is an open standard for connecting large language models to tools and data. It defines a simple client-server structure that allows AI systems to request information or perform tasks across different applications in a consistent way. SUSE’s adoption of MCP is meant to make those capabilities available at the operating system level, without depending on a single AI provider.
The next wave of AI assistants: From chatbots to autonomous agents
AI assistants, like chatbots, have been providing customer support and functioning in sales and internal support roles for a very long time. Autonomous agents are the next level of AI, as they incorporate reasoning, planning, and execution.
This is already happening on a larger scale in enterprises, with autonomous AI agents streamlining development processes. 79 percent of executives in PwC's report, AI and the Future of Work, maintain that agentic AI is a key driver for prioritizing automation and productivity.
RealWear introduces Arc 3 headset for hands-free, AI-powered work
RealWear has unveiled its latest assisted reality headset, Arc 3, alongside a new operating system, Ari OS. The aim is to improve safety and efficiency for frontline workers by providing hands-free access to information, enabling collaboration, and reducing distractions in complex environments.
The Arc 3 headset marks RealWear’s expansion into lighter, more versatile designs. At 179 grams, it is the company’s first see-through headset with a double retina resolution display.
Cyber insurance demand rises as global tensions fuel surge in digital threats
Cyber insurance has become the fastest-growing area of demand in the insurance sector, as conflicts and geopolitical tensions increasingly spill into cyberspace. Organizations are reportedly investing ever more heavily in protection against cyberattacks, while insurers are adapting coverage and response capabilities to address complex, politically driven digital risks, according to new findings from GlobalData.
A GlobalData poll conducted across its Verdict Media network, found that 27.4 percent of industry professionals expect cyber insurance to see the sharpest increase in demand. This placed it ahead of political risk insurance at 25 percent, supply chain insurance at 23.8 percent, and business interruption insurance at 13.1 percent. The data suggests that concerns about digital security now outweigh those linked to traditional operational and political exposures.
Mastercard launches Threat Intelligence to combat payment fraud
Mastercard has introduced a new service designed to help financial institutions detect and prevent payment fraud before it happens. Mastercard Threat Intelligence will combine the company’s global fraud data with cyber threat intelligence from Recorded Future, resulting in a deeper level of visibility to how fraud originates and spreads across the payments ecosystem.
Fraud doesn’t always start when someone tries to buy something with a stolen card. In fact, it often begins much earlier -- when criminals hack a website to steal card details, run automated tests on stolen cards, or plant malware to skim payment data, for example. Mastercard’s new system helps banks’ fraud teams and cybersecurity teams spot these early warning signs together, instead of waiting until fraudulent transactions happen.
OpenAI and PayPal partner to launch in-chat commerce
PayPal has announced that it plans to adopt the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) to expand payments and shopping inside ChatGPT. The move will let millions of ChatGPT users pay with PayPal directly in conversations, while merchants gain access to OpenAI Instant Checkout and PayPal’s global payment network.
The integration links PayPal’s vast base of merchants with OpenAI’s emerging commerce platform. It also makes PayPal the first major payments company to implement ACP, a new framework designed to let AI systems handle shopping and checkout tasks on behalf of users.
IObit releases Malware Fighter 13 with pre-boot scanning and behavior-based detection
Software company IObit has released Malware Fighter 13, adding new scanning capabilities and expanding its threat-detection methods. The company says the update is designed to improve protection against a wider range of cyber threats, including spyware, ransomware, and so-called fileless attacks.
The update introduces a pre-boot analysis module that scans the system during startup. This will allow the software to detect and remove malicious items before Windows loads, preventing them from reappearing after a reboot. The company says this may help systems start faster and run more reliably, but it hasn't released independent performance data to support that claim and your mileage may vary.
AI-powered malware surges as cybercriminals exploit automation and geopolitical tensions
Trellix has published its latest CyberThreat Report: October 2025, highlighting a clear rise in the use of AI-powered tools and malware by cybercriminals.
Drawing on global threat intelligence gathered between April and September 2025, the report explores how automation, geopolitics, and AI are reshaping modern attack methods.
Surfshark introduces web content blocker for home users
Cybersecurity and privacy firm Surfshark has launched a new web content blocker aimed at home users who want to filter online material without the tracking aspect often found in parental control software.
The new feature lets users choose the content categories they want to restrict and then lock them with two-factor authentication. The same settings can be applied across all devices tied to the same account.
Red Hat introduces Developer Lightspeed, an AI-driven assistant to streamline workflows
Red Hat has announced a brand new suite of generative AI tools designed to slot directly into the company’s development ecosystem. The Red Hat Developer Lightspeed platform will allow developers to work more efficiently via context-aware assistance from within Red Hat’s existing toolsets. This includes the Red Hat Developer Hub and the migration toolkit for applications.
The company describes Developer Lightspeed as a response to the growing need for reliable, domain-specific AI tools rather than everyday, general-purpose models.
Wyze expands its smart home lineup with a new battery-powered video doorbell
Wyze has added a new video doorbell to its expanding line of home security devices. The Wyze Battery Video Doorbell enters a market already dominated by products such as Amazon’s ubiquitous Ring range (with its maddening ding-ding-dong chime), but it aims to be a budget wire-free alternative that’s simple to set up while providing a wide, head-to-toe view of the front door area.
The doorbell records in a 1:1 aspect ratio at 1536 x 1536 HD+ resolution, capturing a square frame that covers both visitors and packages placed near the door.
Google Earth's new AI tools let users ask questions about the planet
While Google Earth isn’t as massively popular as it once was, it now has some new AI capabilities that could give it fresh purpose. The platform lets users ask questions about the planet and get answers in seconds, using natural language to uncover patterns once buried in data.
The new tools combine satellite imagery, environmental models and Google Gemini’s reasoning to help people better understand what’s happening on the planet we call home.
A blast from the past! DivX turns 25 and looks back on its digital video legacy
If you’re of a certain age, the name DivX might bring back fond memories of CDs and DVDs with hand-scrawled titles, slow downloads, and the thrill of watching a video that actually played smoothly on your computer. I can’t remember the last time I heard anyone mention it, but for a time, DivX was everywhere -- and now it’s marking its 25th anniversary.
Founded in San Diego in 2000, DivX arrived just as online video was finding its footing. Its codec made it possible to shrink video files to a manageable size without turning them into pixelated messes. In an age before fast broadband and cloud storage, that felt close to magic.
TP-Link launches Archer GE400 Wi-Fi 7 gaming router
TP-Link has announced a new entry-level Wi-Fi 7 gaming router aimed at players who want faster wireless performance without paying a premium. The Archer GE400 rounds out TP-Link’s Wi-Fi 7 gaming range, joining the GE800 and GE650 and priced at a more affordable $219.99.
Wi-Fi 7 builds on the Wi-Fi 6E standard and improves wireless stability and responsiveness by combining higher modulation rates and multi-band communication.
Wayne's Bio
Wayne Williams has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for over 30 years now. He’s written for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a fair few of them in his time also. If you like what you read, you can Buy Me a Coffee!
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