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Why Major Companies Are Still Falling to Basic Cybersecurity Failures

 

In recent weeks, three major companies—Ingram Micro, United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), and McDonald’s—faced disruptive cybersecurity incidents. Despite operating in vastly different sectors—technology distribution, food logistics, and fast food retail—all three breaches stemmed from poor security fundamentals, not advanced cyber threats. 

Ingram Micro, a global distributor of IT and cybersecurity products, was hit by a ransomware attack in early July 2025. The company’s order systems and communication channels were temporarily shut down. Though systems were restored within days, the incident highlights a deeper issue: Ingram had access to top-tier security tools, yet failed to use them effectively. This wasn’t a tech failure—it was a lapse in execution and internal discipline. 

Just two weeks earlier, UNFI, the main distributor for Whole Foods, suffered a similar ransomware attack. The disruption caused significant delays in food supply chains, exposing the fragility of critical infrastructure. In industries that rely on real-time operations, cyber incidents are not just IT issues—they’re direct threats to business continuity. 

Meanwhile, McDonald’s experienced a different type of breach. Researchers discovered that its AI-powered hiring tool, McHire, could be accessed using a default admin login and a weak password—“123456.” This exposed sensitive applicant data, potentially impacting millions. The breach wasn’t due to a sophisticated hacker but to oversight and poor configuration. All three cases demonstrate a common truth: major companies are still vulnerable to basic errors. 

Threat actors like SafePay and Pay2Key are capitalizing on these gaps. SafePay infiltrates networks through stolen VPN credentials, while Pay2Key, allegedly backed by Iran, is now offering incentives for targeting U.S. firms. These groups don’t need advanced tools when companies are leaving the door open. Although Ingram Micro responded quickly—resetting credentials, enforcing MFA, and working with external experts—the damage had already been done. 

Preventive action, such as stricter access control, routine security audits, and proper use of existing tools, could have stopped the breach before it started. These incidents aren’t isolated—they’re indicative of a larger issue: a culture that prioritizes speed and convenience over governance and accountability. 

Security frameworks like NIST or CMMC offer roadmaps for better protection, but they must be followed in practice, not just on paper. The lesson is clear: when organizations fail to take care of cybersecurity basics, they put systems, customers, and their own reputations at risk. Prevention starts with leadership, not technology.

OpenAI Launching AI-Powered Web Browser to Rival Chrome, Drive ChatGPT Integration

 

OpenAI is reportedly developing its own web browser, integrating artificial intelligence to offer users a new way to explore the internet. According to sources cited by Reuters, the tool is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks, although an official release date has not yet been announced. With this move, OpenAI seems to be stepping into the competitive browser space with the goal of challenging Google Chrome’s dominance, while also gaining access to valuable user data that could enhance its AI models and advertising potential. 

The browser is expected to serve as more than just a window to the web—it will likely come packed with AI features, offering users the ability to interact with tools like ChatGPT directly within their browsing sessions. This integration could mean that AI-generated responses, intelligent page summaries, and voice-based search capabilities are no longer separate from web activity but built into the browsing experience itself. Users may be able to complete tasks, ask questions, and retrieve information all within a single, unified interface. 

A major incentive for OpenAI is the access to first-party data. Currently, most of the data that fuels targeted advertising and search engine algorithms is captured by Google through Chrome. By creating its own browser, OpenAI could tap into a similar stream of data—helping to both improve its large language models and create new revenue opportunities through ad placements or subscription services. While details on privacy controls are unclear, such deep integration with AI may raise concerns about data protection and user consent. 

Despite the potential, OpenAI faces stiff competition. Chrome currently holds a dominant share of the global browser market, with nearly 70% of users relying on it for daily web access. OpenAI would need to provide compelling reasons for people to switch—whether through better performance, advanced AI tools, or stronger privacy options. Meanwhile, other companies are racing to enter the same space. Perplexity AI, for instance, recently launched a browser named Comet, giving early adopters a glimpse into what AI-first browsing might look like. 

Ultimately, OpenAI’s browser could mark a turning point in how artificial intelligence intersects with the internet. If it succeeds, users might soon navigate the web in ways that are faster, more intuitive, and increasingly guided by AI. But for now, whether this approach will truly transform online experiences—or simply add another player to the browser wars—remains to be seen.

Global Encryption at Risk as China Reportedly Advances Decryption Capabilities

 


It has been announced that researchers at Shanghai University have achieved a breakthrough in quantum computing that could have a profound impact on modern cryptographic systems. They achieved a significant leap in quantum computing. The team used a quantum annealing processor called D-Wave to successfully factor a 22-bit RSA number, a feat that has, until now, been beyond the practical capabilities of this particular class of quantum processor. 

There is no real-world value in a 22-bit key, but this milestone marks the beginning of the development of quantum algorithms and the improvement of hardware efficiency, even though it is relatively small and holds no real-world encryption value today. A growing vulnerability has been observed in classical encryption methods such as RSA, which are foundational to digital security across a wide range of financial systems, communication networks and government infrastructures. 

It is a great example of the accelerated pace at which the quantum arms race is occurring, and it reinforces the urgency around the creation of quantum-resistant cryptographic standards and the adoption of quantum-resistant protocols globally. 

As a result of quantum computing's progress, one of the greatest threats is that it has the potential to break widely used public key cryptographic algorithms, including Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA), Diffie-Hellman, and even symmetric encryption standards, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), very quickly and with ease.

Global digital security is built on the backbone of these encryption protocols, safeguarding everything from financial transactions and confidential communications to government and defense data, a safeguard that protects everything from financial transactions to confidential communications. As quantum computers become more advanced, this system might become obsolete if quantum computers become sufficiently advanced by dramatically reducing the time required to decrypt, posing a serious risk to privacy and infrastructure security. 

As a result of this threat looming over the world, major global powers have already refocused their strategic priorities. There is a widespread belief that nation-states that are financially and technologically able to develop quantum computing capabilities are actively engaged in a long-term offensive referred to as “harvest now, decrypt later”, which is the purpose of this offensive. 

Essentially, this tactic involves gathering enormous amounts of encrypted data today to decrypt that data in the future, when quantum computers reach a level of functionality that can break classical encryption. Even if the data has remained secure for now, its long-term confidentiality could be compromised. 

According to this strategy, there is a pressing need for quantum-resistant cryptographic standards to be developed and deployed urgently to provide a future-proof solution to sensitive data against the inevitable rise in quantum decryption capabilities that is inevitable. Despite the fact that 22-bit RSA keys are far from secure by contemporary standards, and they can be easily cracked by classical computer methods, this experiment marks the largest number of quantum annealing calculations to date, a process that is fundamentally different from the gate-based quantum systems that are most commonly discussed. 

It is important to note that this experiment is not related to Shor's algorithm, which has been thecentrer of theoretical discussions about breaking RSA encryption and uses gate-based quantum computers based on highly advanced technology. Instead, this experiment utilised quantum annealing, an algorithm that is specifically designed to solve a specific type of mathematical problem, such as factoring and optimisation, using quantum computing. 

The difference is very significant: whereas Shor's algorithm remains largely impractical at scale because of hardware limitations at the moment, D-Wave offers a solution to this dilemma by demonstrating how real-world factoring can be achieved on existing quantum hardware. Although it is limited to small key sizes, it does demonstrate the potential for real-world factoring on existing quantum hardware. This development has a lot of importance for the broader cryptographic security community. 

For decades, RSA encryption has provided online transactions, confidential communications, software integrity, and authentication systems with the necessary level of security. The RSA encryption is heavily dependent upon the computational difficulty of factorising large semiprime numbers. Classical computers have required a tremendous amount of time and resources to crack such encryption, which has kept the RSA encryption in business for decades to come.

In spite of the advances made by Wang and his team, it appears that even alternative quantum methods, beyond the widely discussed gate-based systems, may have tangible results for attacking these cryptographic barriers in the coming years. While it may be the case that quantum annealing is still at its infancy, the trajectory is still clearly in sight: quantum annealing is maturing, and as a result, the urgency for transitioning to post-quantum cryptographic standards becomes increasingly important.

A 22-bit RSA key does not have any real cryptographic value in today's digital landscape — where standard RSA keys usually exceed 2048 bits — but the successful factoring of such a key using quantum annealing represents a crucial step forward in quantum computing research. A demonstration, which is being organised by researchers in Shanghai, will not address the immediate practical threats that quantum attacks pose, but rather what it will reveal concerning quantum attack scalability in the future. 

A compelling proof-of-concept has been demonstrated here, illustrating that with refined techniques and optimisation, more significant encryption scenarios may soon come under attack. What makes this experiment so compelling is the technical efficiency reached by the research team as a result of their work. A team of researchers demonstrated that the current hardware limitations might actually be more flexible than previously thought by minimising the number of physical qubits required per variable, improving embeddings, and reducing noise through improved embeddings. 

By using quantum annealers—specialised quantum devices previously thought to be too limited for such tasks, this opens up the possibility to factor out larger key sizes. Additionally, there have been successful implementations of the quantum annealing approach for use with symmetric cryptography algorithms, including Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN) cyphers such as Present and Rectangle, which have proven to be highly effective. 

In the real world, lightweight cyphers are common in embedded systems as well as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which makes this the first demonstration of a quantum processor that poses a credible threat to both asymmetric as well as symmetric encryption mechanisms simultaneously instead of only one or the other. 

There are far-reaching implications to the advancements that have been made as a result of this advancement, and they have not gone unnoticed by the world at large. In response to the accelerated pace of quantum developments, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published the first official post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards in August of 2024. These standards were formalised under the FIPS 203, 204, and 205 codes. 

There is no doubt that this transition is backed by the adoption of the Hamming Quasi-Cyclic scheme by NIST, marking another milestone in the move toward a quantum-safe infrastructure, as it is based on lattice-based cryptography that is believed to be resistant to both current and emerging quantum attacks. This adoption further solidifies the transition into this field. There has also been a strong emphasis on the urgency of the issue from the White House in policy directives issued by the White House. 

A number of federal agencies have been instructed to begin phasing out vulnerable public key encryption protocols. The directive highlights the growing consensus that proactive mitigation is essential in light of the threat of "harvest now, decrypt later" strategies, where adversaries collect encrypted data today in anticipation of the possibility that future quantum technologies can be used to decrypt it. 

Increasing quantum breakthroughs are making it increasingly important to move to post-quantum cryptographic systems as soon as possible, as this is no longer a theoretical exercise but a necessity for the security of the world at large. While the 22-bit RSA key is very small when compared to the 2048-bit keys commonly used in contemporary cryptographic systems, the recent breakthrough by Shanghai researchers holds a great deal of significance both scientifically and technologically. 

Previously, quantum factoring was attempted with annealing-based systems, but had reached a plateau at 19-bit keys. This required a significant number of qubits per variable, which was rather excessive. By fine-tuning the local field and coupling coefficients within their Ising model, the researchers were able to overcome this barrier in their quantum setup. 

Through these optimisations, the noise reduction and factoring process was enhanced, and the factoring process was more consistent, which suggests that with further refinement, a higher level of complexity can be reached in the future with the RSA key size, according to independent experts who are aware of the possible implications. 

Despite not being involved in this study, Prabhjyot Kaur, an analyst at Everest Group who was not involved, has warned that advances in quantum computing could pose serious security threats to a wide range of industries. She underscored that cybersecurity professionals and policymakers alike are becoming increasingly conscious of the fact that theoretical risks are rapidly becoming operational realities in the field of cybersecurity. 

A significant majority of the concern surrounding quantum threats to encryption has traditionally focused on Shor's algorithm - a powerful quantum technique capable of factoring large numbers efficiently, but requiring a quantum computer based on gate-based quantum algorithms to be implemented. 

Though theoretically, these universal quantum machines are not without their limitations in hardware, such as the limited number of qubits, the limited coherence times, and the difficult correction of quantum errors. The quantum annealers from D-Wave, on the other hand, are much more mature, commercially accessible and do not have a universal function, but are considerably more mature than the ones from other companies. 

With its current generation of Advantage systems, D-Wave has been able to boast over 5,000 qubits and maintain an analogue quantum evolution process that is extremely stable at an ultra-low temperature of 15 millikelvin. There are limitations to quantum annealers, particularly in the form of exponential scaling costs, limiting their ability to crack only small moduli at present, but they also present a unique path to quantum-assisted cryptanalysis that is becoming increasingly viable as time goes by. 

By utilising a fundamentally different model of computation, annealers avoid many of the pitfalls associated with gate-based systems, including deep quantum circuits and high error rates, which are common in gate-based systems. In addition to demonstrating the versatility of quantum platforms, this divergence in approach also underscores how important it is for organisations to remain up to date and adaptive as multiple forms of quantum computing continue to evolve at the same time. 

The quantum era is steadily approaching, and as a result, organisations, governments, and security professionals must acknowledge the importance of cryptographic resilience as not only a theoretical concern but an urgent operational issue. There is no doubt that recent advances in quantum annealing, although they may be limited in their immediate threat, serve as a clear indication that quantum technology is progressing at a faster ra///-te than many had expected. 

The risk of enterprises and institutions not being able to afford to wait for large-scale quantum computers to become fully capable before implementing security transitions is too great to take. Rather than passively watching, companies and institutions must start by establishing a full understanding of the cryptographic assets they are deploying across their infrastructure in order to be able to make informed decisions about their cryptographic assets. 

It is also critical to adopt quantum-resistant algorithms, embrace crypto-agility, and participate in standards-based migration efforts if people hope to secure digital ecosystems for the long term. Moreover, continuous education is equally important to ensure that decision-makers remain informed about quantum developments as they develop to make timely and strategic security investments promptly. 

The disruptive potential of quantum computing presents undeniable risks, however it also presents a rare opportunity for modernizing foundational digital security practices. As people approach post-quantum cryptography, the digital future should be viewed not as one-time upgrade but as a transformation that integrates foresight, flexibility, and resilience, enabling us to become more resilient, resilient, and flexible. Taking proactive measures today will have a significant impact on whether people remain secure in the future.

Balancing Accountability and Privacy in the Age of Work Tracking Software

 

As businesses adopt employee monitoring tools to improve output and align team goals, they must also consider the implications for privacy. The success of these systems doesn’t rest solely on data collection, but on how transparently and respectfully they are implemented. When done right, work tracking software can enhance productivity while preserving employee dignity and fostering a culture of trust. 

One of the strongest arguments for using tracking software lies in the visibility it offers. In hybrid and remote work settings, where face-to-face supervision is limited, these tools offer leaders critical insights into workflows, project progress, and resource allocation. They enable more informed decisions and help identify process inefficiencies that could otherwise remain hidden. At the same time, they give employees the opportunity to highlight their own efforts, especially in collaborative environments where individual contributions can easily go unnoticed. 

For workers, having access to objective performance data ensures that their time and effort are acknowledged. Instead of constant managerial oversight, employees can benefit from automated insights that help them manage their time more effectively. This reduces the need for frequent check-ins and allows greater autonomy in daily schedules, ultimately leading to better focus and outcomes. 

However, the ethical use of these tools requires more than functionality—it demands transparency. Companies must clearly communicate what is being monitored, why it’s necessary, and how the collected data will be used. Monitoring practices should be limited to work-related metrics like app usage or project activity and should avoid invasive methods such as covert screen recording or keystroke logging. When employees are informed and involved from the start, they are more likely to accept the tools as supportive rather than punitive. 

Modern tracking platforms often go beyond timekeeping. Many offer dashboards that enable employees to view their own productivity patterns, identify distractions, and make self-directed improvements. This shift from oversight to insight empowers workers and contributes to their personal and professional development. At the organizational level, this data can guide strategy, uncover training needs, and drive better resource distribution—without compromising individual privacy. 

Ultimately, integrating work tracking tools responsibly is less about trade-offs and more about fostering mutual respect. The most successful implementations are those that treat transparency as a priority, not an afterthought. By framing these tools as resources for growth rather than surveillance, organizations can reinforce trust while improving overall performance. 

Used ethically and with clear communication, work tracking software has the potential to unify rather than divide. It supports both the operational needs of businesses and the autonomy of employees, proving that accountability and privacy can, in fact, coexist.

The Alarming Convergence of Cyber Crime and Real-World Threats

 


It is becoming increasingly evident that every aspect of everyday life relies on digital systems in today’s hyper-connected world, from banking and shopping to remote work and social media, as well as cloud-based services. With more and more people integrating technology into their daily lives, cybercriminals have become increasingly successful in hunting down and exploiting them. 

Malicious actors are exploiting vulnerabilities in both systems as well as human behaviour to launch sophisticated attacks, ranging from identity theft and phishing scams to massive ransomware campaigns and financial frauds, and the list goes on. There is no doubt that cybercrime has become a pervasive and damaging threat in the modern era. 

It affects both individuals, businesses, and governments. As lone hackers once dominated the market, this has now developed into a globally organized, organised industry that is driven by profit and armed with ever-evolving tools, including artificial intelligence, that are transforming the cybersecurity industry. 

The risk of falling victim to cyber-enabled crime continues to rise as billions of people interact with digital platforms daily, thereby making cybersecurity not only a technical matter but a fundamental necessity of our time. In the years that have followed, cybercrime has continued to grow in scope and sophistication, causing unprecedented damage to the global economy through phishing attacks and artificial intelligence-driven scams, now over $1 trillion annually. 

There is no doubt that cybercriminals are becoming more and more sophisticated as technology advances, and this alarming trend indicates that a coordinated, long-term response needs to take place that transcends the boundaries of individual organisations. A recognition of the systemic nature of cybercrime has led the Partnership against Cybercrime and the Institute for Security and Technology to launch the Systemic Defence initiative, which is in collaboration with the Institute for Security and Technology.

In this global effort, companies will be developing a multi-stakeholder, forward-looking, multi-layered approach to cybersecurity threats, especially phishing and cyber-enabled fraud, that will redefine how people deal with these threats in the future. There is a strong argument made by the project that instead of relying solely on reactive measures, that responsibility should be moved upstream, where risks can be mitigated before they become major problems before they become larger. 

Through this initiative, the government, industry leaders, law enforcement, and civil society members are encouraged to collaborate in order to create a more resilient digital ecosystem in which cyber threats can be anticipated and neutralised. There has never been a better time than now to share intelligence, deploy proactive defences, and establish unified standards in response to the growing use of artificial intelligence by threat actors to launch more deceptive and scalable attacks. 

As part of the Systemic Defence project, poeples will be able to identify and protect the global digital infrastructure from a rapidly evolving threat landscape as people move towards this goal. As cybercrime scales and impacts, experts warn of an increasing financial toll that could soon overshadow even the most devastating global events. This alarming pace has caused experts to warn that cybercrime could become more prevalent than ever before. 

According to projections by Cybersecurity Ventures, the cost of cybercrime worldwide will increase by 15 per cent annually by 2025, reaching $10.5 trillion per year in 2025 - an increase of 15 per cent from the $3 trillion in 2015. A dramatic escalation of this situation is widely considered to be the largest transfer of wealth in human history, putting a direct threat to global innovation, economic stability, and long-term investment. 

This forecast is not based on speculation, but rather on an in-depth analysis of historical data, combined with an increased number of state-sponsored cyberattacks and organized cybercrime syndicates, and an exponential increase in the number of digital attacks, all of which have led to this forecast. Increasingly, as the world becomes increasingly dependent on interconnected technologies, such as personal devices and enterprise systems, there are more opportunities for exploitation. This results in an ever-evolving landscape of risks in the world of cybercrime. 

There are far-reaching and multifaceted economic costs associated with cybercrime. Among the most significant losses are the destruction or theft of data, direct financial loss, disruption to operations, productivity losses, theft of intellectual property and confidential data, embezzlement and fraud, as well as the high costs associated with legal and forensic investigation. Additionally, organisations suffer long-term reputational damage as well as a loss of customer trust, which can be difficult to recover from for quite some time. 

In addition to its potential financial impact, cybercrime will have a much larger economic impact than all major illegal drugs combined, making it even more pressing. Cybercrime is expected to be more costly than the combined global trade of all major illegal drugs, and its economic impact will be exponentially larger than all natural disasters combined. As a consequence, cybercrime is no longer a niche security problem; it is now regarded as a systemic global threat that requires urgent, coordinated, and sustained attention from every sector. 

In the last decade or so, the cyber threat landscape has been transformed fundamentally, as a result of the rapid evolution of cybercrime and the increasing use of advanced persistent threat (APT) tactics by criminal actors. In 2024, Critical Start's Cyber Research Unit (CRU) is expecting a significant shift in cyber criminal activity, as they will be refining and using APT-level techniques that were once primarily associated with nation states. 

Using advanced methods, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, social engineering, as well as spear-phishing campaigns, cyberattacks are becoming more effective, stealthier, and harder to detect or contain, as they now make use of smart methodologies. The APT tactic enables criminals, in contrast to traditional cyberattacks, which often rely on quick attacks and brute-force intrusion, to establish a long-term foothold within networks, carry out sustained surveillance, and carry out highly precise, calculated operations. 

As a result of the ability to remain undetected while gathering intelligence or gradually executing malicious objectives, governments, businesses, critical infrastructure companies, as well as individuals have been increasingly threatened. Despite the fact that cybercriminals have evolved in tactics, there has also been a fundamental shift in the scale, scope, and motivation of cybercrime as a whole. Cybercrime has since grown into a profitable enterprise mimicking the structure and strategy of legitimate businesses, which has evolved from a business largely driven by prestige or mischief during the early internet era of the 1990s. 

During the 1990s and 2006, cybercriminals began to capitalise on the economic potential of the internet, resulting in a period in which digital crime was being monetised. According to the World Economic Forum, cybercrime represents the third-largest economy in the world, illustrating its tremendous financial impact. Even more alarming about this evolution is the easy access to cybercriminal tools and services that make cybercrime so common. 

As a result of the democratisation of cybercrime, individuals with little or no technical expertise can now purchase malware kits, rent access to compromised networks, or utilise ransomware-as-a-service platforms at very low costs. Because of this, sophisticated attacks have increased in sophistication, especially in sectors such as healthcare, education, and commerce, as a result of this democratisation of cybercrime.

Cybercriminals have continued to blur the lines between criminal enterprises and nation-state tactics, making ransomware one of the most effective and preferred attack vectors. In today's cyber world, cybercriminals are often able to deliver malicious software through exploited security gaps. As such, it has become increasingly important to implement proactive, intelligence-driven, and systemic cybersecurity measures. This evolving digital warfront does not remain limited to high-profile organisations any longer. 

Every connected device and vulnerable system now represents a potential entry point into this digital war. In today's cybercrime ecosystem, there are a number of alarming aspects that are highlighting the use of the dark web by sophisticated threat actors, including state-sponsored organisations, which is becoming more prevalent. 

Based on the IBM X-Force 2025 Threat Intelligence Index, it is reported that actors are exploiting the anonymity and the decentralized nature of the dark web to acquire high-end cyber tools, exploit kits, stolen credentials, and services that will enable them to increase the scope and precision of their attacks by acquiring cutting-edge cyber tools. 

Cybercriminal innovation has been fueled by this hidden marketplace, enabling a level of coordination, automation, and operational sophistication that has reshaped the global threat landscape for the better. A threat from this adversary is no longer an isolated hacker working in a silo, but rather a group of highly organised, collaborative cybercriminals whose structure and efficiency are similar to that of legitimate businesses. 

In recent years, cybercriminals have been evolving in a rapid fashion, with unprecedented technical sophistication that allows them to go beyond simple data breaches to launch widespread disruptions in the digital world. Cybersecurity attacks include attacks on critical infrastructure, supply chains, and services that are essential to our daily lives, often with devastating consequences. Parallel to this growing threat, cyberattacks are posing a much greater financial toll than they ever have. 

According to IBM's latest report on the Cost of Data Breach, the average cost of a data breach is rising steadily at an alarming rate. The average cost of a data breach has increased by 10% from USD 4.45 million in 2023, which is the sharpest spike ever since the beginning of COVID-19. In addition to the increasing complexity and severity of cyber incidents, organisations are under increasing pressure to respond quickly and effectively to these incidents. 

The costs associated with business breaches are increasing, ranging from direct financial losses to forensic investigations, legal fees, customer notification, and identity protection services. During the past year, these post-incident expenses had increased by nearly 11%, and there has been a growing number of regulatory penalties that have been imposed. 

Throughout the report, it is highlighted that the number of organisations that have been fined more than USD 50,000 jumped 22.7%, and the number of organisations facing penalties over USD 100,000 increased by 19.5%. Therefore, organisations should think beyond traditional cybersecurity strategies to achieve the most effective results. 

The emergence of increasingly elusive and well-equipped threat actors has made it essential for businesses to develop an adaptable, intelligence-led, and resilience-focused approach so that they can mitigate long-term damage to digital assets and protect business continuity as well. It is well known that cybercrime is a resilient ecosystem, with actors who are financially driven specialising in specific roles, such as malware development, the brokerage of initial access, or the laundering of money. 

In general, these actors often work together fluidly, forming flexible alliances but maintaining multiple partners for the same service. This means that when one ransomware-as-a-service provider or malware hub is taken down, the disruption is only temporary, and others will quickly fill in to take over. There is no doubt that this adaptability illustrates the importance of broad, coordinated strategies geared towards dismantling the infrastructure that makes such operations possible, focusing instead on removing the individuals who facilitate these operations.

Organisations, governments, and individuals must adopt a proactive security mindset based on continuous adaptation to effectively combat the rising tide of cybercrime. It is not enough to deploy advanced technologies to accomplish this; it is essential that people foster cyber literacy at all levels, build cross-sectoral alliances, and incorporate security as a part of the DNA of digital transformation as a whole.

As threat landscapes change, regulatory frameworks must evolve in tandem, encouraging transparency, accountability and security-by-design across all sectors of technology. As the global digital economy becomes increasingly reliant on digital technology, cybersecurity is becoming a strategic imperative—an investment in long-term trust, innovation, and stability that can be achieved by building a resilient cyber workforce capable of anticipating and responding to threats quickly and with agility. 

As digital dependence deepens, cybersecurity must become a strategic imperative instead of just an operational consideration. Taking no action today will not only embolden the threat actors but will also undermine the very infrastructure that is at the heart of modern society if people do not act decisively.

Why Running AI Locally with an NPU Offers Better Privacy, Speed, and Reliability

 

Running AI applications locally offers a compelling alternative to relying on cloud-based chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Deepseek, especially for those concerned about data privacy, internet dependency, and speed. Though cloud services promise protections through subscription terms, the reality remains uncertain. In contrast, using AI locally means your data never leaves your device, which is particularly advantageous for professionals handling sensitive customer information or individuals wary of sharing personal data with third parties. 

Local AI eliminates the need for a constant, high-speed internet connection. This reliable offline capability means that even in areas with spotty coverage or during network outages, tools for voice control, image recognition, and text generation remain functional. Lower latency also translates to near-instantaneous responses, unlike cloud AI that may lag due to network round-trip times. 

A powerful hardware component is essential here: the Neural Processing Unit (NPU). Typical CPUs and GPUs can struggle with AI workloads like large language models and image processing, leading to slowdowns, heat, noise, and shortened battery life. NPUs are specifically designed for handling matrix-heavy computations—vital for AI—and they allow these models to run efficiently right on your laptop, without burdening the main processor. 

Currently, consumer devices such as Intel Core Ultra, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, and Apple’s M-series chips (M1–M4) come equipped with NPUs built for this purpose. With one of these devices, you can run open-source AI models like DeepSeek‑R1, Qwen 3, or LLaMA 3.3 using tools such as Ollama, which supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. By pairing Ollama with a user-friendly interface like OpenWeb UI, you can replicate the experience of cloud chatbots entirely offline.  

Other local tools like GPT4All and Jan.ai also provide convenient interfaces for running AI models locally. However, be aware that model files can be quite large (often 20 GB or more), and without NPU support, performance may be sluggish and battery life will suffer.  

Using AI locally comes with several key advantages. You gain full control over your data, knowing it’s never sent to external servers. Offline compatibility ensures uninterrupted use, even in remote or unstable network environments. In terms of responsiveness, local AI often outperforms cloud models due to the absence of network latency. Many tools are open source, making experimentation and customization financially accessible. Lastly, NPUs offer energy-efficient performance, enabling richer AI experiences on everyday devices. 

In summary, if you’re looking for a faster, more private, and reliable AI workflow that doesn’t depend on the internet, equipping your laptop with an NPU and installing tools like Ollama, OpenWeb UI, GPT4All, or Jan.ai is a smart move. Not only will your interactions be quick and seamless, but they’ll also remain securely under your control.

How to Safeguard Your Phone Number From SIM Swap Attacks in 2025

 

In 2025, phone numbers have become woven into nearly every part of our digital lives. Whether you’re creating accounts on e-commerce sites, managing online banking, accessing health services, or logging in to social networks, your phone number is the gateway. It helps reset forgotten passwords and powers two-factor authentication codes that keep your accounts secure.

But if a hacker gets hold of your phone number, they can essentially impersonate you.

With control over your number, attackers can infiltrate your online accounts or manipulate automated phone systems to convince customer service representatives they’re speaking to you. In some cases, a stolen phone number can even be used to breach a company’s internal network and retrieve confidential information.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to protect your number against SIM swapping — a cyberattack where someone fraudulently transfers your number to a new SIM card. The good news? Locking down your number has never been simpler.

SIM swap attacks typically begin when a criminal contacts your mobile carrier, pretending to be you. By using publicly available personal details — like your name and birth date — the attacker convinces support staff to port your number to a SIM card they control. Once the transfer is complete, your number is live on their device. From there, they can send messages and make calls in your name.

Often, the only clue that something is wrong is if your phone abruptly loses service without explanation.

These attacks exploit gaps in the internal security processes at phone companies, where representatives can make account changes without always verifying the customer’s consent.

To fight back against these social engineering scams, the three largest U.S. mobile carriers — AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — have launched security tools that help prevent unauthorized account takeovers and SIM swaps. However, these protections may not be turned on by default, so it’s worth taking a few minutes to review your account settings.

AT&T: In July, AT&T rolled out its free Wireless Account Lock, designed to block SIM swapping attempts. “The feature allows AT&T customers to add extra account protection by toggling on a setting that prevents anyone from moving a SIM card or phone number to another device or account.” You can activate this safeguard in the AT&T app or through your online account dashboard. Be sure your account is secured with a unique password and multi-factor authentication.

T-Mobile: T-Mobile gives customers the option to lock their accounts against unauthorized SIM swaps and number porting at no cost. To enable this, the primary account holder must log in to their T-Mobile account and switch on the protection settings.

Verizon: Verizon offers two layers of defense: SIM Protection and Number Lock. These features stop SIM swaps and unauthorized phone number transfers. You can enable them through the Verizon app or the account portal. Verizon notes that if you disable these protections, any account changes will be delayed by 15 minutes, giving legitimate users time to undo suspicious activity.

Take a moment to check whether these safeguards are active on your account. While they aren’t always advertised prominently, they can make all the difference in keeping your phone number — and your identity — safe

AI and the Rise of Service-as-a-Service: Why Products Are Becoming Invisible

 

The software world is undergoing a fundamental shift. Thanks to AI, product development has become faster, easier, and more scalable than ever before. Tools like Cursor and Lovable—along with countless “co-pilot” clones—have turned coding into prompt engineering, dramatically reducing development time and enhancing productivity. 

This boom has naturally caught the attention of venture capitalists. Funding for software companies hit $80 billion in Q1 2025, with investors eager to back niche SaaS solutions that follow the familiar playbook: identify a pain point, build a narrow tool, and scale aggressively. Y Combinator’s recent cohort was full of “Cursor for X” startups, reflecting the prevailing appetite for micro-products. 

But beneath this surge of point solutions lies a deeper transformation: the shift from product-led growth to outcome-driven service delivery. This evolution isn’t just about branding—it’s a structural redefinition of how software creates and delivers value. Historically, the SaaS revolution gave rise to subscription-based models, but the tools themselves remained hands-on. For example, when Adobe moved Creative Suite to the cloud, the billing changed—not the user experience. Users still needed to operate the software. SaaS, in that sense, was product-heavy and service-light. 

Now, AI is dissolving the product layer itself. The software is still there, but it’s receding into the background. The real value lies in what it does, not how it’s used. Glide co-founder Gautam Ajjarapu captures this perfectly: “The product gets us in the door, but what keeps us there is delivering results.” Take Glide’s AI for banks. It began as a tool to streamline onboarding but quickly evolved into something more transformative. Banks now rely on Glide to improve retention, automate workflows, and enhance customer outcomes. 

The interface is still a product, but the substance is service. The same trend is visible across leading AI startups. Zendesk markets “automated customer service,” where AI handles tickets end-to-end. Amplitude’s AI agents now generate product insights and implement changes. These offerings blur the line between tool and outcome—more service than software. This shift is grounded in economic logic. Services account for over 70% of U.S. GDP, and Nobel laureate Bengt Holmström’s contract theory helps explain why: businesses ultimately want results, not just tools. 

They don’t want a CRM—they want more sales. They don’t want analytics—they want better decisions. With agentic AI, it’s now possible to deliver on that promise. Instead of selling a dashboard, companies can sell growth. Instead of building an LMS, they offer complete onboarding services powered by AI agents. This evolution is especially relevant in sectors like healthcare. Corti’s CEO Andreas Cleve emphasizes that doctors don’t want more interfaces—they want more time. AI that saves time becomes invisible, and its value lies in what it enables, not how it looks. 

The implication is clear: software is becoming outcome-first. Users care less about tools and more about what those tools accomplish. Many companies—Glean, ElevenLabs, Corpora—are already moving toward this model, delivering answers, brand voices, or research synthesis rather than just access. This isn’t the death of the product—it’s its natural evolution. The best AI companies are becoming “services in a product wrapper,” where software is the delivery mechanism, but the value lies in what gets done. 

For builders, the question is no longer how to scale a product. It’s how to scale outcomes. The companies that succeed in this new era will be those that understand: users don’t want features—they want results. Call it what you want—AI-as-a-service, agentic delivery, or outcome-led software. But the trend is unmistakable. Service-as-a-Service isn’t just the next step for SaaS. It may be the future of software itself.