Record-breaking number of vulnerabilities predicted for 2025
A new report predicts a record-breaking 41,000 to 50,000 new Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) this year, based on data from the National Vulnerability Database (NVD).
The forecast, from the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), suggests an 11 percent increase compared to 2024, and a whopping 470 percent increase compared to 2023.
You can get Office apps for free if you're willing to opt for an ad-supported Microsoft 365 subscription
The gradual move towards a subscription-based model for software payments has been continuing for a number of years now -- and the costs can soon add up. For anyone who is looking for ways to make things a bit less of a strain on their wallet, Microsoft has come up with a solution -- ad-supported versions of its Office apps.
If you are happy to endure advertising in the likes of Word and Excel, you can opt for a free Microsoft 365 subscription. Sadly, ads are not the only catch.
Deepfake fraud calls target consumer cash
AI-generated voice impersonation scams are an increasing threat, with 31 percent of US consumers, 27 percent of Canadians, and 26 percent of UK consumers reporting encounters with deepfake fraud calls.
A new report from Hiya, based on data from the company's Voice Intelligence Network and a January 2025 survey of 12,000 consumers across the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, and Spain, shows that more than 30 percent of those targeted fell victim, suffering significant financial losses. In the US, the average reported loss was $539, while UK victims faced the steepest losses at £1,479 ($1,867).
Windows Vista 2025 Edition fixes Windows 11's biggest problems -- download it now
For a lot of people, the biggest, most noticeable difference between Windows 10 and 11 is the centered taskbar and Start menu that Microsoft introduced to its latest operating system.
The software giant made the change to give Windows 11 a fresh, modern look and set it apart from its predecessor, but Windows has had a left-aligned taskbar and menu since Windows 95, and as the company proved when it gave us a tiled Start screen in Windows 8, change isn't always good -- or welcome.
The encryption backdoor debate: Why are we still here?
Earlier this month, reports emerged that the UK government had pressured Apple, under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, to create a backdoor into encrypted iCloud data. Unlike targeted access requests tied to specific cases, this demand sought a blanket ability to access users’ end-to-end encrypted files.
Apple was forced to reconsider its Advanced Data Protection service in the UK, and this latest development raises a fundamental question: Why does the debate over encryption backdoors persist despite decades of technological progress and repeated warnings from cybersecurity experts?
The US is not the only country to ban Kaspersky product because of security concerns
Security firm Kaspersky has suffered a dramatic fall from grace in recent years because of its Russian ties. Around the world, concerns have sprung up that the security software actually poses a security risk.
In the middle of last year, the US government banned the software from being sold in the country -- or even updated for existing users. Following suit, Australia has also announced a ban, citing a "security risk to the Commonwealth". Fears of "foreign interference, espionage and sabotage" were also key factors.
Attacks on manufacturing up but less than half businesses are prepared
A new study from Omdia finds that 80 percent of manufacturing firms experienced a significant increase in overall security incidents or breaches last year, but only 45 percent are adequately prepared in their cybersecurity.
The survey of over 500 technology executives worldwide shows a heightened risk of cyber attacks comes as manufacturers move to leverage IT such as cloud, AI, and Internet of Things (IoT) as part of their digital transformation -- a process defined as Industry 4.0.
Apple has removed its strongest data protection from UK users -- why and what does it mean?
Apple's Advanced Data protection allows the data that its users store in iCloud to be end-to-end encrypted. On Friday of last week the company announced that it would be removing this tool from users in the UK.
The move follows a demand from the UK government to allow 'backdoor' access into data in order to investigate crime. The problem is that even Apple can't access ADP protected data and the company argues that a backdoor would be exploited by attackers.
How GenAI adoption introduces network and security challenges [Q&A]
Enterprises are increasingly using GenAI to transform their organization. As they move ahead, they're evaluating their preparedness from a business, safety, skills, and product level. But there's another key factor at the backend that's being overlooked: the network.
Full GenAI adoption introduces significant new challenges and demands on the network, such as bandwidth strain and unique security vulnerabilities. If these demands aren't accommodated, organizations won't realize the benefits of GenAI.
Apple Intelligence is a disaster but it’s rolling out to more languages anyway
Pardon my crude language, but Apple Intelligence sucks. Sorry, but there’s no way to sugarcoat it. Apple is literally worth trillions of dollars, and despite having what is essentially unlimited resources, its AI service is absolutely horrid. In fact, it is so bad, that many users just turn it off entirely. Hell, there is even an entire subreddit dedicated to its failures.
What makes Apple Intelligence so terrible? Well, there are many things, but the most comical is the horrible job it does with summarizing notifications. Case in point, if my doorbell camera detects a person in the morning, and a person in the afternoon, Apple Intelligence will later warn me that multiple people are detected -- making it sound like a gang of people are on my front porch at the same time.
Do not leave Windows for Linux -- try dual boot or a VM instead
Over the years, I have suggested leaving Windows for Linux many times, with some readers saying I sound like a broken record. In hindsight, however, that was arguably a foolish thing to suggest (in some cases, at least). No, that doesn’t mean I have soured on Linux -- quite the contrary. Actually, I am as enthusiastic as ever!
So, have I changed my tune? Well… not entirely. I still think people should install Linux, but instead of replacing Windows, I would suggest dual-booting instead. This way, you get the best of both worlds -- Linux and Windows on one machine. I suppose if you find you don’t ever use Windows, you could get rid of it down the line. But even if you don’t use Windows, why bother getting rid of it? You might find having a Windows installation handy one day. Hey… you never know.
Apple News+ Food is coming soon
As a fat and nerdy guy, two of my favorite things in the world are technology and food. And so, when Apple announced News+ Food today, my tummy rumbled in anticipation.
But what exactly is it? Quite simply, News+ Food is a new section of the Apple News+ service that is dedicated to -- you guessed it -- food! This new section encompasses all things culinary, such as recipes, restaurant reviews, and healthy eating, to name but a few.
Deepfake fraud attempts grow over 2,000 percent
Financial institutions are facing a significant increase in deepfake fraud attempts, which have grown by a staggering 2,137 percent in the last three years.
Data from Signicat based on responses from 1,200 people in the financial and payment sectors across seven European countries, including the UK, shows that account takeover is the leading type of fraud their customers are exposed to, followed by card payment fraud and phishing.
Best Windows apps this week
Six-hundred-thirty-five in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and Windows 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft is working on a new app. Currently in development, Migration App is designed to help users smoothly transfer files from one Windows PC to another.
It's possible to run Windows XP on an Apple TV -- and it works like a dream!
Windows XP hasn’t been supported by Microsoft for a decade now, but it’s in use in many places. According to the most recent figures from Statcounter, the ancient OS still holds 0.27 percent of the Windows market, placing it above Windows 8/8.1.
There is even a Linux version of XP that you can run if you want a hit of nostalgia, but don’t want to risk using an unsupported OS. You’ve no doubt seen Doom running on all sorts of hardware, and XP is similar in some respects. We’ve already seen it running on Apple’s Vision Pro, and now it appears that with a bit of creative thinking it’s possible to run Windows XP on an Apple TV.
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