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Many organizations believe they are successfully leveraging AI tools to strengthen their security posture.
Investment is rising, AI is being embedded across multiple workloads and workflows, and governance frameworks continue to expand, giving the impression on the surface that progress is being made.
But beneath this AI adoption lies an unseen problem: a growing gap between what organizations believe about their infrastructure security, and what they can actually evidence.
Confidence is rising, but so are breachesAccording to a global 2026 Hybrid Cloud Security Survey, which gathered the views of more than 1,000 Security and IT leaders, 93 percent have invested in new security technologies, yet despite this, breach rates have hit their highest point. Sixty-five per cent of organizations experienced a data breach in the past 12 months, an 18 percent rise year on year, and a near 40 percent rise over three years.
These worrying statistics are starting to ring alarm bells, highlighting that within organizations we are starting to see an ‘illusion of security’ creeping in. Organizations are investing heavily in security tools, yet still seem to lack clear visibility into the outcomes of their investments. In other words, leaving security to be measured by what has been implemented, rather than what can actually be verified.
A perfect storm of conditions has brought us to this point: AI adoption has scaled faster than governance and security teams can keep pace with, and hybrid cloud has added another dimension of complexity that few organizations have fully reckoned with.
AI is now embedded across enterprise environments, accelerating not just how organizations operate, but how risk moves through them. As adoption has outpaced oversight, the consequences are starting to surface, with nearly half of organizations surveyed reporting a rise in AI-related insider threats, including data leaks, and unsanctioned use (shadow AI). Perhaps surprisingly confidence hasn't reduced. Many organizations continue to classify their AI security posture as "defined" or "integrated," despite evidence portraying a radically different story.
That confidence often rests on assumptions, and the scale of the disconnect is striking; AI is now involved in 83 percent of security incidents, spanning external attacks, internal exposures, and direct targeting of AI systems. As threats move faster across increasingly fragmented and distributed environments, assumptions about what’s secure quickly fall apart and without clear visibility into how data moves and systems behave, organizations cannot reliably manage risk.
The warning signsNo single indicator reveals a false sense of AI security, but several recurring patterns make it obvious.
The first is investment without impact. Many organizations are expanding their security stacks, yet detection and response times are still moving in the wrong direction. More than 40 percent report that it now takes longer to detect and investigate breaches than it did previously, and that's not a coincidence.
When signals are spread across systems that don't connect, teams spend longer piecing together what happened rather than acting on it. Adding tools without improving visibility doesn't create more clarity. It creates more data, and more data without context is just more noise to wade through not to mention more false positives and perhaps even worse more false negatives.
The second is an inability to trace incidents back to their source. More than one in four organizations cannot determine the root cause of a breach, which means incidents are being closed out without fully understanding how they happened. The consequences are predictable: nearly one-third of organizations report multiple incidents within the same year. Without traceability, there is no learning, and without learning, the same gaps simply get exploited again.
The third is the visibility gap opening in AI-driven environments. With nearly three-quarters of organizations reporting limited visibility into AI-driven data flows, which span APIs, models, cloud services, and distributed infrastructure that is dynamic by design and doesn't map cleanly onto traditional monitoring approaches. Security teams can often see that something happened, but simply can’t get to the how or the why. That gap between knowing an incident occurred and understanding it, is exactly where the illusion lives.
Moving from illusion to evidenceIn response to growing complexity, organizations are collecting more telemetry than ever; metrics, events, logs and traces (MELT data), but more data does not necessarily equate to better understanding. These signals each offer only a partial view: one measures performance, another records activity, other flags issues after the fact.
None of them, on their own, are able to explain how systems behave as a whole. What’s missing is the connective tissue, the context that shows how these signals relate, how one event triggers another, and how issues propagate across the environment. Without that, organizations aren’t gaining insight; they’re just accumulating noise.
Shattering the AI ‘security illusion’ requires a shift from reactive security to proactive monitoring and real-time observation of how systems behave. Security leaders agree, with more than 90 percent of organizations reporting that complete visibility across data in motion is critical to their successful security outcomes.
This is where network-derived telemetry becomes essential. Unlike logs, which show what systems say they’re doing, network telemetry proves what is happening: how data moves, how systems interact, and how threats develop. It's the shift from assumption to evidence and then proof, and it's the only foundation solid enough to build real security on. The network is the source of truth for today’s security teams.
AI security must be measured, not assumedAI is reshaping the threat landscape, enabling faster, more adaptive attacks while increasing the complexity of enterprise environments. But defenders are not without their own advantages.
The same technologies fueling attacks are already supporting security teams, automating detection, accelerating response, and investment in these capabilities continues to grow.
But let there be no mistake: investment is not proof. Security must be measured by the ability to observe, understand, and validate what is actually happening across the environment.
In the age of AI, the real risk is not organizations underinvesting in security, but the belief that they are secure without the evidence to prove it.
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The laptop deals keep rolling in this week, with several new and returning offers that are great buys if you need a new device for work, school, college, or for home use.
I've picked out deals for both the US and the UK, including some super-cheap Chromebooks that will just get the job done, mid-range laptops that offer good levels of performance for the price, and high-end powerhouses for more demanding tasks. There should be something below that suits both your budget and needs.
For example, in the US, I think it will be hard to beat this Dell XPS 13 for $599 (was $899.99) when you apply the student discount. Even if you aren't eligible for the extra $100 off, it's still a tempting $699.99, which is a fantastic price for a fast, powerful and stylish machine.
That's just one option, so do have a browse through all of the best laptop deals I've found right now.
US laptop dealsDisplay: 14 inches
Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 540
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
This super-cheap Lenovo Chromebook is a very basic device that's best suited to light use and schoolwork, but it's a bargain at this low price from Best Buy. The lean ChromeOS operating system gets more from low-end components, but it relies on you using more web-based applications such as Google Docs. And while it will struggle with anything beyond basic tasks, this also ensures exceptional all-day battery life, making it a strong portable option at a very affordable price.View Deal
Display - 15.3 inches
Processor - Intel Core 3
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 128GB
This version of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus offers an impressive amount of power for the price. It includes 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core 3 processor, boosting performance, boot times and load times. Storage of 128GB is a bit miserly for the price, but battery life is solid at up to 10 hours on a single charge. That's more than enough to last a full working day. At a little under $400, it's a smart buy for school or college, or just as a home laptop for light use and everyday tasks.View Deal
Display: 14 inches
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
This Acer Aspire 14 is a little old, but it offers good value for money if you need a capable all-around laptop. An Intel Core Ultra 5, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD are about what you'd expect for this price, giving you enough power to multitask between work and general everyday use. At 14 inches, too, it's a good portable size to take with you to the office, classes, or a coffee shop.View Deal
Display - 15.6 inches
Processor - AMD Ryzen 7
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 1TB
If you have a good amount of cash to spend, I'd recommend picking up this older but still very capable Dell 15 Laptop. It offers significant improvements to key components by upgrading to an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a large 1TB SSD. That'll get you a lot more power and performance for your money, making this a solid all-around device for general use, work, video calls and multitasking, without the threat of significant slowdown.View Deal
Display: 13 inches
Processor: A18 Pro
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB
The MacBook Neo just got a price bump, but students can get it cheaper again thanks to Apple's education discount. The latest MacBook packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for under $600, which is fantastic value. Discounts have been better in the past, but I think these will be rarer to see over the coming months and this price likely won't be beaten over Black Friday.View Deal
Display - 13.4 inches
Processor - Intel Core 5
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 512GB
The Dell XPS 13 has regularly been one of our favorite laptops here at TechRadar, and this brand-new version continues that trend. With an Intel Core 5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, it has everything you need for solid all-around performance at work or college. Students can also save an extra $100, bringing the price down to a ridiculously low $599.View Deal
Display - 16 inches
Processor - Intel Core Ultra 7
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB
One of Samsung's latest premium laptops just got its biggest discount yet at Best Buy. While similarly powered devices can be picked up for less, you do get a gorgeous 16-inch IPS LED screen with smooth and responsive 120Hz support with this Galaxy Book6. It's powerful elsewhere, too, with an excellent battery life of up to 24 hours, making it a great pick for college, work, and productivity needs.View Deal
UK laptop dealsDisplay: 14 inches
Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 520
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB
This version of the Lenovo Chromebook offers a solid amount of power for the price. It includes a very basic MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor, but you do get 8GB of RAM to boost performance, boot times, and load times. There's also 128GB of storage and battery life is good at around 13 hours on a single charge. That's more than enough to last a full day. At under £200, it's a bargain for school or college, or as a home laptop for light use and everyday tasks.View Deal
Display - 11 inches
Processor - MediaTek Kompanio 838
RAM - 4GB
Storage - 128GB
The Lenovo Chromebook Duet is a flexible 11-inch laptop and it's now available for a great price following this discount. In our very positive Lenovo Chromebook Duet review, we thought it offered an excellent balance between tablet portability and Chromebook flexibility. This version is a basic model with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, so it's best for light use or school. However, the day-long battery life is a huge boost for those who are always on the go. View Deal
Display - 15.3 inches
Processor - Intel Core i3
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 256GB
If you want a good value Windows laptop, then this configuration of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is a strong buy. It features an Intel i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD to ensure good performance for general use and an average amount of speedy storage for the price. It's a top buy right now if you're on a budget and need a basic laptop for everyday use, college, admin tasks and light work.View Deal
Display - 15.3 inches
Processor - Snapdragon X
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB
This is a great price for a relatively modern laptop that comes with a well-performing and efficient Snapdragon X CPU. On top of that, you get 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and excellent battery life that will easily last a full workday, and more, on a single charge. I think it represents good value for money overall if you need a capable, all-around, everyday machine.View Deal
Display - 15.6 inches
Processor - Intel Core i5
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB
Here's a solid and affordable Windows laptop available at Currys. It's an older machine, but there's no denying it's a solid entry-level choice for the price, including an Intel Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for storage. It's a great buy if you want a good laptop with decent battery life for everyday use, work, or school.View Deal
Display: 14 inch OLED
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
If display quality is just as important to you as power, then strongly consider this Lenovo Yoga deal at Currys. It comes with a top-end OLED screen that offers a clear and sharp image – whether you're working on documents or streaming your favourite TV shows. Specs are solid elsewhere, too, including a capable Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU and 16GB of RAM that ensure good overall performance.View Deal
Display: 13 inches
Processor: A18 Pro
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 512GB
The MacBook Neo just got a price bump, but Amazon has just brought it back down again. The latest MacBook packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for under £700, which is fantastic value. Discounts have been better in the past, but I think these will be rarer to see over the coming months and this price won't be beaten until Black Friday.View Deal
Display - 16 inches
Processor - Snapdragon X Elite
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512TB
It's an older model now, but this Samsung Galaxy Book4 is great value for money following a £1,000 discount at EE. Even though it's a little dated, it's still powered by an impressive and efficient Snapdragon X Elite processor and 16GB of RAM. A 512GB SSD feels a little stingy at this price, but it's still enough for all of your essential files and applications. You also get the benefit of a 2-in-1 display that you can flip around to use in tablet mode.View Deal
Display - 13.4 inches
Processor - Intel Core 5
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 512GB
The Dell XPS 13 has regularly been one of our favorite laptops here at TechRadar, and this brand-new version continues that trend. With an Intel Core 5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, it has everything you need for solid all-around performance at work or college. Students can also save an extra £200, bringing the price down to a ridiculously low £699.View Deal
- Recall affects 20,349 vehicles in the United States
- Both Model 3 and Model Y could require new headlights
- NHTSA says low beams exceed maximum permitted light intensity
Tesla will physically recall more than 20,000 vehicles in the US because their headlights could reduce visibility for both the driver and fellow road users, potentially increasing the risk of accidents.
The NHTSA recall, officially codenamed 26V507, includes 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles fitted with specific headlamp assemblies supplied by Marelli Automotive Lighting.
While there is no hard ceiling for the maximum brightness of low- and high-beam headlights, the NHTSA measures brightness at designated test angles to prevent glare and the possible ‘blinding’ of fellow road users.
According to the NHTSA, Tesla’s lamps are being recalled because the low beams exceed the maximum permitted light intensity in the outer upper-left and upper-right portions of a federally defined testing zone.
Electrek reports that Tesla was aware of the problem back in 2023, proposing to recall a small set of vehicles and petitioning the NHTSA to avoid a full recall. The petition was denied, and now Tesla will likely have to replace thousands of non-compliant headlamp assemblies as a result.
According to InsideEVs, Tesla says that it has not yet determined a fix for the vehicles and that the remedy is “currently under development.” Owners of the affected vehicles will receive notifications of the next steps via mail by September 15.
Analysis: A silver lining for owners(Image credit: Tesla)While a major recall is never a good look for any automotive manufacturer, it is part and parcel of daily life, as safety administrations look to ensure vehicles are performing as they should throughout their lifecycle.
Tesla, like any other car company, isn’t immune to recalls and has recently had to contact thousands of owners over issues with rear cameras and fix Cybertruck wheels that could crack.
That said, the EV giant has also been able to fix many of the issues that have arisen via over-the-air software updates.
Compare this to some of the largest recalls in history, which have affected millions of vehicles over decades, and Tesla’s physical recall numbers are relatively small fry.
What’s more, Not a Tesla App points out that, should Tesla have to replace entire headlamp assemblies, owners of these older vehicles may receive a free upgrade to Tesla’s matrix headlights, which offer improved illumination when driving at night.
The term spring cleaning exists for a reason, and the new season is right around the corner, officially kicking off in Australia on Tuesday, September 1. That means you don’t have long to get your cleaning tools in order, specifically a vacuum cleaner. If your current model could do with an upgrade, this perfectly timed deal of nearly 50% off the Shark PowerDetect Cordless could be just the thing you’re looking for.
And while it might be tempting to opt for a Dyson — especially now that the premium brand has set its Afterpay Day deals live — Shark makes some of the best on the market at lower prices even when not discounted. Right now, though, you can grab the Shark PowerDetect Cordless that we consider to be the best cordless vacuum in Australia, for AU$619 (down from AU$1,199).
The Shark PowerDetect combines the power of the brand’s Stratos line with the clever dirt-detecting skills of the Detect Pro line, delivering great results. It aced our cleaning tests thanks to its excellent suction. We love the fact that the wand can bend to get under furniture, and that it works wonders on carpets and hard floors. You also get a self-emptying docking station.View Deal
Given that we consider the Shark PowerDetect Cordless to be the best stick vac in Australia, it’s no surprise it’s also the best Shark vacuum in our opinion. As our vacuum-expert reviewer, Ruth Hamilton, says, “the PowerDetect Cordless came out top in my cleaning trials, beating even Dyson's priciest vacuums to the cleaning crown”.
She also loved how it can automatically adjust suction depending on the floor surface, stating “It knows what type of floor it's on and how dirty that floor is, and whether it's near the edge of a room, and will increase or lower suction in response.”
The PowerDetect further justifies its higher price tag by offering an additional feature called DirectionDetect, which means it can clean just as well when it’s pulled backwards as it does when pushed forward — a rare addition that you won’t find in many machines at its discounted price. It also has a large battery that’s rated for up to 70 minutes of runtime, which is a figure we can certainly vouch for, with it managing 67 minutes in our tests.
The only slight downside is that the PowerDetect Cordless is pretty heavy, and some users may find it a little tricky to manoeuvre around their home. However, it’s at least comfortable to hold thanks to an ergonomically shaped handle, complete with a rubberised grip and padding.
This isn’t quite the lowest price I’ve ever seen on this talented vacuum — it dropped to AU$566 during the recent Prime Day sales. However, for it to receive such a hefty discount so soon, and just in time for the spring season, makes it one well worth considering.
After months of leaks and rumours, Google has officially launched its new flagship Pixel handsets, introducing a wave of hardware upgrades and even a new ‘HiLight’ feature. Also unveiled were a new Pixel Watch and the Pixel Tag, Google’s answer to the Apple AirTag.
Pre-orders have also kicked off in Australia, with retailers and telcos offering a variety of deals, including up to AU$1,000 in savings or some free gifts, depending on which model you’re after.
Retailers JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys are handing out a free Google Fitbit Air, Pixel Buds and even the new Pixel Watch 5 as part of their pre-order offers, but the most standout deal we’ve found comes from Vodafone, which is offering a free PlayStation 5 console (plus a bonus controller) with select models. With the PS5 seeing price hikes over the past few years, this is an offer not to be missed.
Devices will start shipping from August 20, though pre-order offers are set to run longer — August 26 for the retailers we’ve picked and as late as October 6 for selected telco deals.
The best Google Pixel 11 pre-order dealsGet a free Fitbit Air and 3 months of YouTube Premium
JB Hi-Fi is offering a free Google Fitbit Air fitness tracker with every Google Pixel 11 pre-order from today up to August 26, as well as 3 months of YouTube Premium. You can also trade in your old device for a gift card for extra savings. View Deal
Google Pixel 11 (256GB) | Vodafone Small Plan | 65GB | 24 months | AU$80.36p/m
Vodafone is offering a AU$650 handset discount on the base Pixel 11, and a AU$13p/m discount on the 65GB Small Plan for the first 12 months, making this the cheapest telco pre-order deal. The plan includes unlimited national calls and texts, unlimited international texts and 5GB of daily roaming for an extra AU$5. This offer ends on September 30.View Deal
Google Pixel 11 (256GB) | Optus Small Choice Plus Plan | 60GB | 24 months | AU$81.58p/m
Optus is also offering a handset discount on the Pixel 11, but only AU$500, though the plan fee discount is bigger at AU$20p/m for the Small Choice Plus Plan for the first 12 months, making it competitive enough with the Voda offer above. The plan includes unlimited national calls and texts and 5GB of daily roaming for an extra AU$5. This offer runs until October 6.View Deal
The best Google Pixel 11 Pro pre-order dealsGet a free Fitbit Air, Pixel Buds 2a, 3 months of YouTube Premium and 6 months of Google AI Pro
In addition to the free Fitbit Air and YouTube Premium, JB Hi-Fi is throwing in a pair of Pixel Buds 2a and 6 months of Google AI Pro when you pre-order a Google Pixel 11 Pro from today up to August 26. Device trade-ins are also available here.View Deal
Google Pixel 11 Pro (256GB) | Optus Small Choice Plus Plan | 60GB | 24 months | AU$96.19p/m
Optus is also offering a AU$500 handset discount on the Pixel 11 Pro and the same AU$20p/m price cut for the Small Choice Plus Plan for the first 12 months. The plan includes unlimited national calls and texts and 5GB of daily roaming for an extra AU$5. This offer runs until October 6.View Deal
The best Google Pixel 11 Pro XL pre-order dealsGet a free Fitbit Air, Pixel Buds Pro 2, 3 months of YouTube Premium and 6 months of Google AI Pro
JB Hi-Fi swaps the Pixel Buds 2a for the Pixel Buds Pro 2 when you opt for the bigger Pixel 11 Pro XL, and you also get a free Fitbit Air, YouTube Premium and Google AI Pro subscriptions like the Pro above. This offering also runs until August 26, and you can also trade in your old device to save on the handset price.View Deal
Get a free Fitbit Air and Pixel Buds Pro 2
The Good Guys is offering a similar deal with a free Fitbit Air and Pixel Buds Pro 2, but the offer will run slightly longer, ending on August 27. The retailer is also offering standard local delivery with every pre-order.View Deal
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (256GB) | Vodafone Small Plan | 65GB | 24 months | AU$132.45p/m inc. free PS5
Vodafone is only discounting the plan fees by AU$13p/m for the Pixel 11 Pro XL, but it’s making up for the high monthly cost by throwing in a PlayStation 5 console and an extra DualSense Wireless Controller (valued at AU$1,009) for free if you pre-order by August 19. The Small Choice Plus Plan includes unlimited national calls and texts, unlimited international texts and 5GB of daily roaming for an extra AU$5.View Deal
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (256GB) | Optus Small Choice Plus Plan | 60GB | 24 months | AU$85.78p/m
If you already have a PS5 or don’t want one and just want an outright bargain, Optus is offering AU$1,000 off the Google Pixel Pro XL. When paired with the AU$20p/m discount on the first 12 months of the Optus Small Choice Plus Plan, this makes the Pro XL cheaper than the smaller Pro by AU$11p/m.View Deal
The best Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold pre-order dealsGet a free Google Pixel Watch 5
JB Hi-Fi is upping the ante with the most expensive Pixel 11 model, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, by bundling in the just-released Google Pixel Watch 5 for free instead of the Fitbit Air and Pixel Buds in the offers above. The deal applies to the larger 45mm Wi-Fi version, which costs AU$699.View Deal
Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold (256GB) | Optus Small Choice Plus Plan | 60GB | 24 months | AU$114.94p/m
Like the Pixel 11 Pro XL above, Optus is also discounting the new Pixel foldable by AU$1,000 when you pre-order. When paired with the AU$20p/m discount on the first 12 months of the Optus Small Choice Plus Plan, you’ll be paying AU$114.94 per month for the first year and AU$134.94 for the rest of the plan.View Deal