WhatsApp is not only one of the most popular communication apps out there, but also one of the most dynamic and frequently updated. The beta releases for WhatsApp are exciting places to hang out and a great way to try, or at least glimpse, new features.

The latest update does not buck the trend. In the most recent beta release for Android, we see developers working a new way to make use of status updates. These are already highly versatile but soon will provide a way to pose questions.

IObit has launched Software Updater 8 to manage software updates and installations in a single place. The latest version of the popular tool aims to reduce security risks and save time by offering faster updates, a larger database of programs, and -- because it’s 2025 -- access to a wide range of AI-powered tools.

Keeping software updated can be a hassle, and skipping updates can leave systems exposed to security threats. IObit Software Updater 8 addresses this by scanning for outdated applications and applying the latest official versions with just one click.

SparkyLinux 7.8 is now available to download, bringing a welcome selection of updates to the “Orion Belt” stable release series. Based on Debian 12 “Bookworm,” this latest point release offers a modern Linux experience that’s a strong alternative for users looking to move away from Windows 11.

With Microsoft's OS continuing to introduce clunky AI features, bloat, slow performance and limited user control, SparkyLinux serves as a lighter, faster, and fully customizable alternative. Version 7.8 delivers updated software, improved desktop environments, and superior system performance.

The second quarter of this year has seen a 63 percent increase in publicly disclosed ransomware attack volumes, with a total of 276 incidents compared to Q2 2024, according to the latest report from BlackFog.

This represents the highest number of attacks for this timeframe since the company began tracking ransomware volumes in 2020. All three months in the quarter set a new high compared with the same time period in previous years. June saw 113 percent increase with a total of 96 attacks. There was a 51 percent increase in April with a total of 89 attacks, and a 40 percent increase in May with 91 attacks.

A new survey of 4,000 knowledge workers across the UK, US, Germany, and Canada reveals that higher earners have disproportionate access to the latest AI tools and training, allowing them to reap AI's promised rewards.

In contrast, the study from The Adaptavist Group reveals that lower earners and women are being shut out from AI opportunities, which impacts their skill development, job satisfaction, and time savings, both personally and professionally.

Owning a smartphone is just about a given these days, and it is also becoming true for a smartwatch. If you have bought into the OnePlus ecosystem for your phone and watch, the company has just released an incredible 2-in-1 charger cable.

While not an entirely unique idea – there are various chargers out there that can charge two devices at the same time – the solution from OnePlus has at least a couple of features that make it stand out from the crowd.

In the last few years artificial intelligence has found its way into more and more areas of our world and its progress shows no signs of slowing down.

Of course most things these days need a day to mark their achievements and today is AI Appreciation Day. So, what has AI done for us and what can we expect from it in future? Some industry experts gave us their views.

When Microsoft released the KB5062553 update for Windows earlier this month, it addressed a number of issues in the operating system. However, it also caused problems with Azure Virtual Machines.

As such, Microsoft has been forced to publish another emergency patch to fix a problem caused by one of its own software updates. This time around, the out-of-band fix is the KB5064489 update, and it is available for both Windows 11 and Windows Server 2025.

A study into harmful personal finance trends on TikTok has found that the hashtag “side hustle” is the most common trending term. #sidehustle was found attached to millions of posts on a daily basis, with many providing misleading, incorrect or costly advice.

There has long been concern about the negative impact of social media influencers, and a key area of alarm is financial guidance. A particular worry is that Gen Z is increasingly turning to social media platforms such as TikTok for financial advice, or ideas about how to make money quickly.

Tricking applications into altering their processes or surrendering information is a highly efficient way for attackers to carry out theft or fraud while minimizing the risk of detection.

We asked Mohammad Ismail, VP of EMEA at Cequence Security, to explain how this business logic abuse is carried out and why it’s becoming a growing problem.

Piracy remains a serious problem for the music and movie industries as well as for software developers, authors, and more. In a radical new attempt to crack down on pirated material, Cloudflare has started to block access to pirate sites in the UK.

This is a significant expansion of anti-piracy measures. ISPs in the UK – as in many other countries – block access to known pirate sites, often because they are legally required to do so. But these blocks can be evaded in various ways, including through the use of VPNs. This is something Cloudflare’s new pirate blocks aim to stop.

KnowBe4 has launched Prevent, an AI-driven email security solution aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses tackle one of cybersecurity’s most persistent threats: outbound email risk.

The platform, now expanded from its enterprise version, uses machine learning, behavioral analytics and neural networks to detect and stop data breaches caused by employee error, before they happen.

As AI continues to change the workplace, HR teams are adopting the technology quickly, but many are doing so without the support or training needed to use it effectively.

A new survey from General Assembly shows that 82 percent of HR professionals use AI at work, yet only 30 percent have received training tailored to their roles.

New analysis from CyCognito of over two million internet-exposed assets, across on-prem, cloud, APIs, and web apps, identifies exploitable assets across several key industries, using techniques that simulate real-world attacker behavior.

Techniques used include black-box pentesting using 90,000+ exploit modules, credential stuffing simulations, data exposure detection, etc. The study also used Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) to identify runtime web application vulnerabilities, as well as active vulnerability scanning of internet-facing services to detect CVEs, misconfigurations, and exposed assets.

New research from Specops has analyzed 10 million random passwords from the billion+ breached password list used by Specops Password Auditor and finds that a startling 98.5 percent are weak.

The research defines a ‘strong’ password as having at least 15 characters in length and at least two different character classes. A long password of 15 identical-class characters (for example all lowercase) is easier to crack than one that mixes in digits or symbols.