Apple is mounting a legal challenge against the European Commission after being ordered to open up its tightly controlled ecosystem to rival companies under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The tech giant filed its appeal with the EU’s General Court, claiming the decision would undermine user privacy and harm innovation.
The dispute centres on a March ruling by the Commission following months of dialogue, which concluded that Apple must guarantee interoperability—a requirement that would allow third-party developers to connect non-Apple products, such as smartwatches and headphones, to iPhones and iPads.
Apple has pushed back strongly, arguing that the mandate is ‘unreasonable, costly and stifles innovation.’ A company spokesperson said the move would benefit what Apple describes as ‘data-hungry companies’ like Meta and Samsung, who could gain access to users’ most sensitive data through third-party connections.
Since December 2024, the European Commission has been pressing Apple to make its ecosystem more open to promote competition across the digital sector. However, Apple maintains that complying with the order would compromise the company’s privacy-first approach and violate its data protection standards.
The Commission, meanwhile, insists the measures are proportionate and fully aligned with the EU’s stringent privacy and security framework. It argues that the order would not strip Apple of control over its devices, but rather enable fairer access for other tech players while keeping user protections intact.
The case is set to become a major test of how far the EU can push tech giants to comply with the Digital Markets Act, which was designed to curb the dominance of so-called ‘gatekeepers’ in digital markets.
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New SEC Chairman Paul Atkins has committed to creating a clear regulatory framework for the crypto sector. He aims to replace ambiguity with investor protection and support for innovation.
Speaking before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on 3 June, he said outdated and unclear rules have held the industry back.
Atkins stressed that his approach would end the former administration’s ‘regulation-by-enforcement’ model. He plans to use structured rulemaking, with notice-and-comment procedures guiding the creation of clear, tailored regulations for the crypto market.
He also reaffirmed support for the recently launched Crypto Task Force. Atkins praised the leadership of Commissioners Uyeda and Hester Peirce, often referred to as ‘crypto mom’, adding that the SEC’s divisions would act swiftly to provide regulatory certainty.
Appointed under the Trump administration’s crypto-friendly agenda, Atkins’ policy direction signals a significant shift. It embraces digital asset innovation while ensuring strong investor safeguards.
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Google has urged Gmail users to upgrade their account security after revealing that over 60% have been targeted by cyberattacks. Despite the increasing threat, most people still rely on outdated protections like passwords and SMS-based two-factor authentication.
Google is now pushing users to adopt passkeys and social sign-ins to improve their defences. Passkeys offer phishing-resistant access and use biometric methods such as fingerprint or facial recognition tied to a user’s device, removing the need for traditional passwords.
While digitally savvy Gen Z users are more likely to adopt these new methods, but many still reuse passwords, leaving their accounts exposed to breaches and scams. Google emphasised that passwords are both insecure and inconvenient and called on users to switch to tools that offer stronger protection.
Microsoft, meanwhile, has gone even further by encouraging users to eliminate passwords entirely. Google’s long-term goal is to simplify sign-ins while increasing security across its platforms.
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Microsoft has launched a free cybersecurity initiative for European governments aimed at countering increasingly sophisticated cyber threats powered by AI. Company President Brad Smith said Europe would benefit from tools already developed and deployed in the US.
The programme is designed to identify and disrupt AI-driven threats, including deepfakes and disinformation campaigns, which have previously been used to target elections and undermine public trust.
Smith acknowledged that AI is a double-edged sword, with malicious actors exploiting it for attacks, while defenders increasingly use it to stay ahead. Microsoft continues to monitor how its AI products are used, blocking known cybercriminals and working to ensure AI serves as a stronger shield than weapon.
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A phishing scheme run by organised crime groups cost the UK government £47 million, according to officials from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
Criminals posed as taxpayers to claim payments using fake or hijacked credentials. Rather than a cyberattack, the operation relied on impersonation and did not involve the theft of taxpayer data.
Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s deputy chief executive, confirmed to Parliament’s Treasury Committee that the fraud took place in 2024. The stolen funds were taken through three separate payments, though HMRC managed to block an additional £1.9 million attempt.
Officials began a cross-border criminal investigation soon after discovering the scam, which has led to arrests.
Around 100,000 PAYE accounts — typically used by employers for employee tax and national insurance payments — were either created fraudulently or accessed illegally.
Banks were also targeted through the use of HMRC-linked identity information. Customers first flagged the issue when they noticed unusual activity.
HMRC has shut down the fake accounts and removed false data as part of its response. John-Paul Marks, HMRC’s chief executive, assured the committee that the incident is now under control and contained. ‘That is a lot of money and unacceptable,’ MacDonald told MPs.
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German data protection authorities have imposed a €45 million ($51.2 million) fine on Vodafone for what they described as serious data privacy breaches involving both third-party sales practices and weak digital security systems. The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection (BfDI) cited ‘malicious behaviour’ by partner agencies and security flaws that allowed unauthorised access to customer accounts.
Investigators found that some of Vodafone’s partner agencies engaged in fraudulent conduct, including altering or forging contracts to the detriment of customers. Vodafone was fined €15 million for failing to properly supervise these partners, as required by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Additionally, a €30 million fine was levied due to vulnerabilities in Vodafone’s customer authentication systems, which potentially allowed outsiders to access sensitive services like eSIM profiles. Vodafone has acknowledged the issues, attributing them to inadequate data protection checks at the time.
The company expressed regret for the impact on customers and emphasized that under new management, it has overhauled its data protection protocols to prevent future breaches.
Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider, Germany’s federal data protection commissioner, underscored the importance of data security, stating that user trust in digital services depends on strong safeguards. She added that proper compliance can even be a competitive advantage, as EU regulators continue to crack down on companies that violate GDPR standards.
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Cyber attacks have surged by 47% globally in the first quarter of 2025, with organisations facing an average of 1,925 attacks each week.
Check Point Software, a cybersecurity firm, warns that attackers are growing more sophisticated and persistent, targeting critical sectors like healthcare, finance, and technology with increasing intensity.
Ransomware activity alone has soared by 126% compared to last year. Attackers are no longer just encrypting files but now also threaten to leak sensitive data unless paid — a tactic known as dual extortion.
Instead of operating as large, centralised gangs, modern ransomware groups are smaller and more agile, often coordinating through dark web forums, making them harder to trace.
The report also notes that cybercriminals are using AI to automate phishing attacks and scan systems for vulnerabilities, allowing them to strike with greater accuracy. Emerging markets remain particularly vulnerable, as they often lack advanced cybersecurity infrastructure.
Check Point urges companies to act decisively by adopting proactive security measures, investing in threat detection and employee training, and implementing real-time monitoring. Waiting for an attack instead of preparing in advance could leave organisations dangerously exposed.
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Microsoft has launched a new feature in its Bing app called Bing Video Creator, allowing users to generate videos using text prompts. That tool leverages OpenAI’s advanced Sora model, marking the first time Sora is available for free to the public, as it was previously restricted to paying OpenAI customers.
However, the feature is currently limited to the Bing mobile app and is not yet accessible on desktop. To use the service, users must be signed into a Microsoft account.
Initially, they can create up to 10 videos for free; after that, each video costs 100 Microsoft Rewards points, which can be earned by searching with Bing or shopping in the Microsoft Store. For instance, users get five points for each Bing search on a PC, up to 150 points daily.
Each video is limited to five seconds and must be generated in vertical 9:16 format, a layout ideal for social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Users can generate up to three clips at a time.
Although labelled ‘fast’ mode, the generation process may still take hours. Microsoft says support for horizontal formats is on the way.
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Microsoft is extending its Digital Markets Act compliance measures by further loosening Windows’ grip on its in-house apps across the European Economic Area.
Users can now uninstall the Microsoft Store and will no longer face Edge pop-ups unless they launch the browser themselves.
Edge version 137.0.3296.52, released on 29 May, activates the changes immediately in the region. Choosing an alternative browser such as Chrome or Firefox now pins it to the taskbar by default and automatically handles a wider range of link and file types, including ftp and svg.
Wider deployment across Windows 10 and 11 is scheduled for July. Microsoft says Store-delivered apps will keep receiving updates even if the storefront is removed, and it can be restored at any time.
Bing, Widgets and the Lock Screen will also respect the new default browser once early June updates arrive.
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Fashion brand The North Face and luxury jeweller Cartier have confirmed recent cyber attacks that exposed customer data, including names and email addresses.
Neither company reported breaches of financial or password information.
North Face identified the attack as a credential stuffing attempt, where previously stolen passwords are used to break into other accounts.
Affected customers are being advised to change their login details, while the company’s owner, VF Corporation, continues recovering from an earlier incident.
Cartier said the breach allowed brief access to limited client data but insisted that it quickly secured its systems.
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