News
- By using Nim, miscreants are able to bypass traditional AV measures
- They approach their victims on Telegram and invite them to a Zoom meeting
- The malware steals sensitive data and crypto tokens
North Koreans are targeting Mac users with brand new malware in an attempt to steal cryptocurrency and other sensitive data, experts have warned.
Security researchers from SentinelLabs discovered NimDoor, a unique backdoor malware written in a lesser-known programming language called Nim, which they attributed to North Korea state-sponsored adversaries engaged primarily in cryptocurrency theft, which is then used to fund both its state apparatus and its weapons program.
Nim is used, first and foremost, to evade detection. The backdoor also uses AppleScript for beaconing and asynchronous sleep timers, tricking traditional security measures and maintaining persistence.
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The attack usually starts on Telegram, where victims are approached by a seemingly trusted contact and invited to a fake Zoom meeting.
The link redirects the victim to a spoofed Zoom page that prompts them to install an update in order to participate in the call. Instead of the update, the victims are dropped the malicious payload, which steals all sorts of sensitive data, from browsing history, search activity, cookies, Telegram data, to Keychain passwords.
“This represents an alarming evolution in North Korean cyber capabilities, particularly because it specifically exploits the growing remote-working trend and Mac users' perceived lower vulnerability to such attacks,” the researchers explained.
North Korean state-sponsored threat actors are known for their campaigns targeting cryptocurrency and Web3 companies. Among the biggest and most dangerous groups is Lazarus, a threat actor that netted more than $3.4 billion, in different attacks between 2021 and 2025.
Among the biggest heists is the ByBit attack that happened in February 2025, when they stole approximately $1.5 billion in different tokens. Ronin Bridge was compromised in March 2022 for $600 million, while Poly Network lost roughly the same amount of money the year prior.
You might also like- New Lazarus Group campaign sees North Korean hackers spreading undetectable malware through GitHub and open source packages
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Editor's Note: EA recently cancelled work on the new Black Panther game, and shuttered developer Cliffhanger Games. As such, it's not coming out, but you can still find info on everything announced on the game in this article.
A new Black Panther game is in the works over at Cliffhanger Games, a new outfit under the EA banner. After a couple of years of rumors swirling around the internet, EA finally announced its Black Panther game, alongside some details on what to expect. Since then, we've not heard much at all, and we've even seen a completely different game featuring Black Panther announced.
While information is admittedly light at the moment on the Black Panther game, we do know that it is being worked on by developers that previously led the Shadow of Mordor game series. With such pedigree behind it, Black Panther certainly has a great chance at landing among the best superhero games when it eventually launches.
It could be a while before we hear more on Black Panther, so while we wait, here's everything revealed about the game so far. This includes a look at what's been said about gameplay, and all of the latest news.
Black Panther - cut to the chase- What is it? The untitled Black Panther game from EA
- When’s does it come out? TBC
- What can I play it on? TBC
So far, we've yet to see gameplay of the new Black Panther game from EA. There is some information buried in the announcement for the game, which describes it as an "original, third-person, single-player Black Panther game." While there's still plenty to learn about the gameplay, we do at least know that it will be third-person, and action-focused. Hopefully we hear more sooner rather than later.
One interesting tidbit from the blog post comes from project lead Kevin Stephens:
"We’re dedicated to delivering fans a definitive and authentic Black Panther experience, giving them more agency and control over their narrative than they have ever experienced in a story-driven video game."
From this, we're betting that Black Panther has story choices, or perhaps something akin to the nemesis system from the Shadow of Mordor games. More info followed in April of 2024, as part of a job listing that suggests the new Black Panther game will be open world (Eurogamer). The advert describes the role:
"Reporting to the Design Manager, the Sr. Technical Designer Sandbox will be instrumental in designing and populating encounters, systems, and gameplay within a dynamic and evolving open world,"
This all means that the game could still be in early development, though it does at least suggest that the team is currently designing it around an open-world system.
New Black Panther game settingCould EA's Black Panther draw inspiration from the MCU? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney)What we do know about the new Black Panther game is that it is set in Wakanda. The in-game world of Wakanda is described as a "rich Super Hero sandbox." This could mean more of an open-world, or something slightly more constrained. The aforementioned blog post also outlines Cliffhanger Games' plans for Wakanda:
"As we begin this remarkable journey, we are excited to be working with Marvel Games to ensure that we craft every aspect of Wakanda, its technology, its heroes, and our own original story with the attention to detail and authenticity that the world of Black Panther deserves."
You Might Also Like...It's a good day to be a Prime Video user. Right now, almost 30 – yes, 30 – subscription add-ons have had their prices slashed ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2025. So, if you've ever wanted to try out of the many bolt-on channels and/or best streaming services that are offered as part of your Amazon Prime package, now is as good a time as any to do so.
Apple TV+ is one I'd recommend checking out, too. Not only is it currently available for just $4.99 a month for the first two months if you bolt it onto your Prime Video subscription – that's a saving of 50%, FYI – but Apple's streaming platform is also home to some absolutely brilliant Movie and TV Originals.
Apple TV+ two-month subscription: was $9.99 per month now $4.99 at Prime Video
Stream Severance season 2, The Gorge, and Stick for just $4.99 per month, down from the usual $9.99. This represents a 50% saving on the usual monthly price, but note that the offer is only available for two months. View Deal
Ready to take advantage of this unmissable deal? Here are four of the best Apple TV+ shows (all of which hold 86% or higher critical ratings on Rotten Tomatoes) ready to stream as soon as you've added Apple TV+ to your Amazon Prime subscription.
FoundationSeasons: 2
Age rating: TV-MA
Main cast: Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Laura Birn, Leah Harvey, Cassian Bilton, and Terrence Mann
RT critical score: 86%
Apple TV+ is home to some of the greatest sci-fi shows of the modern age, and this criminally underseen space opera is certainly among that number.
Based on Isaac Asimov's best-selling book series namesake, Foundation stars Harris as Hari Seldon, a psychohistorian who believes his mathematical predictions can help the human race to avert a 30,000-year long crisis known as The Darkness. The novels follow Seldon's attempts, with protege Gaal Dornick (Llobell) in tow, to convince and later battle against the Galactic Empire, which is ruled by three clones of Emperor Cleon I – Dawn (Bilton), Day (Pace), and Dusk (Mann) – and rejects Seldon's warning-based works.
Foundation has been one of my favorite shows since it first aired in September 2021. Read my Foundation season 1 premiere review and Foundation season 2 review to find out why. Foundation season 3 will arrive on July 11, so now's the perfect time to binge its forebears and then read my Foundation season 3 review for more on its best instalment yet.
SeveranceSeasons: 2
Age rating: TV-MA
Main cast: Adam Scott, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken, and Dichen Lachman
RT critical score: 96%
If you prefer your sci-fi to come with a huge helping of mystery and a seemingly infinite number of fan theories, Severance is the one for you.
Scott plays Mark Scout, a Severed Floor-based Lumon Industries employee who underwent the titular surgical procedure upon accepting the job. Essentially, the experiment separates a person's work life (this is called their 'innie') and personal life (their 'outie'), and neither persona has memories of what the other does. However, when one of Mark's fellow Severed employees uncovers some nefarious goings-on at Lumon, and a new hire also begins to question what the company's ambitions are, Mark and his cohorts embark of a quest to unravel the truth.
Saying anything else would spoil the workplace mystery-thriller's biggest surprises, so do what I did and go in as blind as you can (ie don't read anything apart from our Severance season 1 review and Severance season 2 review, or watch any trailers) before you stream it. You'll thank me later.
Slow HorsesSeasons: 4
Age rating: TV-MA
Main cast: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jonathan Pryce, and Hugo Weaving
RT critical score: 98%
If Slow Horses was available on HBO in the US and/or BBC One in the UK, it would be one of the biggest shows around. Instead, this critically-acclaimed Apple TV Original continues to be hugely underappreciated by fans of small-screen entertainment.
Based on Mick Herron's 'Slough House' book series, it follows Oldman's Jackson Lamb, a grouchy, lazy, unkempt, and sarcastic individual who heads up a division at MI5 where screw-ups, such as Lowden's River Cartwright, are sent if they botch an important mission and/or fail their espionage-based training program.
Fans of spy-thriller stories will absolutely love Slow Horses for its eclectic cast of characters, meaty and electrifying narratives, quintessentially British humor, and stylish action sequences. Do me a favor and watch its first four seasons immediately. With Slow Horses season 5 set to premiere in September, and two more seasons already in the works, Lamb and company aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
Ted LassoSeasons: 3
Age rating: TV-MA
Main cast: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt, Phil Dunster, and Nick Mohammed
RT critical score: 96%
The first Apple TV Original to become a worldwide hit, Ted Lasso is a sports comedy-drama that won the hearts and minds of soccer (and non-soccer) fans after it premiered in August 2020. In it, Sudeikis plays the titular character who stuns the soccer world when he becomes the new manager of relegation-threatened AFC Richmond.
A fan-favorite and multi-award-winning series that became a global phenomenon, Ted Lasso was the feel-good show we all needed amid the height of the pandemic. You'll laugh, cry, and cheer as the eponymous head coach makes his players, the soccer world, and viewers alike believe in his unorthodox management skills, the power of positivity, and fatherly demeanor.
Seasons 1 to 3 are available to stream right now, so be sure to read my Ted Lasso season 2 review and Ted Lasso season 3 review before you watch those installments. With Ted Lasso season 4 also in early development, there's no better time to watch this perfect hattrick of goal-den TV fare.
Ghost of Yōtei is the next big PlayStation exclusive, releasing in October. It's a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, but stars a brand new protagonist. We've now seen a story trailer that reveals main character Atsu, and the squad of villains she's going to be hunting. So far, it looks to be a very different game to its predecessor, with firearms making a big difference in combat. Hopefully, the game will also feature some PS5 Pro enhancements. If it does, it has a very good chance of landing on our best PS5 Pro games list.
Marvel's Wolverine may not have a release date or even a release window yet, but there are still plenty of juicy details floating around about the upcoming action-adventure game.
Developer Insomniac Games is known for Marvel's Spider-Man, as well as its sequels, Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. These games are all fantastic, gripping, and faithful realizations of the Spider-Man fantasy, and show that the studio has plenty of experience when it comes to crafting thoughtful adaptations of comic book greats. This suggests that Wolverine is in good hands and could turn out to join our lists of the best single-player games and the best story games when it eventually releases.
Like Marvel's Spider-Man, we're expecting Marvel's Wolverine to be an action-oriented, story-driven game with plenty of satisfying punch-ups and engrossing cutscenes. However, as creative director Brian Horton put it, Wolverine is set to have a more "mature tone." Given that James 'Logan' Howlett, the titular Wolverine, is known for his gritty adventures and dark demeanor, it makes sense that Insomniac would be aiming in this direction. Read on for more details as well as an in-depth analysis of the teaser trailer.
Marvel's Wolverine: cut to the chase- What is it? A Wolverine game from the makers of Marvel's Spider-Man
- When does it come out? TBC
- What can I play it on? PS5
- Who is making it? Insomniac Games
We don't have a release date or even a release window for Marvel's Wolverine so far. However, it's clear that the game will be a PlayStation exclusive, in much the same vein as the Marvel's Spider-Man games. While it's been confirmed that Wolverine will be coming to the PS5, there's yet no indication that there will be a release for PS4 - a prospect that seems increasingly unlikely as the years roll by.
It's not impossible, however, that the game might eventually be released on PC; after all, Sony exclusives have a track record of eventually arriving on the platform. Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales are both available on PC, with Marvel's Spider-Man 2 having followed earlier this year. This suggests that Wolverine could wind up on PC sometime, too, but likely a little while after its initial launch on PS5.
Marvel's Wolverine trailerMarvel's Wolverine was announced during Sony's PlayStation Showcase in September 2021, with a brief teaser trailer giving us our first look at Insomniac's take on Logan.
The teaser trailer shows a ruined dive bar, with injured men lying on the floor, before cutting to a back view of a man in a cowboy hat and checkered shirt drinking - his knuckles and surrounding area covered in blood. In the background, we see one of the injured men getting up and pulling out a knife. Sensing the assailant, the man at the bar - our hero - clenches his fist, revealing the iconic metallic claws.
The trailer may not give us a look at when it comes to combat or at Logan himself, but it does set the tone of Marvel's Wolverine. At first glance, it appears to be a more bloody, mature alternative to Insomniac Games' Spider-Man series. You can check out the trailer below:
So far, the reveal trailer is the only preview we currently have access to. In the meantime, we recommend keeping your eyes on PlayStation's official YouTube channel for any future updates.
Marvel's Wolverine story and setting predictions(Image credit: Sony)Though we don't yet have any concrete details as to what to expect from Marvel's Wolverine, the reveal trailer does offer several Easter eggs which provide some interesting hints.
Firstly, the trailer's setting seems to drop a big clue about when and where Marvel's Wolverine is set. Logan is drinking in the Princess Bar, located in Madripoor (which you may recognize from Marvel TV series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), which we can see from the bar sign and the Madripoor tourist poster.
In Marvel Comics Presents Volume 1 #1 (1988), Wolverine visits the Princess Bar while hunting down a crime lord called Roche. After wiping the bar floor with Roche's enforcers - who are trying to get protection money off the bar's owner O'Donnell - Wolverine becomes a regular of the bar, under the name "Patch", and even co-owned it for a time. The bar was essentially Logan's home away from home during a period when the X-Men were inactive. Is Insomniac Games hinting that this is the time when Marvel's Wolverine is set to take place? Will we see Logan taking on the criminal underworld? Both seem like distinct possibilities.
Another possible Easter egg is the Radio Lowtown 104.8 poster. Lowtown is a district in Madipoor, so Madipoor as a setting seems pretty likely. It's also possible that the number 104.8 could be a reference to Marvel Earth-1048, the universe in which Marvel’s Spider-Man is set. This seems to suggest that Insomniac's Spider-Man games and Wolverine take place in the same universe, meaning we could see potential crossovers in the future. This could be huge, allowing Insomniac to build an answer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that isn't bogged down in endless sequels and story bloat.
The radio station isn't the only number that appears to reference a specific comic book. The license plate on the bar reads "HLK 181", which seems to reference The Incredible Hulk #18 - in which Wolverine makes an appearance. Does that mean we could see Hulk in Marvel's Wolverine? Again, we certainly hope so.
Marvel's Wolverine - what we'd like to see(Image credit: Insomniac)Embracing Wolverine's dark side
While Marvel's Spider-Man, Miles Morales, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are critically acclaimed, they're all pretty family-friendly affairs. This isn't a criticism - after all, Spider-Man himself is, famously, a 'friendly neighborhood Spidey', known for his youthful antics and cheeky quips. A more light-hearted tone suits the character. However, Wolverine isn't all sunshine and rainbows. His backstory and characterization are, comparatively speaking, pretty dark. Wolverine stories are full of angst, betrayal, and, more often than not, bloody violence.
We're hoping that Insomniac explores this side of Logan in the Wolverine game, offering a more mature experience than Spider-Man did. We're not asking for gratuitous violence, but we do think a different tone is necessary. If you want to dig into Wolverine's backstory (depending on when this game is set), you can't shy away from the darker moments of Logan's past. Also, our hero would hardly be able to slash up enemies with his iconic claws without spilling at least a bit of blood. Without a bit of darkness, you'll only scratch the surface of his story - pun intended.
The appearance of other Marvel heroes...
We don't want them hogging the spotlight, but it would be nice to see Insomniac's take on some other Marvel heroes popping up in Wolverine as side characters. The specifics would really depend on the story Insomniac wants to tell, but we're hoping to see some of the X-Men make cameos, including Jean Grey, Professor X, or maybe even Rogue.
...and infamous villains
We currently don't know who will serve as the main adversary in Marvel's Wolverine, but there are plenty of infamous villains to choose from - and we imagine some could appear as smaller roles. We're hoping we could see Logan battling Sabertooth, Lady Deathstrike, or even Silver Samurai. Or, perhaps, we'll see him battling to bring down the Weapon X program that saw him subjected to the painful experiments that gave him his famous adamantium skeleton in the first place.
A Marvel Gaming Universe
Insomniac has done a great job of creating standalone products which have allowed us to meet all sorts of heroes and villains from across Marvel comics. However, now that the studio is stepping away from Spider-Man, it has a chance to flesh out a shared continuity that could offer many of the perks that the Marvel Cinematic Universe boasts, without the bloat. It's a tempting idea, and we'd love to see what the skilled storytellers at Insomniac would come up with if they decided to go down this route.
Insomniac still can't confirm if Marvel's Wolverine will launch in 2025
Nearly four years after its initial announcement, we still have no idea when Marvel's Wolverine is launching, and Insomniac Games still can't confirm if it will be released in 2025.
A "full-size" game with a "mature tone"
According to Marvel's Wolverine's creative director, Brian Horton, James 'Logan' Howlett's standalone adventure on PS5 will be a full-size game with a "mature tone". Horton confirmed this in response to a fan on Twitter asking whether Wolverine on PS5 will be "big or a [smaller] 'Miles Morales' size game".
Directed by Spider-Man: Miles Morales creative leads
In a PlayStation Blog post, Insomniac Games revealed that Marvel's Wolverine is being directed by Brian Horton (creative director) and Cameron Christian (game director), who led the creative efforts on Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Respecting the DNA with a fresh take
Insomniac Games has said that, while it intends to honor the "DNA" of what makes Wolverine popular, the studio will be putting a fresh spin on Logan.
"In the vein of our Spider-Man games, our goal here is to not only respect the DNA of what makes the character so popular, but also look for opportunities to make it feel fresh and truly reflect the Insomniac spirit," Insomniac Games wrote in a PlayStation blog post. According to the developer, despite being in early development, Marvel's Wolverine boasts an "emotional narrative and cutting-edge gameplay". We hope the pun was intended.
Marvel's Wolverine FAQIs Marvel's Wolverine set in the Spider-Man universe?Yes, Marvel's Wolverine is indeed in the Spider-Man universe. Marvel's Spider-Man 2's creative director Bryan Intihar confirmed this during an interview with Kinda Funny Games. When asked whether the two series share the same universe, he responded:
"They're all 1048."
This is a reference to Earth 1048, the universe that the Marvel Spider-Man games take place in. Here's hoping for a Spider-Man cameo in the upcoming Wolverine game then!
Is Marvel's Wolverine coming to Xbox?Marvel's Wolverine is not planned for release on Xbox. Currently, only PS5 is listed, but like other Sony projects, we could see it come to PC later down the line. Unless Sony's first-party strategy changes drastically over the next few years, we'll never see Marvel's Wolverine release on Xbox platforms.
Will Marvel's Wolverine be PS5 Pro enhanced?Marvel's Wolverine is yet to be confirmed as a PS5 Pro-enhanced title, but we're betting it'll join the list of PS5 Pro games when it launches. This is largely down do it being a first party title, which appear to be getting upgraded modes thanks to Sony's new console.
When was Marvel's Wolverine announced?Marvel's Wolverine was announced during a PlayStation Showcase in September 2021. Interestingly, this was the same show that featured the reveal of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which ended up launching in October 2023.
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July 2025 is set to be a big deal on the new Netflix movies front. After a pretty barren June, there'll be plenty of new movies to stream on Netflix in the days and weeks ahead.
Leading the charge on the best streaming service's new film front is The Old Guard 2, which hit the platform on July 2. You'll need to read on to see if the Charlize Theron-starring action sequel is worth investing your time in, though. Alternatively, you could just switch gears and check out the best Netflix movies worth watching today. Hey, I'm not your dad, do what you want.
New Netflix movies: JulyThe Old Guard 2Release date: July 2
Runtime: 106 minutes
Age rating: 16+ (US); 15 (UK)
Cast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Veronica Ngô, Henry Golding, Uma Thurman, and Chiwetel Ejiofor
RT score: 28% (critics); 44% (audience)
Release date: June 20
Runtime: 99 minutes
Age rating: PG-13 (US); PG (UK)
Cast: Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Joel Kim Booster, Liza Koshy, with Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong, and Byung Hun Lee
Directors: Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans
RT score: 94% (critics); 89% (audience)
Release date: June 6
Runtime: 107 minutes
Age rating: 16-plus (US); 15 (UK)
Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor, Sinbad, Rockmond Dunbar, Ashley Versher, Mike Merrill, and Glynn Turman
Director: Tyler Perry
RT score: 50% (critics); 70% (audience)
New Netflix movies will arrive on a more regular basis in July 2025 and beyond. Here's what's on the horizon:
- Ziam (July 9)
- Brick (July 10)
- Almost Cops (July 11)
- Madea's Destination Wedding (July 11)
- Wall to Wall (July 18)
- A Normal Woman (July 24)
- Happy Gilmore 2 (July 25)
- My Oxford Year (August 1)
- Fixed (August 13)
- The Thursday Murder Club (August 28)
- The Wrong Paris (September 12)
- Steve (October 3)
- A House of Dynamite (October 24)
- In Your Dreams (November 14)
- Train Dreams (November 21)
- Frankenstein (November 2025, date TBC)
- Troll 2 (December 1)
- Jay Kelly (December 5)
- Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (December 12)
- 10Dance (December 2025, date TBC)
- A Merry Little Ex-Mas (TBC)
- Night Always Comes (TBC)
- R&B (TBC)
- The Ballad of the Small Player (TBC)
- The Twits (TBC)
- The Woman in Cabin 10 (TBC)
For more Netflix-based coverage, read our best Netflix shows and best Netflix documentaries guides. Alternatively, find out how to sign up to Netflix or get the lowdown on whether it's worth cancelling your Netflix subscription.
- Surfshark research found 10 countries imposed internet blackouts in the first half of 2025
- A total of 24 internet restrictions were recorded in the first half of 2025, with India being the worst perpetrator
- Increased internet censorship has seen demand for circumventing tools like VPNs soared
Government-imposed internet restrictions have risen in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period last year. New research from Surfshark identified 10 countries imposed 24 internet restrictions to date this year, up from 20 restrictions across nine countries that occurred in the same period in 2024.
Specifically, statistics from Surfshark indicate that internet users in India faced more restrictions than any other country between January and June 2025. Authorities in India have used Section 5 (2) of the Telegraph Act, 1885, to cut internet access in the event of a public emergency. Five shutdowns occurred in India in the first half of 2025 amid country-wide protests.
Surfshark, one of the best VPN providers on the market right now, has been charting internet shutdowns since 2015. Disruptions range from full internet blackouts to censorship of specific social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) to VoIP services such as Telegram and WhatsApp.
Protests and political turmoil are common causes of restrictions(Image credit: Surfshark)"Over the years, governments have used internet shutdowns to control and silence journalists, activists, and the public," said Justas Pukys, VPN Product Manager at Surfshark.
Statistics show that local network connection disruptions, which affect a city or region, are more common than national shutdowns. To date, Surfshark has recorded 558 local disruptions worldwide compared to 124 nationwide shutdowns, with protests and political turmoil being the most common causes, followed by elections.
At the time of writing, 24 of 196 countries and territories analyzed by Surfshark are blocking social media platforms and VoIP services with Telegram being the most commonly blocked.
In January 2025, Telegram was blocked in Venezuela for five days, with authorities even looking to block popular VPN providers as citizens attempted to bypass the disruption. More recently in May 2025, Vietnam blocked access to Telegram with authorities claiming the platform had failed to cooperate with them to halt crimes.
During the first half of 2025, two countries imposed restrictions for the first time since Surfshark’s internet shutdown tracking began. Albania issued a one-year ban on short-form video platform TikTok, citing child safety concerns. Authorities in Panama announced a state of emergency due to civil unrest in Bocas del Toro, resulting in a regional internet shutdown.
Rising censorship mirrors growing VPN usageSurfshark observes that Iran has had three internet restrictions to date this year.
It’s no coincidence then that VPN usage in the country spiked more than 700% in June 2025 as citizens looked to access the internet as normal. This is despite concerted efforts from Iran’s government to block and even outlaw VPNs altogether.
(Image credit: Google Trends)"Internet blackouts can be dangerous, especially during critical events such as elections, protests, or other political turmoil. Losing internet access makes it harder to stay in touch with family members, access critical news outlets, and share urgent information with the world about unfolding events," said Pukys.
A virtual private network (VPN) takes your device’s internet traffic and routes it through a secure, encrypted tunnel. It also hides your real IP address, allowing you to spoof your location. This means that you can not only sidestep internet restrictions, but prevent snoopers from seeing what you’re doing on the internet.
You might also like- AI isn't too good at generating URLs – many don't exist, and some could be phishing sites
- Attackers are now optimizing sites for LLMs rather than for Google
- Developers are even inadvertently using dodgy URLs
New research has revealed AI often gives incorrect URLs, which could be putting users at risk of attacks including phishing attempts and malware.
A report from Netcraft claims one in three (34%) login links provided by LLMs, including GPT-4.1, were not owned by the brands they were asked about, with 29% pointing to unregistered, inactive or parked domains and 5% pointing to unrelated but legitimate domains, leaving just 66% linking to the correct brand-associated domain.
Alarmingly, simple prompts like 'tell me the login website for [brand]' led to unsafe results, meaning that no adversarial input was needed.
Be careful about the links AI generates for youNetcraft notes this shortcoming could ultimately lead to widespread phishing risks, with users easily misled to phishing sites just by asking a chatbot a legitimate question.
Attackers aware of the vulnerability could go ahead and register unclaimed domains suggested by AI to use them for attacks, and one real-world case has already demonstrated Perplexity AI recommending a fake Wells Fargo site.
According to the report, smaller brands are more vulnerable because they're underrepresented in LLM training data, therefore increasing the likelihood of hallucinated URLs.
Attackers have also been observed optimizing their sites for LLMs, rather than traditional SEO for the likes of Google. An estimated 17,000 GitBook phishing pages targeting crypto users have already been created this way, with attackers mimicking technical support pages, documentation and login pages.
Even more worrying is that Netcraft observed developers using AI-generated URLs in code: "We found at least five victims who copied this malicious code into their own public projects—some of which show signs of being built using AI coding tools, including Cursor," the team wrote.
As such, users are being urged to verify any AI-generated content involving web addresses before clicking on links. It's the same sort of advice we're given for any type of attack, with cybercriminals using a variety of attack vectors, including fake ads, to get people to click on their malicious links.
One of the most effective ways of verifying the authenticity of a site is to type the URL directly into the search bar, rather than trusting links that could be dangerous.
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- Avast launches another free scam protection tool, but this one is powered by AI - here's what it offers
Most businesses have a strong focus on maintaining a clean and safe working environment, especially in critical sectors. No medical practitioner who values the lives of their patients would take a shortcut on handwashing and surface sterilization protocols. No one working with hazardous materials who values their own life would skip out on protective equipment. Even in sectors like education and retail, hygiene is still a top priority.
Yet in the same environments where clinical hygiene is maintained, cyber hygiene is often left to chance, especially when it comes to mobile device security.
Mobile devices are no longer just simple communication tools, they are now seen as essential to frontline operations. This means they are also a priority target for cybercriminals searching for weak points to breach corporate networks.
As the mobile threat grows, cybersecurity hygiene needs to be held to the same standard as physical workplace hygiene. It must be routine, deeply embedded, and intolerant of shortcuts - not an afterthought.
An expanding threat landscape, but too often poorly defendedMobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and wearables are considered mission-critical in many sectors. From healthcare to education to energy, workers are increasingly relying on mobile for core operations.
Healthcare clinicians access patient health records via mobile apps, teachers engage their classes through interactive displays, and field engineers manage critical infrastructure through connected devices.
However, while this raft of mobile devices brings more agility and efficiency, it’s also greatly expanding the attack surface of these sectors – and cybercriminals have noticed. The risk facing mobile devices has grown dramatically in recent years, both in volume and sophistication.
Over 33.8 million mobile-specific attacks were detected globally in a single year - a figure that continues to rise as threat actors capitalize on mobile’s expanding footprint in enterprise environments.
These attacks exploit the lapses in cyber hygiene that persist across mobile fleets. Devices are frequently assumed to be safe by default or dismissed as low risk. Mobile devices running outdated operating systems, unpatched applications or lacking endpoint protection are commonplace. Password reuse and the absence of multi-factor authentication (MFA) further elevate the risk.
In many cases, mobile endpoints have become the soft underbelly of the corporate network - widely used, minimally monitored, and inconsistently secured. Just as unwashed hands can carry invisible pathogens, mobile devices can harbor unseen threats. And when routine protections are skipped, exposure becomes inevitable.
Why we still treat mobile differently — and why that’s dangerousDespite their ubiquity, mobile devices are still perceived as fundamentally different from traditional endpoints.
Most workers have internalized a cautious approach to browsing, installing apps, and clicking incoming files and links when using their desktop and laptop devices, perhaps due to their association with a formal working environment.
However, for many users, mobile is seen as a more personal experience. This encourages a more relaxed attitude, adding to the idea that they’re somehow less “exploitable” than other endpoints.
This perception encourages complacency, with less consideration about potential threats like malicious attachments and applications. Further, mobile devices are often used interchangeably for personal and business tasks, blurring the lines between secure and vulnerable environments.
Threat actors actively exploit this mindset, especially with phishing, which remains the most common and effective method of compromise.
Mobile-specific variants, such as smishing (SMS phishing) and malicious app prompts, are particularly successful due to shortened URLs, limited screen space, and the absence of familiar desktop visual cues. These tactics are often paired with spyware, adware and data-harvesting malware that can linger undetected for long periods.
Organizations can inadvertently reinforce this risky mindset by failing to include mobile in core security strategies. Policies and protections that are standard on other endpoints, from patch management to access controls, may be absent or inconsistently applied on mobile.
This operational divide would never be tolerated in physical settings where protective measures are standardized and enforced across every tool and surface. It’s time for mobile cybersecurity to adopt the same attitude - no exceptions, no assumptions.
Why cyber hygiene must be as routine as handwashingMany of the vulnerabilities exploited in mobile attacks stem from lapses in basic cyber hygiene - failures entirely preventable with consistent, well-enforced practices. Addressing these gaps doesn’t require breakthrough technology, but rather a disciplined approach to configuration, maintenance, and user behavior.
Mobile devices should be fully integrated into enterprise risk management frameworks, with the same diligence applied to laptops, and servers. That includes vulnerability assessments, asset inventory, incident response planning, and compliance checks.
At a minimum, all mobile devices should be kept up to date with the latest operating system and application patches. This is frequently overlooked, particularly in BYOD environments, where IT has limited visibility or control.
Mobile device management (MDM) or unified endpoint management (UEM) platforms can help organizations enforce policies around software updates, encryption and app whitelisting across every device.
Credential hygiene is equally critical. Strong passwords, enforced MFA, and discouraging reuse across services, all help reduce account-based compromise. Endpoint protection tools that scan for malicious links or payloads should extend beyond desktops and laptops to mobile devices as standard.
User education is an essential component alongside the right tools and policies. Employees must understand how to recognize phishing attempts, avoid unauthorized app installations, and report suspicious activity. Organizations can dramatically reduce their mobile risk exposure when people and policy align.
A strategic reset: treating mobile security as mission-criticalPhysical hygiene is upheld as a system-wide discipline in the workplace. It is embedded in training, processes and culture, because the alternative is unacceptable risk. That same principle should govern how we approach mobile security.
Mobile devices now sit at the intersection of convenience and criticality, and treating their security as secondary is no longer viable. These devices are full-fledged endpoints, with access to sensitive systems and information, and they deserve to be treated accordingly.
Like any surgical instrument or critical tool, mobile assets must be kept clean, controlled, and protected, without exception.
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