By Varun Mirchandani New research reveals generative AI is making fraud faster and more scalable, turning cybercrime into a $400 billion global problem.

Source:: Digital Trends

By Alina Maria Stan Every co-founder Elon Musk recruited to build xAI has now reportedly left the company. Manuel Kroiss, who led the pretraining team, told people this month that he was departing. Ross Nordeen, described by Business Insider as Musk’s “right-hand operator,” left on Friday. They were the last two of eleven co-founders, all of whom have exited […] This story continues at The Next Web

Source:: The Next Web

By Allison Steffens Herrera Meta is preparing to launch two new Ray-Ban smart glasses models designed specifically for prescription wearers, according to a Bloomberg report published on Thursday. The models, codenamed Scriber and Blazer, were first spotted in Federal Communications Commission filings and are expected to reach consumers as early as next week. They do not represent a new […] This story continues at The Next Web

Source:: The Next Web

By Hisan Kidwai Day 2 of the BGIS Grand Finals was chaotic in the best way possible. A variety…
The post BGIS Grand Finals Day 2 Highlights: Soul Finish Strong, Genesis Dominate appeared first on Fossbytes.

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By Hisan Kidwai We said day two of the BGIS Grand Finals would be the day of comebacks. While…
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Microsoft is finally blocking a long-since retired program that it said led to “abuse and credential theft,” yet remained widely trusted for years.

Beginning in April, Redmond will remove trust for kernel drivers that haven’t been vetted through its Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP). The company is specifically targeting kernel drivers signed by the now defunct cross-signed root program. 

But while this closes a security hole, Microsoft acknowledges that it could impact some legacy applications and use cases. To balance security with compatibility, the company will initially roll out the policy in “evaluation mode” with its April 2026 Windows 11 and Server update. It will also provide some leeway for older, widely-used and reputable drivers, and admins in certain situations will have the ability to override the new policy altogether.

“Essentially, Microsoft is closing a 20-year-old critical security hole in its OS,” said David Shipley of Beauceron Security. “Device drivers get to touch the OS kernel and can abuse that supreme-level access to do fun things like disable anti-virus and endpoint monitoring tools.”

Program put platforms at risk

Microsoft introduced the cross-signed root program in the early 2000s to give driver providers Windows-trusted code signing certificates with, it said, “varying degrees of partner vetting.” But it offered zero assurances around the security and compatibility of that kernel code.

The program was administered by third parties who stored private keys associated with the certificates, which, Microsoft says, “led to abuse and credential theft that put our customers and their platforms at risk.”

As a result, the program was deprecated in 2021, and all certificates have since expired. However, third-party drivers signed by the program are still “broadly trusted,” Microsoft says.

The new kernel trust policy will apply to Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, 26H1, and Windows Server 2025, and all future versions will enforce it, because, Peter Waxman, a group program manager at Microsoft, writes in a blog post, “drivers are a critical part of the Windows ecosystem, and ensuring their integrity is essential to providing a secure and trustworthy environment.”

However, in its initial evaluation mode, Microsoft will monitor and audit driver loads to test for compatibility issues should cross-signed drivers be blocked. Systems will remain in evaluation mode until they meet specific runtime (100 hours) and boot-start (2-3 restarts) scenarios. If all drivers loaded during the evaluation period are trusted, the policy activates, but if any cross-signed drivers are audited that would not pass the new kernel trust policy, the system remains in evaluation mode until those drivers are no longer audited.

Once activated, the kernel trust policy will automatically block untrusted drivers. Only drivers that have been passed and signed by WHCP, which scans all driver submissions for malware and tests whether the device is compatible with Windows hardware and operating system, will be loaded by default. Those drivers are then trusted across the Windows ecosystem.

Microsoft calls the certification program a “rigorous driver signing process” that helps ensure its partners are “continuously vetted” and comply with its latest security and compliance requirements.

Workarounds in certain scenarios

Even as it enforces this new policy, Microsoft is taking steps to minimize disruption. The tech giant will maintain an explicit allow list so that the kernel can load old, but “widely-used and reputable drivers” previously vetted through the retired program. This exception list is based on two years of real-world data around enterprise use of older drivers.

Further, admins will have the ability to override the policy via Application Control for Business. This can be particularly useful in scenarios where enterprises are loading custom drivers built for internal use.

“This gives enterprises the ability to run privately-signed drivers on enrolled systems without degrading security,” Microsoft notes. However, these bypass policies must be granted specific authority in the device’s cryptographic key to ensure it is applicable only to a specific enterprise environment. 

It’s a win for security — but there are tradeoffs

On the whole, this is great news for security, analysts note.

“There seems to be no single breach, instance, law, or sudden trigger that is prompting this step,” said Thomas Randall, a research director at Info-Tech Research Group. “Instead, this is part of a long-running cleanup for avoidable security risks.”

But, noted Beauceron’s Shipley, with great security comes some “usability or convenience trade-offs.” For instance, disabling device drivers, even those whose certificates have expired, might render highly-customized internet of things (IoT) devices obsolete. This could also impact critical medical equipment like x-ray machines.

Microsoft is being smart by baking in the two safety valves during evaluation (the 100 driver loads and three restarts) to make sure “they don’t brick something vital,” said Shipley.

Does this add more friction to malware creators? Yes. Is it a silver bullet? No, he said. “Endpoint detection and response-killing malware is still going to happen, but the blast radius just got smaller, so that’s a win.”

What enterprises should keep in mind

While Microsoft does extend some exceptions to its new policy, enterprises taking advantage of them shouldn’t consider themselves immune to ultimate driver blockage.

“Even those permissible older drivers will be on borrowed time,” Randall said. “We can expect Microsoft to eventually phase those out, too.”

The main risk for organizations is that they may be using older drivers without realizing it, he noted. For instance, factories or medical facilities relying on older hardware, specialized equipment, long-running business systems, or internal tools that were built years ago but never fully updated are all at risk.

“The device may still work perfectly well, but it may rely on an older driver, and nobody had a strong reason to replace it until now,” said Randall. “If one of those older drivers is not on Microsoft’s allowed list and no replacement exists, a device or application may stop working properly once a machine begins enforcing the new rule.”

To prepare for the policy change, Randall advised enterprises to make a list of hardware and software that install Windows drivers, then test machines that are in heavy, day-to-day use, or that serve highly important functions (like emergency medical equipment); ask hardware and software providers whether they have a roadmap for updated drivers; and identify any internal-only drivers that may require company-managed exceptions.

Further, “organizations should not assume Microsoft’s exception list will save them, because Microsoft says that list will be limited,” Randall noted.

Source:: Computer World

Company establishes dominant position on world’s largest retail platform while building multi-channel distribution strategy Innovative Eyewear, Inc. (NASDAQ: LUCY) has emerged as the clear category leader in the rapidly growing smart safety glasses segment, capturing approximately 44% market share on Amazon.com according to recent market analysis. This dominant position on the world’s most popular retail […] This story continues at The Next Web

Source:: The Next Web

There have been plenty of warnings about job losses due to AI, particularly in the world of IT and in the reduction of entry-level positions. Doom mongers’ claims that AI is going to eradicate all our jobs look to be exaggerated but there is little room for complacency as there are some roles most definitely at risk — and software engineers, in particular, should be looking over their shoulders.

Economists Luis Garicano, Jin Li, and Yanhui Wu, report in a new research paper that jobs that can be unbundled — with tasks AI can perform easily separated from those requiring human input — are at greater risk than jobs where the two kinds of tasks are indissociable. “The effect of AI depends on how costly it is to break the bundle,” they wrote. This means that “In strong-bundle occupations, where tasks are not independently reallocable, AI improves performance inside the job, but does not remove the human from the bundle,” consequently, protecting jobs.

Garicano et al don’t provide examples of such jobs, but point out that jobs cannot be unbundled when there is a high coordination cost to separating their tasks, such as when one person must assume liability for all the tasks, when performing one task improves performance at another, or when a shared context is needed to perform all the tasks.

Meanwhile, a US study by Digital Planet at Tufts University suggests that the activities that will see the greatest AI-driven job losses are writers and authors (57% of such jobs affected), computer programmers (55%), and web and digital interface designers (55%), while software developers, management analysts, and market research analysts will see the greatest total income losses.

This article first appeared on CIO.com.

Source:: Computer World

By Alina Maria Stan Meta disclosed in SEC filings on Tuesday that it had granted stock options to six of its most senior executives, the first such awards since the company’s 2012 IPO. Hours later, it laid off approximately 700 employees across Reality Labs, recruiting, sales, and Facebook. The options are worthless unless Meta’s market capitalisation reaches $9 trillion […] This story continues at The Next Web

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By Hisan Kidwai BGIS Grand Finals have just started, and it was exhilarating. We expected top performance from teams…
The post BGIS Grand Finals Day 1 Highlights: GodLike Dominate, Soul Shine appeared first on Fossbytes.

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By Hisan Kidwai The first day of the BGIS final has just curtailed. Today, we saw some amazing battle…
The post BGIS Grand Finals 2026 Standings After Day 1 appeared first on Fossbytes.

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By Omair Khaliq Sultan Planar magnetic headphones used to be the kind of thing you’d spend $500 or more to get into. The HIFIMAN Ananda changed that conversation when it launched, and at $249, it moves that conversation further still. That’s $150 off its $399 list price for a full-size open-back planar magnetic headphone that competes with options costing […]

Source:: Digital Trends

By Vikhyaat Vivek Meta’s next-gen Ray-Ban AI glasses have surfaced in FCC filings, revealing two new models and possible hardware improvements.

Source:: Digital Trends

By Shikhar Mehrotra The Avata 360 marks DJI’s boldest camera drone move yet: a fully immersive 360° FPV experience backed by flagship-grade imaging, smart obstacle sensing, and a suite of cinematic tools that make the competition sweat.

Source:: Digital Trends

By Shimul Sood Gemini is changing the game by learning from your past chats.

Source:: Digital Trends

By Alina Maria Stan OpenAI has shelved its plans to add an erotic “adult mode” to ChatGPT indefinitely, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, capping a five-month saga in which the feature was announced with confidence, delayed twice, and ultimately abandoned after pushback from staff, advisors, and investors. The retreat is the third major product reversal for OpenAI in […] This story continues at The Next Web

Source:: The Next Web

By Allison Steffens Herrera Blossom Health, a New York-based telepsychiatry startup founded in 2024, has raised $20 million in combined seed and Series A funding to scale an AI-powered platform that pairs psychiatrists with clinical copilots and automated administrative support. The round was led by Headline, whose co-founder and managing partner Mathias Schilling is joining the company’s board. Village […] This story continues at The Next Web

Source:: The Next Web

Apple’s MacBook Neo (reviewed here) challenges what we expect from budget laptops. Accompanied by shrewd enterprise-focused moves, the new model gives Apple a chance to convert hitherto resistant IT purchasers to adopt its platforms. I spoke with Hexnode CEO Apu Pavithran to get some sense of this potential.

Apple’s decision to introduce a $599 laptop is hugely significant, said Pavithran. “Apple is positioning itself on price and gunning for the volume markets it previously ceded to other players,” he said. The company is using its existing strengths with the product, exploiting its in-house processing power, repackaging its hardware for new customers, and “breaking the perception that Mac is premium-only.”

Pavithran leads one of the new breed of device management services designed to serve cross-platform fleets. That gives him insight into the potential attraction the Neo may yield for established Windows-based enterprises.

Opening Windows

“There are growing problems with Windows 10 end-of-life and a wave of users facing upgrade decisions,” he pointed out. At its price, Apple’s Neo offers users in that segment an affordable introduction to the Mac ecosystem. It’s appealing for some enterprise edge cases that need a real computer at a low price point, such as for use as kiosks or at reception desks.

Much of this is about perception, and that’s where Apple has struck a huge blow. “The Neo is shaping up as an industry reset, changing expectations for what a “cheap” laptop can look and feel like,” said Pavithran.

“I can’t think of any entry-level portable computers with Retina display, aluminium build, 16-hour battery, and full desktop OS. This will put pressure on Chromebook and Windows OEMs to justify plastic builds and shorter battery life at similar prices. I hope other makers take up the challenge and we see a race to the top in the budget laptop segment.”

Does the MacBook Neo have enterprise appeal?

As Pavithran sees it, the big challenge Apple still has is winning over IT. There’s plenty of pressure in the company’s favor, not least that employees will now overwhelmingly choose Apple if given a choice. The challenge is to convince IT to offer that choice in the first place. “Competing on price certainly helps because it’s often the biggest hurdle for budget-conscious bosses across SMEs,” he said.

That’s one of the ways MacBook Neo opens the argument.

Since the introduction of the product, Apple has expanded its Apple Business service across 200 countries. Among other things, Apple Business makes it easy for SMBs of any size to secure and manage their Apple-based business systems, including support for zero-touch deployments and SSO. 

I spoke with Pavithran just before that launch. Apple Business will almost certainly help the MacBook Neo open up more space in business markets, as the services it provides are among the challenges he thought Apple faced pushing its platforms to enterprise purchasers. “Apple has the building blocks, but the enforcement layer still relies heavily on third-party tools,” he said then. 

Apple needs to make sure its systems “integrate smoothly with unified endpoint management (UEM) so IT isn’t juggling multiple dashboards, drowning in alerts, and suffering from siloed visibility,” he said. After we spoke, Apple announced that it will offer APIs that enterprises and their device management partners can use to help ease those challenges.

What about the education market?

The MacBook Neo isn’t just for the enterprise; it offers plenty to education too, with a tempting $499 price tag for students, who will be attracted by the looks and brand appeal Apple provides. 

The impact may not be immediate. “K-12 won’t overhaul its entire ecosystem just because there’s a cheaper Mac,” Pavithran said.

“These classrooms are already deeply embedded in Google Workspace and will take some time and tooling to completely onboard. The education sweet spot is in universities and colleges, because these students buy their own devices (rather than school-issued), need creative and STEM software, and benefit most from integration with iPhone,” he said.

Apple needs to sell this product line to admins more than students, and that’s a sticking point for both lower and higher education. “Following the pandemic, Google’s device management in education only got better, with admins feeling very confident in this ecosystem. Moving to Apple devices means rethinking management at scale — and this is where the company will need to make life as easy as possible for those making the switch.”

How Apple thrives in a difficult business environment

Global conflict and the unraveling of decades-long trade agreements in favor of vibes rather than values poses huge strain on business systems. While there’s no arguing away the challenges of that environment, Apple does have advantages, Pavithran points out. “Apple’s vertical integration (own silicon, own OS) gives it more levers than competitors reliant on third-party chips and Microsoft licensing,” he said.

Please follow me on Twitter, or join me in the AppleHolic’s bar & grill and Apple Discussions groups on MeWe. Also, now on Mastodon.

Source:: Computer World

Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 processors with Intel vPro, built for business PCs, are off to a fast start, already powering more than 125 designs including newly-announced systems from Dell and HP, the company said.

Unveiled this week at an event in New York City, the Core Ultra Series 3 with Intel vPro brings what Intel described as “next-generation performance efficiency and integrated AI acceleration,” as well as providing an enhanced vPro management platform.

The company first announced the Core Ultra Series 3 processors in October 2025. Previously codenamed Panther Lake, they will also appear in new consumer PCs.

Users of systems running on the new chips will see over 30% faster performance, up to 80% better graphics, and up to 4x AI performance compared to four-year-old systems, the average PC refresh period for businesses, according to Intel.

While the new systems can run code faster, Intel is also pushing for them to be more intelligent about the code they do run. Enhancements to vPro include the Intel vPro Certification Program that Intel said results in as much as 59% reduced CPU utilization, a 74% reduction in background activity, and power efficiency improved by 56%.

AI is also playing a bigger role in the form of vPro Intelligence with Device IQ, which offers AI-driven analytics to detect, diagnose, and resolve issues. There’s also vPro Fleet Services to simplify out-of-band manageability via a fully managed SaaS-based activation and integration with Microsoft Intune, and security enhancements including Intel Total Storage Encryption for Microsoft BitLocker and AI-based threat detection using Intel’s chip-based Threat Detection technology (DTECT).

Business PCs incorporating these technologies will be available beginning on March 31.

Dell has launched an updated Dell Pro Notebook lineup which includes devices powered by the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processor. It offers models with and without vPro.

The Dell Pro Premium is designed for on-the-go executives and managers; the Dell Pro 7 is for users such as consultants and sales professionals who need systems that are portable, yet capable; the Dell Pro 5, the company said, provides mobility for users such as financial analysts while maintaining the performance they need for their business applications; and the Dell Pro 3 was created for users who run core productivity applications such as email, document creation, and collaboration.

The Dell Pro Premium will be available on March 31, and the other models will hit the shelves in May. Pricing has not yet been announced.

HP’s refreshed portfolio for business includes 31 new models powered by Intel, AMD, and Arm processors. Intel-powered devices include multiple configurations in the EliteBook 8 G2 series, an AI PC designed for knowledge workers, and the EliteBook 6 G2 series for mobile professionals and office collaborators. Other models are directed at the SMB market. The company also announced the EliteDesk 8 G2 for enterprise workers.

The EliteBook 8 G2 devices are expected to be available in April, as are the EliteDesk models. The EliteBook 6 G2 is scheduled for June. Pricing has not yet been announced.

More Intel news:

Enterprise laptops adopt Intel’s new Core Ultra Series 3 chips

Intel aims advanced Xeon 6+ at AI edge computing

Intel teams with SoftBank to develop new memory type

Intel sets sights on data center GPUs amid AI-driven infrastructure shifts

Intel wrestling with CPU supply shortage

Intel’s AI pivot could make lower-end PCs scarce in 2026

Intel nabs Qualcomm veteran to lead GPU initiative

Intel decides to keep networking business after all

Intel sees supply shortage, will prioritize data center technology

Source:: Computer World