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The new NIS2 directive is designed to strengthen the cyber resilience of over 160,000 companies that operate in the EU -- either directly or indirectly. Coming into force by 17th October, NIS2 regulations will outline how these essential entities can combat increasingly sophisticated and frequent cyber attacks.

Notwithstanding delays in the implementation of local legislation, the NIS2 directive provides an indication of the compliance obligations affecting those organizations which fall within the scope of the new rules. Ultimately, NIS2 aims to reduce inconsistencies in cyber security resilience by being the “single source of truth” for regulatory bodies to oversee how organizations implement increasingly stringent cybersecurity frameworks. As we have seen in recent weeks, these are crucial, especially during large-scale cybersecurity incidents or crises.  

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As the open-source movement continues to gain traction, more users are considering switching from proprietary systems like Windows 11 to free and open alternatives. Released today (after a delay), Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS Noble Numbat (download here) is the perfect choice for those ready to embrace open-source software.

Whether you're a first-time Linux user, an experienced developer, an academic researcher, or an enterprise administrator, Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS offers unparalleled benefits just as the platform celebrates 20 years of existence. Is a point release that exciting? Yes! Many people wait for the first point release prior to upgrading.

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On paper, artificial intelligence makes for the perfect intern -- it’s keen to please, happy to do anything thrown its way, and gets on with tasks so efficiently. It’s also prone to making mistakes. And like a human intern, AI tools need training and monitoring rather than being catapulted straight into senior positions --  it is extremely well suited to the repetitive and predictable tasks that we often ask junior staff to handle.

Unlike people, AI works 24/7, never stresses out -- it can complete a vast number of tasks in a short period of time. This makes it ideal for the mundane jobs that people tend to find boring and time-consuming. Take a function such as VAT ledger data analysis, which can contain millions of rows of data -- for a human to correctly analyze every row would not only take an age but would also be mind-numbingly boring. By contrast, AI can examine it in seconds -- think of it as an ‘infinite intern’.

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Apple Sports, the free app for iPhone and Apple Watch, is gearing up for the upcoming NFL and college football seasons with several new updates. The app, which enables fans to follow games, leagues, conferences, and teams, will soon offer real-time updates directly on iPhone and Apple Watch Lock Screens through Live Activities. This feature allows users to monitor their favorite teams without unlocking their devices.

The latest enhancements include improved play-by-play features that provide quick access to scoring drives, presented alongside every game play. The app also introduces a dynamic drive tracker that displays the ball's position on the field in real-time. Fans can now follow NFL teams, the top 25 college football teams, and their favorite college conferences more closely.

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Admit it, you have at some time or other exaggerated your skills when applying for a job. But a new survey finds that this is becoming much more of a problem since the advent of AI.

The survey by Capterra of 3,000 job seekers around the world shows that 58 percent say they are using AI tools as part of their job search.

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While the standard versions of Windows 10 and 11 are designed to be all-encompassing, catering to a broad audience with varying needs, they can often be bogged down by features and services that not everyone needs, like Copilot in Windows 11 for example. Whether you're a professional needing a responsive system or a casual user looking for a smooth experience, the default versions of Windows 10 and 11 might not always offer the peak performance you desire.

Fortunately, there are customized versions of Windows that can help you unlock your PC’s full potential. These builds are designed to speed up your system by stripping away unnecessary features, optimizing resources, and delivering a leaner, faster operating system. Here’s a look at the five best custom Windows 10/11 builds that can help you achieve superior performance.

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The fallout from Elon Musk taking over at X continues as former Twitter-users flock to any of a growing list of alternatives on the fediverse. As well as options like Mastodon there is also Threads which comes from the same stables as Facebook -- Meta.

Much to the chagrin of Twitter exiles who flocked to Socialhome, Mastodon, Pixelfed et el, Threads has been gradually beavering its way into the fediverse. Now Meta has taken its next steps in this direction by making it possible for Threads users to see likes and replies from other networks.

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Google has introduced several new features for its Gemini platform, aimed at enhancing the user experience with customizable AI experts, known as Gems, and an advanced image generation model, Imagen 3. These features are now available to Gemini Advanced, Business, and Enterprise users and are designed to improve both productivity and creativity across various applications.

Gemini Advanced, Business, and Enterprise subscribers can now create and interact with Gems, which are customizable AI experts tailored to specific tasks or topics. Users can generate Gems by providing instructions, naming them, and then utilizing them for various tasks, including brainstorming ideas or assisting with writing. Gems are designed to offer support in areas such as simplifying complex topics, providing creative inspiration, offering career guidance, giving feedback on writing, and assisting with coding projects. These AI experts are accessible on both desktop and mobile devices in over 150 countries and support a wide range of languages.

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Despite Microsoft's ongoing efforts to improve Windows 11 by fixing bugs and introducing new features -- most notably AI integration with Copilot -- many users continue to experience issues and design inconsistencies that detract from the overall experience. No wonder so many people are choosing to stick with Windows 10.

However, there's good news: Rectify11, a third-party solution designed to address Windows 11's many problems, has just been updated to version 3.2, offering a more polished and consistent user experience.

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As we've already seen today AI systems are becoming increasingly popular targets for attack.

New research from Snyk and Lakera looks at the risks to AI agents and LLMs from prompt injection attacks.

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Microsoft 365 offers tools for content management, communication, process automation, and report creation. Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online Cookbook maximizes workplace collaboration and productivity using SharePoint Online, Teams, OneDrive, Delve, M365 Search, Copilot, Power Platform, Viva, Planner, and Microsoft Forms.

You will find thoroughly updated recipes for SharePoint Online, covering sites, lists, libraries, pages, web parts, and learn SharePoint Framework (SPFx) basics for building solutions.

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Globally cybersecurity is soaring to critical levels of concern for organizations. The Veeam 2023 Data Protection Report highlights that 85 percent of organizations have been hit by at least one cyber attack, illustrating the difficult journey towards recovery. The average recovery from an attack can drag on for a staggering three weeks, not only impacting operations but also carrying with it significant financial implications. Therefore, cyber resilience must adopt comprehensive strategies to ensure operational and cyber resilience. This means companies must not only take proactive cybersecurity measures to prevent disruptions but must also implement reactive measures to ensure a quick response and complete recovery in the event of a successful cyber attack.

To improve their cyber resilience and smoothly adapt to regulatory shifts, organizations must embark on a strategic journey, weaving together crucial strategies and best practices to ensure they not only survive a threat but thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

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You are probably familiar with God Mode in Windows. This feature displays all of the admin tools and control options on a single screen, but it’s tucked away, so you need to create a folder and give it a special name to activate it.

There are actually multiple God Modes, and we’ve covered them all, along with how to activate each one, here. However, if you're looking for something even more powerful, you should definitely try Super God Mode.

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The UK government has announced the launch of a new scheme that will encourage the building of new generative AI tools to help teachers when they’re planning lessons or marking homework.

This will involve the creation of a 'data store' for education data including the national curriculum, guidance for teachers, lesson plans and more. The £3m ($3.96m) data store will help tech companies build AI tools that teachers can trust to help in their work by making this data machine readable.

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New research from Legit Security shows that widely available GenAI development services risk sensitive information exposure, or leakage of secrets.

Legit's analysis of unprotected vector databases finds that 30 servers investigated contained corporate or private data, including company email conversations, customer PII, product serial numbers, financial records, resumes, and contact information.

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